Graduation Celebration in Harveyville, Kansas!!!

     Rural communities are on our hearts, as y'all well know! So, when I received an invite to speak at a celebration for Graduates at Harveyville United Methodist Church in Harveyville, KS (population app. 200) I was honored!  My Family and I saddled up in the Dowling Big Rig on March 22 and made the 50 minute trek to Harveyville to encourage the Graduates, share our story, and preach the gospel!

This church has an amazing testimony of it's own! A few short years ago, the church building was totally demolished buy a tornado. Check out the amazing building story of the Harveyville United Methodist Church Tornado by clicking on the link. 

UMC after the tornado

As you can see, the tornado really wreaked havoc on the church building. When I share my story, I always encourage the audience to remember, "It doesn't matter where you start, or even where you are right now, it's how you finish that matters!" CHECK out the picture below! The Church has been completely restored!! 

UMC after the restoration!

 I have had the opportunity to speak/preach/perform my strongman shows all over the world. You might think that I would be used to God "showing up" and doing some amazing things. BUT, God has a way of "showing up" that it is alway unique and pardon the pun, BLOWS ME AWAY!! There were several people in attendance that different aspects of my story REALLY touched. In turn, I was able to point them to true hope through what Christ has done in me. VERY COOL!

 We were competing against the Wichita State and Kansas, Sweet 16 Game. GO SHOX!! But we had approximately 50 in attendance with over 20 people responding to the call to follow Jesus with everything they have!

The calm, before the STORM!!! 

Bubba and Nathan preparing to bend steel.

Thank you Again for your continued support!! THINGS are shaking up in the rural areas of KANSAS!!

School Assembly and an Upwards Awards Banquet

Had an amazing opportunity to speak to the High School at Jackson Heights just north of Holton on February 26th, I was brought in by the FFA to speak to and encourage the students. I am a father of 6 amazing kiddos and with that comes great responsibility, My wife had some things that she needed to do and had a DR appointment so, I brought my 5 year old Miriam with me to help! SHE was an amazing help.

A pre-assembly Selfie with the students!

The FFA has never brought in a speaker before, so I welcomed the chance to be their first one! 

Bubba and his Daughter Miriam and some of the FFA Officers.

 I shared my story about overcoming attempted suicide, cutting, self-hatred and being limited to lifting 50 pounds after a back surgery. How my oldest daughter Anna helped me learn how to love, and how for the first time in my life, put someone else's needs before mine. I shared how Anna was the reason I started lifting weights again which lead to me becoming a World and American record holder and Professional Strongman. 

I was not prepared for or was expecting the outcome of the response from the students after the assembly. I received so many FB messages thanking me for coming and how my story touched them, on how I was an inspiration and how they now have "HOPE" that they can change.... They said they now have "HOPE".  So humbled and honored to be used. 

Miriam, Helping clean up after the assembly.

March 3rd I was asked to perform and Entertain at the Upwards Awards Banquet at Northland Christian Church, here in North Topeka. I was told it was going to be a big event, so I thought, HEY,  I'll bring them a BIG EVENT!!

I called my buddies from the band DEATH and DESIRE, to see if they would join me on stage! They agreed and helped me make it an awesome event! Click on the link, here ,to learn more about them. THEY BRING IT FOR SURE!!! 

Bubba Blowing up a hot water bottle!!
Always starts the show with a BANG!!

It was an amazing event with over 600 in attendance and had an UNBELIEVABLE response with   OVER 200 hands going up when the call to receive Christ was offered!! WOW what an honor to be able to be used to share the love of CHRIST!!!

Bubba, ripping license plate, with his teeth!! SHHH do not tell my Dentist, Dr. Derek!! 

KEEP CALM and Press on!
 BUBBA getting ready to bench press a 78 Honda Goldwing... Weighs 602#'s!

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE OTHER BLOG POSTS!! 

GO WEST YOUNG MAN!

Sunflowers...follow the SON!

     A few months ago I had a "come to Jesus" moment on behalf of my family. I was tired, we will leave it at that. The Father told me that we could choose our own path, but that was not where He had asked us to walk. I broke down crying and said, "My yes is still yes Lord." Lots of times the Lord asks us to follow him into areas that don't feel normal, where we don't naturally fit well, but we have a mission to complete. That is part of how our stay in Topeka has been.
     After that morning I contacted one of my Missionary friends for encouragement. I needed to hear how to do what He was asking of us. She gave me great advice: Be who you are ALWAYS. And, do the ONE THING the Lord is asking you to do.
     After our conversation she had a dream where she was standing in a field of sunflowers. The seeds of the sunflowers were SHOOTING out in harvest! There was much media there filming this phenomenon! I knew right then that the harvest would not be HARD. That it was ripe and ready! We would be standing in awe of what the Lord was doing.
     Fast forward a few days and I received a vision from the Lord. I was standing, looking out of a doorway at a single sunflower just beyond the opening. It was tall and full of seeds. Beyond the sunflower was bare earth and a simple blue sky. I waited about three weeks and painted it. Here it is:

     When I asked the Lord for understanding and I saught wisdom of both things, this is what I got:
The harvest is READY and will come easily!
We are going to reap harvest where seed has not even been sown!
Sunflowers follow the sun. They face it all day long. We want to follow THE SON!
     We know we are to follow the Lord into places of dry land. In our next post we will share EXACTLY where that dry land is! Stay tuned!


   
   

Beards, Men and Motorcycles

     As you read in our last post "GO WEST, YOUNG MAN, GO WEST" there are changes on the horizon for Dowling Family Ministries, Inc. and we can feel the power of God!
     In January God gave Bubba a vision:  Bubba was riding a dark colored bike (motorcycle for those of us that don't get the "biker" lingo ;-) down a two lane road, wind blowing his full beard, his bible strapped on the back. Bubba text me saying, "I think we are to go after Rural Communities." My spirit leapt! I had been feeling the pull to small town life, country life, for a while. Bubba also saw that we will be traveling to rural areas presenting the gospel. We truly feel that this is a "nation" to be reached.
     About two days later the Lord gave me a picture of a very large dining room table filled with MEN; full bearded men. I knew in my spirit that these men (not teenagers) were sharing life with our family. Men need mentored by other men, but also need to see family life; watch a father interact with his children and love his wife. And, watch his children and wife return his love.
    Our old vision had many layers: fathers, mothers and caregivers, this generation, standing for justice. Though we will have opportunities to impact lives in those areas, our new focus will be men, men in rural communities. We are excited about the new intense focus of the ministry!
     Keep posted for more details coming SOON!
 

"GO WEST, YOUNG MAN, GO WEST"

     "GO WEST, YOUNG MAN, GO WEST" was an expression first used by John Babsone Lane Soule in the Terre Haute Express in 1851.  It's ringing in the ears of the Dowling Family for 2015 and beyond!
      Come with us as we take the next step and move forward with our ministry. A new, focused vision with a familiar purpose! A vision filled with Westward motion, motorcycles, open land, men, beards, and rural communities.
    Our YES, is still YES to the Lord's plans and purposes. 
   To be continued.....

Tangible Results

Tangible Results

4 young adults have started services as a direct result of Bubba educating the people of Kansas about the services offered to Youth aging out of Foster Care!

AMEN!!

More Lord!!

Western Kansas- Outreach

     We spent the weekend of the 7th and 8th of November in Stockton, Kansas (a town of about 1,300 people) For y'all who don't know where that is here's a map:

     We partnered with the local youth center, FUSION, to present our strong man show and preach the Gospel.  The boys set up the stage with Bubba and the girls and I, well, we visited with local people and the girls had a blast playing in the gym!

Some of our new friends, Pastor Steve (Left) and Pastor Morgan (Right). This was Right after the Pastors prayed for Bubba to bless their city.

     We were thrilled to have approximately 130 in attendance.  That's a great number considering the size of the town and we were competing with a wedding in town the same night! When Bubba gave the call to follow Jesus, my eyes filled with tears! Three fourths of the crowd raised their hands and boldly stood to ask The Lord to be lord of their lives! It was beautiful!!! An entire row of junior high girls responded and several adult men that I would have never guessed, responded as well.

Picture of the crowd in Stockton

We had a wonderful time with our host family, the Foster's, they were so fun and gave our children a good dose of Grandparenting! (We live about 4 hours from our parents) 

"Grandpa" Ed Foster and Bubba Pre Show

Bubba Prepping for the Human Helicopter.

Bubba making sure the volunteers have health insurance.

ALWAYS a crowd Favorite- The HUMAN HELICOPTER!

Gannon Helping bend that 3/4" inch of solid steel.

Bubba- finishing up what Gannon Started.

Bubba, Preaching the Gospel. 

     We planned to go to church on Sunday with our host family and head home after lunch. Did you notice WE planned that? Here comes a God opportunity ladies and gentlemen!
     So Saturday night after the show, around 10 pm, our Host Dad told us that Pastor Steve asked if we would like to speak at his church the next morning. Our answer? YES! We love the opportunity to share our story, especially TOGETHER!

Bubba And Pastor Steve

     We enjoyed our time worshipping and sharing at Stockton Assembly of God with Pastor Steve and the whole church family! It was such a refreshing time. A powerful time! We truly love it when God simply slips a sweet "interruption" in our lives to meet amazing people and bring hope and healing!
     THANK you for your continued support, We could not do what we do without our supporters, friends and family!! God Bless.