Love the child, Save the horse, give Hope & Strength to the family.
A Song to Sing
-By Katie Stathes, RYYR Program Mgr
I was recently told that I have a song to sing. This brother in Christ told me that
every breath I take is given to me by God, and it is up to me to breath out the love of
Christ in every exhale. The love of our Lord and Savior will spread through the air with
every sigh, every deep breath of exhaustion, every sob and every joyful laugh. The
light of Christ shines vibrantly through the broken and the weak, teaching us how to be
stewards in His image. It is not easy.
Not long after I started working at Ready Yourselves Youth Ranch I was hit with
an immense life changing event that would forever alter my way of being. I felt broken,
abandoned, and worthless. My heart was torn and I was distressed to the point of
physical pain. For five days, tears flowed just as easy as water from a broken faucet.
Each sorrowful gasp was filled with fearful prayer, each cry was more raw than the one
before it. I could not function.
I walked through the doors of the ranch with an empty and broken heart shortly
after it happened. I was embraced with prayer by Micheline and Pastor Phil, and it was
at that moment I felt as though I was being lifted up. I don’t know how to explain what
has happened since that day, but it feels as though I am being carried though each
day. "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you. Never, ever, during your
trials and testing. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried
you.” ( Footprints Poem)I know that I am not making this journey alone, Christ is
walking with me. The bride-groom is at my door and in my heart. He has carried me and
continues to carry me. Through being at the ranch, I feel in my heart that I am doing
God’s will and he is using me to my fullest potential. It is because of my brokenness that
I am able to see the light.
I am a Marine Corps Veteran, having spent a year deployed as a combat camerawoman I truly saw how broken the world can be. Even though I was a witness of death, I
was able to suppress the emotions that are associated with such events. Things are
different now; all of my past emotions and experiences are flooding though my body
but with Christ I know that I am going to be able to face these demons. Praise be to
God!
TASTEFULLY SIMPLE FUNDRAISER:
Place an order and RYYR will get 100 of the profits! Ends March 31, 2016. Go to:
https://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/asachs
On the webpage, scroll down to see how you can go to the event for RYYR that Ken Sachs is hosting
for the fundraiser. Thank you for your support!
Triple C Cowboy Church........WOW!
-By Phillip Huggins, RYYR Mentor
and Triple C Church Pastor
Years ago when I first dreamed of a cowboy church I had no idea the impact that it would have
on people. The following is a summary of the Triple C Church service on March 8th. Each service has
had as many exciting details with lives being changed.
Since the first service in early January, 2016, each time we have met a new person has been in
attendance. Three weeks back a lady found Triple C on Facebook. Last week she invited a friend.
This week she invited a another friend. They all plan to be back next week. That is how a church
grows. That is how you excite a pastor and energize a church.
That last night, a five year old told us that he doesn't like church. That was good as it taught
that it is good to be honest and open about what we think. There are no masks at Triple C. A teen
and his mom had a "sword drill" to see who could find a passage quicker. The teen won. Most
churches are filled with "old" people. Most services, at my mid 50's, I am the "old man".
During the opening I regularly ask the group to share something about themselves as a means
of everyone getting to know each other. I asked them to share what they expect to get from Triple C
if they are attending for the first or second time or what they have received from Triple C if they have
attended multiple times. The newest attendee shared that she was disconnected from a Church and
wanted to be connected with other believers. In what was a Holy Spirit inspired moment I asked who
else was drawn to Triple C because they were disconnected from a church and wanted to be
connected with other believers. Almost every hand went up. We are building a church by "rounding
up unbranded strays" rather than "rustling" from other churches. Some who attend have not yet
made a salvation decision. How exciting is that?!
"He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest,
therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." -Luke 10:2
The fellowship hall after the service seems to be the stall area in the barn as we look at and pet
the horses. Haley who is a short-term boarder horse at the ranch, being an 18.2 hands high, 1750 lb
Belgian was a "big" hit. (pun intended). Here is some of the conversations that occurred during the
"after glow" time.
1. One of the men from Triple C has a sister with a single hitch wagon and the harness. RYYR has the
horse. There was talk about RYYR giving hay rides at campgrounds this summer. The two ministries
are dovetailing where they help each other.
2. A family asked when they can start tithing. How is that for a change? People are asking to give
financially to the church!
3. Another asked when leaders are going to be put in place. How different is that? People are
desiring to move forward.
4. We had not starting taking any offerings but as people were leaving a couple from First Baptist
turned around and came back. The wife handed me some money for the offering that we did not
collect. The man I was talking with then reached in his pocket and gave some additional money. There
is now seed money to begin a bank account.
5. Earlier I had mentioned the idea of breaking up into two groups when we grow too large
for the current meeting room. It was expressed that it was not a good idea. People are taking
ownership of the group. It is becoming organized and empowered.
6. Ideas were presented for ministry and outreach outside of just coming to Triple C Church. Those
in attendance were excited and wanted to get on board. People are wanting to contribute instead of
just receive.
For the past several weeks the messages have been from Acts 2 covering the five purposes of
the church. The topic of discussion over the remainder of March will be answering how Triple C is
able to apply these purposes. At the March 15 service, the topic was finding a treasurer and taking up
an offering. Examining leaders will be potentially discussed. There are a whole host of other topics
that will need to be looked into. Things are moving fast. It does not take much to see the hand of
God at work in the individual lives of people and in the group as a whole. Please keep us in your
prayers!
Ready Yourselves Youth R anch www.RYYR.org [email protected]
724-713-1653