I. Benevolence
· We were given a stroller from Shiloh for a lady on 7-25 and a bed from a church member to give to the same lady and her 4 kids on 8-29, who had been sleeping on the floor for a month.
· We worked with HBF to help a student with their electric bill on 8-3
· We bought a bus ticket for a student on 8-6, to help him get back to his hometown – see pic.
· We gave food boxes to 2 men on 8-1 & 8-12, another man on 8-15, and a lady on 9-4
· We gave out 4 gas cards to help students with transportation this season
· Our church helped one of our folks with car repairs on 9-2
II. Jail update
· We sent money to a couple of inmates recently for phone time and stamps
· Jim S. dropped off a box of Bibles at Cass County Jail in early August
· We connected a lady to Butler jail ministry recently
· We picked up a man from jail and took him where he needed to go on 8-15. Two days later we brought him to church and fed him lunch and helped him get into temporary housing with another man. He got a job the next day and has been working full time since then and is going to be able to move back home on 9-24, glory to God for his care for the least of these.
· Jim S. started writing to a new man in jail on 8-26
III. Church
· Chris and Lauren C. were the leaders of our church’s VBS in July where over 100 youth came, and 50+ adults helped! We are so thankful to have them help with Life Issues too!
· Several of our students and leaders are involved in discipleship:
o D1: These folks are in our one-on-one discipleship material –Tracy W. is with Pam J. (lesson #9), Julie S. is with Mary W. (lesson #8), T.J. C. is with Pat L. (lesson #3), Joel W. is with Steve F. (lesson #1)
o D2 (classroom teaching that focuses on the Word and Work of ministry): Kelly T.
o HBI (our 4-year Bible Institute): Pam J., Caleb L, and Mary W. are taking classes in HBI.
o TJH (The Journey Home): Nichole D is with KJ (lesson #5), Kevin W. is with Pat L. (lesson #3), Julie N. and Bryan A. are waiting to get a sponsor assigned to them.
· A small group of us worked at the Shepherd’s Staff food pantry on 8-1 – see pic.
· We’ve hired multiple students recently to help paint at church and do yard work and odd jobs, and also provided community service hours for a lady
IV. Recovery
· Brian R. and the Horton girls are graduated D2 recently – see pic!
· Three people graduated our Life Issues program on 8-29 – Camille R. (pic), Dana M., and Dane O. – we are so proud of these folks!
o See Dana’s video testimony here on our LIFE ISSUES YouTube Channel
· We had a group of around 15 people complete a 7-week group therapy series called “Exploring a Path to Recover” – see pic.
· We recently ordered and received more Wounded Spirits books, to help people with them.
· We drove a lady to meet with her PO on 9-3, and back home.
A testimony from Zachary
"I'm Zachary, 36 years young and have in hindsight spent a lot of my time here on this planet hiding from my true self and the struggles of addiction that come with it.
In the last few years coming to this group, I've learned that the savage truth of coming out of addiction feels like stumbling into daylight after years in the underground. But you’re more alive than ever, and that’s no small miracle. The road ahead is cracked and unpredictable, but you don’t walk it alone. In this group with peers beside you are fighters who’ve seen the same darkness and lived to tell it, and you learn to steady yourself.
Peer support is gritty and real, and you find the kind of love forged in battle. You learn to laugh again, to pray again, to trust again. Christ is not distant but present in every moment of mercy and every hand extended to pull you forward.
The madness of the past becomes fuel, the wreckage becomes testimony, and what once tried to kill you now becomes the soil where new life grows.
Christ’s love itself storms into your life like a wild animal, tearing down the walls you built to keep the world out. It’s terrifying, and it’s holy, and for the first time in years, you’re not running from the light—you’re running with it.
Like our motto from Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
Christ shows up in the mess, not with spotless robes but with dirt on His hands, guiding you through the chaos with his unbearable lightness of being & love.
A fierce, unrelenting love that becomes the fuel that keeps all of our engines running. What once chained you down will now sharpen you. What once tried to bury you becomes the proof that like Christ, you can rise again, with grace, armed with community, and finally free enough to live.
Remember, If you can’t change the world, change yourself. And if you can’t change yourself then change your world. "
V. Events
· Pat Lee and I took a box of Bibles to Pastor Tommy McGee’s new church dedication (Recovery Church) on 7-13 – see pic.
o We raised almost exactly $12,000 towards our goal of $12,000, PTL!
o We had around 60 businesses sponsor us again this year; see website for list www.lifeissuesonline.org
o Everyone loved our T-shirts and caps!
o Kelly R. earned our compassion award this year, given to the volunteer of the year – pic!
o Great testimonies from graduates, as well as message from John Manning, Judge Howell, and Jillian L. and Tara H. (from Standing in the Gap)
o We gave away 3 great door prizes that night, that were donated to us!
o I gave a brief message at the end of the evening and one lady prayed to be saved, hallelujah! Also, on the way home, one of our men led a man to Christ, so 2 saved!
o The only negative from the night from my perspective is that I wish more of our previous students would have come to the “Homecoming”.
VI. People
· Tommy’s testimony:
· Please pray for God to use us mightily in the remainder of 2025, for without him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things! Sincerely, Steve Fleshman – Life Issues pastor and founder, Proverbs 4:23…
· We drove a lady to meet with her PO on 9-3, and back home.
A testimony from Zachary
"I'm Zachary, 36 years young and have in hindsight spent a lot of my time here on this planet hiding from my true self and the struggles of addiction that come with it.
In the last few years coming to this group, I've learned that the savage truth of coming out of addiction feels like stumbling into daylight after years in the underground. But you’re more alive than ever, and that’s no small miracle. The road ahead is cracked and unpredictable, but you don’t walk it alone. In this group with peers beside you are fighters who’ve seen the same darkness and lived to tell it, and you learn to steady yourself.
Peer support is gritty and real, and you find the kind of love forged in battle. You learn to laugh again, to pray again, to trust again. Christ is not distant but present in every moment of mercy and every hand extended to pull you forward.
The madness of the past becomes fuel, the wreckage becomes testimony, and what once tried to kill you now becomes the soil where new life grows.
Christ’s love itself storms into your life like a wild animal, tearing down the walls you built to keep the world out. It’s terrifying, and it’s holy, and for the first time in years, you’re not running from the light—you’re running with it.
Like our motto from Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
Christ shows up in the mess, not with spotless robes but with dirt on His hands, guiding you through the chaos with his unbearable lightness of being & love.
A fierce, unrelenting love that becomes the fuel that keeps all of our engines running. What once chained you down will now sharpen you. What once tried to bury you becomes the proof that like Christ, you can rise again, with grace, armed with community, and finally free enough to live.
Remember, If you can’t change the world, change yourself. And if you can’t change yourself then change your world. "
V. Events
· Pat Lee and I took a box of Bibles to Pastor Tommy McGee’s new church dedication (Recovery Church) on 7-13 – see pic.
· Nearly 20 of our folks went bowling together on 8-22, it was a blast, and many want to do it again sometime, PTL for good fellowship – see pic.
· Our annual Homecoming / Fundraiser event was on August 29th, 2025 – see the highlights from the event here on our LIFE ISSUES YouTube Channel
o We raised almost exactly $12,000 towards our goal of $12,000, PTL!
o We had around 60 businesses sponsor us again this year; see website for list www.lifeissuesonline.org
o Everyone loved our T-shirts and caps!
o Kelly R. earned our compassion award this year, given to the volunteer of the year – pic!
o We had great booths – NAMI, Standing in the gap, Rising Phoenix, Renewed by Grace
o Great testimonies from graduates, as well as message from John Manning, Judge Howell, and Jillian L. and Tara H. (from Standing in the Gap)
o We gave away 3 great door prizes that night, that were donated to us!
o I gave a brief message at the end of the evening and one lady prayed to be saved, hallelujah! Also, on the way home, one of our men led a man to Christ, so 2 saved!
o The only negative from the night from my perspective is that I wish more of our previous students would have come to the “Homecoming”.
VI. People
· Tommy’s testimony:
"On August 15th, 2025, I stepped into a church for the first time in over 20 years. After hearing God's word, my spirit became restless, I couldn't sleep, something was stirring in my spirit. Changes had to be made before it was too late. On August 19th, I finally gave in and gave my life to Christ. On this day I began reading his word and felt a peace and calm that I haven't felt in a long time. I was tired of running; God spoke to me saying its time to stop running and turn your life around. He kept saying, son, do you really want to spend eternity in hell, I said no and so I gave it all to God. Since giving my life to God, I finally feel like a big weight has been removed from my life. I may be going through hard times, but I know I'll come through this storm with my head held high and with God by my side. I can do all things, it's in God's time, not mine. I was just tired of running and not living the way Christ would want me to live. I'm ready to live right and get out of sin and let God have my life for eternity. I'm ready to take the next step in my life and that is one day I hope to be baptized so I can wash away all my sins and get rid of this old man. Tommy T.
· We have really seen so much courage and faith in Julie S. in the last few weeks as she worked through her son’s funeral arrangements with the family (after losing her husband last fall). She really stepped out of her comfort zone and became a comfort for another family’s Celebration of Life Service too. She really helped to support them after recently going through the very same grief process with her son. She is now going through Grief Share, which is a weekly Grief support meeting at Community Christian Church and is really opening up and talking about her struggles in order to help others. She is going to be a trophy of God’s grace for all the world to see! "
VII. Praises and Prayer requests
· We’ve had at least 2 people relapse recently, which is grievous, one called me tears to confess, please pray for steadfastness and good decision making from our students.
· One of our sister recovery groups is struggling a little and could use our prayers.
· I do want to praise the Lord that 3-4 souls have been added to the body of Christ in the last couple of months through our ministry! See pic of Joel W. and I
· We have really seen so much courage and faith in Julie S. in the last few weeks as she worked through her son’s funeral arrangements with the family (after losing her husband last fall). She really stepped out of her comfort zone and became a comfort for another family’s Celebration of Life Service too. She really helped to support them after recently going through the very same grief process with her son. She is now going through Grief Share, which is a weekly Grief support meeting at Community Christian Church and is really opening up and talking about her struggles in order to help others. She is going to be a trophy of God’s grace for all the world to see! "
VII. Praises and Prayer requests
· We’ve had at least 2 people relapse recently, which is grievous, one called me tears to confess, please pray for steadfastness and good decision making from our students.
· One of our sister recovery groups is struggling a little and could use our prayers.
· I do want to praise the Lord that 3-4 souls have been added to the body of Christ in the last couple of months through our ministry! See pic of Joel W. and I
· Please pray for God to use us mightily in the remainder of 2025, for without him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things! Sincerely, Steve Fleshman – Life Issues pastor and founder, Proverbs 4:23…
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