Christmas!!

Christmas is here and along with it comes family, food, parties, food, caroling, food, presents, the unfortunate lack of snow (at least in Jersey Shore), and did I mention the never ending amounts of food? But throughout all the fun and christams spirit we must remember what Christmas is all about. December 25th is the day that brought Christ to earth! The Son of God became man so that we could live forever. It boggles my mind that God would love us so much to do that! 
     Life at home has been a blessing. Since moving back home I have been working through the emotions of what I had gone through in the past 3 months. God has definatly been my rock and I return to Him every second for my strength to get through!
    One of the many blessings I have had was that we had our family Christmas on the 18th. It was so fun to have the whole family gathered around and just having fun! On Monday my dear friend Morgan was able to come over and we had a blast shopping and just hanging out.
      I am still looking for employment and have applied to several places. I know God is leading me to schooling in the fall possibly back at Miracle Mountain Ranch. Your prayers on that matter would be greatly appreciated! Also prayer on a vehicle as I am still looking for a nice car or the non existant truck that doesn't guzzle gas! :)
     I pray you all have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! May we all remember what the True meaning of Christmas is!

Season of Change

The season of change has hit my life again as God has called me back home to PA. What about the horse program you may ask? Well, it is still in the building process and I tried to leave them to be successful. Why did you leave is another question? Well, there was a lot going on there that I had a hard time working with and had tried to work through but it was unchangable. Only God could make the changes needed to make the program move on. I resigned on the 9th with a 10 day notice and left on the 11th due to my boss pretty much telling me to leave asap. I am now home seeking God's will to be done in where I am to go next. The plan is to get a job for the moment and then go to school in the fall.
  Throughout this whole ordeal I have been learning to stand up for what I believe in and to follow God even when people think I'm a horrible person, try to convince me otherwise, or get super angry at me. Also to just let God have my back and not to let all the things people say about me or do to me get to me and be able to just look to Jesus and say "I'm yours and I'm following you." It's not easy and I am constantly laying myself down at the cross.
   Annie, Lilly, and I are having a blast being home and getting ready for Christmas, riding, goofing off, helping in the churches Live Nativity, and being able to relax and turn our sights to the future! :) Some amazing things have happened that have solidified the fact that I was to come home was that I got a place for my horse that isn't expensive! And also my Dad has found a truck that can haul my trailer and do what I need to do with the horses and it's in my price range!!!! Praise God now all I have to do is be able to get a job to keep it lol :)
God is good and I am very happy to be home especially with Christmas almost here! Thank you for your prayers and I would appreciate if you'd pray for a job and that I would be able to get into the school I have applied for and be able to make enought money to get there!

I am Not Skilled to Understand

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior

I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me; this I read
And in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my savior

That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

Chorus (2x's)
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior's always there for me
My God: He was, my God; He is
My God is always gonna be

Yes, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring;
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior

That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

My Savior loves! My Savior lives!

My Savior loves! My savior lives!

This has been my song the past few days as it has been an extremely weird, baffling, and exciting week for me. I was blessed with the gift of being able to go to Miracle Mountain Ranch's Christmas Party on Saturday. It was so much fun to be reunited with all of my Ranch family! And also meet new apprentices and get to know them!  A good friend of mine Maralynn Mulvahill was able to go with me and it was so much fun to catch up after not seeing each other for close to 2 years.

I am continually challenged to look to God instead of the things in this world as they don't last but a moment. God continually asks, "Jemi, how are you doing to handle this situation?" or "Can you still glorify me when the people around you don't and are being hard to work with?" 

There are also many decisions to make. What kind of car to get, what am I going to do after this year etc. But thankfully i don't need to know and I just have to trust the Lord.

 A couple weekends ago I was able to go with about 15 teens and 7 leaders from Young Life to
Lake Champion for their annual Fall Weekend. It was two days of intense fun with 400 teens and leaders having a blast worshiping God, having a shaving cream fight, seeing our lives flash before our eyes as we ride the 40' swing fittingly named the "Screamer". :) The teens had so much fun and it was good to see most of them connect with God, see a dream of going to a young life event fulfilled, and introduce Christ for the first time to others.

  Please keep praying for me as I am still unsure of what God is asking of me. And also for the provision of a vehicle.

Home is Where the Heart Is!

The Christmas Countdown has begun and with 28 days to go it's coming up quickly! It is definately my favorite time of year filled with snow, cookies, lights, decorated trees and a chance to spend time with family.  I have been blessed to be able to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with my parents and rest of my family! It has been a welcome relief and mini vacation from the farm to be able to come and just be with my siblings and parents. Just to be able to visit and celebrate was a pleasure. :)
In the past couple months it has been very interesting. I've had the honor of starting to teach a couple girls riding and we are planning on kicking off our riding program in January. Our horses are doing well and we are slowly adding to our herd. The barn is potentially going to be remodeled in Feb if we have enough money.
I am getting involved a ton with Young Life and that is where my heart really lies at this point. Yes, I love the horses and I will never stop loving them and working with them but I am looking beyond them and seeing what else there is out there. Young Life had their fall weekend last weekend and it was totally amazing! We piled 20 people into 4 vehicles and drove to Lake Champion in NY for a weekend of fun, music, games, shaving cream wars, 40' swings that scared the hibbie jibbies outta me, and reconnecting to a God who loves me enough to die for me!
I am still in the market for a vehicle with some prospects but it still hasn't happened yet. Continued prayer for this would be very grateful. Also, for the funds for the barn and that the teens hearts would be opened to the gospel and that we would be able to reach out to more and more kids.
Also something that God has been taking me through is that I have been developing severe food allergies. I haven't been able to pinpoint to what exactly but I will probably be going in for tests possibly in December. Please pray that we will figure out what I am allergic to and be able to figure out a way to treat it.

Two of my students and I riding

Practicing Straight lines for when we to drill team manuevers

  

A rider at the Sporthorse Cup in Syracuse



Trust and Obey

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. Refrain: Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, But His smile quickly drives it away; Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, Can abide while we trust and obey. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, But is blessed if we trust and obey. But we never can prove the delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay; For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet, Or we’ll walk by His side in the way; What He says we will do, where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey.

 

 

This has been the tune of my life lately. So many things lay ahead that seem impossible that all I can do is trust and obey. My heart continually asks "God, why?" He always gently says "Just trust me child. You don't need to know everything. I have more planned for you than you could ever imagine! Just, Trust!"

     Each day I wake up and I go out to feed the animals and take care of them. I fulfill my duties as Barn Manager and Head Wrangler for the day. Ride the horses, clean, if given the chance I have a girl come and ride. But at the end of the day I question what my purpose is here. I have begun to love the teens at Young Life on Tuesedays. And I am beginning to feel at home with the Young Adults that I work with. Yet I still feel a void that I cannot seem to fill. Daily I ask God to show me what to do and how to do it.

    I do not apologize for this not so happy post because this is where I'm truly at. I don't want to put on a face that all is well because it's isn't always a bed of roses. Thank fully we have a God that we can trust and obey for He DOES know what's going on.

     Thank you all for your continued prayers. I appreciate them all so very much.

Things to continue prayer for:

- The teens at Young Life

- The Young Life Leaders

- I desperatley need a vehicle

- The development of our riding program

- Remoleding of our barn

 

Praise:

- Horses came Safe on the 8th

- Open House went well and we made $50+ towards the remoleding

- I have one commited rider who wants to learn and do things

 

 

 

 

Rainbows and Rain Clouds

 The seasons have changed and Summer has said its goodbye (::::sniff sniff::) and Fall has yelled it's hello. bursting our world into vibrant colors, crisp smells, fall parties of apple cider, apple pie, pumpkins and fellowship.  It is a fun and invigorating time of year. In the same way God takes us through seasons to make us come closer to Him. During the past week God has taken me through a small winter and taken me into a summer filled with small rain storms but the best part is that He sends a rainbow to brighten my day! Some of these rainbows are that we were able to purchase a round pen!! Two He sent us a christian farrier who knows of MMR and is friends with some alumni! Three my horse and a new horse is coming on Friday!!!
 A small rainstorm that happened yesterday is that we had to euthanize one of our senior horses. He was very old and wasn't able to keep weight on for multiple reasons. He would not have made it through the winter so we humanly put him to rest yesterday. Even though he died we have the rainbow of that he is no longer suffering and we now have room for more horses. 
  Throughout this week God has been challenging me to continually talk to Him and glorify Him in all things.  The circumstances I have been presented with have given me the choice to live in Christ, seek His will, and shine for Him. To be in the world but not of it. Whether it be with the movies I watch, the speech that comes out of my mouth, or what I listen too. Slowly, I am learning to build my foundation on Christ more securely without having someone else's rules for me to follow. I am called to seek truth always!
 I have officially moved into my apartment that is adjoined to the house! I have a roommate named Eva and she has been such a blessing! We have revamped the entire place painting and remodeling it to make it "ours" :)



  This weekend we have our annual open house for the goat dairy and I am in charge of a fundraiser for our program. So, how would I do that? Pony Rides!!!! :) It will be an experience to run it instead of just helping but I'm excited. We are raising money in order to build stalls in our barn so we have enough housing for 9 horses, a tack room, feed room etc.
   I want to thank everyone who has been praying as I cherish them! Keep praying as we have a long road before we are in full swing.
 

Praises!!!

- Round pen for training

- Moved into my apartment and painting it 

- Christian friends 

Prayer!

- Safe Transport of horses on Friday

- Open house over the weekend

- We will raise money to revamp the barn

- A vehicle for me to be able to make runs to town, haul horses, and do farm work

And Away We Go!!!



The Farm House where I will be living



   

      It's finally here!! Today we packed everything, hooked up the trailer and are planning on leaving tomorrow around 7am!! And then I will be up in NY beginning my new job at Lively Hope Ministry!!! I am super excited yet super nervous as well. My entire life is changing and it is going to be very different. I am going to be responsible not only for the horses and the training but also I am to challenge teens to live for Christ and seek Him. I do not feel at all ready to be that kind of responsibility but God doesn't always call us to things that we are ready for. He often gives us a job that we have to work at so that He will be glorified through us! In this I am standing.

   One thing that has thrown me for a loop is that this week my car went on the blink. It went in for inspection and it cost more to fix it than I have available. God has asked me to go to NY without a vehicle. I am praying that He will provide a more functional and long lasting vehicle (praying for a truck) for me and the ministry! It is also challenging for me to go into a job where I will be making minimal amounts of money but to rely on Christ for my every need!

The barn and goat cheese factory

    This past week I have been blessed by many things. I was able to spend time with my sister and her family for an evening. It was nice just to be able to visit and go to their youth group and meet people seeking God and serving Him!! I had the oppertunity to see an old friend and get to know each other again. Also a group in my church called the Comfort Stitchers blessed me with a gift of a homemade blanket! What they do is they make quilts and crochet blankets for people and they pray for them while they make them. It is a blessing to know I am prayed for and loved by my church family!

Deuteronomy 31:6

 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Thank you all so much for your prayers they are greatly appreciated! 

Praise!!

- I have found a potential horse for the program!

- God's goodness

Prayer

- Safety moving tomorrow!

- Wisdom in buying horses!

- Provision for a vehicle (preferably a truck)

-Smooth transitions for everyone and the animals :)



The Messmer family who I will be working with
Steve and Susanne (in Middle)
David and Pete (on either side)



   

New Beginnings!

Well, off we go again! :) Phew! I have barely caught my breath after a very busy summer in Colorado and in 1 week I will be moving to NY to start building an equestrian program for Lively Hope Ministry! We are based in Interlaken NY out in the country!!! Currently I have 4 horses to work with and get in shape for lessons. I also have a barn to build stalls in and get ready for the winter so that i have a place to put all the horses in so they don't freeze :) I hope to build up their herd, develope a horse related Bible study, teach lessons, and do a lot of cool activities and promotions with horses. I am super excited about this oppertunity for ministry that God has blessed me with. As many of you will be wondering yes, I will be taking my horse Annie and my dog Lilly with me there :) I will transport Annie up from a friends house in PA at some point after I get settled in up there. And Lilly is going to tag along wherever I go :)
  This summer consisted of me working at Latigo Ranch in Kremmling, Colorado as a wrangler. The summer was full to the brim with adventures and learning how to really be a cowgirl. I flew out in May and in August I was challenged with the fact that they could not afford to pay all the summer staff through the end of August so I had to find a place to stay until i could fly home. God blessed me with the hospitality of my dear friends the Goers family in Utah. They opened their home to me for 3 weeks until my flight left. My best bud Katie Goers and I rampaged around Layton Utah causing the usual rucous that comes with the two of being together. :)
    God has been challenging me so very much lately in how I am to build up my belief system in Him. And about how His way is the only way! So much throughout this summer He's asked me to do things, allowed things to happen for no apparent reason, and put people in my path to challenge how much I really am intune with Him. The Lord says that He will always be ther for us no matter what! Thank God for that :)

    Just some things for you to pray about:
- Safety in moving my gear and supplies up to NY on Saturday
- Provision for all the supplies we need to get the barn in working order
- Safety in transporting my horse up there
- Smooth transitions for all of us including the animals