Juan Arteaga

siblings Leticia Lopez, Orfy Arteaga, Suzy Arteaga, and Hugo Arteaga. Juan became a young

single parent in 1995 to his daughter Jasmine Arteaga. As a youth, Juan didn’t always make the

best choices or associations and as a result, he got into legal troubles. In 2000, Juan moved to

Colorado with his brother Orfy and his family. Father’s day 2002, Juan began to attend

Frederick Spanish Foursquare Church with his parents (who had also relocated to Colorado)

where he met his future wife and love of his life, Laura Lynn Salazar who also happened to be a

single parent to Isaiah Salazar (1994). On September 4, 2004 Juan and Laura Lynn became

man and wife and an instant family of four. They quickly added three more boys to the family:

David Arteaga (2005), Alex Arteaga (2006) and Joseph Arteaga (2009). Life was not always

easy and with their three young boys and a ‘his’ and hers’ older child, difficulties were inevitable.

Juan worked to support his family, attended church regularly, was faithful to his wife and was a

‘good enough’ (his words, not mine) father. One very early morning in September 2010, Juan

was snatched away from his family and was incarcerated for his previous illegal activities as a

young man in California. For nearly 3 years, Juan was imprisoned and separated from his family

and here it was that Juan reevaluated his life and decided to make God his number one priority.

God transformed Juan into a fervently and zealous Servant who began to share the gospel with

anybody who would listen. The Lord gave Juan such peace in the circumstances he was in and

for his family and their future. Juan continually gave thanks and praise to God for everything and

knew that God had the best for him and his family. By the grace of God, Juan was released from

prison on Feb 13,2013 and was sent home to his wife and boys. Juan praised God for this

blessing, and although he was sick and weak from the cancer and treatments, he was so happy

to be home to love and cherish his wife for the ‘queen that she is’ and to now be an amazing

father and loving man of God for their four boys to emulate and their daughter to seek in her

future husband. Juan was blessed to be with his family at home for 48 days before entering the

hospital. The cancer he had had did incredible damage and caused bleeding for which he

entered surgery for on Friday April 5th. The doctors had very little hope that he would survive the

surgery or if he did by chance, he would not survive once the anesthesia wore off and the

ventilator was removed, and if by some miracle he did, he would be dead by morning. Juan’s

faith was not shaken but increased because he knew his life was in the mighty hands of the Lord

and not at the mercy of the surgeon’s scalpel. Juan knew that whenever God chose for him to

go home, he would instantly be in the presence of his Savior, Jesus Christ. Medical opinion

aside, Juan miraculously survived surgery and when the ventilator was removed he was asked

to say something by the nurse he said clear and firm, “PRAISE GOD”. God gave Juan five

more days where he was miraculously thriving and had all the time he needed to say what he

wanted to his wife and children, family and friends and even to the staff and other patients and

their families. Juan’s greatest desire was to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone he

could so that they too could experience a fulfilling life here and then eternity with the Lord. He

sang songs of praise, told everyone he loved them, kissed and hugged his wife, children, family

and friends. Juan had faith that God would keep him as long as he needed to be here and he

trusted God would complete the good work in him that He started and

He did.

If you want to see Juan again, accept the gift of salvation freely given from our Loving Creator.

If you love Juan and want to honor his life and testimony share

the gospel of Christ with whoever

will listen just as he did so that others too may experience God’s amazing grace. Praise God.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” Matt.25:21