September 2008

SUMMER TIME WINDS TO A CLOSE !

dear friends,

Here we are going into Fall thankful for such a fruitful season.

We have all grown in Gods grace continually

Here are some of the wonderful things that have happened !

This summer has been very full, three camps a month that went very well. Once again they were different than the ones in the past. Almost every young person that came was already a believer in Christ and doing fairly well in their walk with the Lord. There were exceptions but for the most part very strong followers, even when Karen and I went to Georgia with D.R. Daniels, a champion calf roper, to help do a calf roping school twelve young people , very nice, respectful and ALL confessing Jesus as their Savior, it’s been that kind of summer.

There was a young man that’s been helping with the work who received Jesus as Savior two weeks ago which was cause for celebration, we had one young man, Brandon stay all summer who just wanted to stay close to the Lord, what a great work God is doing and we get to be a part of His work, so what is Father showing us in all this? This is what I believe and it will answer a lot of questions that we get from people looking for a place for kids that or in trouble or on drugs, that is not what we are called to do, God has told us to know our passion, our calling and that’s to have a place where those who love Him can come and have a good time and fill His presence and as The Word says, “Draw close to Him and He will draw close to you.” I tell you, I didn’t pick the young people, Father did. We have a song we sing at the camps. “This is Father’s House, a big, big house with lots and lots of room, a big, big table with lots and lots of food, a big, big yard where we can play football” ( except we play roping, bull riding, bronc riding, barrel racing and pole bending). It’s Father’s yard for His kid’s that want to follow Him, He has said thank you, by giving you a place to enjoy His creation, I know there is a great need for the other troubled kid’s, Teen Challenge’s are full and there is much that needs to be done, but on the other hand in this are those young people who are doing right can be left out because they are okay, we want you to use our resources to make sure they keep it up and stay on the right track. The Lord showed me that it cost a fraction of time and money to keep them on the right road as it does to bring them back or rehabilitate them, what I thought He was saying He showed me this summer, so if you have or know of a young person 12 – 18 years old who is like this give us a call, we’ve been growing for four years and still learning. Now one last thing that we get asked a lot, what’s the cost? At Sunday Church services do you take up offerings? We don’t charge and we don’t pass a plate on Sunday, some say this is wrong,
this is what I say as Paul in 1 Cor. 9:12,

" We have never demanded payment of any kind for fear that if we did you might be less interested in our message to you from Christ. Verse 14 In the same way the Lord has given orders that those who preach the Gospel should be supported by those who accept it. Verse 15 Yet I have never asked you for one penny. And I am not writing this to hint that I would like to start now. In fact I would rather die of hunger than lose the satisfaction I get from preaching (having camps) without charge. Verse 16 For just preaching the Gospel isn’t any special credit to me – I couldn’t keep from preaching it if I wanted to. I would be utterly miserable." (The Message)

I’m not saying that we don’t take gifts, we do from those that God puts on their hearts, we have a man with some of the best hay in Florida that keeps us in hay, we have those who help with the work volunteers, there are churches that give as the Lord directs, some have let us use land to raise cattle to support, but none are asked by anyone, this is the way it’s meant to be, God loves cheerful givers, this is God’s work, I am a shepherd, He is the provider and if He is not providing I am off track.

God Bless You!

Many prayers have been answered and we give God the praise for making the way for our house to be finished and we are finally moved in. It is beautiful and we thank you !!!!
please continue to pray as we are still working on the plans and permits for the bunkhouse.

we do have some awesome temporary cabins many hands have helped to put together and we are so thankful for gods provision as always!

our practices continue to be an awesome time of encouraging each other on to the high calling God has for us in being all that he created us to be. roping practices is on monday night, barrels practices are on tuesday night, and bull riding practices are on wednesday night.

Christ in you our hope of glory! Have you ever stopped to think about that? Look back to when Christ first came into your life, how He loved you first and through His love you yielded to his will and that changed you . Christ is the only one that can do tha. He is our only hope to be more like Him, we can trust Him completely to allow Him to work in our lives. We have been blessed this year with four new foals they are sooo cute, as foals can be though they really do not like you to handle them and to tell you the truth can be really rough, but our last filly to be born is sooo sweet and loving she will follow you around for you to pet her and hug her.

She is so trusting we had to seperate her and her Mom from the others so she did not get hurt before she grew some. She got kicked by one of the other mares her first day of life and I was afraid for her. As we put them back out with the other horses here recently I asked the Lord to especially protect her. "I Am He said and you are to learn from her not to fear". As I heard His words and felt His love for meI remembered that verse, Christ in you our hope of glory, Colossians 1:27. Our only hope is Christ working in our lives His good will, taking out all that hinders or harms us and replacing it with His love, His ways . I am so thankful that He loves us so much to do this, He wants the best for us, He uses the things in our lives like little filly to relate to us He is so personal and faithful !

Aunt Karen 2008

John 15:16-17 you did not choose me but i chose you and appointed you to go bear fruit- fruit that would last. then the father will give you whatever you ask in my name. this is my command that you love one another.

Hey everyone ! Darren Here

I have been with Gethsemane ranch now for almost two years and to this day I am still amazed by the way my God uses everything for the good. I know with out a doubt that I am not only there to help the kids but the kids are there to help me. I love to just sit back and watch how the lord works in all our lives. there is nothing better than to see some one accept the love of God into their lives by accepting forgiveness through Jesus. to see the joy come into their lives to see the smile on their faces. To see the joy when they ride their first horse or first bull, to see them throw their first rope. The Lord said to me come and I will give you Joy and peace. i can honestly say I have experienced His Promise !