I grew up in Chicago and lived there most of my life. I moved to Arizona about 10 years ago. I've been riding some type of two wheeled motorized since about 8 years old. I've always loved the feel of being out in the open. It never mattered what the temp was, even 20 below I was riding. And I love choppers. I currently ride a 1965 chopped BSA. Everyone around here knows it's my bike where ever it's parked and they definitely know it's me by the sound. I grew up in a Christian household, but there were things that didn't sit right with me. I was rebellious and wouldn't listen. But the Lord was always with me trying to show me his way. but I was hard headed and didn't listen all the time. And that one of the things I love about the Lord, he never gave up on me. He stayed with me even when I denied him. He stayed with me through all the tough times, he never gave up. I hung with some of the worst, but I came back. And the people I hang with now are the true Christian brothers that I needed all along. I'm happy to say that the Lord is in my heart and that He will continue to be. He has shown me the light and I will follow. My ministry is showing others that there is another way to their lives. It doesn't have to be filled with hopelessness.

 Dragon Dave

Hello. My name is Tom Vaughter. My friends call me TJ. I am a member of the Verde Valley Cycle Disciples. I was born in Flagstaff and have lived my whole life in Arizona. I moved to Cottonwood about 25 years ago and it is here that I raise my family.  I have ridden motorcycles most of my life. In fact some of my fondest memories of my childhood are on the back of my dad's 1967 Honda CT90 (which I still have).

Like many of us I have lived through some very rough and tough times in my life. February 9th 1986 my wife went to wake our two year old son only to discover he had died in his sleep the night before.  The doctors determined it was from a rare form of pneumonia.  Two   years ago I talked my father into listening to his doctor and having a triple bypass.  One month and three more surgeries later, my mother, sister and I had to have the machines that were keeping him alive turned off. All I could do was hold his hand,  tell him I loved him and ask God to take good care of him.  A few months later, my uncle died due to complications from a stroke. I have lost business and lost homes as well but through it all I knew that God had a plan and all this was part of it.  I have found that my faith in him has grown stronger with every hurdle I have crossed and I thank him for the strength he gives me.

 I have excepted Jesus Christ as my savior.  I ask him daily to help me to be a better person. He has blessed me with a wonderful wife of fifteen years.  I now have four children (two boys and two girls) and when I look at their faces I know how much God loves me and gives me.  My family is my anchor and they have always been there for me.  I am a computer programmer and have traveled the world for work. The past few months have been very challenging for me.  While I was in Malaysia working on a project my partner informed me that he was quitting to find a job with another company. By the time I got back to the U.S. most of my clients here had given up on my company and I was left with very little work to support my family with.  After months of struggle and prayer God has provided me with a new job. I now commute two or three days a week to Phoenix for work.  The drive is just over two hours one way.  I find this gives great time for talking with God and reflecting on life.  My delay in writing this testimony was in part due to this dry spell of work. I was concerned about loosing my current ride and didn't want to put my brother through the pain of pulling my patch. With the income from this new job however things should be looking up once again and I will be able to make Harley credit happy people by catching up on back payments.  By the way, my ride is a 1999 Road King that my wife has affectionately named Jezebel.
 
Your brother in Christ.

T.J. Vaughter