Search Results

Megan's Homeschooling Ministry by Sally Corrigan Charlies Criniere was a public school teacher, but his wife Megan homeschools their children. Curious? Not really. Charlie grew up in the inner city of Chicago. He came from a very difficult family situation. His mother left at age 5, and for most of his early childhood, he was raised by his father, who worked long hours as a machinist. Charlie quickly found himself running the streets of Chicago and was never pressed to apply himself in school. He ended up in and out of trouble and dropped out of High School. Long story short, he became the poster child for a juvenile recovery program that helped him finish his schooling and go through college. After Charlie found Jesus and he wanted to pour his life back into troubled youth. Doing Christian ministry and teaching in public schools was the perfect platform for him to do this. Charlie was on a mission to bring change to the next generation - this is why he was a teacher. Charlie always wanted a big family, and the Lord provided the perfect wife to make this a reality. Megan and Charlie always prayed fervently for their children, and very early on, Megan felt called to homeschool their children. Many people don't understand the extreme commitment, and responsibility required for homeschooling - although homeschooling can be tough, Megan has the perfect determination and temperament to be a great homeschooling mom. The main reason that Charlie and Megan wanted to homeschool their children was to see God's intent for family manifested in their home. Peering into the scriptures, we see that at the very beginning, God called humanity to spread His kingdom throughout the earth and in and through the family. The command was simple: God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…” - Genesis 1:28 Charlie and Megan took this scripture literally! What could God do through a family that was very healthy, very skilled, and very equipped? Well, Jesus changed the entire world forever through 12 men, so what could a family of 12 do today? This was the driving motivation behind Charlie and Megan's zeal for family. When we look at the core of all society, family is at the very heart. Healthy families cannot protect children from the pains of life, but healthy families can train children how to navigate through the various trails of life. Healthy children grow up to be healthy adults. Healthy adults have the capacity to bring healing and restoration to the broken. The old saying is true, "Hurt people hurt other people, but healthy people can bring health to other people." Today, the average parent only spends 5 hours of face-to-face time with their children each week¹. Each day children are rushed off to school and then rushed off to a plethora of after-school activities leaving parents with less than one hour of meaningful time with their children each day. Many well-meaning parents are seeking to create amazing childhood memories for their kids, but sadly, those memories don't include regular family dinners where parents connect with their kids. Charlie and Megan made mealtimes a priority. Their mealtimes are a time when their family can connect with each other and discuss other events or topics. There has been what many call a homeschooling revival since the 1970s and especially in the last 20 years. Homeschooling curriculums have exploded since the year 2000², giving moms an overwhelming amount of material to choose from. At the core of this movement is the belief that parents can be equipped to be the main educators of their children rather than a stranger who may or may not hold to their same values. Many say that because of the sheer amount of time children are spending away from their parents, the most influential people in their lives are their peers at school. It is frightening to think of teens leading other teens while the majority of parents are disconnected. Talk about the blind leading the blind! Pretty much everyone born prior to 1830 was a product of homeschooling in one form or another³. Prior civilizations were much more family-centric than what we experience in the United States in the 20th century. Life is much more complex today, and thus, education at its core has also become more complex. The emphasis in our modern era on performance in the marketplace greatly outweighs character development and has produced a society that defines success in a way that militates against the centrality of God's intent for humility, love, and servanthood. Our public school's teacher-to-student ratio is about 15:1, which has dramatically improved since 1955⁴, but still many students still slip through the cracks. Parents are so busy, they have become disconnected from the experience their children are having away at school 8 hours a day. Many people point to how superior our modern era is because of technology. Technology obviously has enormous benefits, but in so many ways, we now have a lazy culture where youtube tutorials are the norm, and real skills like reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, logic & reason are a distant memory from the victorian age. Yes, more people have access to more knowledge than ever, but are we really smarter? Children are becoming more and more addicted to all the various devices. They are asking Google and Siri all the questions of life instead of their parents (or looking to a book to find answers.) When their parents give them a different answer than the computer-generated voice, they tend to believe the device in their hand as the final authority. This is puffing up the youth with so much knowledge (devoid of maturity) that they think they are smarter than their parents. Self-righteous defiance and disrespect are now normative. The way young people think and talk about people in authority is shocking. What happened to chivalry, civility, honor, and proper manners? Charlie and Megan knew that if they were going to bring lasting change to the next generation, it had to start in their own home, and homeschooling was what they felt led by the Lord to do. Megan spends hours and hours of time each day with her children, and it shows! The Criniere children are smart, generous, kind, loving, and tenderhearted. And most importantly, they have a deep, deep connection with their mother. The Criniere kids are the furthest thing from the 'typical homeschool kid' stereotype. They are involved in part-time jobs (the older kids), sports, and church. They are socially adaptable and carry the traits that most parents would love to see in their kids. Watching Megan interact with her nine kids at home is simply amazing. She has a keen awareness of what is happening around the house and, more importantly, what is happening inside the hearts of each of her children. Women of old like Susanna Wesley, who raised the world changers - John, and Charles Welsey, have brought Megan great inspiration. Homeschooling done right is far more than educational training but is one of the very purest forms of Christian discipleship. As a homeschooling mom myself, I can attest that this 'job' is probably the hardest on the planet. I have seen many homeschooling families find limited success, but Megan has an uncanny ability to find what works for each of her children. She has found what motivates each child, and with the help of a couple cups of coffee, she makes it look easy. I have always admired her ability to go through life with her kids with such a steady gaze. Megan is simply amazing at being a homeschooling mom. She is steady, kind, unwavering, encouraging, and intentional. Now that Charlie is gone, Megan is more determined than ever to continue building a family that will have a real impact upon the earth. She has her face set like flint to continue to build an enduring foundation for her children to stand upon. I truly believe that the Criniere family will shine like bright lights in a dimly lit world. And I know that the testimony that is being forged in them will bring real transformation to many families for decades to come. We have a saying at the church I attend that "Revival is family." If we are going to see God's purposes come forth, we must focus our attention on the restoration of the family. Something amazing is happening with the Criniere's home - inside and out. There is an extensive home remodeling effort happening, including making a new homeschool room for Megan and her children. There is also a huge renovation happening on the outside of their home. I believe this is an outward sign that what is happening inside their home is going to be put on display for all to see. The Criniere family is going to shine because Megan and Charlie have put so much time, effort, and prayer into their children and family! - Sally Corrigan ¹https://studyfinds.org/modern-family-average-parent-spends-just-5-hours-face-to-face-with-their-kids-per-week/ ²https://breakpoint.org/an-explosion-in-homeschooling/ ³https://thinkingwest.com/2020/06/10/part-2-home-education-history/ ⁴https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/Indicator_CLR/coe_clr_2015_05.pdf

By Danielle Popovici, Sister of Megan Criniere There is a story in the Bible, found in the book of John, chapter 12. The story tells us that Jesus was the prized guest at a special dinner. As he was reclining and interacting with the group of people he was with, a woman named Mary came in and took an expensive bottle of ointment used for perfume called nard and cracked it open, and poured it over Jesus’ feet. Nard was known to be extremely expensive, and this particular bottle was said to be worth close to a year’s wages, but as this woman gladly poured this bottle out on the feet of Jesus, she wept with tears of surrender, devotion, and love. She, unlike those around her, knew that this bottle of nard wasn’t worth anything compared to this man Jesus. She knew that His value was far greater than anything she could ever earn or own. In verse 3 of this chapter, it says, “The house was filled with the fragrance of this perfume” Everyone nearby encountered this act of Mary, they smelled the residue of her pouring out her most valuable earthy possession in order to anoint the feet of Jesus in an act of devotion and worship. Now keep this picture in your mind as I take a minute to honor my sister Megan. My sister decided to follow Jesus at a young age, and through many bumps and turns in the road, she chose a few different paths for a little while, only to find that at the end of those roads, she was empty and lost and in need of a Savior. Around the age of eighteen years old, she came back to Jesus, but this time with a devotion and a love that knew and understood that she had been “forgiven much.” As my sister grew in life, Jesus remained at the center of who she was and what she would do with her affections, her time, and her resources. She wasn’t interested in being something great for a "pat on the back" or for earthly recognition, she was interested in the praise of only One. Megan and Charlie both built their lives on this kind of value system. Living humble, quiet lives, faithful to the Lord in every step taken, taking life’s disappointments to Jesus, walking through life’s hardships with Jesus, and trying to their best ability to give their all to Him. Megan has a quiet confidence, a steady, unwavering spirit that is anchored in Christ and in Him alone. It’s been formed, molded, and crafted in her since she was a child. My sister’s life has always been a beautiful expression of worship. August 27th, her life on this earth was altered in a painful and unexpected way. How could this happen? We were just with Charlie a few weeks before this accident, and now he is no longer with us. What will my sister do? How can I go back to my life, knowing my sister has to now walk out this situation? Questions flooded my heart as I accepted this shocking news. The next morning, Sunday, August 28th, my sister woke up, we prepared breakfast, and then she called everyone down to the living room in order to give our time and our worship to Jesus. She sat everyone in a circle, turned on some music, raised her hands in broken surrender, and poured her affections out at the feet of Jesus. She declared her trust in His leadership and in His ways. She affirmed His goodness and His kindness towards them as His children, and she gave Jesus her fresh and wholehearted “yes” to follow His lead. As I worshiped and watched my sister, all I could think of was Mary of Bethany in John 12. She was pouring out her most treasured earthy thing, her marriage to Charlie. She was laying it at his beautiful and most worthy feet, and just as it says in John 12:4, “the house was filled with the fragrance of this perfume.” The beautiful thing about a life built on Christ is that when the storms of life come, He remains, and He keeps us anchored. In the most impossible of situations, if we trust Him, His glory and His worth shines brightly to all those who have eyes to see. And since Megan and Charlie have built their lives for the past 19/20 years on Christ, Megan’s response to a life-altering reality was consistent and confident with who God has made her to be. She is unwavering, she is confident, she is quiet, she is strong, and she is secure because she understands the value of what she has in Christ Jesus. Although she has suffered loss in this life, she has always lived for the next life, so she continues to follow His perfect leadership and pour out her wholehearted devotion and love, just like Mary of Bethany. - Danielle

A Legacy of a Spiritual Servant’s Love by Reggie Morris THE CONNECTION It was a Sunday afternoon, in January of 2009, in the gym at Grandview High School, where God brought me together with Charles Crineire. At that time, I did not know the impact that Charles would have on my life or the students at Grandview High School. Charles served as a volunteer coach for one of our teams as we embarked on the start of the Grandview Basketball Association for grades 3-6. I could tell immediately, from our first conversation, that Charles was a believer in Jesus and a servant of the Lord. His voice, his demeanor, and his swag all personified a spirit of gentleness, kindness, coolness, and love. He was genuine, captivating, and empowering. Charles was the person you always wanted to be around and were glad to see because he made things seem good and right when you were with him (and even when you left him). He had an “angelic” presence and spirit. THE GHS BLESSING The next school year, God blessed me and Grandview High School and the community by hiring Charles as a math teacher. He was literally hired on the spot. I still consider him one of the greatest hires in school history because of the spirit he brought to the building and how he helped to enhance the math department and the culture of Grandview High School. With the help of Charles, we started the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Grandview High School. We started a prayer group with students and local believers before school on Mondays (to start the week) and Fridays (to end the week). Once a month, members from local churches would come and bless and anoint the school building. We would walk the halls, walk around the building, and fervently pray. We also initiated 'See You at the Flag Pole' and 'Fields of Faith' spiritual events. It was through these spiritual efforts that at the end of basketball games, the student section started the “I BELIEVE WE WILL WIN chant! This belief was not only associated with the outcome of sporting events but also with students' faith when it came to dealing with issues and challenges in life. Through the course of Charles’s time at Grandview and his work with FCA, I saw our students, school, and culture become richer because of Charles and his spiritual guidance and leadership. THE MINISTER OF MATH As a counselor, I would enroll struggling math students in Charles's classes. I had deemed him the “The Minister of Math." Charles had a unique way of teaching and making math the student's most challenging class, but also their favorite class. He was a master at motivating the most unengaged student to fight for their attention, to share his understanding of the math concepts, and get them to participate. Because even if they were wrong, Charles would praise them for their courage and desire to participate. They wanted to make Charles proud. You could often see Charles staying after school to counsel or tutor students, sometimes leaving Megan waiting patiently in the parking lot. It was Charles' devoted love and servanthood that made him so appreciated by his students. One of my favorite stories of Charles as a math teacher was how he used the biblical story of Jesus feeding the 5000 people with five fish and two loaves of bread to build students' confidence in developing learning strategies for Algebra and Geometry. Charles stated,” I know a man who fed 5000 people with 5 fish and two loaves of bread, now that is some math! He can do the same for you.” Charles stated,” I know a man who fed 5000 people with 5 fish and two loaves of bread, now that is some math! He can do the same for you.” THE RESURRECTION Charles left Grandview for 2 years and went and taught at Ruskin High School. During that time, I sensed his absence personally, and I sensed it in the building and among the students. However, it was such a joy for me to have him return. Through the course of the 180-day school year, with a building of 1000 students and 85 staff members, there are so many spirits that you interact with that it can overwhelming. Charles and I reunited, and it breathed life back into me, back into our students, and into the school. It was during Charles's return that I had become the head basketball coach. I asked Charles to be on my staff, but because of his love for his family and Megan, he declined so that he could spend more time with them. However, he would serve as our team chaplain, speaking and praying at our practices, retreats, and team dinners. Charles had a very unique way of taking his love for basketball and God and pouring it into our players whenever I needed him. I can truly say that Charles was very instrumental in our 2017-18 and 2018-19 team’s ability to capture back-to-back state championships, both of which are records in school history! I can truly say that Charles was very instrumental in our team’s ability to capture back-to-back state championships, both of which are records in school history! THE SPIRITUAL AMBASSADOR It was a blessing to have a colleague who you can confide in and provide spiritual guidance. Charles always made himself available to students and staff. I cannot count how many times he would come and say, “We have to go and find this student or staff member and pray for them.” I like how he lived with the motto: 'Pray, every day, and at any time, and about anything.' Pray, every day, and at any time, and about anything. What made Charles Crinere special was his spirit, his love for God, family, community, and his passion to serve others. I have never met a person whose heart was so “spiritually” huge. He loved and cared for others and wanted them to know the God that he loved and served without expecting anything in return. Charles wanted everyone to know their heavenly father and understand the love that He had for them. So what can we learn from the legacy and life of Charles Crinere? Love God, and let God love you! Share God’s love through your smile, spirit, relationships, talents, and skills, and let it serve as your drive and passion for life. I have been tremendously blessed to have had Charles in my life. I consider him one of God’s greatest gifts to me. Some gifts get old and outdated, but Charles’s life and our time together will be forever eternal. It will always be the fire that will inspire me to carry on his legacy as a man of God, husband, father, educator, and coach, and most importantly, as a spiritual ambassador of Christ! Thank you, Charles Crinere! - Reggie Morris

by David and Rebecca McCorn Charlies Criniere WAS Salt and Light. In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus calls believers to be SALT and LIGHT to those around them. In baking, salt's main function is to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients. It literally states that salt’s “presence perks up the depth and complexity of other flavors as the ingredients meld.” Wow! If that doesn’t describe Criniere perfectly! WE were the “other ingredients” - anyone who came in contact with Criniere in a “melding” of physical connections whether in school, in church, in his neighborhood, in his family, in his time in Chicago, in his time in KC - All are testifying to being an “ingredient” that was enhanced, and that he brought out the depth of flavor in us. Another search about the nature of salt is that “salt can also enhance other flavors, such as savory notes. It balances sweetness and helps suppress other flavors, such as bitterness.” People love what a hint of salt can do to the flavor of a dish of food that may have been bland without it. Salt enhances the experience of eating in a variety of ways. We love what that also said about “ suppressing other flavors, such as bitterness .” We both had the blessing of teaching with Criniere at Martin City Middle School. He had an AMAZING way of always uplifting others, celebrating achievements, cheering others on, and turning negative thoughts or frustrations that could become “bitter” into considering things from a different perspective. A final thought about salt is that it never expires - its ability does not change. It does not “grow weary of doing what is right” - Galatians 6:9. Criniere was constantly led by the Holy Spirit, he never grew weary of seeking what GOD wanted for him in his approach to everyone he came in contact with, and although his time physically on this earth has come to an end, the flavor that he has left in the lives of others will never expire. Additionally, that same passage above, also calls believers to be LIGHT. It says, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Criniere was an unashamed LIGHT to the world. He would boldly introduce himself to students and share his past, his poor decisions, and the situations he found himself in, but the only thing that completely changed his life, his direction, and his entire way of thinking, was Jesus Christ. Criniere didn’t care that he was in the public school system; he refused to hide the transformation God had done in his life. He let his light shine. His first obedience was to God’s Word, and he simply was overflowing with the goodness of God he had experienced in his own life and was bursting to have opportunities to share that with others. Therefore, when the light that Jesus had placed in him even remotely came into contact with the light Jesus had placed in another believer - it was like fireworks going off! At school, we often walked away from conversations and/or prayer time with Criniere so incredibly encouraged and spiritually motivated, and, honestly - dumbfounded. It was like two candles coming together and creating a bonfire! His joy and spontaneity in Jesus was unpredictable - he might just walk into your classroom before school in the morning, and excitedly say, “Let’s get one in real quick and cover this classroom with prayer!” and without waiting, would start walking around your classroom and break out into intercession on behalf of the students and staff, and you’d just sit there like “Yeah, Lord…what he said!” When we launched the small local outreach ministry God had called us to in March of 2021, Salt n Light Ministries, Criniere was one of our biggest spiritual supporters. Nearly daily, he would come to our rooms or just catch us in passing in the halls and would fan the flame through his constant joy and encouragement for what we were doing. One time as we were all leaving on a Friday, he rolled up in the parking lot beside us with his big smile and shouted, “How many souls are you winning for Jesus this weekend!?! Come on! Give me a number I can be praying for!” That was his heart. It was JOY that was from a source other than himself. We’ve seen the breakdown that J.O.Y. comes from putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last. That was definitely evident in what fueled him. He chose Jesus and made him first and foremost in everything he did. Stories upon stories could be told, are being told, and will continue to be told of how Jesus in Criniere impacted the lives of others. That is the way he would humbly want it stated. We LOVE Criniere, but what we love in Criniere, and about Criniere, is ONLY because of JESUS' work in his life. We can ALL have what we saw in Criniere. It simply comes through surrender and placing JESUS first on the throne of our hearts, Others second, and Ourselves last. If we love Jesus first and foremost, our hearts, lives, and mindsets begin to be transformed into being that salt and light that we all so cherished in Criniere. - David and Rebecca McCorn Salt n Light Ministries was launched in March of 2021, by David and Rebecca McCorn, as a mobile outreach church in the South Kansas City and Grandview area. Its mission is to partner with local communities to meet their needs, encourage them through the message and hope of the gospel, and empower them to grow in their faith and life focus. This ministry can be found on Facebook by searching Salt n Light Ministries Kansas City and online at saltnlightkc.com

Scheduling time to Pray and Read the Word of God . by Erika DeBenedictis Charlie was such an awesome person—coming out of a self-destructive childhood and becoming a man who loved well and was well-loved. If there was a reason for this love he had, it was because he read his Bible consistently, prayed every day, and knew he was loved and accepted by God. Charlie got up early every morning before work and read his Bible. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” It is so easy to get sucked into the pattern of this world: Go to school or work, get some money, spend time scrolling on the internet, and go to bed - every day for the rest of your life. The End. So how do we escape this meaninglessness? By reading the Bible and allowing it to change the way you think, which actually changes who you are. Whatever you think about, you become. My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those, who find them and health to all their body. -Proverbs 4:20-22 Practically speaking, here is something you can do to make reading the Bible more of a habit: Read one chapter of Proverbs each day, corresponding to the day of the month (so on November 22, read Proverbs Chapter 22). This is a simple way to make becoming a person of wisdom a priority in your life. You can also read five Psalms per day, also corresponding to the days of the month (on November 22, you’d read Psalm 22 and then add 30 to the 22, which equals 52, and also read Psalms 52, 82, 112, and 142). Psalms are wonderful because they help you to understand God’s heart for you. You can also pick a Gospel to read (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Those are four different accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus. Or simply ask the Holy Spirit to show you what to read in the Bible. We know that a lot of people struggle to find a consistent way to read the bible, so we are going to be posting a daily Bible reading schedule here: https://www.charliestrust.com/group/lets-read-the-bible-and-pray/discussion Charlie also prayed early every morning before he went to work. He had a prayer list that he brought with him when he prayed. Here is a copy of his prayer list that he sent to me last year: He didn’t always work his way through the whole list every day. Sometimes, he would pray for a couple of the prayer points that jumped out at him. He would also wait on the Lord and pray in the Spirit. Charlie also knew that he was accepted by God. “I have chosen you and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you.” - Isaiah 41:9-10 Because Charlie knew he was accepted by God, he always accepted others and welcomed them into conversation. This is how we build community. No one wants to be alone. Charlie's desire was to create a community walking together down the path that Jesus had laid out before us. So we have created a phone app and multiple social groups that you can join so that we can journey together Even though Charlie made so many mistakes and bad choices when he was younger, he loved God because God first loved him and accepted him. He learned about God’s acceptance of him when he spent time praying and reading the Bible. Charlie would encourage you to do what he did: read God’s word and pray. You, too, can love and live as Charlie did. - Erika DeBenedictis

by Brad Franklin I first met Charlie in February 2021 through a mutual friend. I was a new public school math teacher, working in Kansas City Public Schools. I had been living next to Grandview high school since 2011 I thought, “Why not teach in my own community?” I wanted to hear what Charlie thought about life at GHS. As we met over a cup of coffee on a brisk Saturday morning, Charlie and I exchanged stories of our lives and faith journeys. By the time we parted, I had decided to apply to join the Grandview Math department and work alongside Mr. Criniere. Even better, I had just met a man whose faith in Jesus Christ resonated with my own. Charlie’s love of Jesus shined brightly with an intense positive perspective and energy that challenged me and changed my understanding of what it looks like to follow Jesus. "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16 I successfully landed at GHS, but the chance to work with Charlie proved elusive as he moved over to Martin City Middle School. Even so, I learned PLENTY about teaching just in that short meeting with Charlie. First off, I learned that I don’t teach math to students; I teach students to flourish in math. I also learned a lot from Charlie's former students: “ Your explanations don’t make sense the way Mr. Criniere’s did ” or “ I understood things when Mr. Criniere taught them ,” resounded through the room regularly during that first semester. Charlie’s impact on my career and my life has been and will continue to be profound. The last time I saw Charlie was August 26th, during the first varsity football game of the season. He was there in the stands with his entire family, in his backwards baseball cap, and he gave me his trademark huge smile and hug. The next morning, when I received the devastating news of Charlie’s tragic passing, I realized he and I had another thing in common: a love of cycling. As someone who didn't have a car until I was 30, I biked everywhere. This loss recalled the devastating loss of another cyclist friend and father who passed 5 years ago, struck by a DUI driver in Lincoln, Nebraska. As I write this, I’m watching the Bulldogs football squad lose their home playoff game. The disappointment of this loss has to feel overwhelming, especially for the seniors. I’ve watched many Bulldog games in the decade I’ve lived next door to GHS, with plenty of highs and lows. But I’ve never seen anything like what I just saw on this gridiron! In a remarkably sweet gesture, the Carl’s Junction team, who drove 3 hours for this game, quieted down and muted their cheering in respect for what the opposing team is going through. Several of the crestfallen Grandview seniors were openly weeping and being consoled by teammates and even by members of the opposing team as they shook hands after the game. The tenderness and humility of the moment was a shining tribute to Charlie’s spirit! "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" Matthew 5:4 I am reminded of the eye-opening moment during Charlie’s memorial service when the former Grandview basketball coach credited Charlie as playing an integral role in helping the Bulldogs to win two consecutive state championships. Coach Reggie Morris cited that Charlie's consistent presence as the de-facto team chaplain brought passion and prayer to both practices and games. Coach Morris went on to say that Charlie brought a spirit of purpose, hope, and even expectation that the team’s efforts would be successful, and that this team and the community would prevail! “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Matthew 5:13 Charlie had cleared his agenda of everything but the One who is the rewarder of those who seek Him. His single-minded focus on loving both the Lord Jesus Christ and his neighbor demonstrated his true identity as a faithful brother and family man. Charles truly was “salt" and “light," making an indelible and powerful impression on his many students, his colleagues, and the many like me who called him “friend” and “brother." Charlie, I miss you - your journey on earth is complete, but your spirit shines brighter than ever. We are comforted only by the knowledge you have been received home as a “good and faithful servant." “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 - Brad Franklin

by Ryan Corrigan When I first heard that Charlie passed away, I immediately began to pray about a long-term financial strategy for the Criniere family. What will Megan do to generate income for the next 20 years? Megan and I have spent many hours talking through all kinds of different ideas. We have prayed fervently, and we are very, very excited to announce that we are launching a subscription option to charliestrust.com to help fund the Criniere family going forward. The subscription will allow people to have access to all the exclusive blogs and videos that we will be putting together to help us build momentum to write a book about Charlie's life! Yes! Yes! Yes! We are going to help Megan put together a book about Charlie's Life!!!! Charlie had an absolutely crazy childhood growing up on the streets of Albany Park, Chicago as a well-known graffiti artist, and his story of going from a high school dropout to a high school teacher is absolutely compelling! Jesus Christ massively changed Charlie's life, and his story needs to be told. Two days before Charlie passed away, he was invited to start ministering to teens in the juvenile system. Charlie was once in the juvenile system and always wanted to give back, and we believe he still can! Once this book is done, we believe we can get it into juvenile centers all over the USA. This subscription will help us gather all the content into blogs and videos to get organized to write the book. Please take a few moments and watch this video. I have talked to so many people that feel the same way that I do. We want to ensure that Megan can continue homeschooling the kids while having everything she needs to meet their monthly budget. In the bible, James, the brother of Jesus, said that "pure, undefiled religion is to care for orphans and widows in their distress" (James 1:27). In the spirit of this verse, we have named the charliestrust.com membership "The James 1:27 membership," which is $12.70 per month. 100% of the subscription will go directly toward the Criniere family's needs. The subscription will include: Unscripted Interviews with Megan Megan's devotional/inspirational blogs Interviews with Eric Criniere about their Life in Chicago in the '80s and '90s and other things as we think of them :) No, this subscription won't entertain you like Netflix. No, Megan is not going to write every day. No, this blog isn't going to help you get rich. But you will be inspired to live your life as Charlie did ... following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. And you will get to fund a widow raising nine kids! Also, by subscribing, you'll be supporting Megan as she ventures to write this book about Charlie! Megan believes God will use Charlie's story in tremendous ways, and we know that she will come through this with a powerful voice that will impact the next generation. To be frank, She is not used to being in the public eye, but she is very excited about the potential of being able to create content to brag about the faithfulness of God! Since this big family was living off a public school teachers salary and had no long-term assets, many have asked about the Criniere's financial situation, so here is a summary: They have received about $250k in donations They received $20k in life insurance through the public schools Their $150k mortgage was paid off (by a stranger!?!) Their cars were paid off $150k of home renovations have been pledged by 20 different construction companies $270k seems like a lot of money, but that won't last very long with a big family and a small income. Thankfully Megan has people around her that are helping her with a long-term financial plan. The plan right now is to put the $270k into long-term savings/investments and increase her income through the website subscriptions to meet her monthly budget. Here is a breakdown of their monthly budget: Description Monthly Budget Mortgage 0 ​Car payments ​0 ​Property Taxes 300 ​Utilities | Phone | Internet 940 ​Groceries 1500 ​Health Insurance ​1200 Home and Car Insurance 450 Kids Sports Fees/Activities 200 Car Maintenance/Gas 400 ​Homeschool Costs 100 ​Life Insurance ​75 Household | Clothing | Misc. 1400 ​Total Monthly Budget Needed ​$6565 ​ ​ ​Current Monthly Income ​Amount ​Monthly Pension from public schools ​2,050 Monthly Donations Pledged 1,500 Income raised through Grace Point Church 1,000 ​Current Total Monthly Income $4,550 Monthly Deficit $2015 ​ ​ ​Number of subscriptions needed 170+ Let's get the Crinieres fully funded! Subscribe and see if you can get five others to do the same! We only need 170 people to subscribe to get them fully funded. There is no budget yet for the cost of producing this book but if we can get enough subscriptions this will do wonders to get the ball rolling! If you would like to fund a specific monthly budget item and see some of their other financial goals , you can view those here . Please share one of these videos on your social media, and let's get the word out! There are a couple of 1-minute options as well as a 4.5-minute option. - Ryan Corrigan

Let's Pay it Forward by Jeremy Clarkson Charles Criniere was a radical giver. We are just now learning how much he really gave of himself and his limited resources. Apparently, he gave $1000 away to various people many, many times over the years. Considering he was raising a family with 10 kids on a public teacher salary this was very radical! I taught with Charles in the Grandview High School Math department and we learned of a particular time that Charles personally gave $1000 dollars to one of his students who was trying to go to back to school. Wow! Can you imagine receiving $1000 from your former teacher?!?! To honor the memory and legacy of Charles Criniere, the Grandview High School Math Department has decided to establish a scholarship to honor Charlie's generocity by continuing to offer scholarships of $1000 to qualifying students who want to continue in higher education with plans on living a life of service. Mr. Criniere always created a warm and welcoming environment that challenged all students to believe in themselves and aim high to achieve their dreams and goals. We want to be able to honor this legacy and pay Charlie's generocity forward to provide for students who aspire to serve others through their work. It is our goal that we will be able to maintain this scholarship for the next few years, as our way to honor Charles and continue his legacy and build upon the impact he made on so many of his students. While we all miss Charles greatly since his sudden passing, we are committed to finding ways to honor him and remember all of the ways he impacted our school and community. As a means to help encourage fundraising, I have committed to shaving my head bald to look like my friend Charles if we are successful in raising $5000 towards this scholarship. Charles was a good friend of mine, whom I always liked to find ways to make laugh at random times. I figure this would be something Charles would be laughing at me for doing. Here is a picture to show you the amount of hair I'll be loosing .... haha. Here are a few more testimonies from staff and students about Mr. Criniere. My name is Josie Goeke. I am a teacher at Grandview High School, and although I didn't know Charles well, it only took a few encounters with him to understand just how special he was. I remember him as someone who was calm yet energetic, gentle and inspiring, realistic yet optimistic, and always genuine with both students and staff. When the world loses someone like Charles, I personally find myself reevaluating the way I live my life. I can't tell you how many times, since Charles's passing, that I have found myself thinking things like, "Am I being fully present with people the way Charles always was? How would Charles approach this challenging student? Am I avoiding judgment the way Charles did?" How wonderful is it that we could substitute Charles's name for Jesus's, and the answers to these questions would still be the same. How often on this Earth do we encounter people who truly, truly live as Jesus did? I believe the positive impact Charles had on the people he encountered is profound and will be long lasting. I certainly know that I am a better person for having known him, and for that, I am forever grateful. My name is David Benjamin Chavous-Williams. For me, I have many wonderful memories of Mr. Criniere. My favorite one is most definitely how we met. This led to not just more amazing memories, but a deep bond between teacher and student. It was my first day of high school and I was looking for his classroom. When I finally found his class there was a long line because he wanted to introduce himself to all of us one by one as we entered into the class for the first time. Everyone’s was about the same in the line ”Hey My name is Mr.Criniere it’s nice to meet you”. When he got to me it’s was different. He had this big smile on his face and said ”Hi son! I’m your dad Mr.Criniere!” I gave him this look and laughed stating “your not my dad.” He then laughed back and said” Sure I am ... your just as bald as me”. I didn’t know how to react so I just laughed and went into the class. As the days progressed and we saw each other in and out of class he would call me son instead of my name, and I would keep saying "your not my dad", but sure enough I gave in and called him dad. From then we grew a bond that led me to go to him and talk to him about everything going on. Even in my darkest hour he was there and never saw me any different regardless of how I felt or how and what I said. We’d even pray together when we had the chance to before and even after class. Around our birthdays we’d give each other candy and one time he gave me his leather jacket! When he did that I told him ”I couldn’t take this from him” but he insisted and told me he wanted me to. I think back on those days with him, and all those memories just thankful that he was in my life and truly cared about me not just as a student but as a human being too. I’ll never forget him and everything he’s done for me. Love you always and forever Papa Criniere. My name is Sabrina Neely. Mr. Criniere was my neighbor before he became my teacher. So some of my favorite memories from then up until now were when I was younger probably.. about 6 or 7 …me and my sisters and all the neighborhood kids use to go to his family’s house. We used to play with their kids all the time. We rode our bikes up and down our street, playing with chalk and barbies and baby dolls. The Criniere family would always make sure we were in good spirits and had us well protected. Fast forward to 8 years and I was a freshman in high school. I was transferred from one math class to be placed in Mr. C’s pre-algebra class. I didn’t notice that he was Mr. Criniere until I went home one day and talked to my older sister about my schedule and she was just like” Oh shoot you got Mr.Criniere” I was like yeah anndd…? Then she proceeded to enlighten me that he was our old neighbor then everything clicked. Since then until I graduated high school in 2020 I would always go to Mr. C’s class and just chill out. We would talk about the Bible and just have a good time crackin' jokes. Me and a few friends would call him “Mr.Worldwide”aka pitbull (the singer) just for the fun of it and he would laugh along. He ended up being my teacher again summer of 19’ which was the most fun I ever had being in summer school. He was such a great person. Anyone interested in donating towards the scholarship you can click the button below to send a donation to the Grandview Educational Foundation

The U nbelievable Project and an Unscripted Video Interview with Megan Criniere by Ryan Corrigan Megan has been absolutely stunned by the ongoing efforts by the community to do an extreme home makeover for her. Their home has always needed a lot of work, and Charlie always dreamed about making their home a great place to raise their growing family, but they never had the funds to make it a reality. But now his dreams are coming true. At the bottom of this post, we have provided Megan's first unscripted video interview about this project. Also, down below, we have also created a video summary showing all the work that has already been done. Currently, over 20 companies are now involved and have either donated materials or pledged/completed work on the home. All that has been done so far has been totally free for Megan, including materials. Praise the LORD! Many people have asked how we got 20 companies involved in this. All we can say is that the LORD did it! That is such a cool story! Justin Jeffries a friend who was a friend of Charles Criniere, wanted to help the family out somehow after Charlie passed away. At first he wanted to mow their lawn but after talking to Megan's neighbor across the street Justin realized that beyond raising monthly income, the biggest need to stabilize the family was to get their house renovated. As Justin began to inspect the home, he realized it was a massive project - way bigger than just a few guys with tools could do. So Justin started asking around the church community, dreaming there would be some kind of big connection. Justin was able to mobilize quite a few contractors, but there were still some huge projects like windows, siding, and concrete work that we were struggling with. We prayed a ton, and one day Justin called me super excited! He told me that he had found a guy who was deeply connected and knew"everyone!" A contractor (who wants to remain anonymous) jumped in when he heard the Criniere family story. He never met Charlie but immediately began calling and visiting other companies in the area. Because this individual is deeply loved and loyal in the KC construction industry, everyone seemed to say yes when he asked! He pulled in so many different companies it was astounding! This one individual has done so much for this project it literally wouldn't have been possible without him. Justin Jeffries has also worked tirelessly organizing, scheduling, recruiting, etc. His leadership in the project has been such a beautiful offering to the LORD. It is hard to adequately describe how amazing this whole situation really has been. There has been so much behind-the-scenes work by so many people that it seems impossible to document fully. One thing is certain, this is far beyond anything anyone has ever seen or heard except for on the show Extreme Home Makeover. However, this project is being done by local companies, not some big rich cable TV channel. These people are very talented at what they do and are very humble and don't care about getting any recognition or any money, but we wanted to honor them anyway. Most of them have thanked Megan for allowing them to be involved! One company even gave Megan an extra $500 donation and that was after doing about $25k of work for free This feels different than any other charity work I've ever seen. I believe the only real explanation is that the LORD is moving so strongly on people's hearts that when they hear about it, they are compelled to get involved. Seems very clear to me that Charlie's prayers are still being answered. All-in-all we estimate that well over $120,000 of work has already been done. Here is an updated list of everything that has been done. A brand-new roof was installed (https://www.nationsroofingandsolar.com/) Her old driveway and two back patios, and two retaining walls were removed (https://www.trubluellc.com/) Old shake shingle siding was torn off by people from Grace Point Church (https://gpchurch.us/) A massive dumpster for demolition was donated (https://www.kcdumpster.com/), Garage doors were removed, and the exterior wall was finished with windows (to finish the garage into a living space) (https://www.bizapedia.com/mo/owb-carpentry-llc.html) Twenty-six windows and two sliding glass doors were donated and delivered within one week (normal lead time was 6-8 weeks) (https://www.coronetwindow.com) Windows and new sliding glass doors were installed (https://www.bizapedia.com/mo/owb-carpentry-llc.html) A lot of electrical work was done to add floodlights around the house (https://purelightelectric.com/) , (https://www.buildzoom.com/contractor/gj-electric-inc) A Ring doorbell system was donated and installed A porta-potty was donated for the construction workers Brand-new vinyl siding was installed (https://maverickexteriorskc.com/) Backyard lower patio with pave stones and a band new retaining wall was installed (https://hopkinshardscapes.com/) , (https://www.keystonehardscapes.com/) A massive amount of overgrown shrubs and an old fence were torn out of the backyard. (https://www.trubluellc.com/) The front yard was graded and prepared for a new circle driveway (https://www.trubluellc.com/) , (https://trifecta-contracting.com/) A massive concrete circle driveway was installed (https://trifecta-contracting.com/) , (https://quicksilverrmx.com), A mini-split HVAC system was donated for the garage conversion into a living space. ( https://www.lennox.com/, ) A brand new furnace and AC unit for the home were donated and delivered. (https://tmi-stl.com/) All the materials to remodel all four of her bathrooms have been ordered, and the bathroom remodels are scheduled for early January. (https://www.thinkbordner.com) ( https://www.realtor.com/realestateagents/56d6cb14f384a201005fd07c ) There was a sewer line repair (and a scheduled replacement) (https://allens-electric-hvac.business.site/) A company donated a really high-quality concrete sealant for the new driveway (https://specchem.com/specshield-wb) Also, Lowes and Home Depot are looking at a comprehensive list of items, and it looks like they might be providing a ton of materials for the interior renovation (or at least a good discount). Beyond this list, there have been permits pulled and paid for and hours and hours of planning and coordination. In the midst of all of this, Megan's sewer line backed up, a plumber inspected the line and said that the whole line needed to be replaced, which can cost up to $25k!?!?! Thankfully, a plumber stepped in and said he would replace the line for free! WOW! What is so amazing is that when I go over to the house while the work is being done, all the kids are staring out the big picture window with the biggest smiles you can imagine. I often wonder what Charlie is thinking as he is looking down from the great cloud of witnesses and seeing what all these strangers are doing for his wife and kids. What an absolutely incredible story that just keeps growing. Here is an updated flyer with the remaining materials cost we are seeking to raise: I've had a lot of people asking me what Megan thinks of all of this, so I was able to interview her about the project. In fact, she is going to do a series of interviews on various topics that we are going to call Unscripted with Megan because she doesn't have time to script the answers. These videos will only be available to her members who join the James 1:27 subscription for $12.70 a month. - a fun way to fund the Criniere family going forward. Megan needs 170 subscribers for her monthly budget to be fully covered. Check out the video below:

A Devotional By Megan Criniere Encountering God is more than enough through the different seasons of life. Over the years, God has revealed Himself to me in different ways. Like facets of a diamond that shine when light hits them, I've experienced the revelation of who God is as He shows me Himself through the illumination of His word. In my teen years, He showed up as my savior; he reached into my world and saved me from sin and self-destructive ways that injured me and others. He washed me clean and gave me a new heart and life; I was forever transformed. In the years to follow, my heart was changed little by little as I grew in my understanding of who God was. My heart was alive, but I struggled to receive his love freely. I was still trying to be good enough on my own. A season of temptation followed, and I fell away from God. I wrestled with my brokenness and tried to be enough, not understanding this is exactly why He showed up as Savior - because I couldn't do it on my own! I needed Him to do it for me!

Sgt. Jon Rivers of the Kansas City Police Department with the Criniere Family On August 27th, Sgt Jonathan Rivers was the police officer who drove to the Criniere family home and told Megan that Charlie had been killed in a cycling accident. Sgt. Rivers showed up again at the Criniere family home in early November, asking for a detailed Christmas list for all the kids. “This one really struck home for me,” Kansas City, Missouri, Police Sgt. Jonathan Rivers said. ”The police department as a whole wanted to do something for this family.” On December 23rd, Rivers and others from KCPD gathered up a truckload of Christmas presents to give to Criniere’s family. Police took up donations from across the division, with Price Chopper making a donation to help the family purchase groceries. “Today is about giving back to a family that has lost a loved one,” Rivers said. “This was a group effort.”¹ Local news stations covered the story. Check out the videos below: Please Subscribe to this blog to get all the exclusive content and to help fund the Criniere family going forward. https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/good-news-for-everyone/kcpd-supports-family-of-father-killed-in-august-bicycle-crash

Sometimes God does amazing things that need to be remembered by the next generation. Charlie's story of going from a graffiti artist named "Orphan" on the streets of Chicago to an incredible man of God who "fathered" the next generation needs to be told. In the Bible, God told the Israelites to pile stones high as a memorial so no one would forget how God delivered them from bondage and so the story could be told to the next generation. So now, with the help of family and friends, we are piling our own stones in remembrance of the work that God has done in and through Charlie's life. We are going to do a video series on the Life of Charles Criniere. These videos will help us document everything we need to ultimately write his book and, by God's grace, keep his legacy going. When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man,and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ - Joshua 4:1-6 The first episode outlines how Charlie survived the Albany Park Chicago Gang Culture of the 1990s. To access the video, subscribe below.