Grace Ranch is a working ranch!

Grace Ranch really is a working ranch. At this point we have thirteen horses and one mule here at Grace Ranch. We are boarding three horses and helping a friend with a little filly. The rest belong to the ranch. We have started a breeding program and hope to use that to support this ministry as well as bless others.

Almost all of the horses here have come from problem backgrounds. Some of them more serious than others. I was fortunate in my youth to have grown up in the country and had the opportunity to work with horses and have owned some in my past. Over the years the Lord has shown me quite a bit about horses and how dealing with their problems the way He has shown me, is very much like He deals with ours. This gives us the opportunity to use them when we work with others and helps them to 'see' how God deals in our lives many times.

A good example is Sonny. Sonny came to us as a three year old Stallion. He didn't want anyone to come near him or to touch him. He would kick, bite and just generally be a pain in the behind. Hmmm... reminds me of some people that I know. Anyway, we brought him out to the ranch and after much to do,we were able to put a rope halter on him and take him to the round ring. Keep in mind that at no time did we strike him or talk angry to him or hurt him in anyway. It didn't matter what he did, we were kind and gentle towards him, we just didn't give up or give in. Kind of like The Lord is with us.

After we got him in the round ring, we took the rope halter off of him and got out of the way. For about an hour he ran around the ring, bucking and jumping and just having a grand old time. Finally after he began to settle down, I went into the ring and stood in the center. He stood to the outside and looked at me with that look that says, "you come near me and I will show you what I can do!" I called for him to come over to me and he just shook his head and pawed the ground. What I did then, he did not expect. I had on my shoulder a piece of cotton rope about twelve feet long with a knot in one end. I took the rope from my shoulder and sent the end with the knot flying towards his hindquarters. At the same time I let out a 'whoop' sound which sent him packing! Around and around he went with me in the center all the time keeping him moving, then when he least expected it, I would make him change directions and do it some more. This went of for about thirty minutes when he started to look over towards me with that look that said, "I am getting a little tired of this. Can we talk about this and work something out?" I then stopped what I was doing, took one step back and turned my back on him. At first he just stood there facing me, wondering what to do next. I turned sideways to him and patted my leg and said come. He began to step back and when he did, I started all over again with the rope sending him out and around the pen. This time he only did it for about ten minutes and again he stopped, turned towards me with that look on his face, but this time his head was lowered. I took a step back, turned away from him and patted my leg. Right away he slowly walked over to me and nuzzled me in the back. I turned to him and gave him a good pat on the neck and began to tell him how pleased I was with him. Those that were watching were amazed to see his reactions and when I walked off, he followed me like a little puppy dog. To this day, when someone walks into his pen, he greets them and offers his head to be petted and to receive a halter.

This is just one example, but it shows how God is with us. He never HURTS us, nor does He YELL at us, but He entreats us to come to Him. When we don't, He simply sends us out away from Him in the 'round pen' (the world) until we are ready to try again. Some of us take a little longer than others, just like the horses. But he is always patient and ready to receive us as soon as we understand that it is not about US or what WE want, but about HIM and what HE wants for us.

In the future we will be keeping other livestock as well, such as cattle both dairy and beef and we will also have some chickens. Maybe a couple of sheep. (My wife wants to learn how to make her own wool.) We will NOT have goats!

When we first got out here we had some goats. They were so cute when they were young. But after they grew up, we realized why God used goats to represent the lost in this world. No offence to those who like and keep goats. I know that there are a lot of goat lovers out there, but give me a horse any day over a goat! Besides, you can ride a horse! :)

More to come....

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