Learning To Love Myself Again

Hi Sweet Friends,

Welcome to the Coffee Chat Devotional. I am so excited that you could join me. A dear friend of mine reached out to me this week about possibly doing a devotional about life and the ups and downs young women face. So Today, I'm excited to jump back into blogging and begin the Coffee Chat Devotional. Where we talk about the triumphs and trials, changes and challenges, and everything in between. This is going to be raw and real. Discussing the different stages of my life that I haven't shared with anyone before. The events that a paper, a pen and a guitar only know. From relationships with HIM and how to find Him in our everyday lives. To learning to love ourselves, traveling and transformations, best friends, and REALLY great coffee combinations! It's a reminder that nothing is too broken for God to heal or redeem, and to dare to say yes to the plan he has for our lives.

This part of the devotional is all about IDENTITY. About feeling comfortable in your own skin and learning to truly love ourselves instead of being our own worst critics, so are you ready!?

Like I mentioned, everything is going to be honest, raw, and real. To that, there have been many season in my life when I just cannot give myself a break! Every time I look in the mirror, every action, every thought, is just a reminder that I fell short of all the things that I could be, could do, or could look like but don't.

Until this past year, I've never really been confident in my own skin. Where do I begin...
Most don't know this, but I grew up wrestling. I started hitting the mat when I was in fourth grade. Despite the harsh comments by others, I absolutely loved the sport, I struggled to make weight all the time! Eating little to nothing. When I made weight, I finally felt good about myself; however, I was starving, fragile, and weak.

During my freshman year of high school, I tried out for the dance team. Where we would dance during basketball half time shows and wrestling meets. During tryouts, I overheard the captain talk with her girl friend about the new outfits and stating, "With the new outfits and all, she's a little too big, and I just don't think she would be a good fit for the team." Reminder, I was weighing in for wrestling meets at 112 lbs. After the season, I quickly gained 25-30 lbs and ate everything in sight. I literally ate EVERYTHING in sight. Why? Because I finally could!

After high school, I moved to college. Over 1,000 miles away, and I was ready to take my health into my own hands and I did. Eating healthy, working out through the demands of a D1 college track and field program. Once it was time for our field event practices to start, it was almost like I was back on the weight watchers program. I was a pole vaulter and the meet officials were very strict about not weighing more than the weight listed on the pole. The numbers on the scale numbers starred me in the face once again.

Fast forward to today, where I am FINALLY back at a point where I'm confident in my own Skin! How did I do it!?

1. Threw out the scale! I had let the number on the scale define who I was from fourth grade up until a year ago. Girls, let me tell you the number on the scale doesn't define you! You are NOT a number, you are so much more.

2. I stopped comparing myself to others. I would regularly compare myself to co-workers, friends, family, and even people that I didn't know! Reality is, she isn't you, and you are not her! You are uniquely you and he created you in His image. There is so much beauty in that!

3. Heads up...this is the hardest on ever! Every morning before I put on makeup or did anything, I would stand in front of a mirror and look myself in the eye and tell myself 3 things that I loved about me. I still do this every morning and it trips me up sometimes, but I continue to find new things that I absolutely love about myself.

4. Prayer - The greatest weapon is prayer! Through the struggle, He became my best friend and He still is!

Life is too hard and far too short to be our own worst critics and it never seems to help us get any better anyway. Good things don't come out of shame. Good things come out of kindness, support, and encouragement. I encourage you to talk to yourself as you would a friend. "Great job," "You're beautiful".... And if you never are your own worst critic let's meet up so you can teach me your ways.

Take time this week to pay more attention to your thoughts. What kind of things are you saying to yourself. Are you your own worst critic or do you talk to yourself like a friend.

Have a blessed day!
- Bobbi LeAnn

Champions of Christ

This past weekend, I had the great honor of sharing during the Cowboy Church Service at the Brady Wakefield Timed Event Championship in Ponca, Nebraska. The event celebrate the life of a significant young man and brought close family and friends under one roof to participate in a sport that he had a great passion for. 

I was very fortunate to grow up with Brady. From church goings, to school events, and weekend horse shows and rodeos. He loved to joke around and always carried a positive attitude. To many of us, he was an inspiration.

A while back, I submitted myself this a facebook 24 hour Bible verse challenge. Essentially, I had to post a video on facebook of me saying what my favorite verse was and challenge four others to do the same thing. I challenged Brady to this, and within 10 minutes he posted his video of his favorite verse Jeremiah 29:11. This verse is something that Brady modeled as an individual and as an athlete.

Whether you know it or not, God wants you to be a champion. Jeremiah 29:11 states, “He has a plan for you, plans to prosper.” He wants you in the race pushing toward that destiny. There will be times when God will want you to stretch your faith and take more ground. He has put a fire in each one of us. A desire to achieve our greatest dreams and to be the absolute best.

We all have dreams. Some may want to work in the medical field, others in finance, while some prefer to rope and ride for the rest of their life. Whatever your desire is to do we all want to be successful. However, the road to where we want to be isn’t always going to be paved and well graded with wide shoulders. Instead, it is going to have pot holes, bumps, and bridges that we must cross.  To me, the act of excelling and achieving is rather a process that consists of 3 specific points.

1                .     The desire for greatness

2                .     Expecting the best

3                .     Refusing to quit

As athletes we have the desire to achieve greatness and be the best. This is a desire that has been planted into the entire human race. Each and every one of us in our own way has a desire for greatness.

But what is greatness, TRUE greatness?

To the world, greatness is to exalt over others. This could be in athletics, finances, politics… the general picture here is climbing higher over others most of the time at their expense. The Bible’s definition of greatness is lifting up, helping and loving others without seeking personal recognition or reward. Philippians 2:3-5 says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition.”

Although we have the desire for greatness, we need to expect the best.

This takes me back to a few summers ago when I spent 3 months in Texas doing roping ministry events and clinics. After clinics, we spent the evenings around a camp fire in worship. I can remember Stran Smith was there that night telling everyone who was gathered that there was a time when he was roping a few practice calves where he had been tying several calves in the 9-second range. As he rode back to the roping chute, a little voice cam to him saying, “You’re not putting your heart into this.” It was then that he realized that he had quit expecting the best that he could do. The next time, he backed into the box and roped his next calf in 8-seconds flat. As most of you know, there is quite a difference between a 9-second run and 8-second run. The difference between the two runs is that he through himself into it because he expected the best.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things we hope and expect for.”

If we don’t have great expectations then we have nothing to apply our faith to. Everyone has the choice of living by faith, or living in doubt and unbelief, afraid to launch out into what seems totally impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Are you expecting a faster time? If you are, I encourage you to pull on Go for His creativity and direction. Maybe you need to spend a few more swings roping the dummy, taking the turns a little slower around the barrels to find the correct pockets, or a few more minutes in his word. Expect to succeed and don’t let doubt and fear cheat you out of it. Fear is nothing but false evidence that appears to be real. Faith in God makes the impossible possible but first you have to expect it. God wants to you experience his every best, so go for it!

This brings me to my third point, of wanting and expecting to succeed but the truth is that times get hard and desperation of not seeing progress settles sin. I’m sure that most of you have been in these situations where things weren’t going the way you wanted them to. You have received no time after no time, broken barriers, and knocked barrels. It was in times like these that you wanted to cash it all in and give up. Quite frankly that is just the devil getting in the way. However, Champions of the sport and Champions of Christ, refuse to quit. When times like these happen, we need to dig deeper into His word. We are on this journey with God and pursing our life goal, we have defining moments that determines whether we continue by faith or we quit.

There will be times when the enemy gets in the way, and times that no matter how hard you try it is just not going to work. But here is your chance to win or lose. We will only win if we bring it to the cross. Through constant prayer we establish that He is our strength. He is the might and power to get the job done.

Champions push forward because they know victory is down the road. This maybe the most defining quality of a champion. It’s the challenges, difficulties, discouragements, disappointments, and obstacles of every kind that hit their lives and they get up, get back in the race, and go forward. They have the tenacity to keep pressing forward. A champion is an ordinary person who refuses to quite. One more pray. One more day. One more chance.

Each and every one of you are a champion of Christ, and he will make you the champion of your dreams if you have a desire for greatness first and foremost in his kingdom and then in your field. If you are expecting to be the best and you refuse to quit event when the devil tries to get in your way.

Thy Will Be Done

Have you ever had a vision or dream that never came to existence when you wanted it to? Did you tend to get frustrated with the slow processes and ever wondered is anything really going to come of this? Did you doubt God’s love and power through these tough transitions?

Thinking back, I’ve had several ideas God put on my heart and most of the time they were delayed. They hardly, if ever came in the time frame that I was expecting them. I used to find myself praying the “God are you kidding me Prayer.”

           

Lord,

This is happening now? Do you not see my current situation? Am I ever going to meet the right guy? God, am I ever going to get the job I applied for. God, am I ever going to be healed from his chronic pain, or God am I ever going to get somewhere in this relationship where it is easy? God I thought this whole following you thing was going to be different.

Through these tough and stressful times, I have come to realize that we sometimes have to face opposition in order to understand his purpose. Sometimes we have to face the impossible before we really see that God is visible. I’ve realized that God is most powerfully present event when he seems apparently absent.

Anyone who has an authentic relationship with Jesus understands that we all have season on waiting on God in our life. It all seems to be part of the process. It’s not surprising because we see several occasions of the waiting season through scripture. Abraham and Sarah waiting to have a child, Jacob waiting for his wife Rachel, Israelites who wait 40 years before going to the Promise Land, Noah who waits for the flood to recede, the disciples who wait on Jesus to calm the storm after he is crucified and then wait for the resurrection, and the stories keep going.

It’s the undeniable relationship in the bible between crisis and hope, and the undeniable relationship between waiting and being transformed. In today’s culture, we seem to think that faster is always better. We have become seduced by words like fast, simple, easy, instant. We have become quickaholics who depend on what we want, when we want it.

At first glance, it may seem that when nothing goes as planned, all your hope has disappeared and you now sit at a dead end. You have banked on the promises that God has put on your heart. Quite frankly you have been told your entire life that you can bank on those promises of God. You have heard the promises that God is for you and not against you, that He has a plan and purpose for your life, that He is always with you and that He will never leave you nor forsake you, and that God is good all the time and all the time God is good. BUT you may be thinking.. “I’m at a dead end and this whole life thing isn’t turning out the way I thought I thought it was going to turn out.”

IMPORTANT NOTICE: “Just because your dream is delayed to your timing does not mean it is denied!”

It is possible that in this season of waiting, Jesus is going to have you fulfill your greatest and truest purpose. Choose to wait for God to move, choose to wait for God to answer the prayer, and choose to let God reveal your dream in such a way that starts to make sense.

Lord, not my will, but your will be done.

Fear Can Be A Friend

"Honor everyone, Love the brotherhood. Fear God..." 1 Peter 2:17

This week during my regular workout session at my local fitness center there was a few gals that walked in all fit to the 9's. Great definition, very toned, and agile in their routes. At that moment I began to think back to my heavy lifting days in college athletics when I was in great shape. Back then, it was routine, after the warm up and lighter sets, I would begin to gradually load on the heavy plates, tighten the belt, and then the fire of fear would build inside of me.

By the time I put my belt on and chalked-up, it was an inferno. I was in the zone. A deep inhale through the nose and then I'd get under the bar for battle. Indeed, I respected the bar too much to not respect it. Simply put, fear dictated my posture for the moment, kept me sharp, alert, strong. Fear was a friend

"When the Bible talks about fearing the Lord, it's not referring to a scary fear -- it is talking about a reverence, an awe, a holy respect that brings wisdom. When we seek Him daily in prayer and Bible study, we gain wisdom from a love that's born through awesome fear. As Christians with a mind for health, our fear of the Lord should dictate our posture -- first in our kneeling and quiet times, and then in how we conduct ourselves in humility and diligence. Our fear of the Lord is what separates us from other fitness enthusiasts or athletes. In other words, we respect Him too much not to. Fear keeps us sharp, alert, strong. Make no mistake, fear can be a friend." - Jimmy Pena

The lingering question that I was left with to consider is, "What do I fear more, not getting the approval and applause of others or not having God's approval? And is my life as a health-minded believer a posture that proves it?"

The grace and forgiveness that God has granted me, which I do not deserve, makes me afraid to disappoint him and allows me to live righteously everyday.

He Brews A Better Blend

It feels so good to be back and to be writing again. The past 8 months, have been filled with unexpected turns, complete faith driven experiences, and many prayers that have all lead to an unforgettable journey.

In March, I put in my final days at RFD-TV. It was a great career full of wonderful learning experiences and great opportunities. After job searching for a month in Nashville with no success, I decided to follow the calling placed on my heart to move back to Nebraska. Several months later, I landed a position at Columbus News Team (News Channel Nebraska48). I am so fortunate and grateful to be back working in broadcast television. However, it was in those several month of unemployment that I found myself drawing closer than ever before to the Lord.

Having applied to more than 200 jobs and having no luck, I felt unwanted, inexperienced, and exhausted. I did everything in my ability to accept the situation at hand and doing what I could do to move forward. Learning to move forward meant putting my complete faith in Jesus Christ. Most days I felt like I was staring into a white wall with no direction at. Heck, it seemed like God wasn't hearing my prayers... However, there was this voice telling me, "Keep pushing, trust in me and move forward in faith." Although most of the time I didn't know what this looked like, I kept a positive attitude and shut out all the negativity that surrounded me and told me to find other resources to put my faith in.

In just 3 months, I was able to check the unthinkable off my life list that I never thought I would ever experience.

* Laid off at 23 years old
* Unemployed for 3 months
* 200+ resumes sent out
* Taste testing coffee drinks

Despite all the challenges that I had faced in those 3 months, I was able to schedule more bible studies and coffee conversations. I began to open up to others and ask for prayers. Asking for help is something I was never great at. I soon began to see His plan unfold more beautiful than I could ever imagine for myself. My career, housing, and finances fell right into place.

I was never really about coffee drinks, but now I understand the greatness they bring. Learning to walk by faith and not by sight was one of the hardest lessons that I've had to learn, but through it all I've come to realize that his plans for us are far greater than we can imagine. With Christ, our life is more beautiful and our coffee is well blended. He does brew a better blend.

Welcome Back

I am very excited to be back blogging! This past year, my heart has been in constant prayer. Recently, God has put something special on my heart and I am overwhelmed with excitement to share it with you. Each week, I will be giving you a little insight on my crazy life. My hope is that I inspire you to stretch your comfort zone and reach out to others, passionately follow your dreams, and recklessly love our creator, Jesus Christ. 

While you are here, I invite you to laugh, disagree or most importantly share in my excitement about our Lord Jesus Christ!

NEWSLETTER

THANK YOU!

A few years ago, I started a Cowboy Christian Blog. On it, I posted cowboy devotionals, music, and testimonies. Recently, I added a section on the blog that features everything else that I dabble in including health and beauty. Since October 1, there has been over 12,000 new views from all states! From California to North Carolina, THANK YOU!!

There are times when we stumble and fall during our walk with the Lord. It's during those times that we fall to our knees. 

Rodeo and Faith - Brit Ellerman

Brit Ellerman

Team Roper and Tie-down Roper for the University of Wyoming

____________________________________________________________

"You are a once in all history event."

Brit Ellerman is firmly convinced that each person has something unique, and if we don't show it that, then that is a piece of God that the world will never see. He lives this message each day by making the most of the opportunities that God puts in front of him.

Brit was introduced to roping at an early age. Born into a rodeo family, he was blessed to have a 5-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier for a dad, as well as a mother and sister who rope and love to rodeo. His early exposure to the sport has grown into a love and desire to turn pro.

He first competed in Junior Rodeo at age 5 and continued practicing and improving as he grew. Brit earned an invitation to a Young Pros roping camp when he was 12. There he met Jeff and Carol Hogner, and his life was forever changed. Not only did they provide excellent roping instruction, they shared the love of Jesus with the participants. Thanks to their faithfulness, Brit began his personal relationship with Christ which has had a domino effect to his family and all he meets.

The next summer, Brit as Hogners if he could travel with them. They said yes, and he joined their team of young ropers who loved Jesus in ministering to kids wherever they went. This opened the door for Brit to become comfortable sharing his faith publicly and the important skill of building relationships.

He continued traveling with Young Pros throughout high school as well as competing (and winning) roping competitions and playing basketball. He earned a roping scholarship to the University of Wyoming and is currently in his junior year there. Life was very good and he was sure of the direction he was taking.

During his sophomore year of college, Brit found that not everything came to him easily. His courses were difficult, he wasn't winning at roping like he was used to, and he found himself questioning the path he was on. His relationships were suffering too as his thoughts circled around himself and about what he was going to do.

\He was getting down on himself and becoming depressed. As he continued to wonder if he should drop out of college and leave roping, Brit finally sought advice from a Godly friend. He was challenged to consider that just because things were hard, that was not a reason to quit. IF God was calling him into something different, that was fine, but giving up because things weren't going his way? There was more to life and God's purpose for him than how he was feeling in the struggles of the moment.

As he continued to search out God and His plans for his life, Brit realized that his identity and purpose were not based on how well he did in the arena or in his classes. He was able to overcome the frustrations and uncertainty through focusing on using the gifts and talents that God had given him to reach out to others. When he took the focus off himself, he regained perspective on people and the world around him.

Brit's competitive nature and discipline has driven him to train and excel whatever he puts his hand to, but he has an additional motivator: doing everything to honor God. On the days when his is tempted to slack off schooling or cut corners in training, he is reminded that he is not doing these things only for himself. He has learned that being ReMade isn't necessarily a one-time thing. We wake up new each day, with all we need to go through that day.

1 Timothy 4:12 "Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading scripture, giving counsel, teaching." Brit Ellerman personifies this verse. He may be young, but he is bold and lets no one and nothing hold him back. He is ReMade every day, and sharing the unique parts of God in him with the world.

 

 

SPONSORED BY: ReMade Apparel

Rodeo and Faith - Dale Hirschman

When was the first time you heard about Christ? When did you receive him as your personal Lord and Savior?
I grew up in church but didn't hear about the salvation message until I was 13 or 14 yrs old. I thought it was a no-brainer to receive Jesus, so I did. While in college I really committed my life to Jesus and started living for Him. I had high morals but no relationship with Him until I got involved in FCA at college. When I became a real Christian it was long enough ago that being a Christian and being a cowboy wasn't hardly heard of. It was at the start of the Christian movement in the rodeo world. At that time a "Cowboy Church" was unheard of.


You accepted Christ early in your career, how did you apply him to your rodeo effort? (Especially throughout high school, college, and all your rodeo travels)
As I was saying earlier being a Christian and a rodeo cowboy was very rare when I started so, I had a tough time at 1st with the two going together. In Eph. 4:1 it says to "walk worthy of the vocation wherein you were called" I figured I was a PRCA bareback rider (not that I was making much of a living at it, but I was trying) so I started to let my light shine at the rodeos I was at and acknowledge Him in all my ways, plus God was moving in other Cowboys' hearts and that's when my 2 worlds started combining. Being a Christian and a cowboy became more common.


Throughout your career, you have had many qualifications to the Prairie Circuit Finals and have won many other events how do you feel Christ has played a role in this?
Any success I've obtain in rodeo was really affected by Col. 3:23 becoming real in my life. My worldly success in rodeo hasn't been as much as I wanted but to pull into a rodeo and compete as an act of worship to my Heavenly Father is a phenomenal feeling and became my goal every time I "nodded my head".


Tell us about your Ultimate Challenge Ministries and what inspired you to start this ministry?
The name "Ultimate Challenge Ministries" came to me once when I saw an add for the WNFR and they called it the "Ultimate Challenge". I thought, "No, it's not because it's limited by physical abilities, demographics, age, etc. However, following Jesus daily is the "Ultimate Challenge" because it's open to everyone, everywhere, at any time and it never runs out. And that became the name of our ministry when we became a registered ministry. I never set out to start a ministry. Another student while I was in college started holding church services at the college rodeos in the Central Plains Region where we were competing and he left the season early so I stepped in and did the last cowboy church service and the ministry started from that. That was in the spring of 1980 and we've been holding them ever since.


Through your ministry, you have the opportunity to share Christ to others, what does this mean to you?
Through my life I've had the opportunity to share Jesus with others. I've got GREAT NEWS to share... I have the love and acceptance of the Greatest Father, the forgiveness of the Greatest Savior, and the help of the Greatest Helper, and the Greatest Purpose to live everyday! I love to encourage people and in that process point them towards a relationship with Jesus.


Can you explain to us the book you wrote The Cowboy Call.
The book I wrote was fulfilling of a life long dream I had to write and illustrate a book. "The Cowboy Call" is a book of short stories/ testimonies about God's faithfulness in everyday life. They are events that I've been a part of or that I've seen. It was written to encourage people in their everyday walk with Jesus. We've gotten quite a few good reports from people about it and I believe everyone in the western world should read it. (just sayin' c: )


How do you and your family stay so connected in the word?
My family and I stayed connected in the Word through nightly family devotions and going to our home church. I personally have committed to read God's Word every day. Some days I read a lot, a lot I read a little, but, I try to read some everyday.


What is your favorite Bible story/verse and why?
My favorite Bible verses: For everyday living I really like Pro. 3; for my Father's heart towards us I love Luke 15 the prodigal son story. I believe it's more about our Father's heart towards us than it is about the son''s failures. The scriptures for tough times I like II Corin 4:8-9 & II Corin. 5:14 (KJV).

There are many young athletes who are just starting their rodeo career, what are some encouraging thoughts you have for them?
For young contestants starting out; Jesus is not a "good-luck charm" He is a real and loving God who wants an intimate everyday relationship with you! And the greatest thing you can do is compete as an act of worship to Him, fellowship with Him in every area of your life, and stand strong for Him allowing your warrior heart to show forth in everything you do.

Faith and Rodeo - Chuck Swisher

 

How did you get started bullfighting? 

My father rode Bulls and retired before I was born and I just got the idea in my head that I wanted to be a rodeo cowboy. I was a skateboarder until the age of 14ish. I made a transition from vans to boots and flat bill caps to cowboy hats. I thought I wanted to ride bulls like my dad but I was to scared. There was a cowboy/bullfighter that was a senior my freshman year of high school and I looked up to him and wanted to be like him. So I followed him around and my parents took me to a bullfighting school and the rest is history.

 

 

Can you share with us your testimony?

 I've "known" who God is my entire life, but I didn't really "know" Him. Grew up going to a Baptist church and as a young kid I was just excited for it to end and lunch to get here. I went to Fallscreek(church camp) when I was about 13 and one night at revival they did an alter call. I wasn't exactly sure what that was but a buddy(a kid I thought was cool) came up and said "chuck you should go down there, heck I'll go with you". So I thought if he's doing it I might as well, plus I wanted to be cool in front of my friends. I walked down to the front and was "saved" said the prayer and cried. But being a 13 yr old kid I didn't really know exactly what that meant. Few years pass and now I'm 21-22 and had some friends ask if I wanted to go to the Riding on Faith bullriding and bible camp. Once again these Friends of mine were the cool guys I wanted to hang out with. So I figured I'll go get to hang out with them, get to fight Bulls which I love and it'll be a great time. Needless to say when I got there it was a bible camp that just so happened to have Bulls at it. Went to church breakfast lunch and dinner and each night was a big sermon. One night we were praising and worshipping and the preacher said "now is the time if you haven't before and you really want to live for the Lord, now is the time." I hit my knees and I knew this time what I was saying. I ask God into my heart I confessed with my mouth and believed it in my heart. Iv never had such a peace come over me like that before. Laughed so hard, cried so hard all on my knees. Ever since, Swish is a Jesus Freak!!

 

How do you stay so connect in the word, especially since you are on the road?

Being on the road as much as we are is hard to have a set pattern of things to do. The good thing is there's a handful of rodeos that will have bible study each night after or church on Sunday's we get to go attend, such as Rodeo Houston. Ted and Linda Weise do bible study every night so it's hard not to stay connected that way. And I challenged myself as I challenged all of you. If God is the most important thing in your life like He should be, then He deserves our first. Which means when you wake up in the morning make facebook, Instagram and social media wait!! God deserves that moment. So the first thing I do is roll over grab my bible and give God my first. I thank Him for the day and read what He has for me that day. I know some days are harder than the others, but what's 5-10 minutes of your morning actually going to hurt? And if you have to be somewhere early set your alarm early and give that 5-10 minutes to God.

 

You have led bible studies and have had other opportunities to share Christ to others, what does this mean to you?

Getting to share my story and getting to share Gods story to people is one of the greatest things ever. I love being able to help people and love people like Jesus did for us. I plan on becoming a preacher some day, not sure when but I have a feeling that God is going to put me with a microphone in front of people to spread His word.

 

Do you have any crazy experiences bull fighting that you would like to share with us?

Every day is a crazy experience in my book. The group of guys we hang out with are all the best and that's because we push each other harder than anyone else. We are always goofing around and making each other better. The craziest or scariest bullfighting experience Iv ever had was probably walking 30 feet down the tunnel of the Thomas and Mack for the NFR. I was so nervous I stood close to the trash can the entire time I was warming up. But once I stepped foot in that dirt it was game on.

 

What is your favorite Bible story/verse and why?

Man this is a hard question. There are so many good stories in the bible, but the one that sticks out to me the most is probably David vs Goliath. David being a young kid having the amount of faith he had to fight Goliath being a 10 ft monster and he wins. It relates to my life just as me in this world. We all have hurdles to jump and hills to climb but we have to keep the faith and believe that God has our back because He does. My favorite bible verse is Romans 1:16. I'm a 11sixer all the way. It says "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." I am unashamed and that's how we should all be I believe.

 

Throughout your career, you have won many bull fighting events how do you feel Christ has played a role in this?

I'm smiling big at this question. God has played such a huge roll in my life and my career. If it weren't for Him I wouldn't have done anything. He deserves all the glory. I was dead broke and it was the same time as the Riding on Faith camp and I had a bullfight in Cody, WYO the next week. Barely had enough money to get there and then had to fly to Vegas and drive to Utah after that. I went to the bullfight and my cup literally overfloweth. In my round of the bullfight the kid before me was 90 points and that's pretty huge. I knew I had to do my best to make any money. Needless to say I went 92. Ended up winning the bullfight and making enough money to get me to the next one. That was all God there. So He plays a roll in my everyday.

 

For those who are aspiring to have a career as a bullfighter, what encouraging thoughts do you have for them?

When I started I watched film everyday all day and still do. I had an old VHS tape that I watched so much you couldn't see what was happening because of the grey lines in the screen. Always give your best and if you have a true passion for something and God has your back you can do anything.

 

 

Faith and Rodeo - Candace Lostroh

Can you share with us your testimony? When did you start living all out for Christ?

Well, I always grew up in church.  You could say that I had “religion” but not a “relationship” with Jesus.  I really came to know God and started living for Him in high school.  At our high school rodeos we had some amazing men of God preach on Sunday mornings so I got hear about the real Jesus and how He did everything on the Cross to make me worthy for His love and I didn’t have a bunch of sacraments to complete to be worthy of His love I just had to accept Him into my heart.  What a relief!

 

Could you touch a little bit on the testimony of your marriage.

Kody and I started dating when we were 16 years old and we got married when we were 20 years old. Kody came to Jesus when he was about 14 years old so he kind of helped me along when I decided to leave the religion that I had grown up in and to just focus on what the Bible says.  That’s what I loved about him the most right from the beginning is that he loved Jesus more than he loved me and he saw to it that I grew in my faith.  He is always so encouraging to me in everything that I do.  If Jesus wasn’t at the center of our marriage I’m not sure we’d be happily married today.  Marriage is hard!  Jesus has to be at the center of it to make it work successfully.  We’re also really good at forgiving quickly.

 

What is it that pushes you and your family to dig deeper into His word on a daily basis?

I’ll be honest that sometimes life gets away from us.  I’ll be having a rough week and I’ll stop to realize that I seriously have not picked up my Bible in a few days.  That’s when I’ll try to and get in the Word and pray.  Kody and I love praying with our girls and teaching them about Jesus.  Also, worship music really ministers to me.  If I’m having a bad day or just stressed I’ll start up my worship playlist and my girls and me will get lost to Bethel or Jesus Culture.  Sheridan always has to point out that they’re singing about Jesus.  I love watching God shape their little hearts.  There’s also nothing better than starting and ending your day in prayer.  No matter what God always welcomes me back with open arms when I’ve wandered away from Him or messed up.  He’s so forgiving.

How do you and your family stay so connected in the word, especially since your husband is on the road often?

I’m really involved in our church at Northern Colorado Cowboy Church, so when he’s away traveling I still feel like I have a family around me.  Kody’s always reading books so when he’s on the road he’ll share with me what he’s reading and what it’s ministering to him about.  I wish we were better about praying over the phone, but a lot of times he’s calling me late at night after he’s rode and I’m half asleep.  The question I get asked more than anything is, “how do you deal with him riding bulls?  Don’t you get scared?”  If I stopped to think about what “could” happen for more than a nanosecond, yes, I do get scared.  But God’s Word says to take every thought
into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).  I pray for him a lot and I know that no matter what as long as we have God in our lives we have everything we need no matter what comes our way.  I also know that I’m doing my husband a disservice of I’m nervous and anxious for him as he rides because we are one flesh and if he’s not focusing on that then I shouldn’t be either.

 

 

Candace and her family

What is it like for you to share Christ to your children?

My girls are one year old and almost 3 years old and even though they’re both pretty young to fully understand a lot about Jesus and what He did for them, they’re not too young to learn about how much He loves them.  They know that mommy and daddy love them and they can feel that love from us, so we just share with them that Jesus loves them so much and even more than mommy and daddy do.  Our church has an amazing children’s ministry and I love hearing from Sheridan about what she learned in her class after church.  In Odessa’s class they put on worship music for the babies and all I hear about is how much she rocks out when she hears the music, haha! I think that’s just about the sweetest thing to watch is your babies praising Jesus!

 

 

What would you tell other wives of athletes who would their marriage to be more about Him but experience their husband gone often due to rodeo/ bull riding travels?

My ultimate advice is to prayer for your husband. Lift him up to God in his workplace, his faith, his health and just pray that in every area in his life that he will have favor with man and with God.  I also pray to God to change my heart if there’s a particular thing that I want changed in my husband.  I need to look at myself first and see if there’s something that I’m lacking in my walk with God before I start putting my finger on something in my husband’s walk.

 

Tell me about your blog 'Cooped Up Cowboy's Wife' and what inspired you to start it.

I’ve always loved to write and I love getting to share my interests and my faith with others and blogging is a perfect platform to do that.  My good friend, Kirste Wegele and I started Cooped Up Cowboy’s Wife about a year ago and it’s been so much fun.  We write posts on anything from our kiddos, to catching cows, to refinishing furniture, to fashion, and my personal favorite is getting to interview other women out there that live the same kind of life that we do.  We are so blessed that we get to meet some amazing women through this little blog and we’ve become friends with people all over the world who we would have never have come in contact with if it weren’t for our blog.  I also just love getting to encourage other woman.  I’ve seen that so many people in the blogging world think that it’s a competition against other bloggers to get readers or to get the most “likes” but to us it’s not.  We just love getting to help other people get started in pursuing their dreams and it just makes what we’re doing so rewarding! Just go for it and do what God tells you to do!