Pleasing Imperfections

     In her defense, the circumstances were less than perfect.  The weather had snapped cold and her horse did what horses do when it gets cold (they get a little excited--so do I for that matter because cold weather = hot chocolate).  Nonetheless, her execution was sloppy and she continually missed her goal after several attempts.
     Me?
     I stood there watching her, beaming with pride.  Yeah, she was struggling, but I wasn't interested in perfection, or even in the accomplishment of  the goal--I was interested in the attitude with which she was making each attempt.
     Each endeavor was made with sincerity, focus, patience and a jovial laugh at herself when it failed.      
     And then, she would try again.
     I was so proud of her.  I offered a bit of advice here and there, then sat back and watched her figure it out, little by little.  Never did she become overwhelmed with the difficulty or with spunkiness of the horse--she gave herself grace to mess up so that she could try again.
     On her final try, she nearly missed again, but at the last moment she was able to swing her horse around and her feat was accomplished, though awkward at best.  She walked her horse back to me, saw the grin on my face and beamed back.
     She knew it was far from perfect--but I told her how proud I was of her effort--I could not have been more pleased!  She left that day feeling accomplished, as she should have, and I walked away with a new realization...
   
       Grasping how I felt towards my student during this time helped me understand how God must feel towards us.  Circumstances are never perfect--but God isn't interested in a perfect performance from us.  He's interested in how we RESPOND to the imperfections we face every day.  Do we throw up our hands and pout?  Spend time frozen with fear because we think He is angry with our failure?  Or can we laugh at ourselves and try again, knowing that our effort in and of itself is a delightful sacrifice to our loving God…

     Next week, my student will come back eager to try again.  She will be excited to see me and she will try her best to please me again because she knows she can please me.  And she knows how she can please me.  She knows I am pleased with her every time she gives me her best effort.  If we would stop pouting at God for not giving us perfect circumstances, or stop doing nothing because we fear failure, maybe then we could start doing something that actually pleases Him:
     Try our best.
     And maybe then we would realize that God IS pleased with us, and we could be excited to try again too.
"But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6
"But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."  Hebrews 13:16

Only One Thing is Needful

     I squint in bright sunlight and tilt my head upwards, "What did you say?"
     She smiles shyly from up high and, while struggling with hands and reigns and horse, repeats, "I don't think the horse is happy…"
     I watch for a moment as she argues within herself and it shows in her weak hands and the way the horse rebels against her timid leading.  She is at war inside--she knows I'm watching and she wants to please me by doing what I have taught her to do, yet fear of making the horse "unhappy" restrains her from doing the right thing (right thing = require the horse to obey).
     "Can you make the horse happy?"
     She doesn't know.
     "You can't make the horse happy," I explain, "That's his choice.  By trying to make him happy you only grow his sense of entitlement and discontent."
     She nods, but her body language doesn't change.
     I try again, "Instead of trying to make the horse happy, just focus on doing one thing--the right thing--the thing I've taught you to do."
     She tries again, growing determined now to do the one job.
     By the end of the lesson, she is succeeding, and how interesting that the horse himself seems to be much happier too!

     In Luke 10, the Bible tells us of two sisters named Martha and Mary, who invite Jesus into their home.  Mary sits down at the feet of Jesus and does not move.  Martha runs around cooking, cleaning and hosting while Mary sits and soaks in every word Jesus speaks, apparently oblivious to her sister's work load!  Eventually Martha, reasonably annoyed at her sister for not helping her, intreats Jesus:

"Lord dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?  Bid her therefore that she help me."

Martha is flustered.  Like my student, she was trying to do too many things at once and ultimately losing all control.  Jesus saw this, and He answers her,

"Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10: 40b-42 emphasis mine)

     "But one thing is needful".

     Only one necessary job to do.  

     The attitude of a disgruntled horse, angry child or crude coworker does not rest on us to fix.  We have only one job to do: 

to be Godly. 

   

Conference Update

     Hello!  It is soooo good to be back home--even if only for a few days before we take off again this Wednesday.  I want to thank all of you for being so understanding this month as we took time "off" to go to the Sermon on the Mount Regional Conference in Mears, Michigan.  Please understand that this was not a vacation, but three days of overwhelming information and hard work that often left me with a head ache and in danger of tears.  It stretched us and it grew us physically, mentally and spiritually and it was incredibly good for us.  Coming home, we have lots of new ideas and even more work ahead as we try to implement our new knowledge.  

     For those of you who are unfamiliar with "Sermon on the Mount Ministries", it was founded by Drs. Lew and Melodie Sterrett, who have traveled extensively to teach Biblical Principles from horseback.  Dr. Sterrett hosted this year's conference at Paradise Ranch along with the incredible Paradise Ranch Staff (seriously, we were so blessed by this hard working team and I want to give a shout out to Tim, Hannah, Chad, Sarah, Danielle, Tessa, Clint, Austin, Erica, photographers, those that cooked delicious food for us and all the people I'm missing because they worked behind the scenes to pull off such a week!).

     On Wednesday evening, Dr. Sterrett gave a presentation, or sermon, on horseback, using his horses as live visuals for the principles he was teaching.  Before I continue, you'll need to understand that by this point I was feeling fully inadequate.  It was easy to become overwhelmed by the wealth of knowledge I now realized I did not posess.  As I watched the presentation, one of Dr. Sterrett's horses refused a cue and ran off across the arena in pure disobedience.  With a laugh Dr. Sterrett followed his horse and turned to the audience, "Anybody got a gun?!"

     We all laughed too, because we knew that Dr. Sterrett would never actually shoot his prized horse worth thousands of dollars.  He had invested far too much time and training to throw it away in a fit of anger over the horse's disobedience.  So he laughed and pursued his horse until it returned to him and the crowd chuckled because they could relate--perhaps more than they realized.

     For myself, I realized that God feels the same way towards me (and all of us).  I may be inadequate.  My behavior may be disappointing.  But God has already invested so much in pursuit of me, that He will not give up and toss me aside.  He will continue to call me and when I return to Him, He will welcome me.  I know God will have patience with Ben and I both as we strive to learn a new normal.  We're in an awkward stage right now--we have grown out of our old comfort zones yet we haven't quite grown into the new normal, that can only come with time and purposeful effort.  I am grateful for a God who is patient and ever present and I am excited to see HIS Ranch grow as well!  In another month, the season will be coming to an end but in many ways we are just getting started.  

     For those who also feel inadequate, my prayer is that you may recognize the God who has invested in you and desires still a relationship with you.  We don't have to deserve His love in order to accept it.

"But God commendeth His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
~Anneliese

a journal entry ~

“Today has been hard, really hard. I had to rush through my morning because I slept in later than planned and then I walked into the office to a bunch of voicemails to listen and respond to. Naturally, it was also the day that I had a student in every lesson slot. But that all faded, insignificant, when my first student arrived. A beautiful, spunky, handicapped, and sometimes neglected child. My heart cracked. My coworker had a lesson scheduled at the same time too. Only his student didn’t arrive. It hurts when someone needs to be poured into, and Jesus’ love shared with them and the opportunity to do so is taken away.

My student couldn’t even walk all the way to the boarding ramp; it hurt for her to walk that far. So I asked her to sit and wait while I asked Philip to bring the gator over. She sat perfectly content in the grass while Philip drove the gator over and gave her a ride. Her smile was huge; she had the time of her life. But my heart isn’t okay. I bravely walked along side her and gave her a horse ride and loved her and was cheerful and chatted away but I’m broken.

As I un-tacked the horse and she received yet another gator ride the tears came and I cried out to God about this broken, sinned filled world. Why does He put up with this? With them? With me? He sees this hurt every moment. I only see it when I want to and still, I can’t handle it!

And in the middle of my tears and hurt and questions I realized that God was giving me an opportunity and asking if I would be His Hands and Feet. Not only on this day, in this moment, but every day. And as I was about to surrender this life of mine to Him once again I realized that I’m committing to more than I could ever possibly realize. Becoming His Hands and Feet means ignoring flesh and fear of man and living fully in His Spirit. I took a deep breath and acknowledged this. And I surrendered anyway. Because I believe it will be completely worth it. It will be worth every time my heart cracks and breaks. It will be worth it all. My Jesus needs to be shared with this broken world.”  ~ Lydia

“And if one person sees the love of Christ in me it is worth every minute. In fact, it is worth spending my life for. “ Katie Davis Major

“I have learned that I will not change the world. Jesus will do that. I can, however change the world for one person. So I keep stopping and loving one person at a time. Because this is my call as a Christian.”  Katie Davis Major

Wonderfully Made

My student hollered across the arena for at least the fifth time of the morning, "Hey TeBow! Hey Kailey*!" I chuckled and shook my head at the adorable, friendly boy who was my morning lesson. Kailey responded to Mitchell's declaration with silence and a small wave. After some encouragement from Anneliese, her teacher, she responded with a quiet hello in return. While walking away Mitchell asked me in a reserved tone, "How come she is different?". At first I considered whether Mitchell was making fun of Kailey but that was not the case. He genuinely was interested in why he was so friendly and she was so quiet. I explained to him that God made each and every single one of us uniquely different. Some people burn out from talking to people while others get their batteries recharged from discourse with friends. Some people like sweet over salty (Though why people do I don't understand). The Bible says in Psalms "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:13-14) We are all different but made by the same God and Father. If you ever struggle with why God made you the way you are remember that God doesn't make mistakes. If we were all the same this world would be an incredibly boring place. Your uniqueness was given to you by God, the Creator of the universe, who made you wonderfully. I pray that Mitchell's question would fill you with awe of our Creator because He made all of us differently to bring honor and glory to the great Artist of humanity.
~Philip

*Names have been changed to protect privacy.

Letting Go

     The sparrow fluttered its wings, feet still grazing the dirt and sand below it.  It went no where.  Resting for a short spell, it once again worked its wings, attempting to leave the Earth, but to no avail.  I squinted in the morning light, curious as to why.  Then I saw the long strand of torn hay netting, stretching from the small bird's beak across the sunlit gravel.  The nester could not take flight because the burden she wished to bring with her was too large for her to carry.  Freedom was in her wings, but she could not grasp it without letting go of the netting.
     Obviously the sparrow felt this material was important for the nest she wished to build because she spent some time trying to make it work.
     It made me think of the earthly things we cling to as well.  We long for freedom in Christ, but we are determined to bring out baggage with us--we don't want to let go.  So we flutter and try and fall and wear ourselves out.  We are driven mad by the liberty to be had, but we simply cannot let go of that so important material that we want to bring with us.  We don't want to accept the life Jesus has for us unless it includes what we hold so tightly to.
     Finally, with one last look at the hay netting, the bird dropped the strand it had tried so hard to carry and flew away, free and light.
     I don't think we always get to drop our burdens so easily, but in letting go we do get to experience true freedom--not only in flight, but in no longer "needing" what we thought we needed.  We drop our addictions and find life full in purpose without them as we come under the Master's training.

Compassion

     Birds love to nest right inside and above our enormous barn door.  Every year we watch them swooping in with twigs, hair and other building supplies.  Soon, the twittering above the door increases and we see the birds bringing different supplies into our barn: worms, grubs and other bugs, the treasures of parent birds with young mouths to feed.  The barn becomes alive with the sound of many a small bird attempting to demand food above the cackle of its siblings while the mature birds bicker over property lines and bawk at the sight of us intruding humans.
     For the most part, I enjoy this noisy orchestra and the bustle of birds floating in and out of the barn (minus the days I find myself cleaning their mess off of walls, stall doors or the floor).  What I do not enjoy are the dead, naked baby birds we tend to find on the barn floor during this time of year.  Muscled out of the nest by stronger siblings, the weaker birds fall to the concrete below, helpless to save themselves if not dead on impact.  It is one of the most pitiful sights I have ever seen.
     This "Survival of the Fittest" rule amongst animals is a harsh one, and every year it pains me a little to see the demise of something so helpless though I know it is part of life.  This year, the sight of those little birds struck me with another thought--that we humans are blessed with the choice to play by a different rule--the rule of compassion.
     We can choose to help those who cannot help themselves.
     Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Compassion as "sympathetic consciousness of other's distress together with a desire to alleviate it."  In Luke 10:33 we read about the "Good Samaritan" who was "moved with compassion" to help a man whom most would have considered his enemy.  Christ-like compassion is powerful and it is through the weak, the poor and the needy that we learn this Christ-trait best.  We need them, which is perhaps why Jesus promises that we will always have them among us (Mark 14:7).
   

 

WOW

     After receiving so many comments on September's newsletter, I decided to share it on the blog.  Enjoy =)

     "I've always felt like I wasn't good enough…my mom left me and I felt unloved.  But--when my adoptive parents had my baby brother, I realized how everyone loved him--just because he was a baby!  So someone must have loved me too."
     I watched the girl from a short distance as she brushed the horse's shiny brown coat until it was silky smooth.
     "Jesus loves you."  I said.
     She smiled, but didn't look at me, "Funny, you're the second person to tell me that today!"
     I paused then, praying for the right words to say.  "Do you love your baby brother?"  I asked.
     "Yes!  Very much!"  Was the immediate reply.
     "Would you ever give him up?"  I pressed.
     "Not for anything."  She said the words firmly, with determination.
     "Well God gave up His Son, Jesus, for us.  He let Him die so that He could save us from our sins that separate us from Himself.  He died…for you."
     "And for everyone else…" My student pointed out, nodding.
     "Yes…and no."  I said quietly.  "He would have done it all even if only to save you.  He would have died just for you--or for me."
     For a moment, the girl was quiet.  She stroked the horses mane and her large dark eyes  were careful not to make contact with mine.
     "Do you really believe that?"  She asked.
     "With all my heart."  My answer came quickly, and I found myself admitting, "Its hard sometimes for me to believe because I know I don't deserve that kind of love--"
     "Oh yes you do!"  My young friend objected immediately.
     I smiled at her kind outburst but said firmly, "No.  I don't.  And that's what makes God's love so beautiful!  The fact that we don't deserve it!  He sent His Son to die purely out of love for us!"
     Silence.
     And then, a soft, "Wow…"

     What Jesus did for us?  Is more than worthy of a "wow".  Let's not forget, even when we know the story so well.  =)

Thanks for reading!
~Anneliese

September

What a blessed summer we have been having!  

My husband's sister, Lydia, joined us the beginning of August when Ruth had to leave.  She is adapting very well to all of her new duties here and though we are sad to see Ruth go, it is fun to get to work alongside my sister-in-law =).  Ben and I both seem to lack int he ability to plan, let alone set  up a schedule for an entire month!  And for that reason, we are incredibly grateful for Lydia's skills in the office.  Also the office has never looked so clean…! 

Fall has begun and our junior volunteers have all returned to school.  They continue to pop in on us occasionally however.  Sometimes to offer their hard work after a half day at school, other times just to talk.   Today one stopped by to tell us she had been accepted into the Christian College of her choice!  (Good job, J!!)

We are eccstatic to see the friendships begun here while working alongside of eachother have grown into lasting relationships.  We miss the work, the willing attitudes and big personalities our junior volunteers bring us.  Keep coming by, everyone!  

Inspite of summer's end, we continue to see many children at HIS Ranch.  Please pray for us as we reach out to them and strive to show them the love of Jesus.  We believe that God has brought each one of them here specifically, and we want to be His hands and feet.  I have found that I often take God's love for granted--until I am explaining it to a child for the first time.  They find the idea that Jesus died for the world, yet would have died for them alone, incredible.  And it IS!  Because we don't deserve that love.  

Last but not least, a quick shout out to my husband…who brought me flowers for sitting in the office long enough to write this blog .. =)

Thanks for all your prayers and support.  Hope y'all have a blessed day!

~Anneliese

Galations 6:2

     I grew up in a large desert city where the only season I knew was HOT.  

     Floods and thunderstorms were no concern of mine.  The plans I made were never interrupted by the weather, and "cold" was when someone left the refridgerator door open for too long.

     So when this happened...

      I was a little taken back!  The fact that people still live where floods happen hadn't really occured to this desert girl.  

     

     But then something else happened:

     People came!  LOTS of people.  Some of them I knew, some I didn't.  But together we worked with one focus in mind: to hold back the flood.  Growing up in a city where we barely knew our own neighbors and had never been in any real need of their companionship, this was new to me.  I had never experienced a community pull together so QUICKLY and with such determination to accomplish their goal!

     The Bible says in Galations 6:2 that we are to "bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ".  I was impressed by the meaning this took on when 100+ people were acting it out.  

     On Monday a storm with class 1 hurricane winds blew through Taylor.  It knocked down several trees and took out part of the fence.

Again I witnessed the community pulling together with a unified purpose.  Trees were cut up and limbs were dragged away.  Fence post holes were dug and new fence put up.  

There is something precious about community.  

It pulls us together.  

What is interesting, is how quickly a sense of community is lost when there is no flood.  No storm.

No trial.

It is those 'catastrophes' that make us realize how we need one another.  

Differences are thrown aside when work is at hand.

I wonder, if we would find a more consistant sense of community if we were more actively involved in bearing one another's burdens.

Even when there is no storm.

~Anneliese 

     We love our job!

We love seeing the beauty of God's creation around us, and encouraging others to see and enjoy it as well.  We love the smile on a child's face as they climb on a horse for the first time.  We love witnessing the change of hearts from hard or scared to soft and confident.  

     If you haven't yet made it out to the ranch this year, let me take a moment to introduce this year's staff. 

*drum roll*

Ruthie!

We are SO happy to have Ruth Virkler back with us this year!  

It is her cheerful voice you are most likely to hear over the phone when you call in, as her abilities in the office are beyond compare!

During the off season, Ruthie works for FBi Buildings Inc. and teaches piano in Indiana.  We are grateful to her for making the trek out to Missouri so faithfully every year to join our team and would love to see her become a permanent resident of our state!

She assists in horse riding lessons, handles nearly all things in relation to the office, and encourages volunteers and other staff with her sweet and helpful personality.  

Mr. & Mrs. Lindberg

Ben and I (Anneliese) married 2 1/2 years ago.  We met and fell in love at HIS Ranch and God has placed it on our hearts to stay with the Ranch long term.  

Together, we teach lessons, coordinate volunteers, and manage HIS Ranch on a day to day basis.  I love getting to work with my husband during the Ranch season at a job that we each feel so obviously called to by our Lord.

During the off season, Ben builds pivots with Landmark Irrigation here in Taylor while I teach at a private Christian school in Palmyra.

Shannon & Susan Haerr

  

Shannon and Susan founded HIS Ranch in 2005.  

Today they still play large roles behind the scenes for HIS Ranch, though God has also laid it on their hearts to reach out beyond themselves in other ways. 

In 2013, Shannon gained a teaching certificate, desiring to reach out to and interact further with kids.  Today he teaches Special Education and volunteers on the football program at the public schools in Palmyra.

Susan graduated this year with her Masters Degree in Counseling!  She uses her gifts at the Chaddock School in Quincy.

Together, Shannon and Susan parent their three children.

We all look forward to seeing you at the Ranch this summer!  Thank you for your support, your prayers and your encouragement.  We are grateful to you!

                     

You Have Time to Read This Blog!

     We're back!! (yay!)

And already half way into our first month of the season!  It's been busy, so here's some quick insight into what we've been up to!  

There has not been an empty slot on our calendar this month.  Early on, we enjoyed hosting the TLC Sutter Home.  They brought out 3 of their severly handicapped residents.  We were unable to ride, but we enjoyed seeing the change and reactions as they interacted with the horses!

 

    We've also been enjoying lots of help from our junior volunteers!  They seem to be growing larger in number every week.  Its a full time job in itself to keep these eager, hard-working volunteers busy!

     And of course!  We have kids coming out for lessons!  They come with smiles and giddiness that makes obeying rules like "no running" nearly impossible.  Some of them come simply because they are curious about these large animals...

     …others come to know what it feels like to have legs that can walk.

If a pictures says a thousand words,

then I've said plenty.  

Have a blessed day, y'all!

Troy and Kim Meeder

Hey Ya'll!  We're back to talk some more about the 2014 Fall Fundraiser!  We want to strongly encourage you to make the effort to come and hear Troy and Kim Meeder speak, so here is some more about them to pique your interest!

At the age of nine, Kim's life was torn apart by the traumatic loss of both parents.  In the wake of this tragedy, she found emotional comfort from a horse, and by the mercy of God, she has taken a path of healing and chosen to rise above her pain.

The healing Kim experienced became the foundation for Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, a place for children and families to find hope, healing, and restoration.  The ranch welcomes four to five thousand visitors every year, and about 85 percent of the children served are disadvantaged in some way.  They have rescued or assisted in the rescue of more than 300 horses, many of which have been rehabilitated and used in the ranch riding program.  Their focus is one-on-one instruction and building relationship between the child, the leader, and the horse.  The ranch also works closely with most of the area youth and family organizations to benefit the community.

Both Kim and Troy are authors.  Kim's first book, Hope Rising, was published in 2003.  She received numerous requests for television, magazine, and radio interviews.  Her radio interview with Focus On The Family in 2004 was rated their number one show of the year!  She has since written three more books, all of which have received glowing endorsements and been featured on many talk shows and programs, also bringing top ratings on Focus On The Family and Family Talk Radio in subsequent interviews.

Troy recently published his first book, Average Joe, which speaks to men about the powerful workings of God in the lives of "average" guys.  He has also been interviewed on several tv and radio shows.  Troy has worked various jobs through the years, including some time as a youth pastor, but in 2007 he chose to take on a full-time role as Chief Operations Officer at the ranch.

Troy and Kim are accomplished communicators and have spoken to audiences across the country, from churches to government settings.  But they are humble, down-to-earth people who are simply engaged in loving God and their fellow man.  They both love the outdoors, and Kim's writing attests to her gift for drawing truths about God and life from things we see and experience in nature.  Of course, horses feature prominently in these life lessons!

The message they share is for everyone, but they have a special heart to see God's healing and restoration in families.  So bring your kids, bring your friends, and don't miss the opportunity to hear and meet these special guests on October 25!

Fall Time At The Ranch

Hi friends!  Here we are already rolling towards fall….but His Ranch is not winding down yet!  It's been a beautiful summer.  The Lord has graciously given us mild weather, which has allowed us to roll along with very few cancellations this season!  With the starting of school, our schedule changes, but we are well-filled for the month of September and expecting a full October as well.

So, what's new on the ranch?  We had a wonderful time last month hosting Dr. Lew Sterrett with Sermon On The Mount ministries for a weekend.  This was a first time event for us, which we hope to do again in the future.  Dr. Sterrett travels all over the country, speaking God's truth into people's lives through the visual of horse training.  He presents life and our relationship with God in a down-to-earth way through the natural principles of the relationship between a horse and his master.  You don't have to understand horses to benefit from this wisdom!

We were also pleased to host Dr. Marty Langhofer over the same weekend.  Dr. Marty is a veterinarian who knows horses well, specializing in equine dentistry.  We learned some fascinating things about the horse's mouth and teeth, and how they affect the rest of the horse.  Dr. Marty was also able to perform some dental work on several of our horses here….it is quite interesting to watch!

We are in the process of fencing in the entire ranch property and painting/repainting all of the wood fence.

The other project going right now is finishing work on the amphitheater, which was built between the riding arena and the lake, next to what will someday be the healing garden.  The friend who built the amphitheater has returned to build a firepit in the center, do dirt work around the area, plant grass, and lay sod.  Our motivation for finishing this area is a wedding that we are hosting on the ranch this month!  We will be celebrating the union of two dear friends who met at His Ranch, one of whom volunteered on staff for two summers.  We are so excited that they chose to have their special day here, and it's also a joy to have such a great reason for sprucing up the ranch grounds!

Now as fall approaches, we are already beginning to gear up for that time again….the His Ranch fall fundraiser!  We want to give you all plenty of notice about the excitement this year, so you can be sure to mark your calendars and not miss out on the special day!  The date is October 25th; the time is
12-3 PM.  Go ahead, mark it on the calendar!

His Ranch is delighted to be hosting Troy and Kim Meeder as our special guests at this year's fundraiser!  The Meeders are the founders and operators of Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in Bend, Oregon.  Crystal Peaks was begun in 1993, through Kim's vision to reach broken and hurting children with the love and hope of Christ as she had found healing in her own childhood….through the companionship of a horse.  Since the first rescued horses came to the ranch in 1995, thousands of lives have been touched and restored by the love of Jesus in the staff and the special bond created between horses and children.

From the CPYR website: "Founded on hope, the ranch is a place where broken children, horses and families can find wholeness, belonging, and trust.  This richness is expressed through the healing embrace of God's unconditional love."  You can learn more about Crystal Peaks by visiting their website: www.crystalpeaksyouthranch.org.

CPYR inspired the vision for His Ranch.  Shannon Haerr, our founder, listened to his daughter read a story from Kim Meeder's first book, Hope Rising.  The story tells about a little boy who came to Crystal Peaks.  He had been abused by his father, even to the point of having several teeth broken and being chased around the yard with a shotgun.  As Shannon listened, his heart broke, and he cried out to God, asking why there was so much pain in this world.  God spoke to his heart and told him to do something about it.  As Shannon and his wife, Susan, prayed over what God would have them do, He gave them the vision to start building a ranch like CPYR.  That was in 2005.  And the rest is a story that God is continuing to write as we seek His heart and direction day after day on His Ranch!

Troy and Kim Meeder now offer clinics to help other people start similar ministries.  The clinic and their encouragement have been a wonderful help to our ranch, so it is a great privilege to be able to bring them here in person this year!  The staff is excited is meet them, show them our ranch, and hear them speak, and we hope you will be here as well!  They will be speaking at 1:00 during the fundraiser.  

We will also have our popular pony rides for the kids, free food, face painting, ranch gear for sale, and live band entertainment.  Tell your friends, and don't miss it!  We want to see ya'll here!

2013 Fundraiser Bash Coming Up!

Howdy Pardners!  I know you haven't heard much from us this summer, but we are still rolling, and we want to let you know about our fall fundraiser day that is coming up quickly!  This is like an open house/end-of-season party/thank-you to our friends all rolled into one.  You can also find information about it in our events on the His Ranch Facebook page.

The fundraiser this year will be held on Saturday, October 26th, from noon to 3:00 PM.  It's always a fun day and a big hit with the kids!  We will have horseback rides, live music, a play area, lunch, and horse demonstrations in the round pen.  And everything is free!  We usually also have face painting, and you never know what random fun things we may come up with at the last minute!  Our Hay Castle builders may be on the move again....

Cowboy Willie, our knowledgeable horse trainer, will be available to talk horses and answer any questions you have.  You can probably find him in the round pen, with his coffee cup!  He usually does some horsemanship demonstrations for us.  If you have read anything on this blog, you get the idea that we can learn a lot from horses, and Willie is a great guy to talk to on the subject.

As always, we will have His Ranch t-shirts, hats, and mugs for sale, and there will be a box for donations, as the Lord lays it on people's hearts.  We are anticipating a beautiful day of celebrating with many friends of the ministry and meeting new friends who want to see what His Ranch is all about!  This day is for everybody!  So mark your calendars, tell your friends, and we hope to see ya'll out here October 26th!

Finding Center

We've talked a lot here about the nature of a horse, but I think it's important at times to go back to the basics and discover deeper meaning in a familiar concept.  Much of what we teach the kids on the ranch is repetition.  Horses learn through repetition, and guess what?  So do people!  Every summer we refresh the kids and ourselves in the basics of safety, the nature of horses, and good communication with your horse.

So let's step into the horse's world for a moment.

Imagine that you are a horse living in the wild.  Here is what you know.  Herd.  Food.  Water.  Predators.  Self-preservation.  There are creatures out there that want to eat you.  Your number one goal  in life is to stay alive.  Eating is a close second.  If you are not resting or on the move, you are eating.  You were born into a herd.  They are your whole world.  Herd equals security.  There is a clear pecking order within your herd.  The stallion is on top.  He maintains order, demands respect, and defends his territory.  He looks out for all the mares and foals.  Next in line is the boss mare.  She helps the stallion lead the herd in the search for food and water.  Everyone else has their own place of authority and submission within the family.  There is strength in numbers.  Leave the herd, and you become completely vulnerable to predators.  You are constantly aware of everything around you and on the alert for danger.  Any time you feel threatened, your first instinct is to run, which you do very well, because God gave you long, athletic legs, a well-muscled body, and great endurance.

Now imagine you are a young domesticated horse living among other horses on a ranch.  You have been exposed to humans from birth and generally feel comfortable around them.  Your fight or flight response is significantly tamed down from that of a wild horse.  You are exposed to a great many strange objects and sounds on a daily basis and have learned that they do not hurt you.  But you are still a horse.  You will always be a horse.  That raw nature of the wild is still within you.  Your life consists of eating and companionship with the herd.

Then, one day, a human steps into your pasture.  He wants to be with you and work with you.  But by nature, you could care less.  Your instinct does not compel you to be with this human.  You never asked to enter his world.  He asked to enter yours.  This person puts a rope around your head and takes you away from your herd and food.  He puts you in a small, round pen.  Suddenly your world has shifted.  The herd consists of one horse and one human.  You are used to people, so you're not particularly threatened, but you aren't interested in being with him.  He's a strange creature who doesn't speak your language, with an agenda that you don't understand.  Until now, life has been about you.  Apart from your place in the order of the herd, you are free to go wherever you want and do whatever you want.  The world as you know it revolves around you.  So what is your response to this human presence?  You run.  And it's okay.  There is space to run.  But you can't get completely away from this human.  So you try to ignore him.  But he is using your language!  And suddenly you realize that there is someone else in the center of your world.  He makes it clear by his body language that he is the dominant horse in this herd of two.  You are not simply running from him.  He is using the behavior of the lead stallion to drive you around the outside of the territory.  Your brain begins to make a shift.  Now your natural instinct is to show submission and ask for acceptance into the safe place of the herd.  And then it happens.  The human, now your alpha horse, stops pushing you out and begins to invite you in.  You decide to risk trusting him and walk into the center to be with him.  And in that center, you find rest.  Release from the pressure.  Companionship.  A new leader you can trust to watch your back and provide for your needs.  From this foundation, a solid relationship of mutual respect is built between horse and human.  When you choose to be with your master in the center, you find that he becomes your safe place.

Every one of us is born with a nature that tells us, "I am the center of my world.  I run this show."  Then God steps in, and we don't want Him.  So we run.  "All we like sheep have gone astray;  We have turned - every one - to his own way."  Isaiah 53:6
Like the horse who has no interest in the human agenda, we have no desire to be with God.  "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside...."  Romans 3:11-12

But God knows how to speak our language.  He made us.  So He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to enter our world.  He showed us God in a way we could understand.  He walked with us, talked with us, touched us, healed bodies and hearts, and loved us like no one else ever had.  And then He died in our place to invite us to come back into the center, into the intimate relationship with God that we were made for.  His death and resurrection demonstrates His rightful place as Lord.  He has authority over all powers, even death itself!

Sooner or later, whether we acknowledge it or not, we all realize that there is Someone else in the center of our universe.  He wants to be our whole world.  But you and I have a choice that a horse does not have.  The horse operates on instinct.  You can predict his response based on how well you are communicating in his language.  He accepts your authority by nature.

The Bible tells us that one day every knee will bow to Jesus and every person will confess that He is Lord.  On that day we will have no other choice.  But right now, we can choose come to God and submit to Him in the center, or we can continue to rebel against Him and run our own show.  Those who come to Him now will find rest.  Perfect love.  Healing for your heart.  Safety from spiritual evil.  Peace in the midst of hard things.  Joy that doesn't depend on circumstances.  An intimate relationship that will last forever.  Those who refuse Him will be eternally banished from relationship with Him on the day when all must bow.  For them, there will be no rest.

Have you found center?  What is your choice?

"Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28

Back In The Saddle

A great big howdy to all our friends in blog-land!  Yes, we are still here and summer is in swing at His Ranch!  Did you miss us?  We took a blog break for the winter, but we want to keep all of you up-to-date on this year's season.

It's crazy that the month of June is almost over!  We opened a week late due to staff availability, which makes the month appear to have flown by.  These past few weeks we have been blessed with beautiful weather, and it's so much fun to see old and new friends come onto the ranch!  God has allowed our staff to remain fairly consistent for the third summer now, which is wonderful because it has allowed us to build ongoing relationships with many of the kids and families who come every year. 

So once again we have Mr. Ben Lindberg, now joined by his bride of six months, Anneliese Lindberg, who worked on the ranch in the summer of 2011.  This is one of the many exciting ways we have seen God move here at His Ranch.  Ben and Anneliese came from opposite ends of the country, met here, were married, and now make their home in Palmyra!  We are thrilled to have them as part of the long-term picture at His Ranch!

 

 

Also returning for the third season are Ruth Virkler and Kari Keener, who enjoy the freedom to come and go from Taylor as they please, but there is rumored to be a plot to kidnap them and make them permanent Missourians. 

 

 

 

If you come out to the ranch this year, you will probably see some other faces as well.  We are always open to short-term volunteers, and we also have some teen volunteers from the area bringing in fresh energy.  It's always exciting to see who God brings into our lives to leave fingerprints on His Ranch each summer!

 

We also want to give you all a heads up about something special we'll be doing next month.  We will be at the Lewis County Fair on July 11, from 5:30-7:00 PM, giving a horsemanship demonstration.  We would love to see you there!  There will be lots of horses in various shapes and sizes, and any of the staff will be happy to answer your questions on anything horsey, to the best of our ability!  The demonstration will include much of the basic knowledge on horse behavior, communication, and riding that we teach our students every day on the ranch.  If you're at the Lewis County Fair on Thursday, July 11, come on over and visit with us!

 

Thanks for stopping by our little corner of blog-land today, and please continue to keep His Ranch in your prayers.  Ask for the safety of the kids, the staff, and the horses.  Ask for God's love and presence to be real to every person who steps onto the ranch, and that His transforming power will touch each life.  This is His Ranch, we are His children, and we long to see His glory!

 

Lessons From Reva: Misjudging

Let's talk about Reva again.  She has some good things to teach us about character judgments.  Have you ever had a first impression about someone that turned out to be completely wrong when you got to know them?  What about a friend you've known for several years who does some things you can't understand, and then they allowed you into some deep places from their past and suddenly it all made sense?

I already talked about the way Reva runs away in the pasture, and how she hangs back when being led out of her comfort zone.  She's somewhat of a loner in the herd too.  While the other horses will often challenge each other and buck the chain of authority, Reva avoids conflict as much as possible.  I rarely find teeth marks on her.

There's another thing Reva does that is hard to understand.  She has something against fence posts.  She doesn't like to walk up to the post and sometimes refuses to step forward.  It's not as bad now, but she used to spook and take fits when tied up to the post.  The smallest things would set her off, and sometimes there didn't appear to be anything that spooked her; it's like something inside her head just snapped.  She would lunge backwards and pull against the post with all her strength.  She still does that every so often.  Our horse trainer has worked with Reva on overcoming this problem, and she would stand tied without a problem for months, and then she'd have another episode.  Because of the tremendous force of her pulling back, she could potentially hurt herself or someone near her or pull a post out of the ground.  So we usually loop her rope over the fence rather than tie.  That way if she feels she needs a sudden getaway, she can go without making it a big deal.  We don't know what is in Reva's past, but there's a good chance that she was injured or abused while tied, and the memory of that trauma is still in her head.  Horses don't forget.  If they are raised with kindness and common sense, never given a reason to be scared of you, they will trust you and will easily trust other people as well.  But do something to break that trust, and you can never erase the memory.  A horse that has been traumatized by a past owner will take much longer to learn to trust a new person.

I think Reva trusts the staff here, because we have worked long and patiently with her and haven't given her reason to distrust us.  But the old pain is still there.  And sometimes the memory of that trauma takes over her brain and her fear instinct kicks in.  In that moment, the fear is greater than the trust relationship that we have built with her.  This makes me want to cherish the trust that someone puts in me and be so very careful not to break it.

From all of Reva's drama, I could conclude that she is timid, nervous, unfriendly, and has too many fear issues to be of use to me.  But I don't know her past.  I don't know what she's been through or come out of.  One of the staff who was here when Reva first came to the ranch remembers what she used to be like.  He said when you went to catch her, she wouldn't run away or come to you; she would just stand there and stare at you with listless eyes, as if she'd been used for so long that she didn't care anymore.  And she was absolutely terrified of the fence posts.  Compared to a few years ago, Reva has come a long way.  And if I could have known her then, I would understand how much she has changed.  Now I realize that when she runs in the pasture, she's expressing her personality, something she didn't do when she first came.  She actually cares about what happens to her.  Sometimes she may just feel really good and is playing catch me if you can!  If she's testing us to see how far we will pursue her, then it shows she is willing to be in relationship, but is a little unsure.  She is thinking and feeling and responding to us, instead of just going through the motions because she's been terrified into submission.  She is truly a sweet and willing horse when you get to know her.  And she responds beautifully to people who handle her with sensitivity and confidence.  You can't judge a book, a horse, or a person by their cover.

"For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  1 Samuel 16:7

Lessons From Reva: Comfort Zones

Reva is a beautiful, dark brown Thouroughbred who was among the first horses to come to His Ranch. Her colt, Noah, was born here four years ago.  Reva is not as easy to get close to as some of our other horses.  She doesn't act out much with the other horses and tends to keep to herself.  But she has quite the inner drama going on when you get to know her.  I've gotten to know Reva quite well over the last year, because, incidently, she and I have a lot in common.  I want to share what Reva has taught me in hopes that someone reading this can relate and find diamonds of truth in the rough of their life also.

You know how it's easy to judge a person by their personality and behavior without knowing their heart?  I've been guilty of doing that to Reva.  Every time we go into the pasture to catch her, she runs away.  It looks like she is afraid of us and doesn't want to be with us.  We have to chase her for awhile until she decides to stop and allow us into her space.  It makes me feel like she is standoffish and unfriendly.  But I wonder how many people have thought the same about me.  I was very socially uncomfortable growing up.  I still struggle with this to some extent, but God has changed me a lot.  Deep down, I wanted to be with people and be liked, but I was afraid.  I didn't have any good reason to fear, but I felt so awkward with people I didn't know well and was afraid that if they really knew me they wouldn't like me.  Pride kept me from being vulnerable.  I was afraid of messing up and looking stupid in front of others.  So I stayed in the background.  I waited for others to come and make me feel safe.  It's taken me a long time to learn to reach out and be more concerned with making the other person feel comfortable.  God has used a lot of things in my life to bring me out of that comfort zone.  He does it every day as I meet and  build relationships with different people on the ranch.  I love what I get to do here, but that doesn't mean it's easy to keep reaching out.  We are naturally such creatures of comfort.  We build comfort zones everywhere we go.  So it's a blessing to me to realize that God puts me in places where I have to continually step out of my zone so that I can grow.  He knows I would stagnate and shrivel up if He left me where I want to be.

When we lead Reva out of her comfort zone, the pasture, she goes reluctantly, putting one foot gingerly in front of the other almost like she's tip-toeing.  She has been taken out of the pasture countless times before.  She is familiar with the places we take her on a daily basis: the round pen, the riding arena, the barn.  Is she afraid?  Is she just timid?  That's what I think sometimes, but when I take a look at myself I begin to understand her better.  This is probably a game that she plays.  Once we get her working in the round pen, or saddled up in the arena, her attitude changes.  She is eager and ready to go.  She doesn't want to walk slowly or stand still.  I don't think Reva is truly afraid; she simply doesn't want to leave her comfort zone.  She doesn't want to step outside of what feels perfectly happy and safe to her.  Just like me.  Just like you.  Once she gets out of that zone and shifts her focus onto the work she's given to do, she is willing and she does it well.  But she is not naturally inclined to do that while resting in her happy place.

When Reva runs from us in the pasture, perhaps she truly does enjoy spending time with people, but she wants to know how badly we want her.  She plays hard to get because she wants us to pursue her.  And because she still believes her comfort zone is better.  We have to show her that stopping is a better idea.  She makes us work to get her, but she's making herself work too.  When she realizes she is wasting energy because we are not going to give up, she is willing to let us in.  I know Reva can't think through all that, but I have definitely played that game with other people throughout my life.  Satan had me believing that a lot of people didn't see me as desirable and worth loving, so I kept my distance until someone would make the effort to pursue me.  It wasn't until I believed the truth that Jesus in me is all about loving rather than being loved, that I began learning to willingly take the risk of opening my heart, being myself, and even pursuing others.

The biggest hurdle that Reva, you, and I must overcome in leaving our comfort zones is to trust our master enough to follow anywhere.  Stepping into things that are unfamiliar, that look like work, or that don't come naturally to us goes against our grain.  We struggle to believe that it's worth the risk and the effort.  I believe we were created to be at peace in every aspect of our lives, and deep inside each one is the desire for rest.  A place of absolute safety and well-being.  Where do we find this rest?  The world cannot offer it.  The prince of this world, Satan, rules through confusion and illusion and discontentment.  "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there."  James 3:16
The pleasures and comforts in this life are temporary and will soon fade away.  "For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever."  1 John 2:16-17

Here lies our only hope.  Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."  Matthew 11:28-29
Did you catch that?  Yes, Jesus does have work for you to do.  Like the oxen that are yoked together to pull a plow, Jesus is calling us to step into the yoke with Him.  WITH HIM, my friend.  He enables you to do His will.  He provides the strength, the ability, the understanding.  He will never leave you to pull alone; He is in the yoke beside you.  And in that place where He is training you and using you to accomplish His purposes, you will find the rest and  peace that your soul so desires.  Here is another promise that has meant a great deal to me in the last few months.  Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  John 14:27
If you belong to Jesus, you have His peace.  All you have to do is believe that it's yours.

What zone is your Master calling you to step into today?  Where is He leading you that you don't want to go?  Believe Him.  Choose trust.  Go with Him by faith.  He is your rest.  Stay in His zone, and nothing can steal your peace, for He is the Prince of Peace.

K.K.