It was amazing to serve with a great disciplemaking team in Albania and come along side ministry leaders there who are in planning to build an indoor soccer facility! So thankful to God for how He orchestrated this trip and for specific folks who helped financially to make this trip possible! We ended up doing 5 Doing Sports God’s Way trainings including 1 for orphans age 14+ at the Hope Center which was one of my favorite DSGW training times I’ve ever done. It was a great response with leaders and kids at every training! I was incredibly blessed and sharpened by our team who went on the trip and the leaders in Albania!

You can see more detail and impact of the trip from disciplemaking guys, Steve Waggoner and Bill Allison, who have greatly overflowed into my life. It was a blessing to be with them as they led the way on Disciplemakers training.
We took an opportunity to see Paris outside the airport on our way to Albania, and I know the t-shirt doesn’t cover me being in Paris without my wife, but I sure do love her and missed her! Kristi is a champ! I am so thankful for her and how Jesus used her, while I was gone and beyond, to make a massive impact for eternity. Mothers Day picture above.

In Albania by law at the age of 14 kids are expelled from orphanages but God is using the staff at the Hope Center to care for their spiritual growth, education, and assimilation into the adult world. I was blessed by my time with these kids and staff through DSGW training and hanging out which included milkshakes!

Nathan and Cydil Waggoner (missionaries in Albania) are doing an incredible job leading an incredible team. I was blessed by them all. One example is the great love and care shown to me in many ways by local pastor Genti Proseku.

Thankful for many new relationships God gave us like, Toni, who leads sports ministry through a ministry (Open Air Campaigners) led by Ian and Caralee Loring in Albania. Thankful for this connection through, Scotty Kessler, (disciplemaker in my life and coached me at Greenville University) who I spoke much about in Albania. Toni and Caralee spent much of the day with us in Tirana. We had the opportunity to hear Toni’s testimony (powerful!) and did Doing Sports God’s Way training in the park with them. They are like minded with us!

Steve Waggoner did a lot of Doing Sports God’s Way coaching with me. We had fun using “hooks” for DSGW in the Albanian language. Hooks are words or short phrases that help you remember a teaching point from God’s Word. It puts a “hook” in your mind. Steve served through helping with our trainings greatly! So many on our team helped me to demonstrate valuable Biblical principles useful in sport. Thankful for these guys helping to share of the great mercy and grace of King Jesus!

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:21-25‬ ‭NIV‬‬
Thankful for how God is working in and through the lives of coaches, athletes, and staff in the Peoria Area and beyond! Simply put, there is currently a GREAT need of funding for Greater Peoria FCA and a gift of any size would be a huge encouragement and make a big difference in ministering to coaches and athletes. Can you help us with a gift? If so, you can follow the link below or send to Peoria FCA, PO Box 24, Peoria, IL 61650.
Want to hear more FCA Impact? Click the link below to check out an update from Scott Krause and get inside details of how an FCA huddle starts.