Cheyenne Koch

Adventure. Help people. Appreciate what you have. Friends. FOMO. Fun. Compassion. Obedience. For the glory of God.  These are all various reasons for why people go on short-term mission trips. What about you? Why do you do what you do? Our Father loves all of humanity created in His image and desires for all to enjoy a loving, familial relationship with Him. As we pursue His heart, He has moved our hearts to partner with other local churches in Eastern Kentucky to help them share with their communities the same grace and truth and love that we have come to know and enjoy in Christ.  In the Spring of 2018, we took a group of students on a new adventure to Owsley County, KY. Adam and Franny Stall had just reopened the Carpenter’s Village Retreat Center, and our goal was to minister to both them and our students, build a gaga ball pit for the camp, and build/deliver beds for children in the area. This was only a few short months after the January 23rd school shooting, s...

I'm still thinking and praying through all that my Father revealed to me while in Guatemala, June 15-21, 2024. Our team of 19 traveled to San Lorenzo, Guatemala, to help Jason and Kelly Hart minister to malnourished babies, children and pregnant women through Bible study with moms, VBS type activities with children, soccer with kids in the neighborhood, and construction on new clinic. As I reflect on the things I saw, and the God moments I experienced, I am moved by the vibrant love and life of Jesus Christ that shown through the hearts and lives of His people. God's Spirit continues to patiently interact with humanity, illuminating their hearts to His truth and reality, persistently wooing them with a never-ending love. I am thankful for God's provision. I knew I wanted to go on this trip with my daughter Kinley, but I also knew that we didn't have the extra funds available. In my spirit I sensed the Lord urging me to use what I had, and trust Him to provide the res...

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...

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 ...

 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 cour...

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 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...

#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 o...

#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 Goo...

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...

#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 wit...

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 2...

#LifeStory [ 11 ] In July of 2012, I went with several others from our church on my first "mission trip" to Lake Providence, Louisiana.  Our team of four adults and nine students partnered with many others through Mission Serve to paint and put shingles on the roofs of 7 homes in this very poor community. Before we left, I encouraged the adults and students to write out their personal testimonies and learn the "Romans Road" verses that are often used to lead someone to Christ -- Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23; 10:9-13.  Our goal was to serve the residents of Lake Providence by fixing up their homes and thus try to meet their physical needs as we show them the love of Christ.  I challenged our group to share the gospel, and if necessary, use words. After we arrived, our group was divided in to separate teams to work on the various homes.  Only a few from my church worked on the same house as I, but we met and worked with a lot of other great people.  Living in the...

Adalynn Brooke, my oldest daughter, has always been a deep thinker with a vivid imagination.  For about a year she has been asking a lot of questions about God, Jesus, and salvation.  I love to pray with my girls as I tuck them into bed, and on this night of her momma's birthday, Adalynn ended her prayer by asking Jesus to come into her heart.   The next morning, September 13, 2011, as Elyssa and Adalynn were pulling into Sharpe Elementary's parking lot before school, Adalynn was talking to her momma about how the devil will try to trick you.  Elyssa explained to her that though he might try to trick you, he can never have your heart if your heart belongs to Jesus.  Adalynn then told her mommy that she had asked Jesus to come into her heart last night.  So Elyssa talked to Adalynn for a minute to make sure she understood what it meant to be saved, and then they prayed together, right there in the car.  Elyssa said Adalynn was beaming as they ...

I love teaching high school, but my favorite teaching moments are when I get to sit down and share with the students REAL life lessons.  These moments are usually sparked when a student asks a question or makes a comment, and I can see in the question an opportunity to share God's Truth.  Often I'll be sitting at my desk while students work, and those who are interested will gather in a tight huddle to hear and learn more. High school students are stumbling through their teen years trying to figure out who they are and what they want to become.  They need people in their lives to show interest in them, to patiently help them walk through situations, and be there for them when they fall and need help getting back up.

#LifeStory [ 10 ]  Elyssa and I were having trouble getting our furnace to work in our little home. At times we would turn it on and it would work for a couple hours or a day, and then it would quit. There were periods of time when we couldn't get it to turn on at all. Sometimes we would wake up in the morning and the house would be down to 55 degrees. The system was very unpredictable and this continued throughout October and November of 2003. Then one night, after Elyssa and I returned home from spending the weekend in Sharpe (Elyssa's parents home), we walked into the house and noticed that it was super cold. The thermostat had bottomed out well below 50 degrees. So, before going to sleep, Elyssa and I prayed together that God would cause our furnace to work. He knew our condition and that we couldn't afford to repair or buy a new furnace. So we went to sleep trusting God to meet our needs. Later that night, I awoke around midnight, because I was hot and sweating. The ...

#LifeStory [ 9 ] The Lord led our hearts from Missouri to Kentucky, so when our first year of teaching ended, we packed our belongings and moved to Kentucky. We spent the summer with Elyssa's parents as we prayed and asked God to open doors in the direction He wanted us to go. He answered our prayers by providing us both with teaching jobs in the same school district, Murray Independent Schools, in Murray, KY. The teaching job I landed at Murray High School was part time Technology Education and part time Information Technology (IT). I had no training in IT, so the district sent me to Lexington, KY, for two weeks to be trained in how to teach IT using the Cisco Networking Academy. I had to take two, 4 hour college courses in two weeks; I basically had to take and pass in two weeks the two courses I would teach. The time in Lexington was a blur, but Elyssa went with me and the Lord helped us through it. We bought a small house in Murray, and lived there for two years, but our he...

#LifeStory [ 8 ] But it got personal when somebody stole my watch. On November 14, 2002, I was helping a student in my woodworking class when my watch became a nuisance, so I took it off, and laid it in front of the computer monitor where I was working. Seconds later, the bell rang, ending 7th period, so I had to go into the other classroom to start the next class. I totally forgot about the watch until late that evening when I cleaned out my pockets before going to bed. The watch had been given to me for my birthday by Glenda Russell, my mother-in-law, the month before. I remembered where I left it, and was determined to look for the watch in the morning, first thing, before my Friday classes started. The next morning, as soon as I arrived at school, I looked for the watch, but it wasn't there. Now I was angry. I talked to the assistant principal, who told me that based on what he recently learned at an Admin Conference, I would never get my watch back. So, for the rest of the d...

#LifeStory [ 7 ] My last two years of college were full of Bible studies, Campus Outreach meetings, weekend retreats, conferences, outreach events, and a host of fun activities with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Throughout this time, Brian Lewis continued to disciple and teach me how to follow Jesus Christ. An opportunity opened up for me to lead the youth group at a small, local church in Cape, so I did for a semester and enjoyed helping these teens grow in their relationship with Christ. Campus Outreach taught me how to love people, how to study the Bible on my own, how to share my faith and disciple others. My time with this college ministry reached a climax the summer I went to Panama City Beach, Florida, for 10 weeks of Summer Beach Project. I went with the intention of growing in my relationship with Jesus Christ (and I did), but I also met my future wife, Elyssa Russell there! Wow, she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen! I ended up working most of the su...

#LifeStory [ 6 ] As a new Christian, I still struggled with bad habits, but over time God continues to give me the grace and strength to rid my life of sin that has often tripped and tangled me up. His Holy Spirit set me free from my selfish life of sin, guilt, and condemnation. Sadly, I lost some friends along the way, but God has delivered me from my life of alcohol abuse and given me a new purpose and reason to live – to know and love Him! (John 17:3) About a year after giving my heart and life to Jesus Christ, the Lord used a situation to strengthen my faith in Him. In the Spring of 2001, while at home on the weekend from college, I left my parents house and headed across the 225 acre family farm in hopes of scouting for turkeys. I knew that a thunderstorm was headed our way, but thought I had time before it hit. I parked my truck at Grandpa and Grandma Koch's, then walked across rolling hills, woods, and pasture land to the back side, but didn't see or hear any turkeys....