In December of 2005, our founder Roger A. Rekate had a life changing experience that forever changed the way he approached each day, along with the opportunities the Lord laid out in front of him. Roger very clearly remembers that day and the events that later led to the creation of Life’s Journey…

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“I’d say a turning point in my life definitely happened the day I got on an MD80 commercial airplane for a quick trip from Las Vegas to Springfield, MO. The flight was the same as any other for the first 10 minutes, when all the sudden the oxygen masks exploded out of the ceiling and the flight attendant announced ‘WE’RE GOING DOWN!’ Terrified, I figured out how to get my mask on and felt extremely dizzy.  My ears were popping and we were losing altitude fast, everything was going of control as we were diving down.  My mind was mixed with prayers and intense fear.  All of the sudden the pilot miraculously regained control of the plane, and boy did he book it to the nearest airport.  Felt like we were in the Indy 500.  When we landed the pilot told everyone on the flight that ‘we had something to tell our grandkids about because this had never happened in his 32 years of flying.’”

 

In those moments many of could only imagine where our thoughts would be in a situation such as this. Roger will never forget his thoughts, “I just remember praying that the Lord would save everyone on the plane. Then I realized that my journey in life could be short and I wanted to start making a difference by helping others.” The Lord had at that moment planted the seed for Life’s Journey that in time grew. Within weeks Roger, his wife Theresa and their youngest daughter Makenzie, decided to start attending James River Church in Springfield, Missouri.

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“In April of 2006, Pastor John of James River Church gave a message that really reached out to me and challenged me to get involved in helping others.  I decided to volunteer for prison ministry to go into the Greene county jail every three months helping our prison team in the chapel.  I have been blessed to have seen thousands of men make the decision to turn to Christ over the years as I help them one on one transition into society.”

 

In April, 2010 the One on One program was born. This program allows a volunteer to help another individual one on one. After an individual is on their feet, we challenge them to in return help another others who may have been in the same situation as they once were. The One on One program was named after the great Pistol Pete Maravich who, after years of ups and downs, became a Christian at age 40.  He then became an ambassador in helping others where he really focused on the youth of those who serve our country.  Roger personally tested the One on One program in 2011 by helping an inmate out of a state prison in Missouri to see if the program could really could make a difference.
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In December, 2011 Life’s Journey received its tax exempt status as a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization.  This will allow any individual or business to contribute for a tax deductible contribution.
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In July, 2012 two committees were formed to help in two major areas of focus, students and military families. In addition, a 3rd committee was formed for the prison & homeless of our country. All committees focus on helping others with the One on One program.
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In December, 2012 we publicly announced our non-profit where we awarded two scholarships for kids to attend baseball and fishing camps - The Julie Martin Fishing scholarship and the Dick Birmingham Baseball scholarship.
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Our hope and prayer is to help others one on one and to make a difference in their lives. We will be partnering with other organizations along this journey, and we ask for your continued prayers. Everyone has a beginning and an end in their journey through life. We challenge you to volunteer by helping others one on one, serve on a committee, or to donate.  This will bless your life in ways you cannot even begin to imagine!