COWBOY TESTIMONIES
LUKE KRAUT
G'day... my name is Luke Kraut and I was born in Queensland, Australia. I have lived on a horse and cattle ranch most of my life. I am the second oldest of four boys... Mark, Joel, Shane, and myself. My parents would load all of us boys up two or three times a month to attend the Church of England (an Episcopalian Church). So we had a good start in knowing about God, but looking back, I was never really taught about Jesus Christ and how important He was. However, I have met several people along my way through life that have guided me closer to Christ.
I started riding bulls at the age of 16 and while I was attending several rodeos I met a Christian cowboy by the name of Tim Kelly. We had the chance to talk and I even attended some of his prayer meetings, but kind of left it at that.
In 1990, at the age of 19, I had the opportunity to travel to the United States. My brother Shane and I met a gentleman by the name of Gerry Bishop, who was an all-around cowboy in the 70's, and his wife Nadine. They had taken us to Phoenix, Arizona to attend a bull riding school taught by Lyle Sankey and Cody Custer. I knew that they where Christians, but there was something different about them. Lyle, Cody, and Jimbob (Cody's brother) seemed to be very positive and sure of themselves, and that was something I had never seen before. Lyle would talk about mental attitude throughout the day, and would talk and give testimony about the Lord in the evenings.
On the way back to Camp Verde where we were staying, Gerry asked me what I thought of the school. I told him that it was great and that I had learned a lot. He also asked me what I thought of them being Christians. I told him that I thought it was good, but I didn't quite understand. Gerry then asked me "What would happen if say one of those bulls slammed you down, jumped on your head and your brains spilled out on the arena floor?" (I couldn't help but wonder what this guy was talking about... I had just learned about positive thinking and here he is putting horrible thoughts in my head!) He continued..." And lets say you died, and the next thing you know you're standing outside Heaven's Pearly Gates. There is a guy at the Gates... and say his name is Peter, and on the other side of the Gates was Jesus. You also saw people partying and rejoicing with the Lord, having a great time. Then Peter asked you... "Luke, would you like to go in there?" "What would you say?
My answer was... "Well Peter, I like to party and it sure looks like a good one... sure, I would like to go." Peter said, "Give me one good and right reason why I should let you go in and rejoice with the Lord in Heaven?" "I said that "I have always been pretty good and that I hadn't been to jail or anything." Gerry simply replied, "That's not the right answer" and left it at that.
I thought about it for a couple of days but couldn't come up with the right answer... so I called Gerry and asked him. He asked me if Jesus Christ was my Lord and Savior... if I lived for Him, believed in Him, and know that He had died for our sins and 3 days later rose again so that we could have eternal life." He sent me some stuff read and told me to get into my Bible.
Well, it hasn't been easy, (as most of you know) but the Lord has blessed me with a wonderful wife, a 11 year old son, and a new baby! I try to be like Christ in my everyday life and I am very thankful for what He has done for me. I have been waiting for Him to use me in any way He sees fit.
Luke Kraut
Professional Bull
Rider
Queensland, Australia
