From the Home Place

April 26, 2026

Good morning my friends. The time is 2 a.m. in Lusk, Wyoming. For the past hour I have laid in bed, recalling my personal journey called life. It truly has been a great ride. Today, marks 73 years on my life calendar. Allow me to share a bit of that if I might.

I was born on this date in 1953 to Tuffy and Daisy Hughes. Our mailing address was out of Glendo, while our electricity, banking, groceries and several family members were out of Lusk. I attended a one-room country school during my first three years of school; we were then bused to Sunrise for my fourth-grade school year and then to Guernsey to finish grades 5-12, graduating in 1971. You see, I really did grow up in the middle of nowhere!

In 1970 I started dating a beautiful young lady who would become the love of my life; and in 1972 she agreed to be my wife. At that time I was attending Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington. After finishing my formal training there, we moved to Fort Morgan, Colorado where I did an internship as the yard vet in a feedlot where we kept 25,000 head of cattle on feed.

After finishing my degree at EWC, we moved back to Wyoming to work for a local rancher and then on to become an equipment operator at a rock quarry near Guernsey. Over the next six years I started working at Sunrise Mine as an equipment operator; and Miss Deb would bring three beautiful children into our lives. Life was good.

And then, my dad died suddenly from a massive heart attack; his funeral was held on my twenty-third birthday – April 26, 1976. My world turned upside down. All of my life, I had lived to make my dad happy and now he was gone. Before long, Miss Deb, our three little ones and I moved out to the ranch, while I continued to work at the Mine. We had to try to pay for ranching somehow.

On March 17, 1982, while miles apart from each other, Miss Deb and I both accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. That moment in our lives would set us upon a whole new journey. No longer did I live my life to please my earthly father, now I lived to serve my Heavenly Father! It wasn’t very long before our little family was headed for Phoenix, Arizona where I would receive a degree in Pastoral Ministry. Let the fun begin!

Quite often, Miss Deb and I will comment, “We’ve had a great ride!” Serving God these last 40+ years of our lives has been such an amazing blessing. Oh, for sure, God has allowed enough trials to keep up humble, but He has far outweighed those trials with blessings.

Today, Miss Deb and I praise God for His amazing gift of 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, via our three children. We both praise Him that our three adult children have each been blessed with a great life-partner and a beautiful family.

Speaking of family, many of you are a part of that family as well. Because of God’s calling upon our lives, we have been extremely blessed to get to impact hundreds of lives while serving His kingdom. But here is how we view those years of service, we have not impacted your lives nearly as much as you have impacted ours. The blessings we have received far out ways any blessings we have given.

So, here I sit early in the morning, thinking of 73 years of life – “It really has been a great ride!” I have been blessed to ride some of the best horses to ever walk across this ‘ol ball of dirt (you knew I had to put that one in here.) I have been blessed to spend this life with the love-of-my-life, and to enjoy a great family! I have been blessed to get to serve so many people over these years of ministry. Yet, most of all, I have been blessed to get to know my Heavenly Father who has promised to “never leave, nor forsake,” me, even when death knocks at my door.

If God will allow, I pray for several more years of loving family, loving friends and loving God with all that I have and all that I am. I pray that He will allow me to enjoy the best years of ministry that are still ahead of me.

“Lord Jesus, I praise You for salvation and service, both a gift from You. Lord Jesus, I ask of You that You may grant me this request, ‘That the day I stop living and the day that I die, have the same date.’ Jesus, please keep our ‘crew’ safe and secure within Your loving arms and Lord, bless those around us who make this life a great living. Heavenly Father, thank You for teaching us how to invest a life into the lives of others. Lord God, I thank You for the 73 years behind me and I request of You that there may be at least a few more years to serve Your Kingdom in front of me. I praise You in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.”

Enjoying the ride with you, Neal