A COWBOY’S TESTIMONY:
I’m from a Montana Ranch Hand family. My Mom shared the gospel with me, and my siblings, and I believed at about the age of 10. But I took it only as fire insurance and did not live for the Lord until age 17. God showed me that the purpose of life which I had been seeking can only be found in walking with Him. I purposed then to walk with Him all my days.
In 2016, I found myself unsatisfied with working a full-time job knowing that people were going to Hell without having heard the Good News, and I was doing nothing about it. So, I started working summers as staff at Trail’s End Ranch (TER) in Montana. I served as a counselor for 2 summers at TER and felt led to serve God full-time there. I spent a year there as a full-time missionary, and my church also asked me to teach a Bible class at AWANA. At the end of that time, I decided I needed to know more about the Bible. As time went on the camp directors watched me grow and they suggested I go to Frontier School of the Bible. After praying for 2 weeks, the Lord said go, so I went. Gradually, I felt as they did, the Lord had in mind something other than a camp worker for me.
I tried many ministries during school but did not seem to find my place. In the summer of 2019, after a year of school, my heart was burdened for missions, and I went to Mongolia for 3 weeks to see if I could hack living in a foreign country. The Lord truly took care of this cowboy who’d never flown before nor set foot outside the States. I loved it in Mongolia, but as I looked around to see how I could be a part of this work, I found this was not my place.
In the summer of 2021, I felt burdened for the pastorate and preached at several churches without a pastor, but that was not quite my place either.
Now having graduated, I have realized God has gifted me to be a Barnabas, not the leader but the right hand man, as Barnabas was to the Apostle Paul. He has gifted me to be useful as a camp worker, missionary, and preacher.
What is my place?
Right now, my place is at Tentmakers Bible Mission as an intern. God will show me a place in His time. For now, I’m focusing on continuing to grow in my gifts and continue in ministry. I will be working maintenance and helping plan trips to Utah and Las Vegas where some of their church plants are. I will be involved in many of the events and conferences as well, which I’m very excited for.
I like being a Jack of all trades even if I’m master of none.
