Greg Schnabel, Director

 

Greg was saved at the age of 18 and really began walking with the Lord when he was 20. He graduated with an Associate’s degree in Applied Science. The education he received past that however, was very non-conventional. 11 years of individual Biblical and Theological study coupled with 8 years of practical ministry with teens from his local Baptist church, the community, and a secular academy for troubled boys. He volunteered at White River Academy, in Delta, UT for 7 years, and saw a lot of fruit as he worked with the guys there. For more than 8 years, he worked at a Beryllium processing plant and was a lead operator when he stepped out to become the full‐time director of Eagle’s Nest.  He was ordained into the ministry February 9, 2013 because he believed that the Lord had called him to be the shepherd of the flock here at ENBM.

 

Why do you want to be here, or what is your desire for this ministry?

 

Greg believes that his greatest ability is to help others, and a passion he has is working with teenagers. Well, today there is a growing need to help troubled teenagers to see that there is more to life than what they are experiencing and that the road that they are heading down is a perilous one.  The reason Greg is here at Eagle’s Nest is because of the burden that the Lord has given him to stand in the gap between these wandering teens and the world, and to point them to the Lord and to a Biblical worldview. Greg feels that the Lord has uniquely gifted him and prepared him for this purpose and that He is going to use Eagle’s Nest to reach and transform the souls and lives of many.

 

What are your roles in our academy?

 

At Eagle's Nest, Greg is the primary factor in keeping everything moving forward and in the right direction. His job is to help keep the team focused on the mission and purpose of the ministry we have so that we can effectively help the people that the Lord brings here. He will be working with the staff, the students, the parents, and their pastors so that they all may be able to soar among excellence.

 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

 

The highlight of his day is to sit down at the Lord's feet in his devotion time. He loves spending as much time with his wife and their three kids as he can. He also enjoys hiking, camping, dirt‐biking, snowboarding, and just about anything with a ball! He loves a good BBQ pit and Chinese food as well.

 

Steve Isbell, Residential Program Specialist

 

Throughout Steve’s childhood, he grew up going to a Christian church and hearing the Gospel message. The message of Jesus provided a way of salvation through His death on the cross never had a life changing impact on him until the age of 15. His Christian life began in the summer of 2005, when he was attending a week long evangelistic meeting in Heber City, Utah. The speaker, an evangelist by the name of Phil Prettyman, preached a simple and straight forward message on Jesus’ immense love for sinners. Throughout the course of the message, he became intensely overwhelmed with the way he was living his life and the sin that characterized his rebellious lifestyle. At the end of the message, Steve bowed his head and agreed with God that the way he was living was wrong, and that he desperately needed forgiveness of his sins.

 

 After finishing high school, the Lord led Steve to pursue formal bible training at Northland International University in Wisconsin. He was planning on attending the school for one year and then pursuing a career in the military, but at the conclusion of his freshman year, God had other plans for him. Coming into his sophomore year of college, Steve accepted a position at Victory Academy for Boys, a boarding school for troubled teens. Throughout his time at Victory, Steve began developing a God given burden and compassion for the students. Many of the issues that the students were struggling with (their relationship with God and their family, respect for authority, their inability to overcome sin) were the identical issues he had battled with a couple years earlier.

 

 After he concluded his time at VAFB, God led Steve to get involved in various other ministry opportunities. He traveled on his colleges’ ministry team for two semesters, spent three months in China doing missionary work, did a youth internship at a church in Arizona, and served at a summer Bible camp, Camp Utibaca, as a counselor for three summers.  Currently, Steve has his Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Youth Ministries, and his desire is to serve God in whatever capacity or position that God leads him into.

 

Why do you want to be here, or what is your desire for this ministry?

 

Steve’s desire for Eagles Nest Academy is to help struggling families. Even though he will not have an ample amount of opportunities to spend with the parents of the students, he will have lots of opportunities to invest in their sons. Ultimately, his desire for the students, is not to convert them to some religious denomination or adhere to a religious law, but to help the students come to a vibrant and passionate relationship with Jesus Christ, while helping them developing into a godly young men that views their lives through the perspective of God’s Word.

 

What are your roles in our ministry?

 

As a Residential Program Specialist, Steve has the privilege to serve at Eagles Nest Academy by providing support to the students. Steve also assists the Director in planning and implementing program activities, such as life skills, outdoor activities, and counseling/discipleship.

 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

 

Growing up with the Wasatch Mountains in his backyard, Steve’s love for outdoor sports began at a young age. To this day, his passion for skiing, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and pretty much anything that pertains to the outdoors, and involves adventure, is alive and well. But more than just experiencing God’s awesome creation and getting an adrenaline rush, he loves using his God given gifts and abilities to invest in the lives of others, specifically in the lives of young men.

 

Ben Toomer, Residential Program Specialist

 

Ben grew up in a Christian home, but it was not until he was 13 years of age that he accepted the Lord as his Savior. It was during staff training his first summer on at Camp Utibaca that the Lord started convicting Ben. The fruit in his life was not that of a genuine believer. The Lord was gracious and saved him that summer, and since then has been continual working out the sanctification process in Ben’s life. Ben has a great heart for the people and ministry in Utah. Being raised in a camp setting at 777 ranch in Ferron Utah, he has grown up very involved in camp ministry. This allowed him from a young age to start developing skills and a heart for working with young people. He has worked at camp Utibaca for nine summers, moving from grounds staff to counselor and then serving for two summers as Program Director. Following high school, Ben studied at Northland International University. He graduated in 2013 with an Associate’s Degree in Biblical Studies with an emphasis on Counseling. While at Northland, he had the opportunity to travel for a full semester, serving on a college ministry team, ministering to Christian schools and youth groups. This was a great experience and continued to deepen his heart for young people.

 

Why do you want to be here, or what is your desire for this ministry?

 

After college Ben was working a job building hand crafted log homes and in the summer serving at Camp Utibaca. It was during this time that he heard about Eagles Nest. After seeing their need for willing workers to come help and serve in order to get the ministry started he decided that the Lord was leading him to ENA. Ben’s desire is that Eagle’s Nest would be used greatly by God to work in the lives of many young men in the years to come. He hopes to come along-side and use the gifts, abilities, and heart for young people that God has given him, to help Eagle’s Nest accomplish it’s mission.

 

What are your roles in our academy?

 

Ben is one of several Residential Program Specialists on staff. His roles will include working directly with, and supervising the students and being actively involved in the one-on-one counseling process. A major part of his job will be planning, coordinating and executing daily program activities.

 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

 

Ben has lived in the great state of Utah for the majority of his life. He loves all of the outdoor activities that it has to offer. Some of his favorite activities include, but are not limited to, hiking, riding horses, roping cattle, hunting, mountain biking, snowboarding and one of his favorite activities is traveling and experiencing new places and cultures. On the less extreme side he enjoys singing, playing the guitar, meeting new people, and reading (which is the gateway to all kinds of sweet and new topics).

 

Darla Steege, Teacher

 

Darla was saved at the age of 33 years old. After salvation she had a desire to learn all she could about God through the Bible.  She attended Bible studies and served in the church where ever she could. In 1995 she and her husband were led to help Pastor Jonathan and Chrissa Edwards in their vision of a church plant and Eagle’s Nest Baptist ministries in Marysvale Utah.  After the church was planted, Darla and her husband moved to Phoenix Arizona to attend International Baptist College, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education.  She began taking classes in special education, and school guidance counseling and eventually earned a Masters in education through Ottawa University.  Darla has a heart for counseling as well.  She earned a Certificate of Biblical Counseling through the Institute of Biblical Education, Bob Jones University, and is working towards becoming certified through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors.

 

Having struggled through school as a youth with many emotional family issues, Darla understands the struggles that students will face.  Through working as special education teacher she began to realize that every student, given enough time and encouragement, can reach their full, God-given potential.  God has prepared her for such a time as this to teach at Eagle’s Nest Academy.

 

Why do you want to be here, or what is your desire for this ministry?

 

Darla’s desire in working with Eagle’s Nest is two-fold. First, she desires to help the boys we are serving come to and knowledge and understanding of who God is. Through much prayer, it is our desire as a team, to reflect an intimate walk with God, so that others may be drawn to him. Secondly, as a team member, Darla’s desire is to be of assistance wherever she may be needed. She will be part of a counseling team who will be of assistance to fellow Christian workers who come to us just burned out and needing a renewing of their spirit. Darla is seeking to be a help to Eagle’s Nest to keep an orderly and structured environment where those we serve, both students, other Christians, and those seeking help, as well as our staff can flourish.

 

What are your roles in our academy?

 

As the teacher, Darla will be working with the boys we serve on a day-to-day basis. Her role will be to guide the students through the curriculum they will be using; ensuring they understand what they are being taught, collecting homework assignments to be graded, as well as just ensuring overall order in the classroom. Darla will also be part of the counseling team, assisting with counseling students.

 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

 

Darla enjoys baking, and has started her own bakery where she makes delicious dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, and an abundance of other delicious baked goods. She also enjoys making cheese, yogurt, ice cream and lotion from her Nigerian Goat’s milk. She also enjoys walking and bike riding. She loves her home here in Marysvale, her animals, and working with people one-on-one for counseling and discipleship.

 

Jenn Sandahl, Administrative Assistant

 

Jenn was saved at the age of 14 years old. Shortly after her salvation, God began working in her heart about working in the ministry. After graduating from high school, Jenn went to International Baptist College for one year. While there, her father passed away after battling with cancer for several months. Though a difficult time, she was able to use the lessons she had learned through this trial to be a help to, and build a relationship with, a high school girl who lost her mom a year later. Jenn went on to Northland International University in 2010, where a counseling major was offered. During time spent between years of college, Jenn was able to gain extensive experience in customer service and management working for a sales company for one year, part of which she was promoted to Sales Manager. She also worked a total of 2 years for a call center, and was promoted to Lead Supervisor. She spent one semester in counseling classes before changing her major to office administration.  During her time at Northland, Jenn had to opportunity to spend some time in Japan assisting a veteran missionary, and began to see how she could be a help in the ministry with a business degree. In 2012, Jenn transferred to a technical school in Grand Junction, CO where she graduated with an Associate’s degree in Business and Administrative Technologies.

 

Why do you want to be here, or what is your desire for this ministry?

 

Having been through several trials in life that could have easily taken Jenn down some rough paths, she really has a passion for helping others who have been, or are going through, tough times. Jenn’s desire is to use the experiences she has had, to be a help and encouragement to others, using the lessons God was able to teach her. By using the talents, skills, and education God has given her, Jenn wants to assist Eagle’s Nest to operate as smoothly as possible.

 

What are your roles in our academy?

 

As Administrative Assistant, Jenn assists Greg with various tasks such as writing letters, scheduling, answering phones, sending updates, keeping the office organized, and any other various tasks that may need to be done.

 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

 

Jenn loves spending time with friends and family, sharing what she has seen God doing in her life and the lives of those around her. She has 2 cats that she enjoys playing with and curling up with, especially on cold nights. She also enjoys biking, hiking, getting acquainted with new people, traveling, helping people, learning new things, and the list could go on.