An Amazing Year

As I finish my last few days of Christmas vacation, I look back on 2011 and realize what an amazing year it was.

I traveled over 50,000 miles and participated in 36 conferences and events. There were pastor’s lunches and speaker sessions at the Creation Museum. I met countless people who gave testimony about how their Christian walk was strengthened by the ministry of Answers in Genesis. These things all make me realize how blessed I am to be a part of this ministry.

I was able to achieve a personal goal in 2011. I was able to visit my five favorite places in the same calendar year! Of course, my favorite place is the Creation Museum so that one was easy. The other four took a little planning.

In January, I took an extra day at the end of an event in Pennsylvania and spent a morning touring the Martin Guitar factory. It had been 10 years since my first visit to the factory, and it was a blast. A great start to 2011.

In April, I made my fifth trip to Augusta National Golf club, where I (and three of my best buddies) attended a practice round before the start of the Masters Tournament. I am not much of a golfer, but I love walking around Augusta National. It is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.

In May, Liz and I traveled to Nashville, where we went to see Paul Simon at the Ryman Auditorium. This was absolutely the best concert I have ever attended! One of my musical heroes playing at the finest concert hall in the world—it doesn’t get much better than that.

Then in November, I completed my quest by visiting Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California. For the true Mac lover this is almost a mandatory trip. Imagine, the place where Mac OSX, iPods, iPhones, and iPad were born! Needless to say, I spent way too much money at the company store, but I did come home with some great souvenirs.

All five places in 2011—I won’t call this a bucket list but it was way cool!

All my travels kept me away more than I would like, and I often found myself quite homesick. I really don’t travel that well. But I did get to have some very special times with Liz. We went to Disney World for two days in September (using 22-year-old left-over tickets), and after my Northern Ireland tour, we had four days together in London. I even took Liz to see Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theater while were there (it wasn’t Paul Simon, but Liz thoroughly enjoyed it!).

It looks like 2012 is going to be even busier than 2011. I already have over 30 events booked on my schedule., including our AiG Family Conference in Branson, homeschool conferences, and several pastor’s conferences.

I have begun work on volume two of the Answers Book for Teens, and there are two other book projects I am working on, including a series of books on the human body. We will also be preparing a new video series early next year. So I guess you could say I have more than enough to do.

But I can’t wait to get started!

Thank you all for your prayers over the course of 2011. I appreciate your cards and letters, your emails, and your kind words of encouragement. Let’s all pray for lives to be changed in 2012!