On And Off The Road

There are so many things that I love about the silly little game of disc golf. I have always loved golf games in general because of the unique mind puzzles that they provide. I love that you get to be outside and being active. I love how it has made me want to improve my performance. I have loved the community of people that I found playing disc golf. I love how they have been so selfless and so respectful, all because we share a common interest. I love how big the community is. I love the fact that I can travel all over this country and play disc golf. I love that disc golf has given me reasons to travel all over this country to play in tournaments.

Over the last few months I have had plenty of opportunity to experience all of these things that I love about disc golf. I have had the opportunity to travel, most recently to California and I have had the opportunity to connect with my local disc golf community and talk about how I can serve that community better moving forward. I am so excited that my opportunity with Eagles Wings Disc Golf will allow me the time and resources to have a greater impact on this community.

While in California I was fortunate enough to play in one of the most well respected national tour tournaments. I was able to share with a small group of people a brief chapel service and talk to several others who would be interested in the future of our ministry. I was able to connect with several local Christians who were excited about what we are doing. From there I was able to go visit old friends at the camp I used to work at in way Northern California before I drove home.

Helping put in signs to find the next tee at a new course.

Since California it has been my focus to raise support and stay connected to the local disc golf community here in Colorado. The best parts of my day are when I get to share with friends the mission God has put before me. I have been blessed to talk with several people in the local disc golf club who are genuinely excited for what I will be doing. I have even been able to be part of a service project in conjunction with a local Christian Camp that is reaching out to the disc golf community in Colorado Springs.

All the kids and Eagles Wings Team in Zambia

I am looking forward to one last big disc golf trip for the year back out to Kansas for the Professional Disc Golf World Championships. I will have the opportunity to connect and be part of the disc golf mission’s trip that Eagles Wings is putting on. This will include service projects to help the tournament director as well as what should be one of our largest chapel services of the year. It is a very exciting opportunity and I will be blessed to see the friends I have made throughout my disc golf travels.

Playing disc golf in Zambia

Additionally Eagles Wings Disc Golf is really starting to gain momentum. In addition to all the chapel services at tournaments, youth events in both Michigan and Pennsylvania and a trip to Zambia have all seen great success. It makes me excited to finish raising support and begin to be part of both running local events as well as being part of the trips overseas to bring Jesus and disc golf to local communities.

Youth disc golf tournament in Michigan

In building a team of partners for my ministry with Eagles Wings Disc Golf I have experienced a roller coaster of emotions. I continue to make progress in working towards what God has called me to. I continue to have meetings with people within my own circles and have begun to look for other people who might be interested in being part of this ministry. I am not sure when God’s provision will be complete, but I am beyond excited to be there. If you know anyone who might share in my excitement in this endeavor, please let me know.

Steps of Faith

Jim, Myself, Dustin and Hannah @ Fountain Park in AZ

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The last year has been a journey of faith for me. God has guided and pushed me to things that I would have never expected. Now, having returned from Arizona and the first Professional Disc Golf Association National Tour Event for the third year in a row, I am even more excited about what God is doing in my life and the opportunities that He is placing before me.

Within the last year God took me from a place where I was searching for what He wanted me to do to a place where He has given me a clear direction and an opportunity to make a difference in His kingdom through a passion that He has given to me. Eagles Wings Disc Golf is in a place with some incredible staff excited to make an impact. I will get to use the sport of Disc Golf, which I have grown passionate about over the last seven and a half years, to grow God's kingdom. It is not just a sport but a growing community of people in need of a savior.

The Resource Table @ Chapel

I have been blessed to be able to come back from Arizona this year having had a great opportunity to play some disc golf and meet some incredible new people. I am so blessed to be part of the Eagles Wings Disc Golf team including Dustin, Jim and Hannah who are also so passionate about disc golf and using it to make a kingdom impact. I have been reinvigorated by being in meetings where we discussed the programming that both Dustin  and Jim are planning in Pennsylvania and Michigan respectively. I have no doubt that we will be able to reach many current disc golfers and youth through these programs.  

In Arizona we were able to host our first chapel service of the year. We met some new faces and reconnected with others that are supporting this venture. We were blessed to have many resources including a devotional for athletes that we plan to use to stay connected with those who attend our chapel services. We were able to host our service on site at one of the three courses used for the tournament. Moving forward we are going to have some amazing opportunities for chapel services this year. We have been amazed at how people have grasped on to this idea and desire to be part of what is going on.

Jim speaking during the Chapel Service @ Vista Del Camino

With all of this excitement, and through much prayer, I have recently stepped down from my now previous job with Open Door Ministries. It was not sure how I was going to be able to say goodbye to the kids that I have been investing in. It was tough for me to step out and trust in God’s provision. But I know this is a step that needs to be taken in order to get to the ministry that God has called me to. I am so excited to get to Pennsylvania for training by the early part of the summer and to spend time helping Dustin run some amazing programs. I am curious to learn more and figure out what program focuses I will have when I return to Colorado. I think it is simply amazing that I will get to serve God through Eagles Wings Disc Golf.

Please be praying for this process that I am going through in raising up a team of partners in this ministry. I am still incredibly nervous about the process. I still struggle as I learn to trust God more and more. I am not sure what, when or how this is all going to happen but I am intrigued to see how God works. I am excited for the story I will be able to tell when I am temporarily done with this process. I cannot wait to meet the people, some whom I already know and some who I do not, who will be a partner in this ministry.

The schedule of Chapels to be held this year. Please be praying for all of them.

The Struggle of Progress

Sometimes life is busy. You find yourself doing more and more things. I am blessed to be able to continue working full time with an inner city ministry in Denver, CO as I build a team of partners to work full time with Eagles Wings Disc Golf. But it also makes life really busy. I have learned that I need to celebrate the milestones and to be constantly looking for God's provision. I am blessed to already be at 10% of my goal and although that seams small, it is really big. Thanks you to all my partners and the blessing they have been and will continue to be. As I sit here now I wish I could find more time to devote to getting to the field sooner. But I know I am where God wants me at the present time. I will continue to seek out those who can grasp the vision of the kingdom difference that Eagles Wings will make.

Since I last wrote, God has been doing some amazing things with Eagles Wings Disc Golf. I have been able to travel and be part of yet another chapel service at the last major tournament of the year, The United States Disc Golf Championships. We saw a great deal of interest and many people who are excited to see more of Eagles Wings in the coming new year. Being in South Carolina for this event and being involved in the disc golf community at this tournament, seeing the building excitement for chapel services and being able to speak truth into the lives of some of the top pros as well as other competitors has made me yearn even more to get to my partnership goals.

As I now sit at home I am constantly fighting the struggle of time and energy. It is tough to know when and where to invest time. It is sometimes difficult to see the future and how God is going to work through me. I know that I must keep reminding myself of what I have already seen. I know that I must listen to the stories of how God is already working with Eagles Wings and the others I will be working alongside with. The following is a brief story that was shared with me and helps remind me of the impact this ministry has and will continue to make. This was shared with me by Dustin Leatherman, the director of Eagles Wings Disc Golf.

This past summer we offered our first Eagles Wings Disc Golf internship to a local 16 year old disc golfer, Dan Lackner.  It was a volunteer experience that provided the opportunity to be involved in a variety of aspects of the ministry.  Here is how Dan described his experience:

Working this summer with Eagles Wings Disc Golf was a truly awesome experience, and I was really encouraged by the people I got to work with. Teaching kids disc golf from a Christian standpoint was an amazing experience, and it taught me a lot about responsibility and sharing God’s word with others. The trip to the PDGA Disc Golf World Championships was an unforgettable trip. Being a part of the first Chapel was really cool, and it really taught me a lot. Also helping organize the Fish Bowl and the Eagles Wings youth league was a great experience. I am really thankful for the opportunity I had this year, and hope I can come back next year. 

While Dan enjoyed various components of the internship, it was also very evident he was growing in his walk with the Lord.  One of our primary objectives at Eagles Wings is to equip Christians to use disc golf as a platform for ministry, and it was exciting to see this happen through our internship program.

Please continue to pray for me, for wisdom and diligence as I continue in the process of building a team of partners.

Standing at the Start

 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”

- 1 Corinthians 9:24

The beginning of August marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I was going to Pittsburgh to play in my first Pro PDGA World Championships and for the first time I would actually be doing some work with Eagles Wings Disc Golf. I am so blessed to be starting a new job where I get to combine my passion for God with the game of disc golf. In this moment, I literally felt like I was standing on the starting line of the longest race. I was so anxious and excited for what was about to happen.

Eagles Wings Disc Golf had organized and offered a mission trip to some local disc golfers in Pennsylvania where the organization is headquartered. These six people also decided to take the time off work and volunteer at the Pro PDGA tournament as part of Eagles Wings Disc Golf. Along with the three of us (Dustin Leatherman, Jim Schultz and myself) that will be full time staff and a few other associated with the full time staff, we had a large presence at the tournament.

We set up a booth at the fly mart, which took place during the field events day. This was a place where people could look and see at what all the top disc golf companies were up to. It was a chance to rub elbows with people who are trying to help grow the sport of disc golf. It was a chance for us to promote who we are and what we are planning to do, while inviting people to join us for our first chapel service. We had a number of people what were excited about various aspects of the ministry of Eagles Wings Disc Golf. Many liked some of the unique course design elements that Jim Shultz had done for a camp in Mexico. Several people were glad to hear that we were looking to run youth programs like what Dustin Leatherman has done in Sellersville, PA.

The evening that marked the half way point in the tournament brought our first chapel service. It was well attended by people of all ages. We spent time in fellowship, getting to know one another and being able to show support for each other. It was great to meet new people who were passionate about disc golf and passionate about God. We had one visitor who made a point to be at the service so that he could learn even more about Eagles Wings Disc Golf and learn how he might be able to get involved. Jim gave a short message on purpose and how God is the real reason we are doing anything in this life. We were even able to end the service with a song, because Jim ran into an old friend who was a worship pastor and he offered to play his guitar and sing for us.

We also had four people, myself included, who were playing in the tournament. Hannah Leatherman was the first person to get an ace at the world championships! Dustin Leatherman, Jim Shultz and myself all enjoyed rounds getting to know new people and seeing old friends. Jim did well enough to make the semifinals.

By all measures, this trip was a success for Eagles Wings Disc Golf. One of my favorite stories from the event came from one of our volunteers, Elijah. Elijah is just 10 years old and came to volunteer on our team with his dad Seth. They spent time working at the distance competition as well as spotting on the course during the tournament. One day Elijah and Seth were spotting on the course at Slippery Rock University while the top male disc golfers were playing. Elijah was sitting deep in the woods and watching for discs as they approached on a difficult par 5. Will Schusterick, who was leading the tournament at the time, threw a big up shot that crashed through the trees a bit deeper than most, right where Elijah was standing. Elijah had just enough time to look up before he was hit by the disc. Will, being a nice guy, signed a disc and gave it to him and Elijah became a celebrity. Several other top players knew his name and came up to talk with him between rounds. Later as Elijah watched the second round, he was getting high fives from players as they threw good shots. Elijah is even more excited about disc golf than he was before. He is already looking forward to participating in future Eagles Wings Disc Golf events.

We are standing at the starting line for some amazing things that God is going to do in and through the disc golf community. I feel so blessed to be part of an amazing team and am looking forward to seeing how God uses this team in the future.

Prayer Requests:

1. I am continuing to raise support and have recently been encouraged by some dear friends. Pray that God would continue to provide. Pray also for Jim Shultz as he also continues raising support. Pray for all our supporters, that they would be blessed by the impact they are making.

2. Pray for Elijah, that he would grow in his faith and be someone who shares his love for God with those he meets on the disc golf courses.

3. Pray for the next Eagles Wings Disc Golf chapel service to take place at the next PDGA National Tour Event. It takes place the morning of Sunday August 23^rd, 2015.

My Story

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

- Romans 8:28-30

As I sit here and ponder God and how He works in our lives, I am continually amazed at the stories He creates. There is no way I could ever have imagined what life was going to look like for me at any point along the way. There is no way I could have dreamed what was going to happen next. Life is simply too good and I am beyond thankful to God for that.

I grew up going to church and accepted Christ as my savior at a young age. I struggled through life trying to figure out who I was and who God made me to be. I was blessed to have a great church to grow up in. I was blessed to go off to college and find more than one genuine Christian community to be a part of. I had some of the most incredible opportunities to learn and grow. There is no way I could have planned life. After college I knew I wanted to learn more about God and the Bible and so I went off to seminary, not knowing where God might lead me.

I have had wonderful experiences working at Christian Camps, substituting at Christian Schools, teaching kids to play games at a non-profit devoted to character development, and now teaching preschoolers at an inner city ministry in Denver, CO. All of this, along with my education, has prepared me for something great.

We all go through life with interests that come and go. We find ways to spend our time and money and hopefully build community along the way. I have always loved sports of all kinds. But when God brought disc golf into my life, something was different. I started playing disc golf nearly seven years ago. I enjoyed watching my discs fly through the air and there was a drive in me to get better. I started playing tournaments and began meeting other people who played. It became very clear very early on, that disc golf was going to be a huge ministry opportunity for me.

Almost a year and a half ago I was watching a video on YouTube of a disc golf tournament in Florida. The winner gave a speech and thanked God. I emailed him and a month later I was praying with him before his first round at The Memorial Championship, the first national tour event of the year. JohnE McCray became a good friend who shared his faith and cheered for me on the course. A year later, at the Memorial Tournament, I had dinner with JohnE and his wife Jen. Jen, after hearing about me and my story asked if she could introduce me to someone she and JohnE knew who were starting a disc golf ministry.

The very next day I met Dustin Leatherman for the first time. He had been working with an organization called Push the Rock for a few years and had successfully pitched the idea of a disc golf ministry to them. When I talked with Dustin it seemed that we were on the same page about disc golf being an incredible mission field with lots of people who needed Jesus in their lives.

I was hesitant at first to join Dustin and Eagles Wings Disc Golf.  But God used people in my life to show me how I could trust Him, even when I was not sure I could see how God would provide. A guy in a small group I lead literally sat me down in a time of prayer and said, “What are you afraid of?” I knew right then that I needed to apply to work with Eagles Wings Disc Golf and Push the Rock. Interviews, phone calls and a trip across the country to Pennsylvania allowed God to confirm this direction in my life and that He had something big for me in working with Eagles Wings Disc Golf.

I am now at the beginning of the final steps before I join staff full time. I am terrified and excited all at the same time. I know the support raising process will be long and tough. I will be discouraged and encouraged on a daily basis. There will be times I want to ask God why. And there will be times of complete joy. I know God has made me for a purpose and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to combine my passion for my relationship with God and my passion for disc golf. I am excited to see how God moves in the lives of everyone I meet along the way. I know I can trust God and I know He will provide.

Prayer Requests:

1.       Pray for the support raising process, that it will go well and in God’s time.

2.       Pray for those who will join my support team, that God would bless them through this commitment.

3.       Pray for my relationship with God, that it would be strengthened through this.

4.       Pray for the people I meet working with Eagles Wings Disc Golf and playing disc golf; that their hearts would see something different in me and have hearts open to hear about the love of God.