Cheyenne Koch

#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...

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 ...