Beauty from ashes, beauty from ashes …… those were the words I kept repeating over and over as I watched the flames engulf our barn in January 2004. We had been unable to get our two precious horses out of the barn, and our hearts were broken over the fact that Shily and Casper were gone. Yet, God had planted a promise in my heart years before, and in His goodness and mercy, He brought that promise to mind when I needed it the most. So, as the raw hurt of losing our foals threatened to crush my heart, the hope found in Isaiah 61:3 suddenly took over …

Isaiah 61
³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion-
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

I knew we would have some very tough days ahead, but I also knew, at that moment, that there were amazing things in store. Looking back since the fire, God’s fingerprints of faithfulness are easy for anyone to spot.

Shily and Casper weren’t just our beloved pets, they were the first two horses we planned to share with others in our ranch ministry. Ever since our family heard about Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in Bend, Oregon, we knew that God had called our family to a similar outreach in this area – to pair up horses (many of them rescued from abuse or neglect) with hurting kids, within a loving, Christian environment. All of this at no cost to the children.

Kids who come to our ranch – now named Shily’s Promise Youth Ranch – will be paired up with one horse and one leader, assuring that each child has a partner with whom they can share their joys and their struggles. The sessions the kids have with the horses won’t all be the same, nor will they all include riding time. Some children will come to us timid and fearful, not ready for anything more than learning to feel comfortable being near a horse. Some kids may get the healing they need by simply grooming their horse, or even just having a horse to talk to. We will offer as much as any child needs, but not push for any certain level of horsemanship. Some kids may find their niche in grooming, others in groundwork, and others in certain types of riding.

The children who come to Shily’s Promise will all be taught how to interact with horses through something called Natural Horsemanship. There are several wonderful trainers who use this type of training. We have chosen to use Pat Parelli’s materials and tools, as we’ve found them to be effective and easy to use. The horses we have already at the ranch respond very well to this method, and we’ve seen some great progress since we started teaching them this way. Natural Horsemanship teaches a horse to become "light" and responsive – meaning that the horse learns to respond to the smallest of cues.

If you feel God prompting you to get involved in this ministry, we’d love to hear from you! Visit our Contact Us page to find out how to get in touch.

To learn more about the ranch that inspired us, we’d encourage you to read the book Hope Rising by Kim Meeder, available at most major book retailers near you, or you can order it online at Amazon.com