Time with the Souixs

Ryan Dirteater and I had the privilege of going to the Standing Rock Souix Tribe near Bismarck, ND on December 4 and 5. We spoke at the high school there, conducted a church service, and attended a bull riding event. The Standing Rock Souix Tribe honored Ryan and I by praying for us and giving us Lakota names. My Lakota name is “Walks with Prayer,” and Ryan’s is “Swift Eagle.” The people there were so generous and kind. They gave us so many gifts that I had to check a garbage bag with the airlines! It was the neatest experience and I will forever cherish it. Thank you to all the people at the Standing Rock Souix Tribe.

It doesn’t matter where we live or what culture we come from, we all need the Lord in our lives. We get distracted and off course when we focus on the things of this world. God has created everyone of us for a purpose. That purpose is to know Him and love Him and share Him with others. So…get out there and be a reflection of Jesus today! Do what Jesus would do.

I wish everyone a Merry CHRISTmas. Just like the word implies, we need more (mas in Spanish) Christ! It is hard to stay focused on what is truly important, but the truth is what makes us free.

In Christ, Wiley

Finals Recap

I am finally home from Vegas and now we are trying to conjure up the energy to get things back in order. I am relieved to have the finals over. It was not the performance that I was hoping for, but it was exciting to watch Kody Lostroh and JB Mauney battle it out for the World Title! If you don’t know, Kody won the World Title and JB won the Finals.

Even though I had only one score out of 7 bulls, I feel like it went well. It wasn’t for lack of effort that I didn’t make the whistle. I know that sometimes the results are out of our hands. Sometimes God has something else in mind for us. Do you ever get to thinking that God is supposed to make your life all smooth and easy? I sure do. I think that as long as I am good and do what is right that everything will work out in my favor…WRONG! Our lives should be about serving God no matter where He wants us to go and no matter what He wants us to do. That may even mean going through fire and floods. The Bible says that even though we walk through the fire, we will not be burned. So keep doing what God wants you to do and trust Him for the end result. We are living for the eternal, not for the temporary. If you find yourself forgetting about what really matters, spend some time in the Bible and prayer. You will be reminded of how blessed you really are!

Thanks for reading. See you soon!

-Wiley

It’s getting cold!

Amy, Rylan, and I just got back from Portland. It is crazy how fast it got cold here in Idaho. We’ve already had snow! I am not ready for the winter just yet, but I guess winter is not waiting on me. I actually enjoy all the seasons, but the winter is the hardest in Idaho because the days are short and there is only so much you can do in the house. Maybe we will find the time to go skiing or sledding or something. We have to make the best of what we have, right?

 I am looking forward to the Finals. I don’t really like Vegas, but being at the World Finals always has an excitement about it. It is crazy to think that this will be my 9th Finals. I have to say, “Thank you, Lord!” I never would’ve imagined qualifying for the PBR World Finals and actually winning it one year. You never know what will happen until you step out and go for your dreams. I wonder how much more I could be doing for the Lord if I would just trust Him more than I do. There are plenty of times everyday that I just do what is comfortable for me and ignore or disobey the Holy Spirit’s prompting. Things like telling the cashier how much God loves them, or paying for someone’s meal that could use the help, or even praying for a loved one when they call. Kody Lostroh told me a verse that really spoke to him recently and it got me thinking too. Psalm 118:8 “It is better to trust the Lord than put confidence in man.” God will never let us down, and I have been let down plenty of times by people. I hope that you will not let the hurts and disappointments you have experienced in your life keep you from trusting in the Father’s love for you. Trust Him for everything! He is the one who has allowed you to make a living. He is the one who provides the food, shelter, clothes. I mean obviously we get these things with the m0ney we make, but without God giving us the abilities and talents and desires and freedom to work, where would we be?

Well, enough ranting for now. I hope I have got you thinking about your relationship with the Father. Read your Bible, pray, and share His love with everyone! God bless.

-Wiley

Where did August go?

Wow! August went by really fast. Kaden is back in school and Rylan is going to preschool two days a week. It is crazy how fast time goes. I think I don’t realize it because I am so busy and distracted by the things I have to do. We have 6 PBR events left until the Finals, so it’s go time for me. September and October are going to be really busy with riding, sponsor stuff, family, and everything else that comes along with life. I also have a quarterly newsletter that will be out soon to keep you updated too with photos and what not. Keep checking back at my site for that.

Well, thanks for all the prayer and support. Don’t forget how much God loves you! Keep spending time with Him in prayer and read your Bible. The Bible is God’s love story to us! It is awesome to think that God is jealous for our attention. A good friend of mine reminded me that God is so in love with us that He doesn’t want anything to take us away from Him. So, please don’t upset God by putting other things ahead of Him.

Blessings,

Wiley

August

Hello, my friends!

I can’t believe that August is already here. We have been busy here in Idaho, and things are going good. I will be going to Nashville on the 15 and 16 of August then I will have the rest of August off from riding. JW asked me to go to Brazil, but I had to opt out. I don’t know if I can voluntarily leave my family for a whole week to go to a foreign country. I was honored that he even considered me,  but the circumstances aren’t right for me to go.

Rylan just turned 3 and Kaden is turning 12 on the 30th. They are awesome kids and I thank God everyday for my family. Are you thankful for the people God has put in your life? I would encourage you to see relationships as the most important part of life. Don’t let a day go by without telling someone that you love them. You never know what those words will do for someone. And don’t forget that God loves you!

Well, may God bless you! Shalom.

-Wiley

Keep it going

We’ve been busy that last couple weeks. How about you? It seems like everyone is so busy trying to keep up with everything. I find myself leaving God out of the mix and then wonder why I feel like crud. We need to stop and take a breath and quiet our minds to hear what the Lord has to say. That is what energizes us to get through the day.

Take a moment today to just sit back, relax, and ask God to rejuvinate you. Think about Him and His amazing love for you. Let’s try to do this every morning. Start the day off right with you Heavenly Daddy.  That should get you going again! God bless You.

-Wiley

Qualifying

Did you know that God does not use the “qualified?” God wants to use the people who have nothing to offer Him in order for Him to receive all of the glory. Read your Bible and you will see that the heroes of the faith were people who were not the “best” or “most talented” of their culture. The heroes of the faith were the ones who heard God speak and obeyed Him. I challenge you to stop limiting yourself based on your own lack of qualities. Let God decide how to use you to change the world. After all, doesn’t the Creator have the right to say who is or isn’t qualified?

-Wiley

Update

Hey everyone! I just got back from my first two Challenger events in Rapid City and Bismarck. I bucked off in Bismarck and made it to the short round in Rapid, but bucked off in the short round. My family and me are heading to the Calgary Stampede July 7-13th. Then we go to Bozeman, Montana to Tulsa, to Cheyenne. Should be fun! Hope you are having fun and making the most of every opportunity to share Jesus with the world. Live each day with excellence.

-Wiley

How’s it going?

Hey there! I hope everyone is having a great summer. I have been enjoying the last month off with my family. We have been busy, but in a good way. I want to encourage you that God wants us to abide in Him especially in the everyday things that we do. Ask God to show you how He is using you in your everyday circumstances. Keep drawing close to Him and serve the people around you.