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Updated: Thursday, Sep. 21, 2000 at 23:32 CDT
Closer walk with thee: Hiking Appalachian Trail guides man's steps toward outdoor ministry
By Kristen Rasmussen Naquin
Special to the Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH -- What started as a joke between two friends changed the direction of Nathan Hicks' life.
The backpacking enthusiast, who was introduced to the activity in fifth grade by his father, used to tease a friend about hiking the 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail, which crosses the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Maine.
The more the idea simmered, the more intriguing it became.
On March 1, 1997, Hicks began his five-month hike alone.
Hicks, 25, said he realized before the hike that God was calling him to pursue a full-time occupation in Christian ministry. He toyed with the idea of youth ministry.
When Hicks reached Mount Katahdin in Maine, the north end of the trail, on July 29, 1997, his plans had changed.
The hike "solidified my passion for the outdoors," he said. "My dad always told me, `You will come back and either never want to go backpacking again, or it will increase your desire.' "
And increase his desire it did. He is studying toward a master's degree in divinity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The past two summers have been spent as a counselor at Summit Adventure in Bass Lake, Calif., a 20- minute drive from the south entrance of Yosemite National Park. The organization offers Christian-based outdoors programs.
"Just from working with him, I realized he has a passion for being out there and teaching people about Christianity and what the wilderness has to offer them on a physical, spiritual and social level," said Melody Wachsmuth, an assistant program director for Summit Adventure who led a 14-day course with Hicks.
Hicks said he learned discipline and perseverance during the Appalachian hike. A typical day included waking at 7 a.m., hiking 15 to 25 miles, setting up camp and crawling into a bedroll before sundown, he said. Everything he needed to survive was in a 55-pound backpack that never left his sight and rarely left his back, Hicks said.
"Even when you're in a place you like and a place you're supposed to be in, it can still be hard, and you don't want to go on," he said. "But you have to have the discipline to get back to the times when it was enjoyable."
Hicks said he slept in a bed and showered about once a week, when he hiked into town. He called his parents regularly, asking them to mail food and supplies to a nearby post office, where he could pick up the packages and restock.
Although he began his journey by himself, Hicks spent only one night alone. He regularly hiked and camped with others, he said.
He often relied on the generosity of residents. One man let Hicks spend two nights at his home after knowing him for a couple of hours.
"Through the hike, God revealed to me that I have a legitimate desire for the outdoors, just as someone has a passion for teaching. And my desire is no less God-given just because it makes me look like I just want to play," he said.
"I had thought youth ministry, but God said, `Don't be afraid to pursue [outdoor] ministry. This is how I made you for a reason.' In the past, it had just been a dream almost," Hicks said.
He then enrolled in seminary. In September 1999, Hicks became a founding member of 121 Community Church in Grapevine, which is sponsored by First Baptist Church of Hurst. He worked closely with the church's youths but could not extinguish the passion ignited during the hike.
Ross Sawyers, pastor of 121 Community Church and a longtime friend, said it became clear that God was not calling Hicks to minister in a metropolitan area.
"His hike was part of a long process that geared him that way," Sawyers said.
Hicks left the youth ministry in May and works for an area painting company to make ends meet. But he said he plans to work for a Christian-based outdoor organization after he graduates from seminary in May.
He has an appropriate nickname. Appalachian Trail "thru-hiking" tradition dictates that hikers discard their given names and adopt a trail name given by other "thru-hikers."
Shortly into the hike, Hicks was dubbed "Preacher."
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