Eyes Opened to AZ

Within the past year, I've had two opportunities to visit and minister to natives through partnership with Live Love Ministries. The unique group of people that serve on Live Love's team are patiently building relationships with native communities in the Tohono O'Odham Nation (T.O.) in Southern Arizona. In November of 2022, I helped a team of men with a building project at the Live Love ministries church near Casa Grande, AZ. We also had the opportunity to minister to two different communities in the T. O. nation during that Fall trip. Recently, in July of 2023, we took a group of high school teens back to minister to 4th-6th grades students at the church there in Casa Grande area. 

Our goal on this recent trip was to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with these students and teach them about the character and nature of God Almighty. People will sometimes ask, "Why would you go to Arizona to tell Native Americans about Jesus Christ? Don't they have their own form of spiritual worship and culture?" The answer is yes, they have an oral tradition that's been passed down from generation to generation. 

But if you discovered the reality of an amazing person who loved people unconditionally -- healed sickness, gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, opened the mouths of the mute, exorcised demons, raised the dead to life, and claimed to be God -- who said He is the way, the Truth, the resurrection and the Life; and then rose from the grave three days after the religious leaders of His time tried to have killed and buried, I mean, wouldn't you want to share that with others? Especially, if you had personally experienced His life-changing love, grace, and truth (like me)! A Person who not only claimed to be God in human flesh, but proved it over and over by His life and ministry. This Person, Jesus Christ, promises forgiveness, abundant life, and rightness with God to all who trust in Him! We share this Good News with others so they too can have the opportunity to know and enjoy a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ!

The Exciting Commitment to Marriage

Committing your life to one another is a huge step, but also the beginning of an exciting and amazing adventure together! Thank you for inviting us to be a part of this beautiful and life-changing moment in your lives!

The best way to start a successful marriage is making sure you’re both on the same page and entering this marriage covenant together with the same mindset. Marriage counseling plays an important role in laying the right foundation upon which you can build a life together. So, grab your finance and a cup of coffee, and as you continue reading this together, allow yourselves the freedom to think through and discuss what you’re learning or being asked to consider.  

What Is Marriage?

Marriage is a beautiful union of two becoming one.  Created and established by God, marriage is a lifelong commitment symbolic of Christ’s love for His Bride, the Church.  Marriage is an exciting and life-changing step for anyone to take in their life.   Before making this covenant promise with another person, one should always take time to understand the true origin and purpose in marriage.  As designed by God, marriage is a public ceremony between one man and one woman, a picture of Christ’s love for His Bride the Church, a healthy environment for raising children, and leaves no thought for divorce as an option.

God’s Design for Marriage

Marriage was created and established by God with specific parameters to protect the sanctity of this covenant relationship. As described in God’s Word, marriage is the union of one man and one woman for the rest of their life.  “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’ . . . For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”  The Lord specifically established marriage as a lifetime commitment between one man and one woman. 

Cohabitation & Need for Public Ceremony

This uniting of two corresponding genders to become one should only take place after a public marriage ceremony.  As quoted in Genesis 2:24 above, only at the time of marriage should a man leave his parents’ home and begin living with his new wife.  Cohabitation or living together before marriage is not part of God’s plan.  The man and the woman should live independent of each other until the day of their marriage ceremony.  This covenant and public commitment to each other should be witnessed by family and friends, who can encourage the new couple and hold them accountable to their marriage vows the remainder of their life together.

Marriage Is Symbolic of Christ’s Love for the Church

God created marriage to symbolically represent Christ’s love for His Bride the Church.  The Apostle Paul described this analogy in detail as he wrote to the churches in Corinth and Ephesus.  “Heterosexual union in marriage expresses the same sort of holy, exclusive, permanent, complex, selfless and complementary intimacy that will some day characterize the union of Christ with the redeemed and glorified Church.” 

A Healthy Environment for Children

Marriage between a man and a woman is the most healthy setting in which to raise children.  “The biblical model of marriage reveals a husband and wife working together, complementing each other, to provide a stable, successful home in which children are equipped to fulfill their greatest potential.”  Children raised in single parent home or by a homosexual couple are more prone to emotional problems, identity struggles, and possess a distorted view of marriage.  Raising children in a home where marriage is built on God’s Word is the best and most healthy environment.

Divorce Is Not An Option

Divorce was not part of God’s plan.  In Deuteronomy 24, Moses permitted the Israelites to divorce because of the hardness of their hearts and to protect the divorced wife.  When the Pharisees asked Jesus about divorce, He reminded them of God’s original plan for marriage in Genesis 2, and explained “so they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”  A man and a woman should enter the marriage covenant committed to each other for life.  Divorce is not an option in God’s design for marriage.

Concluding Affirmation

Marriage is a sacred covenant that should be taken very seriously by both man and woman.  Before making this covenant promise with another person, both individuals should prayerfully consider the true origin and purpose in marriage.  As designed by God, marriage is a public ceremony between one man and one woman, a picture of Christ’s love for His Bride the Church, a healthy environment for raising children, and leaves no thought for divorce as an option.

As you each select the "Next Steps" link below, each person seeking to be married agrees to the definition and intention as described above for marriage.  Both individuals now make a commitment to attend marriage counseling and enter the marriage covenant as outlined in this explanation of marriage, but more importantly, as described in God’s Word.

Let's take the Next Steps toward marriage together!

Hindsight is 2020

 A lot of people describe 2020 as a terrible year, a year full of hardships and coronavirus, a year of virtual schooling and canceled sports, a year of no toilet paper and no ammunition, a year of racism, protests, and violence, a year of quarantine and COVID19 deaths. But as we enter 2021, I want to take a minute to reflect back on 2020. Yes, there were some tough moments, but there were also some great moments.

Personally, I think 2020 has been a great year for our family. It’s almost like God hit the pause button on the craziness of our life and gave us a year to slow down and spend more time together. Adalynn and Kinley are both great students and were able to quickly adapt and stay on top of their in-person or virtual studies. Yes, we probably watched more TV this year than ever before, but we also remodeled our deck and put in a pool, which was fun to work on together. And we enjoyed sharing the pool and fire pit with family and friends (in small groups of 10 or less, of course). Yes, we tested positive for COVID19 in mid November, a few weeks after Elyssa’s Nana passed; and no, some of us still can’t taste or smell at times, but through it all we’ve grown in our unity and love for one another.

Ministry has been tough throughout 2020. We had to cancel our Student DNow event planned at the end of March, and postponed our mission trip to Arizona. The unknown and inability to plan ahead has been tough for both youth and discipleship ministry in our church. We canceled our Wednesday night meals and large youth group gatherings inside, discontinued Sunday Connect Classes, modified VBS, and emphasized our online presence. But as believers we are designed to worship together and use our spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. So we’ve shifted gears and looked for creative ways to continue ministering to both our community and our local body of believers. Small group discipleship has been huge for both students and adults and we hope to build upon that in 2021.

To the Boy Who Wants to Date My Daughter:

I’m praying for you.
I’m praying for your heart to be pure, for honorable intentions, for respect. What you focus your thoughts on will lay the foundation for your relationship.

I’m praying for you. 

She is my precious treasure. I love her more than you. How do you think I’ll react if my precious treasure is hurt or broken?

I’m praying for you.

There’s a time and a season for everything. If you’re dating, then you shouldn’t act like you’re married. If you’re married, then you should never stop dating. Time equals commitment.

I’m praying for you.

Do you love Jesus? She will respect and follow a spiritual leader. Initiate and lead.

I’m praying for you.

Words have meaning. “Love” is not a word to be thrown around loosely. Don’t use it unless you’re ready to put a ring on her finger. Come talk to me first.

I’m praying for you.

A good relationship with her parents will make life easier. Cultivate that. If I’m not praying for you, then you ain’t got a prayer.

Youth Ministry 2.0

Youth ministry is all about being together and building relationships — with Jesus Christ, with peers, with parents, and with the local body of believers.  But what do you do when “together” is suddenly stripped away, and the whole country withdrawals in isolation to slow down the spread of sickness?  Quality time together, the very foundation of youth ministry is shaken to its core and we are forced to avoid contact with others, especially in groups of ten or more.  What can youth pastors and students do to remain connected and grow together in Christ?

In a time of quarantine and social distancing, youth ministry can seem to have hit a brick wall. But this is the time for youth pastors to step up and lead.  As ministry leaders, we are probably more skilled in using the tools and social media necessary to connect with students in meaningful relationships.  In some ways it will be easier, but in many other ways it will require a ramp up of intentional efforts.  Here's what I'm learning along the way, so feel free to glean from my successes and failures because we're all on the same team!

Partner with Parents
No matter how much you try to connect with students online through social media and video, youth pastors must equip parents to continue student discipleship.  Families may be spending more time together, but parent stress and frustration are elevated by financial strains and schooling at home.  Here are some ideas on how to equip your parents:

• Read through a book of the Bible together.  Select a book in the Bible for families to read through together.  Prepare a few questions ahead of time for them to discuss as they read through each chapter or section. 
• Questions for Live-stream Follow-up.  If your church offers a live-stream option for Sunday morning worship and teaching, work with your pastor to create a list of questions for further discussion, then encourage families to watch and discuss together.

Online Video
Teens love to hear from their youth leaders and want to spend time with their friends.  So, combine the two with one or more of these options:

• Zoom video allows multiple people to talk with each other through video at the same time.
• Instagram & Facebook both offer live video options, which provide an opportunity for youth leaders to communicate with students, and both platforms allow teens to interact through comments.
• Ask students to post a 60 second video of their testimony, or reading through Scripture, or a short devotion based on the Bible study you may be discussing as a group.

Personal Contact

• Nothing means more to a student than a personal phone call to check-in on them and ask how they're doing.  Take time to make meaningful contact with several students each week.
• It may seem old fashion, but students rarely receive anything in the mail these days, so another idea might be to send a hand-written note in the mail each week to surprise some of your teens with a word of encouragement.

I'm learning new things everyday as I explore various strategies for connecting with teens.  I'm also learning what does not work, for example: early morning Instagram live videos; Zoom videos before dark on a sunny day; or anything that might remind them of the school work they've been working on all morning.

I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!  Here’s another good article that you may want to consider.  Let's start a conversation on how we can continue to minister to both students and parents in the midst of social distancing.

Cheyenne

A Life Saved And A Bone Broken

#LifeStory [ 14 ]  I am so proud of my amazing wife!  She jumped in to help a student on a field trip, got hurt in the process, but toughed it out and made the most of Adalynn's class trip to Washington DC. 

April 17, 2016.  We left Sharpe Elementary at 5:00AM for Washington DC with Adalynn's 5th grade class for a week of touring and learning.  However, 3 hours into the trip, we hear people yelling for Mrs. Elyssa from the back of the charter bus.  One of the students was having a seizure!  Elyssa was the CPR and medicine administrator for our bus, but when she got back there, the girl was turning blue.  The girl's mom (a RN) was sitting next to her, but the seizing girl's teeth were clamped shut and her mom was yelling "I need an airway!"  They laid the girl down and Elyssa started chest compressions while another parent called 911. 

The girl regained her color and stopped seizing as the motor coach pulled over on the side of the interstate.  Another mom volunteered to help carry the girl off the bus because it was hot and no place to lay her down.  Elyssa assisted by lifting the girl under her arms, but as she stepped off the bus, her foot rolled on the loose gravel and Elyssa fell.  She didn't drop the girl but she did bruise her left arm, hurt her left foot, and sprained her right knee.

They got the student off the bus and laid on the ground where she tried to vomit and spit up a piece of gum, which is what she probably choked on.  The ambulance picked up the girl around 9:30AM to take her and her mother to the closest emergency room.  Praise the Lord she is ok!  They still don't know to this day what may have triggered the seizure.


We all got back on the bus, and as we continued our journey towards Washington DC, it became apparent that Elyssa had something wrong with both her left foot and her right knee.  But we pressed on towards our destination and she somehow hopped off and back on the bus at each stop for restroom breaks.

At 11:30PM that night, we finally arrive at our hotel and get a ride to the nearest emergency room to check on Elyssa's injuries.  X-rays revealed a broken bone in Elyssa's left foot.  However, my tough wife wasn't going to let that stop her!  We got back to our hotel room around 3:30AM, slept till 6:30AM, then I notified our travel agent of our status and started looking for a wheelchair.

Elyssa and I were able to continue the tour throughout Washington DC with Adalynn and her classmates.  At each stop on the tour, Elyssa would hop up and down the bus using her right leg, though the knee was obviously injured; and I would then push her in a wheelchair as we toured at each location.  One of our most memorable moments was trying to push the wheelchair up Capitol Hill, weaving and dodging streams of water shooting from the early morning sprinklers!

When we returned home, some of our friends were able to get us straight into the Orthopedic Institute.  They confirmed that she had a broke bone in her left foot, and a torn MCL in her right knee.  She wore a boot for 6 months, but ended up getting a screw in her left foot two weeks before school started that Fall so she could start teaching again.  I'm so proud of my tough wife for jumping in to help, and we're so thankful that the student who seized is ok!

A Life Changing Nicaragua Mission Trip

#LifeStory [ 13 ]  August 24-31, 2013

On our 11th anniversary Elyssa and I went on our first BMDMI mission trip to Nicaragua.  Our team went to the village of Los Zarzales, where we saw about 3000 people in the village and surrounding area.  The people in that area were not as poor as others, but they were hungry for God's Word.  I helped with the youth service all week, while Elyssa served in the pharmacy.  I was amazed at how the teens would just sit and absorb God's Word.

The first night there, Frank Kirby (Chico), asked me if I wanted to preach at any of the adult services.  I said no because I was unfamiliar with how BMDMI did things and because I didn't know the people.  Chico asked me again the next day, but I turned down the opportunity again because I had no idea what to say.  What could I say to connect with the people?  What did they need to hear?

As the first two days went by, I had an opportunity or two to share the Good News of Jesus with the teens in the youth service, but the other person who did most of the talking liked to tell stories and rarely presented a clear or accurate presentation of the Gospel.  Also, the community was invited back every evening for a night service, but the messages always seemed too Southern Baptist and "churchy."  As time went by, I felt like God was telling me, "Cheyenne, the people need to hear the Truth, the Gospel explained clearly."

I started praying and asking God to give me boldness to preach the Truth, but I also needed direction.  I had no idea what to say, or where to start.  Then the Lord reminded me of Mark 1:15, "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel."  This is the simple message Jesus preached to the people when He started His ministry, and I felt like God was telling me that this is what the people of Los Zarzales needed to hear as well.

The Lord also reminded me of how I was raised on a farm and I could use that as a way of connecting with the people.  I needed to share my own testimony of how I came to know Jesus and explain clearly to the people the Good News as described in Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, and 10:9-10.

So, on our last day in the village, Wednesday, August 28, I preached the Good News of Jesus Christ to a tent full of people.  The Lord gave me boldness and the words to speak as I proclaimed His Truth in a way that was easy to understand.  This was the highlight of my week!  When I stepped out in faith, trusting God to help me and provide me with the words to speak, He empowered me to preach the message He had given me from the start.  God used this to confirm in my heart that this is what He has called me to do -- to preach the Truth, the Good News of Jesus, in a way that people will be able to understand.  And best of all, 9 people trusted in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior!

I'm so glad my wife was there!  Her encouragement and support continually helped me to serve the Lord as He directs!

Kinley Trusts in Jesus

Not too long after Adalynn trusted in Jesus as her Lord and Savior, Kinley started talking about wanting to get saved.  She was five years old, but didn't seem to understand everything, so we told her to be patient and God would help her understand as she got older.  Every night we would pray with her and when she asked about it, we would explain it to her and prayed with her that God would reveal Himself to her.  Kinley has always loved babies, and she has a big heart for orphans. 

One night, while praying for the orphans, Kinley added to her prayer, "Jesus, please come into my heart."  Elyssa and I looked at each other, but didn't follow-up on it because we didn't think she was ready.  As time went on, Kinley turned 6 and was promoted to the Kidz Worship age group at church.  In Kidz Worship they give the kids an opportunity every Sunday to pray at the altar during the offering, and encourage them to talk to a leader if they want to know more about how to get saved.  One Sunday morning Kinley goes up to pray and tells Mrs. Mandy that she wants to get saved.  When Mandy talked to her, Kinley told her that she asked Jesus into her heart when she was five, but waited till now because her sister was six when she got saved.  Mandy said she understood the gospel and then prayed with her the "sinner's prayer."

The next Sunday we took her up front to share her salvation with the church; she didn't want to at first (she said she was embarassed), but she did go and clung to her mother's leg the whole time.  A week later Kinley was baptized, but she wasn't embarassed about that at all!  The Lord has given Kinley a very compassionate heart for orphans and I'm excited to see how He's going to use her to advance His kingdom!

A Call to Ministry

#LifeStory [ 12 ]  August 17, 2012
I am living proof that the Lord has a sense of humor!  He's calling me to full-time youth ministry!  Almost a year ago, at our church's last Global Outreach Celebration, Elyssa and I both felt that there was more to life than just teaching and serving in our church, but we didn't specifically know what.  I had never been on a mission  trip, but I found myself thinking it would be great if we could somehow plan a family mission trip.  We talked about going to Washington State for a week to help a young couple there plant a church, and started making plans and discussing travel.

But in January of 2012, our church's youth pastor of 10 years announced that he was called to lead the youth ministry of a church in Tennessee.  Our hearts were heavy as we cancelled plans for Washington, and committed to help work with the youth and keep things going until our church found another youth pastor.

Daniel, Micah, and I met with Brother Jimmy and Brother Wes to form a team of current youth leaders and they appointed me to lead and serve as the communicator to the pastors.  During this time, Brother Wes organized a Youth Leadership Team and a Youth Pastor Advisory Team.  Brother Jimmy announced to the church the process they would use to find a youth pastor, whether far away or from within our own church.

The question was who?  After several months, the youth leadership team was working well together, but we still needed a youth pastor who could tie all the loose ends together and give general direction, leadership, and vision to the ministry.  The more I helped with planning and leading the youth, the more I realized how much God had prepared me for such a time as this. Ten years of teaching high school students, leading fundraisers, organizing trips, and working with people is only a few of the experiences God gave me to help prepare and equip me.  The Lord had also provided me with two years of discipleship while in college, opportunities to work with three different youth ministries, and a love in my heart for teens.

But my wife, Elyssa, is the one who did a complete 180 degree turn.  All throughout our marriage, she served in the nursery and worked with small children, while I served in the youth ministry.  She didn't feel comfortable with teens, was slightly intimidated, and said she would never work with teens.  But as I started getting more involved in the youth ministry, she jumped in to help more and more.  Elyssa quickly built great relationships with the girls in our youth group, and the teens eagerly listened to her loving advice and encouragement.  Within a few months, Elyssa went from "I don't like teens" to "I love the teenage girls!"  And God has given her favor in their eyes, so she could make a huge impact in their lives.

As the months went by, I grew more and more in love with the youth.  I often found myself thinking about the youth pastor position, but would always talk myself out of it, mainly because I enjoy teaching and felt that the classroom is where God had called me to minister.  However, I also had several people mention to me that I would make a good youth pastor, but I usually brushed it off as nonsense while thanking them for the encouragement.

Within four to five months, the pastors found a candidate who was interested in the youth pastor position.  Elyssa and I had dinner with the amazing couple during their initial visit with church leadership.  We thought they were great people and looked forward to planning a second visit to see how they interacted with the teens.

About two weeks before the couple returned, Bryan called and asked if I had considered the youth pastor position. I told him I'd thought about it some, but jokingly needed the Lord to roll back the clouds and speak directly from Heaven.  I knew by this time that I would be a good fit for the position, but I also knew I couldn't do it without my wife being committed 100 percent.  So, I asked the Lord to work in my wife's heart first, which He had already started doing.  A few days before the amazing couple returned, Brother Jimmy also asked me the same question that Bryan had asked, but I brushed it off and told him I knew God had called me to teach, but wasn't sure about youth ministry.

With great excitement the amazing couple returned, and we enjoyed the time we spent with them eating, playing games, and so forth.  But the weekend had an awkward feel and we (church leadership and the amazing couple) quickly discerned that they were not the ones for our youth ministry.    During that same weekend, in the middle of the morning worship service, Elyssa felt the Lord tell her that we needed to commit ourselves 100 percent to the youth ministry and not wait.  On the way home after church she shared with me what she felt the Lord telling her.  I then mentioned to her that I had asked the Lord to speak to her heart first, and thus confirm through her the calling He was issuing on our lives.  So we started to pray.

That same evening, we returned to church for a reception for the amazing couple.  Before the reception got started, I was talking to Foster and Vicki, and they both expressed their appreciation and mentioned that if things didn't work out with the amazing couple, then their vote was for me.  As we drove home from church that evening, Elyssa and I talked and decided to call Brother Jimmy that night to ask if we could meet with him before church on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of me serving as youth pastor.  To my surprise he then shared with me the conversations between him and his wife, Janice.  While eating with Elyssa and I at the same table during the reception, Janice had pointed to me and told Brother Jimmy, "There's your youth pastor."  Of course, he then tells her how I had mentioned being called to teach.  But then later on, after the reception while they were driving home, Janice suggests that maybe the church needs to quit looking for a youth pastor and just wait for the Lord to work in Cheyenne's heart!  And of course if was only moments later when I called Brother Jimmy to ask about discussing it with him.

Isn't is awesome how the Lord works in our hearts?  Yes, I love teaching, and will miss certain aspects of it, but now I have an opportunity to give myself 100 percent to what He has prepared and called me to do - be a youth pastor!

The Journey: A Youth Camp to Remember

What we experienced at Youth Camp in 2012 left us all speechless and in awe of God's love and grace!  In the Spring of 2012, the church where Elyssa and I attended, the same church in which she had grown up her whole life, was starting to think about youth camp for the summer.  For the past 20 years the church had planned and organized it's own camp each summer, but as the previous amazing leaders stepped down or were called to serve elsewhere, the youth ministry needed new leadership to make it happen.

Bryan Freeman boldly volunteered to take on the responsibility of organizing and directing the plans for Youth Camp.  After weeks and weeks of planning, the time had finally arrived.  On July 22, the Sunday morning before we left, we had almost 70 teens signed-up to go, but when we left the next day, only 55 actually showed up to go.  We weren't sure why, but we took the 55, knowing God had brought the ones He wanted.

On that same Sunday night of July 22, I noticed before church that evening four boys from the neighborhood riding their skateboards on the church sidewalk.  I asked them if they wanted something to drink, then invited them to our Sunday Night Live event with the teens.  They returned at 6:00pm and joined us for worship and the lesson.  The focus of that evening's discussion was youth camp and how to make the most of this week.  The four boys got up and left in the middle of the lesson, but came back later asking about youth camp, what to bring, and how to sign-up.  Three of the boys - Greg, Darius, and Kyle - ended up going with us to camp!

What we experienced at Youth Camp in 2012 left us all speechless and in awe of God's love and grace!  The theme for camp was "The Journey" and all the lessons included counselor testimonies and Bible discussions about a relationship with Jesus and sharing with others your new life in Christ.  Day after day as people shared their testimony of how God changed their life, we saw more and more students put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior!

I stayed in the high school boys' cabin and watched God transform their hearts with His love.  These young men loved and accepted each other like never before!  They opened up, were real with each other, and willingly led by example, by a Godly example. 

By the end of camp, 24 students and 2 counselors had surrendered their hearts and lives to Jesus!  Six to eight more felt convicted and recommitted their lives to following Jesus.  God's love and presence fell on that camp like never before!

On the Sunday night after camp (July 29), we asked the students to share their cardboard testimonies and share with the church how God changed their lives that week.  The service was powerful, and ran an hour over because student after student continued to share what God had done in their life.  By the end of the night, 2 more students put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ!

Thank you Lord for your love and goodness!  Thank you for blessing us with Your Presence!  Thank you for teaching these kids how to love each other!  We give you, Lord Jesus, all the glory and praise!

2012 Youth Camp TEAM BIBLE STUDY