Summer 2021

Sessions are in full swing at the Ranch, it’s been an unusually rainy Summer, but we are making the most out of the warm days and longer evenings. The horses have been enjoying time in the pasture and all the attention they get from kids and our volunteers. While there’s still a lot of uncertainty in our world, we’re grateful that things for us are much more “normal” this Summer. I was reminded during a conversation with one of our kids that God wants us to be hopeful.

We were grooming Burdie, chatting about this, that and the other thing. This young girl has been coming to the Ranch for a while and I’ve had the privilege of seeing the little seeds of faith in her life grow and bloom. On this particular day, we were talking about Clyde, how he died and that made us feel sad because we missed him. We talked about heaven and how God makes everyone perfect in Heaven, no more sickness or pain. She told me about a few family members that had passed away and the various ailments that they wouldn’t be suffering from anymore. Clyde’s legs never were very strong and he walked funny becuase of that and we talked about how he must be able to run now that his legs were healed. She thought about that for a second and then looked at me and burst out, “Maybe Jesus will come back riding Clyde! Imagine that? You look down the road and see Jesus just strolling down the road on Clyde!”

Her eyes were wide with possibility and I laughed at the thought of that. Clyde had only been ridden a handful of times and he was pretty nervous under saddle, definitely not a horse you would choose to go for a “stroll” on.

We continued grooming for a few minutes, letting silence fall between us as Burdie stood quietly enjoying the attention and we returned to our own thoughts. Suddenly she stopped with her brush and looked at me seriously, “Wait, Jesus ACTUALLY might come back riding Burdie! It says that He is going to come back on a white horse and she’s white!!”

At this, I got a little lump in my throat because only a child could believe that the King of Kings would just maybe come back riding Burdie, this horse in front of us that required special boots and medications daily to manage the pain in her hooves. Without much thought, my little friend believed that the power of God could heal her completely, to be able to carry the extra weight of a rider AND not only that, but that the God of the Universe would choose this little broken horse to carry Him on his final entry to Earth. It sounds like something Jesus just might do, doesn’t it? He loves to take the “unusable” the “worthless” the “messed up” and “broken” parts of society and of us to show His power and love.

The thing is, that I think we often complicate what God wants from us as people who love Him. Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16,17

Children are a lot of things. They are curious, forgiving, energetic, and believing. They are eager to learn and ask lots of questions. They trust easily and aren’t easily offended. This is how God wants us to be with Him. He wants us to be HIS children, spending time with Him, by talking to Him and listening to His voice. It’s hard to remember that it’s this simple, but in this moment with my little friend and her ideas about Jesus, I was reminded that kids are hopeful. They can believe in the unseen and the impossible. God wants us to be that way, to be the ones who are hopeful. To believe Him when He says that He has good things for us (Matthew 7:11), He knows what we need (Luke 12:30), and He wants to give us peace (John 14:27).

To receive the Kingdom of God like a child is to wake up every day with a new sense of wonder, to ask God “What do you have for me today?” and to look around in your day to see His hand in it. It’s so easy to get bogged down into the grind of life that you miss the gifts He does have for you. God shows up in my life in lots of ways. It could be having an encouraging conversation with a co-worker, sitting by a campfire with friends, stopping to admire the echinacea in our gardens or laughing at the silly antics of our dogs. There is so much joy to be claimed but we can’t see it if we don’t ask God to show us.

The Bible says Jesus is coming back on a white horse, we don’t know which one that might be but until then... ask God to show up in your life. Believe that He has good things He is just waiting for you to experience. ~DK

Ranch Updates

We have some very exciting news to share! We have started a new aspect of our Ranch ministry which is “Ranch Worship.” We felt the leading of the Spirit to provide an opportunity for anyone to join us in worship of God through song, message, and prayer. Our goal is to encourage individuals to grow in their personal faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. Our worship time is at 10 am and is held currently in our barn with a time of acoustic music, Biblical learning, discussion, and prayer. The construction of a pavilion has begun this Summer. The kit for the structure should arrive this Fall and we will use it as a space for Ranch Worship as well as other Ranch events. The 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays of the month have discussions of broad biblical interest, and the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month focus on living out a Christian faith. The group that gathers week to week varies and we have been so blessed in the couple of months that we’ve had since starting this. We are very excited to see how God is going to move in our community!

We launched our website www.timberridgeranch.org this Spring! Check it out for upcoming Ranch events, the newsletter (and other stories) available on the blog and an online donation option.

Prayer Requests

For safety and wisdom as we head into a new season of Ranch activities

For our Ranch kids, as they face challenges every day, and their caregivers, who support them and bring out the best in them.

For God’s presence and the Holy Spirit moving in the lives of those who attend Ranch Worship

That we would be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit as we interact with our Ranch families.

Volunteer Opportunities

We have many different opportunities for anyone who has a willing heart to invest in the Ranch. Whether you’re good with kids or adults, horses or mechanical things, we’ve got opportunities to help here. Let us know if you’ve got a free weekend to help with a project or two, or you just want to spend an hour once in a while unloading a hay wagon, grooming a horse, or picking up poop! There’s always stuff to do here!

Donate

Donations to support our ministry can be submitted on our website or sent to:
Timber Ridge Ranch, 2691 Route 174, Marietta, NY 13110.

We are a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.