A Remarkable Year

Refreshment for the Soul

Sitting around in my retirement was not a productive option!

So - in 2018 I figured out a way to stay engaged! Refueling in Flight Ministries provides me structure and support to continue encouraging others and share what I have learned over the years.

Refueling in Flight helps me focus my time in five ways:

A weekly 200-word ‘sermon’ called Refueling in Flight. This devotional is sent to over 500 email subscribers as well as posted to the website and Facebook.
Several other writing projects including books, magazine articles, and blogs. One to note from this year was a special blog for the month of October called The Eye of the Storm where I shared reflections learned from the life and loss of my daughter Catie. It seemed to touch many as we had over 32,000 engagements via email, website and Facebook.
Formal teaching in seminaries around the world and informally at various professional training events.
CEO Dialogues provides ministry leaders a confidential setting to discuss professional and personal challenges.
RIF's annual men’s fishing adventure.

This is What They are Saying

I was only 23 years old when Catie was diagnosed, and though I’d lost my dad at 19, this was my first real up close and personal look at suffering. And joy in suffering. I watched back then as a fairly young believer and can remember every bit of it... Time goes on and unfortunately other “storms” have come and gone in my life. But Catie’s sickness was my first. I want to say thank you for not wasting your pain, God has used it in my life powerfully.

- Tracy

Thank you, Dan, for each of these. I have looked forward to them in my in-box but have had to choke back the tears as I read. I am grateful for how God has used you in my life ALL THESE YEARS in countless ways, and how he continues to.

- April

Your post has brought so many emotions I thought I had dealt with but they always come back up when I read your posts, I have come to understand that you can deal with things as reality but the sadness will come sometime. . . Your writing makes me cry everyday but they are tears and emotions that if used for God's glory I might be a tool for someone else. As we both know, no one can help a person who has lost a child like another person who has lost a child. May God bless you for helping me and so many others . .

- Sharon

I didn’t want more time to go by without thanking you for writing “The Eye of the Storm”. You mentioned in the “Introduction” how you wrote “The Eye of the Storm” to help yourself and that you were hopeful it would help others as well. I’m here to tell you that you did help others because it helped me through my “October Storm.”

- Matt

What's ahead?

I do not take a salary from RIF - however there are ongoing expenses. Approximately $1,300 monthly covers office rent, supplies, and maintaining the administrative, technical, and editing help we need to function.

Over the past two years, I have written two books on Christian camping. Thou Shalt Camp, a study of 12 key passages that provide the biblical foundation for this unique ministry. And Jesus: Camp Director, takes a look at the ministry principles Jesus employed when he ran a ‘day camp’ for 5,000 hungry campers. We are shopping these manuscripts to publishers; but due to the specific niche, we anticipate self-publishing will cost approximately $10,000 each.
I am currently scheduled to teach camping courses in Ethiopia, Russia, and Myanmar. Ethiopia will be taught remotely during January due to Covid-19 concerns. Russia in February is looking doubtful. But Myanmar is hopeful for the fall. Each trip requires around $5,000 for travel, accommodations, visas, and related expenses. I’m guessing we will need $5,000 for one international trip in 2021.
We are experimenting with a virtual CEO Dialogue with CCI-Canada in February. We held two excellent face-to-face events early in 2020 but the ones scheduled later in the year cancelled. Participant fees cover the majority of these events.
The Men’s Fishing Adventure is also a fee-based event, but we have related expenses beyond the cost for the participants. Travel and related expenses will be about $5,000.

How can I help?

GIVE NOW

All told we expect to need about $45,000 to publish the two books and maintain the work. That number is very fluid and will depend upon book publishers and travel requirements. Currently we have about $15,000 committed; leaving about $30,000 that we are trusting God to provide. If you would like to help, we would deeply appreciate your financial support.

RIF is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. The board of directors consists of Cay and me and three long-time friends who have spent their lives in ministry: Bedford Holmes, Brad Mercer, and Ken Sutterfield. They know us well enough to provide encouragement, accountability and to help steer the direction of the ministry.

If you’d like to help with the expenses of RIF in 2021, GIVE NOW or send a check to Refueling in Flight, PO Box 3115, Arlington, VA 22203.

Please feel free to email me at if you have any questions or would like more information.

Refreshment for the Soul