Cheyenne Koch

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 [ 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 [ 2 ] My ninth grade year was a year of change as I road the bus to attend the consolidated Sullivan Senior High School in Sullivan, Missouri.  I entered high school determined to be a good person; no cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol for me.  Unfortunately, my convictions changed toward the end of my high school years, and I began to abuse alcohol with my friends as we met for parties at creek crossings, at someone's cabin, or a house when the parents were gone.  Soon, the small lies turned into bigger lies as I tried to hide from my parents the truth of my late night activities.  Reckless driving, parties, property and mailbox destruction, poaching, alcohol abuse, wine making, and the list goes on.  But I went to church on Sunday and still thought I was a Christian. Somewhere in the middle of my high school years, my family left the little country church I grew up in and became members of Trinity Presbyterian Church, in Union, Missouri.  The c...

#LifeStory [ 1 ] The first of seven, I was born on October 5, 1978, to my wonderful parents, Stan and Sue Koch. Dad taught me how to work on the family farm (chickens, goats, pigs, sheep, horses, and cattle) and in the family business, Koch & Sons Water Well Drilling, Inc. Mom taught me how to cook, sew, and care for animals. As the oldest, I often watched my siblings and loved to aggravate and play with them. As a child I grew up in a small rural school and an even smaller rural church. For kindergarten, I enrolled at Spring Bluff Elementary school and graduated from eighth grade as salutatorian with 14 other students. My parents raised me in a small country church, Old Argo Presbyterian, in Japan, Missouri. Our church family enjoyed cooking apple butter, eating potluck meals, performing Christmas plays, and always drew a crowd with Vacation Bible School in the summers. There weren't many kids in the church and my parents were often my Sunday School teachers. One year we ...