“What is your purpose? What are your passions for the purpose God has created you to do?” On a trail run in 2009, Jim Skal ’94 reflected on his pastor’s call to consider the trajectory of his life and determine how he could best serve the Lord through his abilities. Skal says, “My passions are His creation, everything about creation — I love it all.” Skal’s pondering was answered through a “conversation with God” as he felt a strong call to share his passion for creation with others, particularly at-risk youth in nearby Aliquippa.
Skal earned his bachelor's degree in human resource management through Geneva’s degree completion program in 1994, ten years after his “fellow generation of people.” Just this year, Skal graduated from Liberty University with an MA in pastoral counseling and military resilience. Through his pathway of less traditional degree completion, Skal emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and recognizes God’s guidance in preparing him for ministry before knowing exactly what form that ministry would take.
Skal has been married for 35 years and has four children, three of whom also graduated from Geneva. In 2011, he founded Outdoor Immersion, a ministry organization that seeks to "expose others to the wonders of God's creation” and open doors for Gospel conversations. The organization began by partnering with Aliquippa Impact and TRAILS Ministries in their work with at-risk youth and those experiencing incarceration trauma. In 2017, after 19 years as a mortgage consultant, Skal moved to working full-time with Outdoor Immersion after a huge increase in growth.
In 2014, Outdoor Immersion began working with veterans, seeking to respond to the prevalence of veteran suicide in the wake of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. Skal takes groups of veterans on weekend hikes, kayaking, and canoeing trips. For Skal, the “hike is not just a hike. It’s exposure to the character and power of God.” He also works with a Veteran Service Organization (VSO) that ministers to those in veteran treatment courts. Skal smiles at the Lord’s faithfulness as he recalls court workers who say, “What have you been doing with this guy? Before, he wouldn’t even look us in the eye, but now he’s talking and is a completely different person.”
Skal — affectionately known as “Nature Jim” by those he serves — uses metaphors in nature to illustrate truths about God, His character, the world, and humans. Skal believes this metaphor-seeking is consistent with how creation is used in Scripture. Many of these fascinating metaphors are imparted to others through LLOGIN hikes (Learning Lessons of God in Nature), which Skal calls “creation application learning.” For several years, inspired by his daughter, Skal led Spring Break Immersion Trips for Geneva students that included kayaking, hiking, and river cleanup.
For Skal, the tree imagery in Ezekiel 17 is a metaphor for how God interacts with people. No two trees look exactly alike, illustrating the unique nature of each human in the eyes of God. Further, a tree is recognized — known — by its fruit, just as the spiritual fruit of each human indicates who he or she is serving. Skal often uses the metaphor of a twisted tree to encourage others that we are defined by God rather than by our previous challenging circumstances. Just as a tree can be twisted by extreme weather and later grow straight and true, so also people can choose the straight and narrow path after hardship and struggle. "It makes sense that God would choose a tree metaphor,” Skal says with a smile.
But trees are not the only way truth can be seen in nature. When kayaking, a bow wave forms behind the kayak. However, if one stops paddling, the wave will “catch up” with the kayak and then continue ahead of the kayaker, ruining the image reflected on the water. Skal links the bow wave to our pasts, explaining that we must always keep moving forward and growing in what the Lord calls us to do and that if we stop, then we will stagnate in our walk with the Lord.
Yet another example can be seen in the geography of ancient Israel. The garden of Gethsemane is east of Jerusalem while Golgotha is to the west. Jesus took on the sins of His people as He agonized in the garden of Gethsemane and then removed those sins to the west when He was crucified at Golgotha, literally representing the removal of our sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103). Skal points out that the east-west separation (as opposed to north-south) is crucial. North and south are intricately connected; when you travel over the north pole you immediately begin traveling south and vice versa. However, you can never stop traveling east or west. In Christ, we can never be returned to our sins.
Reflecting on the impact of his work, Skal recognizes that we often do not see the extent of the influence we have had or the end of the story. “Sometimes they might have just needed us for a season.” Some folks choose not to stay in touch, but if they happen to cross paths with Skal, they’re happy to see him. Others, however, seek continued mentoring and relationships, some for as long as 12 years. Some become operators, veterans who desire to spread the word and get more people connected with Outdoor Immersion.
Skal believes that relational connection — both with God and other people — is the root vision for his ministry. He wants to help veterans and others find a church, where they can become deeply connected with a local body of believers. For Skal, in a culture fraught with isolation, the opposite of addiction is not sobriety but a fullness of connection and community. Ultimately, his hope is that his ministry will be a part of bringing others to a saving knowledge of Christ who will then “want to serve God for the rest of their days.”
Sarabeth Schuck ‘25
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