***It’s been a rough couple of weeks walking up and down North Carolina mountains in the rain.***

Greetings in the name of Jesus the Messiah. Oh how we need the Messiah. Away with all these “health experts,” politicians, senators, bureaucrats, democrats, republicans, and fake presidents!

Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! (Isaiah 64:1-2)

In short, our long walk across America is on pause as I try to nurse a nagging abdomen injury that has gotten progressively worse. I would greatly appreciate your prayers for healing. I am also working to replace some expensive field equipment that was destroyed by a hit-and-run driver who wasn’t paying attention at a pull-off cul-de-sac along a lonely highway. It’s ok; God is sovereign. Bethany needed a little time off to catch up with her homeschooling assignments; and Eric needed some time alone with his family.

Since my July 12th Journey of a Thousand Miles entry, it’s been a rough couple of weeks walking across America in the spirit of dire warning as from a watchman on a wall. God told His prophets to sound an alarm ahead of coming judgment (Joel 2:1), and that is what we are walking across across this country to do. Of late, however, weather has been very wet; the route has been rough, up and down mountains; there have only been few Gospel encounters; and, as mentioned, some of our expensive field equipment has been destroyed. Wednesday afternoon past, after only 33 miles last week, most of those in the pouring rain, we decided to just throw everything into the back of the support vehicle, including the broken pieces, and head for the house, a 3-hour drive back to Hickory. We are now paused at 1120 miles from the starting line, and the utmost end of North Carolina is close. It’s less than 30 miles to Murphy and hard to believe we have actually walked, more or less, North Carolina’s cliched Murphy to Manteo.

***It’s almost surreal to be getting close to Murphy, NC when we drove through Manteo to get to the starting line back in March.***

July 13-17: We walked 80 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway down to Rosman and then west across a very lonely and wild section of Gorges State Park. It was a bit spooky in those deep, dark woods in the fog and rain. I walked that stretch alone and actually had to ford a river. From there, the route passed by Whitewater Falls and crossed into South Carolina for a bit, then back into NC and a very rough Bull Pen Road in a downpour that crossed the Chattooga River on a single lane iron bridge. When the rain finally broke, we climbed steeply along Horse Cove Road into the appropriately named town of Highlands at 4,000 ft. in elevation. Even walking, the curves on that road were sketchy. Jamie and I used to love a weekend away in Highlands, but sadly, like most other popular getaways in America these days, it’s no longer worth the time, money, or effort. How empty and vain is the American Dream, built upon a foundation of sinking sand! From Highlands, the road down to Dillard, Georgia was dangerous with a lot of traffic and no shoulder, but the Lord preserved us, again in the rain. It was funny, in only 36 minutes of walking, we crossed the state line between North Carolina and Georgia FIVE TIMES. It rained on us every day we walked that week.

***Fording a River in a Remote Corner of Gorges State Park***

***For a few miles, the walking route crossed into South Carolina.***

***In a downpour, Bethany & Eric cross the Chattooga River just above where it becomes the border between South Carolina and Georgia.***

July 19-21: It started out another wet week, very wet. But, we were blessed to have our missionary friend from Peru, TJ Lindsey with Heart of Christ Ministries, come alongside for those tough 33 miles. His company was a blessing and a true encouragement. It was busy going up US 441 out of Dillard, Georgia and very wet crossing the Nantahala crest via rough forest service roads and even a leg of the Appalachian Trail. At one point, the old forest road was washing out and borderline dangerous to even have the support vehicle up there. At Wallace Gap, the route left the Appalachian Trail and followed Old 64 and US 64 west toward Murphy. Wednesday was finally a sunny day, but we only accomplished 5 miles before calling it quits at the same roadside pull-off where we camped the last night of our 14,000-mile colportage and preaching circuit last Fall. It really is nice to know familiar spots so far from home.

***Walking National Forest Roads in the Rain***

***Pushing to Wallace Gap with Brother TJ on the Appalachian Trail, Again in the Rain***

***A Common View from the Support-and-Gear (S.A.G.) Vehicle***

After two rough weeks of walking, we packed up at this same spot where we camped back in November on the last night of a very long overland colportage journey. This is along US 64, almost to the western end of North Carolina.

At the above pull-off, as mentioned, some of our expensive equipment was destroyed by a hit-and-run driver who wasn’t paying attention when he barreled into that place. It was discouraging, and that, coupled with all the rain and an abdominal injury I can’t seem to shake, made it a last straw for the week. So, we are at home as I try to nurse this nagging muscle strain. The constant pounding of pavement and trail is undoubtedly a barrier to proper healing. I am seeking the LORD about whether or not to take a couple of weeks off or to just press on. It does concern me that we are, of late, making what seems like little progress and that the summer is almost over. But, I rest in knowing that we serve a Sovereign LORD who declares: “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). Again, Bethany, Eric, and I would much appreciate your prayers.

It was a joy to stock two remote Appalachian Trail shelters with Bibles and discipleship materials on this leg of the walk. I have always loved doing this, knowing from experience how lonely and restless nights can be in those shelters for a thru-hiker. I trust God’s Word will give comfort and exhortation to some lost or discouraged soul walking in the rain like we were forced to do the last two weeks. So, that alone made this difficult stretch worthwhile.

***Stocking Appalachian Trail shelters with Bibles and Gospel materials is a worthwhile endeavor, especially if you just happen to walk by them on a long walk across the United States :)***

We did enjoy a memorable encounter in a Waffle House in Clayton, Georgia where we fled for lodging after a horribly wet day that prevented us from camping. It was a huge hassle and an overpriced garbage motel, but the encounter with Jonathan who worked at that diner, the only place in town that was still open when we arrived, was orchestrated of the LORD. We praised Him for it.

***Eric & Jonathan at the Waffle House in Clayton, Georgia***

Several Gospel tracts were happily received at a small gas station in Balsam Grove, NC. A dump truck driver was immensely encouraged and pulled over to bless us, as did a fisherman from Raleigh who passed me by after having seen us earlier in the rain. He handed me some money to get us all a cup of coffee to warm up from the cold. Sandra from Mexico ran out of her house to bless us with cold water and fresh oranges, something she said is tradition in her country when you see a “religious man” walking down the road. We spoke the truth of the Gospel in Spanish to her, that eternal salvation is not by manmade religion, and she was grateful for tract in her language. As for the oranges, they were real tasty and a real blessing. Just down that same road, a Christian foreman let us give Spanish Gospel tracts to his work crew. A Christian brother pulled over in the rain outside of Dillard to give us enough money to buy dinner. That was a blessing. There were also encounters with a man from Colorado, a couple from Raleigh, and a fisherman from the small island nation of Cyprus. He took a tract and I thought of how Paul and Barnabas literally walked across Cyprus on their first missionary journey. Chloe, a pregnant girl, was sitting alone in the dark and the pouring rain on the side of the road. We gave her a ride to a friend’s apartment; and she received a Bible from our hands. The Lord allowed me to speak to her about the grave importance of a mother protecting the life of her unborn child and of the heinous and murderous crime before God that is abortion in our nation. Then, there was a 77-year-old Christian brother who we met in a parking lot in South Carolina. When he was much younger, he used to walk with a cross and preach the Gospel in Athens, Georgia, particularly outside some of the university sporting events. The Lord put him into our path at just the right moment to speak some words of exhortation that we, especially me, needed to hear. We literally lost track of time as we stood there fellowshipping in the Holy Ghost. I praise God for that even now.

***This 77-year-old saint walked a cross and preached the Gospel many years ago to his generation. The Lord blessed truly us by putting him into our path.***

Finally, there was Rebel Ricky, a man with a big Confederate flag flying in his front yard. I mention him primarily to throw a monkey wrench into the cogs of the lying narratives perpetrated today by the terrorist mainstream American news media about a whole lot of things. You see, Ricky is just one of numerous folks we have encountered on the first 1,100 miles of this walking journey who display their Confederate flags and would be mocked by elitist pigs and even some professing Christians as racist rednecks. Here is a little known FACT, however, that would obliterate this fake news: Every single person displaying a Confederate flag (be it in their yard, on their house, or on their vehicle) we have confronted on this journey, 100% of them, have been polite, humble, and willing to listen to our dire message of warning about judgment coming to this nation. And, my friends, I do not mince words. Not a single one of these folks has rejected a Gospel tract; not a single one of these folks has mocked the preacher; and not a single one of these folks has disputed my declaration that America’s problem is a spiritual problem. Way back in Eastern North Carolina, I even chuckled to see a Confederate flag flying in a black family’s yard. Never forget: everything you hear from the American news media is a lie mixed with a little twisted truth. When will Christian people stop listening to KNOWN LIARS? When will they stop believing them? When we they stop paying attention to them altogether? I praise God for Rebel Ricky and all the other “southern rednecks” who have been open to the Gospel as we preach it on foot along America’s highways and byways.

Every single person we have met on this walking journey with one of these in their yard has proven a person of peace, open to the message of the Gospel and willing to listen as we sound an alarm over the nation.

Glory to God for 1,120 miles of walking, 617 Gospel encounters, and 30 copies of God’s Word gladly received by hands that needed it! Hopefully, we can get back to pounding the pavement sometime next week. Again, your prayers for healing and provision are coveted and appreciated. The last two weeks were truly rough times, but the rough times were also good times that make me excited about what’s down the road. Perhaps this is best illustrated by a shot of one of the many gorgeous waterfalls we saw along this particularly rough stretch.

***Rainbow Falls in Gorges State Park, NC***

If this walk across America and these testimonies are, or have been a blessing to you, please consider financially sowing into this difficult endeavor. We have some financial needs, and anything you can give is a blessing that will be used faithfully and with account. All contributions are tax-deductible, and donating online is very easy. Thank you in Jesus’ name. Learn more . . .

Stay tuned . . .

Jesse Boyd, Full Proof Gospel Ministries