March 2024 Newsletter
Wow has this been a rollercoster the past few months. While Jessi and I were sitting in church in Santa Rosa Beach, FL in December of 2023, God called us back into ministry. We were enjoying our time on the beach camping, with a few months left in the trip-- but God had other plans. God told us to cancel the rest of our trip and head back home, so that's what we did. We spent a lot of time asking God what He wanted us to do. We kept thinking about the time we have spent at my sister's ranch-- Freedom Reigns Ranch in TN. On the way down to FL we helped my sister frame in her barn at her ministry center. We were there for her grand opening of their new location and got to hear powerful testimony of people who got saved through her program. We later learned dozens of people have been saved here. During our prayer time it became clear to us what God was asking of us-- start a ministry ranch with a similar concept in the Bemidji, MN area.
Our Bemidji area is very unique. We have a high population of people that have been through trauma, significant life changes, foster care, struggled with loss, who may be unchurched-- but won't step foot in a church. This is why our ministry is going to be unique to meet the needs of Bemidjians. We are going to provide a safe place for people who have been through difficult circumstances to come, build a relationship with a horse, build a relationship with a mentor, and then God willing, build a relationship with Jesus. To be clear, people who are already saved are still welcome to apply for our programs-- saved people need Jesus too!
We are currently on track to open sometime this summer. During our dry winter, I cleared a lot of trees to make about 3+ acres of pasture on our property. Jessi and I met with an attorney recently and drew up articles of incorporation to file as a non-profit through the state of MN. We are working on some less exciting, but essential things, behind the scenes like getting insurance quotes, and drafting land lease agreements-- but all of the hard work will pay off.
As soon as the ground thaws, we will be working ground in that pasture area erecting fences, creating a session area, building stalls, putting up gates, and making the front of our property look like a ranch. We will be reaching out to Phil at QFM to see if we can be featured on his radio station to get the word out about this ministry so God can work and bring the people to sessions that He wants to reach. This ministry has really challenged us to trust God and we can't wait to see how He gets his work done.
Be in prayer for the following:
1: That God moves and the people He wants to sign up for sessions do.
2: That we find the right horses for this ministry to open by our target date.
3: That we raise the needed amount of funds and/or get donated equipment needed to open.
Eric
Our Bemidji area is very unique. We have a high population of people that have been through trauma, significant life changes, foster care, struggled with loss, who may be unchurched-- but won't step foot in a church. This is why our ministry is going to be unique to meet the needs of Bemidjians. We are going to provide a safe place for people who have been through difficult circumstances to come, build a relationship with a horse, build a relationship with a mentor, and then God willing, build a relationship with Jesus. To be clear, people who are already saved are still welcome to apply for our programs-- saved people need Jesus too!
We are currently on track to open sometime this summer. During our dry winter, I cleared a lot of trees to make about 3+ acres of pasture on our property. Jessi and I met with an attorney recently and drew up articles of incorporation to file as a non-profit through the state of MN. We are working on some less exciting, but essential things, behind the scenes like getting insurance quotes, and drafting land lease agreements-- but all of the hard work will pay off.
As soon as the ground thaws, we will be working ground in that pasture area erecting fences, creating a session area, building stalls, putting up gates, and making the front of our property look like a ranch. We will be reaching out to Phil at QFM to see if we can be featured on his radio station to get the word out about this ministry so God can work and bring the people to sessions that He wants to reach. This ministry has really challenged us to trust God and we can't wait to see how He gets his work done.
Be in prayer for the following:
1: That God moves and the people He wants to sign up for sessions do.
2: That we find the right horses for this ministry to open by our target date.
3: That we raise the needed amount of funds and/or get donated equipment needed to open.
Eric
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