Pony Express Ministry 

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" - Hebrews 12:1

Trail Tails

2005

God is GOOD!   Wow!  What a summer!  I quit my full time job as a Customer Service Representative with a Propane Company on May 24^th.   What for?  Because the Lord was ready for me to “saddle up” for the next phase of my life.  Was it easy?  Are you kiddin’?  It scared the fire out of me…..Good Benefits, Good pay, Great people to work with….was I nuts?!  :)

This account of the summer is a LONG one.   So, you may have to revisit this page to finish reading it  :).  Just warnin’ ya.

My purpose for writing it is this. As we live in these last days, we as Christians simply need more Faith.  We turn on the news and everything and everybody seems to have just plum lost their minds.  You can’t even watch a decent show (if there is one on anymore) without being bombarded with provocative commercials.  Or, someone trying to talk you into “popping a pill” to solve everything.   Yipes!  Where do you turn for sanity?

I am always encouraged by the Faith stories, the Love stories, the Compassion stories.  People that aren’t afraid to share how God spoke to them, healed them, loved them.  So many wonderful things happened to us this summer, I wanted to share my stories too.  My hope is that one or more of these will encourage you in your walk with Him.  In writing these stories down, it also helps me to keep in mind that God is ALWAYS faithful.  When I face a new situation, I can go back and read how God was there for me in the past.  He never changes (Hebrews 13:8).

So, c’mon… let’s ride for a bit……..

A few months before I quit my job, I had been getting a restlessness in my spirit that God was going to move me.  I started praying for CLEAR direction as to going full time in the Ministry.  The last thing I wanted to do was to get ahead of Him.  So,  knowing that I’m a bit hard headed, I asked Him to REALLY make it clear…a burning bush, writing on the wall, something like that.   Well, I didn’t get the Bush or the Wall, but God spoke through a trusted friend of mine and that was all I needed.  God’s “still small voice” spoke to me all through the next week, encouraging me to take that first step of Faith and actually tell my bosses.

My husband, Bruce, is already in full time Ministry (Calvary Cowboys) and God has never let us down financially.  However, with BOTH of us being in full time Ministry….whew!  It was a real test of FAITH.  I had about two things “on the books”, a tiny savings, a BIG truck payment, etc., etc., etc.  But, the Lord kept telling me “I am your Provider…..period.  I was the One who gave you such an awesome employer for three years.  They were good to you, paid you well, etc.  How much more do you think I am going to take care of you as your DIRECT “employer”?  I am your Provider!  (He had to talk to me on my level of understanding).

He also “hot-shotted” me with “How can you minister about Faith and then shrink back when I ask you to “step out”?”  Oooooooo, THAT got me!   “O.K. Lord,” I said, “I’m goin’ for it.  I’m willing to trust You and step out in the most courageous move of my life.  I’m literally taking You at your Word”.  When I made that decision, however, I knew that Satan was right there wanting me to fall flat on my face.  So, I dove into the Word to make sure I stayed strong.  I looked up the word “Faith” in the Concordance of my Bible and read every verse under it.  The Lord made it clear through His Word that He would take care of me in my decision of Faith, just like He did Abraham, Moses, Noah, David, etc. (the list is a “mile” long).  He says in Hebrews 13 that He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that He wouldn’t let me down either.

The adventures He took us on this summer were incredible.  He answered prayers, granted the desires of our hearts, showed up in ways that blew our minds.

Those of you who live in Texas, know how HOT and HUMID it can get in the summer.  The first blessing He continually gave us throughout the summer, was to send us to areas of the country that had COOL, DRY air!  Now, for those of you who have beloved animals, you will really understand this.  My concern was not only for mine and my husband’s provision when I stepped out in Faith, but also for our “boys”.  Nocona and Tari are my two horses and they’re part of the family.  Tari has been with me for 16 years, Nocona for 6.  God in His ultimate love for us, understood our love for our pets.  He also provided a place for them in our absence…..17 acres of grass and a pond to swim in.  Yep, they were in their happy place!

The first place God sent us to was Colorado.  The Calvary Cowboys had a couple of Ministry dates up there and I was able to go along for the ride.  After the three year pressures of a demanding job, it was like someone opened the corral gate and let me go!   We were able to spend some awesome time with Bruce’s family up there and we met some wonderful new friends at the Cowboy Churches. 

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We were totally blessed when we were invited to a VERY remote area of the Rockies where the family owns property.  It was a place that Bruce had been wanting to go to for years and a place I was longing to go to after they told me where it was…….heart of the Rockies, right by a stream/river, wildlife everywhere…….wild!  We hiked, shot targets with the bow and arrows, explored, ate like pigs…..wonderful!  I even realized a dream I had "forever” of finding an Indian Spearhead.  We were exploring and there it was…..blackened by possible centuries of campfires, it now has a special place in my house as a testament that God indeed cares about our “little” dreams.

Hittin’ the road again, we headed for Wisconsin.  We had a very blessed time singing at the Cup of Joy Café in Green Bay and then at the Wisconsin Gospel Music Festival in Marshfield.  From there, we were to travel cross country through the United States to California and then back through the southern states to Texas.

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Now, keep in mind, Diesel prices had just started to soar beyond anything we dreamed imaginable.  All in all, that trip put about 6000 miles on my truck…..you can imagine what the diesel bill was.   However, God NEVER tells you to do something, without Him already knowing how He’s going to provide for you.  Our job is to walk out our Faith in those promises.  Kind of like the Pony Express.  You were given the provisions you needed to start out……a horse, gear, food, water…but you actually had to get on and RIDE, before you saw the provision down the road…….

Our desire was to travel cross country, simply because we wanted to explore, see and meet people from other parts besides our own little world.  We prayed about it because we knew it would be expensive.  God gave us the “go ahead”.

Bruce and I love to stay in and explore National and State Parks.   After our concerts in Wisconsin, our first stop was The Badlands of South Dakota.  Oh, how I wished my horses were there……I could have ridden that place for WEEKS!  We arrived at the campground very late (yes, we were quite popular with the other campers as we traipsed through with our diesel truck).  We decided to camp at the extreme far end of the place, so if there was any wildlife, we would be right there……little did we know…….

That night a dangerous storm had been brewing in the distance and actually was quite fun to watch…..until it changed course and headed right for us.  Now in South Dakota, there’s ALOT of open ground.  And, here we were in a nylon pup tent, with little to no protection at all.  The line of that storm stretched so far and wide that there was no way it would miss us.  About the only thing we could do at that point, was pray.  And pray we did!  We rebuked that storm in the name of Jesus.  Then, prayed and thanked the Lord for our protection. 

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The more the lightening became brighter and the thunder louder, the more we thanked the Lord for our protection and that the storm had no authority where we were.

Here’s the cool part.  The minute we finished our prayer….the wind came up……blowing THE OTHER way!  The first thing I thought of was the verse in Psalms that says: “He makes His angels winds”…….I told Bruce what I was thinking and the Lord had just told him the same thing.  Right then and there, we knew all was well.   That storm stopped within a few miles of us and went around us in a circle.  THAT’S the Power of the Almighty God!

The next morning was beautiful.  We woke up to the strange sound of snorting, munching, stomping.  Now, remember, we were camped at the FAR end of the campground.  Ok, we wanted to see wild life, but we were beginning to think we got a little more than we bargained for.

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I opened the flap of our tent and looked out at a scene from 200 years ago.  Everything from the 21^st century was completely erased from view………by about 200 Bison!  They were everywhere and ALL AROUND our tent and truck!   Two little calves came up to me through the opening and I tried to touch their noses, but that was a little much for them and they scampered off. 

I was having great fun…..until I heard their Mama snorting and pushing her nose against the back of our tent.  Bruce and I looked at each other and realized that we could be in a very tense situation.  But the thrill of the moment took over and we were mesmerized by the scene outside. 

We realized our potential danger when a HUGE bull walked by our tent, swinging his head and grunting…..and with every swing…..giving us the “stink” eye.  Now, I’ve been around animals, wild and otherwise, my whole life.  I’ve never been afraid, but always respectful.  But, when I looked in that eye, instinct told me that this bad boy meant business.  Bruce and I shrunk back inside our tent and prayed that this brute would move on.  After a couple passes he finally did, as well as the rest of the herd, and we were finally able to get out of the tent.

After that experience, we came across literature with warnings about how dangerous these animals can be.   Probably a good thing that we read this stuff AFTER the fact.

Thoroughly “in” to our trip now, we headed for Yellowstone….stopping off at Mt. Rushmore on the way.  God has given so many talents to mankind, it’s amazing.  The key is to realize your talents, work in them, and give glory to Him.  How the men carved out the faces of these Presidents on the side of a mountain is nothing short of a testament to the awesome talents God can give us.  Those Presidents reminded me that our Great Nation was indeed founded on one nation UNDER GOD! 

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Off we went again towards Yellowstone. WOW! In parts of this awesome place, it was like how one would imagine walking on the moon.  Craters, bubbling mud pools, hot brilliant, gem colored “bottomless” pools everywhere, geysers, clear rivers, lakes…..oh, and OF COURSE, Old Faithful Geyser!  God’s power, majesty and beauty were everywhere.   We saw bald eagle, bear, mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, bison and even heard a wolf pack that night (that was kind of spooky….but VERY cool!).  As I was born an explorer/adventurer, I was reluctant to leave that place. But, we’ll be back.

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Off to Yosemite!  Now, I do want to mention here, that through all of our traveling, the weather was absolutely awesome.  Nasty storms that we’d see and seem to be heading right for, suddenly seemed to part and give us a “window” to go through.  Or, as we noticed later, some storms would come through AFTER we had already broke camp and headed down the road. 

Now, remember I told you that God cares about the details of our lives, the small as well as big dreams.  I have a card that says “If it matters to you, it matters to Him”.  This is very true.  I saw this profoundly in Yosemite.

Let me take you back a “few” years.  When I was 16 years old, my family and I went to Yosemite.  It was an inspiring, soul refreshing, life changing experience for me.  The year we were there, heavy rains had caused the waterfalls and rivers to be full to over capacity…..gushing and thundering down the mountain sides and cliffs.  There were waterfalls where there usually are none.  It was spectacular!  One of the places we camped was a place called Tuolumne Meadows.  This was a particularly special place for me……no houses, no fences, no inhibitions.  .  just wide open, wild, free……

With the abundance of water, I felt then that we had seen something very rare and I probably would not see that again in my life time.  We took tons of pictures to capture those memories. 

Unfortunately, about a year and a half later, we lost our home in the Panorama Fire in Southern California.  We lost everything. We basically just got out with the clothes on our backs.  The pictures, of course, were destroyed.  From time to time, I would think about those Yosemite pictures and wished there could have been some way I could have saved them.

Now, 26 years later, I felt so blessed to be able to come back to this awesome Park that held so many good memories.  As we drove through, I almost couldn’t believe that I was back again. 

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And then I saw the sign……..”Tuolumne Meadows”.    “We have to camp here!”  I told Bruce.  But, as we drove up, we saw that the Camp Office was closed.  We also saw the other Camp statuses throughout the Park…..”FULL”.   We were stuck.  It was already late in the evening and the only option was to drive through the Park and hope there was somewhere to “hole up” or we’d just have to sleep in the truck right there in the parking lot.  All we could do was pray that the Lord would provide somehow.  I told the Lord, “I believe You can pull this one off…..but, man, this is going to be interesting!” 

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I told Bruce, “Look, I know we may not be able to stay here.  But, let’s drive through the Camp, just for my memories sake. I have to see at least the Camp again.”  (Oh, me of little faith). So, we swung the truck around and pulled in.   Just as we started through, we noticed a booth in the middle of the road.  No way!..hee,hee!!!   Two Rangers were manning that booth, for latecomers like us.   The camp was full…….but NOT for tents!  We ended up getting a site RIGHT ON THE RIVER!  Needless to say, we made the most of that stay.  We hiked up and down the River and back in to Tuolumne Meadows. 

 As I sat on that River, I thought back through my life.  And, although I haven’t had it easy a lot of times, the Lord was always there and provided.  I felt like a kid again and I felt like I had come full circle.

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Now, that was the first amazing thing.  The second was that Yosemite had gotten rain…..and LOTS of it!  When we traveled through the Park, I could barely believe my eyes.  It was like I had stepped back 26 years and was again witnessing the spectacular beauty and the awesome scenes that I thought I would never see again.  On top of that, I retook the pictures of the scenes that I had lost in that fire many years ago.  GOD IS GOOD!!

From there we headed down the State Of California to Salinas where the Calvary Cowboys were to be in Concert that Friday night.  After that, we took our time and headed down the California Coast – Highway 1.  We were blessed to be able to spend a few days with my family in Southern California (I only get to see them about twice a year at the most). 

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For the last leg of our trip we headed for Texas to sing and minister at Rising Star Cowboy Church and then at Mound Cowboy Church.  On the way to Texas we hit some minor delays, but they’re worth mentioning.  Sometimes in life we get so frustrated when we get held up in traffic, our order isn’t ready, the check-out line isn’t going fast enough.  Stuff that is just plain irritating and just holds us up.  Next time that happens, instead of compounding your frustration with stress, think about this.  We were at a truck stop in El Paso. There

were so many cars and trucks going in and out of that place that it took us “forever” to get out on the road.  We were on a tight time constraint because we had to be at Rising Star that evening.  We were frustrated and stressed.  Then, we just decided,  look, this just ain’t no good.  We’ll just chill out and pray that God will redeem the time and not worry about it.

It had been raining pretty heavy on the road ahead of us, and as we neared a certain stretch, we noticed that there were cars strewn out everywhere.  Eighteen wheelers were flipped in the bar ditch and on the road.  Cars were banged up and jumbled beside them.

Had we not been delayed back at that truck stop, we would have been in the middle of that mess.  This scenario actually happened twice.  But, you better believe that we were less stressed the second time.  We knew God had His hand on us.  The concert at Rising Star was His from the beginning and He would get us there on time and in one piece.  We prayed for the people involved in those accidents and thanked the Lord that He had spared us.

Just remember, some things that happen seem bad.  But, when looked at closely, they’re just an inconvenience and they may have been put there to save your life.

By the way, I know finances are an issue to a lot of people.  So, being as that we sometimes have the same Faith struggles in this area, I’ll share this last miracle.

As I said before, we were trusting the Lord that He would cover the finances for this trip.  We also had other big financial needs that were coming up.  We had NO idea how God was going to provide.  We were trying not to look at the love offerings and the CD sales.   But, even though that’s not why we sing and minister, it’s hard when you have bills and the money just isn’t there yet.

During the trip when I started thinking about what I could see (the circumstances), I would rebuke those thoughts by speaking out the Word Of God:  Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33);  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).  Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7).  The Lord started speaking to my heart throughout that trip, telling me things like “it only takes one”;  "I am your Provider", etc.  AND, He would ask me questions like:

"Are the bills due yet?" My answer: "Well, no".  "Have you paid your truck payment already?" A: "Yes".  "Is the NEXT one due yet?" A: "Welllll, no".  "Do you NEED that money now?" A:  "O.K., no".   He told me “I am not early, I’m not late, I am right on time!"

Although the Lord uses people to meet others needs, we are not to look at the people to meet those needs.  We’re to look at the Lord Jesus, who is the One who provides.

Well, the Word says that if we put our trust in Him, we will not be disappointed (Romans 10:11)   He confirmed everything in His word that was spoken to us and then some.  At the end of our journey, God used one person to meet ALL of our needs.  The Word says He will give us beyond what we can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)  And He did so……right on time!

Sometimes He makes us wait for stuff, because we need our Faith strengthened.  But, He will never give us more than we can handle.   He knew that our Faith in Him needed to be toughened beyond what we thought we had.   I’m so glad we serve a God who loves us so much that He wants us to strengthen and grow.   We never have to worry about the provision, because it will be there……and right on time!

I hope you enjoyed riding this trail with me.  But, above all, I hope you were encouraged.  Our God is an impartial God (Ephesians 6:9).   He loves His kids all the same.  If He did this for us, He will do it for you.  We need to just believe that He will.  And, just like the days of old, He is still the great “I AM”.

OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!!  

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2006

2006 proved to be an interesting mix of challenges, changes, and wild rides.  Saddle up and ride with me as I take you through 2006! 

Things went zippin’ along after I quit my job in 2005 and hit the road with the Ministry-full time.  It was an exciting time of Ministry, fun and faith-building (as you can read above).   I was looking forward to what the Lord had for my Ministry in 2006.  My songs were being played all over the world by the radio Djs.  “What a Friend We Have In Jesus” took the No. 1 spot several times on the charts.  I had been given many prophesies over the Ministry that were sooo exciting, I couldn’t wait to see what would happen.

By the way, food for thought.  If the Lord is giving you a prophesy or a word through someone, or if he just speaks directly to your heart on something, I encourage you to write it down.  Also, write down the result or manifestation of that word.  I am SO thankful that I did.  I have gone back to my Journal so many times when I felt doubt or needed encouragement.  It’s amazing how reading the thoughts of the Lord revs you up again!  When that word is manifested or you see the results ….oooooohhhh!  That’s totally exciting!!  Manifestation is SO cool!

Anyway, about the time your mind is heading in one direction…….urrrrrrrrrr (car tires screeching)……CHANGE happens.  And you stand there wondering…o.k.….what’s going to happen now.  The Calvary Cowboys suddenly disbanded in March.    I was still rockin’ and rollin’ in my Ministry, but Bruce (my husband-the other part of the Duo) and I had a decision to make.  We both, together, got with the Lord and asked Him what now?  Well, quite frankly, I’m sure the Lord was smiling when He said “no brainer”.  You two are a new Duo… (and yes, as I look back at the prophesies of my own Ministry…God knew what was going to happen….they all were to be a part of this new Ministry).

Soooo, a bit of work on my part with learning harmonies on the Calvary Cowboys songs and Bruce practicing the Electric Guitar and harmonies on mine….and we were off.  We finished out the dates the Calvary Cowboys had booked, I finished out mine and we quickly became comfortable with each other as a newly formed Duo.  Boy, are we havin’ a blast!    

Changes are what they are, but thank the Lord, nothing takes God by surprise and, if we look to Him, He will always be there with His answers and to walk us through.  Jeremiah 29:11-13

You never know who'll

show up at a

cowboy church!

Oh, by the way, in the “2005” Trail Tails, I mentioned our stepping out in Faith as akin to riding for the Pony Express.  Little did I know at that time, that the Lord, a few months later, was going to give me that name for our new Duo.  Cool, huh?

Anyway, we continued to tour all over.  We even were able to visit my relatives up in Illinois.

I hadn’t seen them since I was 13.  We had a great time catching up.

I need to mention at this point that the Lord has been so gracious to not only provide for our needs in the Ministry, but He also (according to His will), provides for our “wants” too.  Every year my family takes a houseboat trip on Lake Powell.  The Lake holds special meaning for me, as well as just being able to spend time with my family who I only see about twice a year.  The Word says that “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). 

When I first stepped out in full time Ministry, I knew that, financially, the Lord would have to miraculously “make it happen”.  My jobs always paid for the trip, but now I was really stepping out into the unknown.  Praise God, we have not missed a trip yet.  In fact, the Lord made it possible this year to not only go for one week, but for two.  The second week was all expenses paid, without us having to spend a cent.  Bruce and I were able to spend, not only time with my Dad, but also with some good friends of ours…Ru and Jason Hargrove and Dub and Deb Shelton.

The Lord, again, showed even more of His Grace when He allowed us perfect weather and a chance to see wildlife that we’d been waiting to see for years (i.e. the ringtail cats and wild donkeys!)  It was awesome!!    James 1:17

O.K., now for the “come to Jesus meeting” part of the story.  We were invited to go to a revival church meeting up in Odessa, Texas.  Now, usually, I’m not real comfortable in a situation where there seems to be a lot of hype and emotionalism.  In fact, the whole thing usually just ticks me off.  I don’t like being manipulated via the emotionalism and I can’t stand fakes.  Unfortunately, I’ve seen many fakes and, unfortunately again, had become jaded.  Not good.  I love my Lord with all my heart and I know that speaking in tongues is very real and also “falling out” in the Spirit is too.  I prayed during that meeting “Lord, if this is the real deal…no faking…show me”.    

Now, I’m not being disrespectful in any way as I’m telling you this story.  I’m being straight out honest.  We all need to be honest with each other.

Well, let me tell ya, He showed up!  At the time of my prayer, a man we had picked up on the way to the meeting was standing up talking to the Evangelist.  The man used a cane and could hardly walk, due to a debilitating disease.  The Evangelist laid hands on him, said a few words, and to my amazement…the man began to dance! 

Unknown to me, Bruce was praying the same “real deal” prayer I was (we compared notes later).  His prayer was answered when the Evangelist looked right at Bruce and said “You, come on up here”.  I thought, “whoa, what’s goin’ on here?”  I thought I was off the hook until he asked Bruce if I was with him…..I, too, suddenly found myself “called to the front”.  Now, I don’t mind singing in front of hundreds of people because you know what you’re there for.  Standing in front of hundreds, not knowing what in the world (or out of this world) is going to happen…is a whole other deal.

The Evangelist started out asking us what we did, we started to tell him and then he started saying some things that, frankly, I can’t remember because it all happened so fast.  I remember thinking…nothing’s happening…oh, man, I’m beginning to like this person and I really don’t want him to be embarrassed if I don’t “feel anything”…and then, oh, man, if I don’t “feel anything”, I hope there’s nothing wrong with me.  About that time, something like an electric current went through me and I went down so fast that the big ol’ boy behind me that was standing there to catch me…missed and I landed flat on my hind end.  I looked up at that Evangelist with saucers for eyes and blurted out “whooaaaa!!”  He smiled and promptly said “You’re in the Ministry.  This should not be a surprise to you”.   O.K. that one stung. Me landing on my hind end didn’t hurt, but that comment did.  But, he was right.  How much are we missing of God’s greatness, revelations and knowledge because we’re jaded, offended, ignorant or just plain self-righteous?  Truly, we all need to drop the blinders.

The same thing, only more intense, happened to Bruce and we left that night awed and changed. God is here, He’s real and He wants to show us mighty things, if we’ll only put ourselves aside.

So, on that note, little did I know that I would need my Faith in a big way very shortly.  In October, I received a call from my brother.  My Dad was very ill.  He was diagnosed with a disease that attacks the muscles.  His eyes and throat were affected.  He was in a dangerous position.  He was at home at the time my brother called, so I called and talked to my Mom.  While on the phone with her, my Dad suddenly motioned to her to call 9-1-1.  That was only the beginning.

I flew out to California to run his construction business and to help my Mom.  My week and a half planned stay turned into two months.  I finally just quit booking flights home, because I kept having to cancel them.  My Dad would get treated at the hospital then be released.  A few days later I’d either be calling the ambulance or rushing him to the hospital myself.

It was a very trying and scary time.  My Dad is a very strong, resilient man and I had only seen my Dad really ill probably once in my entire life.  It was beyond hard to see him in a hospital bed with a bunch of tubes hooked to him. I want to share with you a couple of the many times that the Lord let me know that He was not only there right beside us, but that He was in control. 

The first was when I had to rush my Dad to the hospital.  I was sitting next to him in the ER room while he was hooked up to a breather.  Now if any of you have ever been in an emergency room, it’s not a very fun place.  It can be chaotic and it adds to the stress of having to be there with your loved one and not knowing what’s going to happen next.  Praise God, I had brought my Bible in my bag.  And, as I sat there, scared and feeling very alone, I reached out to the Person I knew would be there.  All I could say to Him was “help me”.

Literally, I just opened my Bible and numbly, randomly just started flipping.  On my second “flip” it opened, miraculously, to 1 Corinthians 2:5 – “that your Faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God”.  I flipped one more time and again, miraculously, the pages fell open to 2 Corinthians 5:7 – “for we walk by Faith, not by sight”.  The Lord knew that I would need these two verses that night and throughout the entire two months.  I grabbed a hold of those two verses with a white-knuckled grip.

When you have doctors telling you all kinds of distressing stuff and you’re seeing things that could give you nightmares, God’s Word saved me.  God’s Word in more ways than one, saved my Dad. 

One powerful instance happened one night as I was sitting there with him in the hospital.  All of a sudden, for no reason, his blood pressure shot up way past 200.  In fact, as I recall, in the high 200’s.  The Lord grabbed a hold of my heart with His voice and told me to start reading His Word….out loud!  As I was reading, the nurse came in with a shot.  I remember praying…Lord, no! No more medications for my Dad.  I felt in my spirit that shot was the wrong thing to do…but I’m not a doctor or a nurse and I couldn’t have told you why, but I was close to a panic as the nurse stood there with the needle poised.  All I could do was sit there and pray.  But, curiously, the nurse wasn’t moving.  She quietly watched the monitor and I kept reading the Word.  As suddenly as the blood pressure rose, it started to drop.  I sat there in amazement as my Dad’s blood pressure recovered and he was safe.

The nurse said “good, I really didn’t want to give him this”.  She also told me something very interesting.  She said that she felt quite sure that when I started reading the Word, that’s what brought the blood pressure down.  She said she had seen powerful things happen when someone would start reading the Bible to a patient.  Isn’t that something?  The Word of God, as it says, is life.  John 1:1-5

Today, my Dad is recovering very well.  In fact, his doctor says that “it’s a miracle”.  She called the Mayo Clinic and other big name outfits that have dealt with this disease and my Dad is the first person that they have ever heard of who has recovered this quickly.  Praise God!...”Don’t rest on the wisdom of men, but the Power of God” and walk by Faith, not by sight”! Hallelujah!!!!      Romans 15:13

The last comment I want to make about this situation is this. I grew up a lot spiritually during this time.  But, I also was taught a very important lesson.  Yes, I was called to be a singer/songwriter/evangelist.  That is how the Lord is using me to reach others for Him.  But, we have to remember that is our main goal…reaching, encouraging and helping others in their time of need.  The talent is just a means to get there.  Sometimes the Lord will call you to do something that doesn’t require “the stage” or the physical talent you were given.  It requires a simple willingness to serve, no matter what the venue is…..    Hebrews 3:13; 10:23-25

The Lord released me to come back to Texas on December 16th, just in time to pack up, rest and “hit the road” again.  Our first stop was God’s Learning Channel (GLC) out of Midland, TX.  We’ve been blessed to sing on that program several times in the past, but this time (December 21^st) the Lord “took it up a notch” and opened up an awesome door of Ministry.

We were only supposed to sing that night, as they had a speaker already scheduled.  At the last minute, the speaker cancelled, and we were given the entire two hour program.  We were interviewed at great length, as well as being able to sing.  We were able to give our personal testimonies as well as present what our Ministry, Pony Express, is all about. The show airs several times after the original live show.  Little did we know, the Holy Spirit was waking up an Apache pastor in the middle of the night, during one of these re-airs.  He turned on the TV and GLC was on.  He heard us sing one song, then heard part of our interview.  The Holy Spirit spoke to him and said “These are the two people I want to come to the Reservation for your church revival.  Not a minute later, Bruce, during the interview, said that we wanted to go to the Indian Reservations with our music and Ministry.  Confirmation!  We received a phone call a couple days later, inviting us to the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in February, 2007.  My heart has always been for the Native American (First Nations) People.  We were thrilled!!  You can read about our exciting time on the Reservation, in “Trail Tails-2007”).   John 16:13-14

Well, we’ve pulled off the saddle and gear for 2006.  And we’re taking out fresh horses for 2007….come ride with us again and share the adventures of the Pony Express! 

2007

Well, it’s a good thing we saddled up with fresh horses for this year!  We’ve been hearing that the year 2007 is “The Year Of The Open Door”.  They weren’t kiddin’!

2007 started off with a bang with a full schedule in California and New Mexico.  In California, the Lord was so awesome in bringing us into contact with friends, old and new.  We really saw the Lord moving in the encouragement department.  We were encouraged in our new Ministry.  And, we were also able to be used to encourage others in theirs.  God’s Word says “iron sharpens iron”.  That is so true when believers get together in total unity and work together for the goal….leading others to the Love and Grace of Jesus Christ. (I Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:24-25; Proverbs 27:17).

In California, the folks we got together with were of all different nationalities, with different gifts and talents.  We were all so different, yet we were all flowing as one in Jesus Christ.   I thought to myself, now this is how it’s supposed to be!  This is what Jesus is talking about in the Word when He talks about total unity!  Soooo awesome!!  (Acts 2:42-47; Philippians 2:1-2)

We left California and headed for Roswell, New Mexico with a large storm chasing us down the road.  A few flakes hit us as we drove along the lower breaks of the Guadalupe Mountains, but we safely made it to our hotel. We woke up to snow the next morning.  It was too cool!   

Now, we get to one of the most exciting adventures this year!  Remember at the end of the 2006 Trail Tails when I wrote about how we were called to go to the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation?  We went at the end of February, and it was awesome!  Wow!  God was really moving!  We just hung on for the ride and let Him go!

The People there are so awesome!  They accepted us right in and we felt very blessed to be with them.  During the Services throughout the weekend, people were delivered, saved, they prophesied…..it was exciting!  The Pastor there delivers his sermons partly in the Apache language and partly in English.   Very cool.  

In one particular service, after we had sung the song “Still In Love”, God moved on one of the Apache women and she started speaking in tongues and Apache.  She kept saying over and over…….”Come back to Me!”   I get teary eyed even as I write this.  God was telling the Apache People to ‘Come back to Him’!  Come back to Him.  Later the Apache pastor told an awesome story about Geronimo: 

He and his band were being chased by the Cavalry across the plains.  The Cavalry were on horseback, but the Apaches were on foot.  There was no way the Apaches were going to outrun the Cavalry.   Geronimo stopped in his tracks, as his band anxiously wondered why he stopped.  Geronimo lifted up his voice and asked for protection…...from God.  Not a god.  The God.  All of a sudden a thick dust cloud came up, surrounded the Apache band and completely hid them from sight of the Cavalry.   The Cavalry turned from the cloud and rode the other way.

There are other gods worshipped on the Reservation, just as there are outside the Reservation.   The Word from the Lord….‘Come back to Me!’   Awesome!

At the end of our stay with the Apaches that weekend, we were invited to go back during their Ceremonial time in July.  The excitement and prophesies continued……

Well, the Lord kept us busy through March.  Then, in April, we hit the Studio!  Whoohooo!  We’d been writing songs for this album for the past couple years and now it was time to record.   Praise God we were blessed to have the same musicians, etc. on this Album as we did on the last Calvary Cowboys album and my own “Don’t Look Back” album.   What I so appreciated about all these guys and gal (Amanda), was that they all have a sweet, professional…no ego…personality.   They are so good, yet they are so humble.  They love the Lord and we had, yet another,  

anointed, great time with all of them. 

Steve Palousek owns and operates Awesome Works Studio and is a musician, engineer, etc…..extraordinaire!  He is a good friend of ours and we had a great time hanging out with him for the two weeks of production.

Now, before I go on, I have to tell you about the awesome promise that the Lord kept for me (which, of course, when I met Bruce extended to him as well).  In the year 2000, I received a Word from the Lord that He was going to provide me with a living-quartered horse trailer.  At the time of that Word, I was singing with a friend of mine.  My self-esteem in the Lord was quite low at that time and I thought that the prophesy was for my friend, not for me.  Frankly, I didn’t think I was good enough or worthy enough to really receive something that cool from the Lord.  Well, I talked to the pastor that gave the Word and he told me the Word was for me. Talk about a turning point in my Faith!  I felt so obscure and insignificant and the Lord showed me that to Him, I was “on the map” and He loved and wanted to use me.

To make a long story short, I stood in Faith for 7 years and the Trailer finally manifested itself this year, along with a brand new Dodge truck to pull it!  God is good!!

There were times when I wanted to “take the bull by the horns” and get another job, etc. to “make it happen” or to “help God out” with His promise. But, one day, He spoke loud and clear to my spirit and told me “I said I was going to give you that Trailer”.  Well, He didn’t have to tell me twice.  I was working hard enough at the job I had. I really didn’t want to go out and get another one and make it hard on myself!

As you can see by the pictures, it was worth the wait!  And God gives the very best….on time and in excellence!  Romans 4:19-25; Hebrews 13:20-21.

Well, with open doors comes change.  Isn’t it funny how the Lord doesn’t ever want us to stay the same?  Sometimes during that change, you get that “deer in the headlights look” and a pounding in your heart, but Praise God we never get stale!  In saying that, we felt the Lord leading us to give up our rent house in New Ulm and hit the road full time in our new Rig.  We were running full out, non-stop…..putting away, stowing away, throwing away and Ebaying away just about everything we owned (and singing in between). Yeehaw, what a rodeo!  But, we got it all done.  We were a bit glassy eyed when we drove out of our driveway for the last time, but it was all worth it.  Isaiah 43:18-19

When we hit the road, the Lord provided free places for us to stay all the way through.  Not only that, He knew what my horses needed in the way of turn out pens, grass, water...you name it and that was provided too.  No matter how much I studied and compiled info on long distance horse travel, I was still ignorant.  Praise God, He had our back and worked everything out.  I'm so overwhelmed as I write this, at the goodness of God.  We were absolutely exhausted by the time we drove out of New Ulm and the Lord provided times of good sleep and rest where we could catch up with our sanity! Philippians 4:19

One of the awesome rest times was in Colorado with Bruce’s family.  Boy, did we have a ball!  We were able to river raft down the Colorado, take a train up the Royal Gorge, and go back to South Fork.  We also played the card game “Hand and Foot” to all hours.  Bruce’s family is a blast!

Cathedral rock - South Fork, CO

Remember the Apache Indian Reservation?  Check this out.  God has a huge plan for all Native American (First Nations) People.  We feel honored to be a part of God’s great move with these noble, spiritual and full-of-heart People.  While we were there, we sang at the Ceremonial Parade on the back of a flatbed trailer, with the kids riding on the back.  We flipped burgers at the church concession stand, loaned out our horses and did whatever the Lord had us do to help.  We loved every minute we were there and cried when we had to leave.  Check out this prophecy that came out during a church service through the Apache Pastor and confirmed by an Apache woman in the congregation:  Apache People!  Take courage! The Lord wants to do a new work in you- Isaiah 43:19.  God will pour out His Spirit on you and there will be a mighty move of the People through the Spirit.  Get ready, prepare…it’s coming!  He will raise up the People.  He will make something out of the base.  Out of small beginnings, come great things!  Native Americans are a sleeping giant!

Hallelujah!!  I can’t wait to see this Prophecy come to pass!!

The Lord has been faithful in showing us the doors to walk through in our Ministry.  Usually, we have advance notice.  But, occasionally, he’ll do a little faith-check and not reveal the door until we’re trying to find “the knob”.  Hebrews 11:8

It was cool how the Lord brought us to Midland, Texas.  The church grounds there are our "hole-up" place when we're passing through.  When we passed through there on August 5th, the pastor and his wife said that if we weren’t doing anything on the 17th-19th that we'd be more than welcome to come to their women's conference as their guests.  I thought that would be very cool, but we needed to be open to where the Lord wanted us to go sing/minister.

Well, we left the Guadalupe Mountains from a Cowboy Camp we ministered at and headed down the hills.  We had no phone coverage up there and the Lord had not confirmed to us where we were supposed to go when we left the Camp.  We thought: "Well, when we finally get phone coverage at the bottom of the hills, we'll probably get a phone message from someone and we'll know where to go".   We got to the bottom of the hills....nothing.  We said: "O.K., Lord.  We're just going to keep driving towards Midland and if the women's conference is not where you want us to be, or it is...please confirm it".  We drove all the way to Midland with no confirmation yet and pulled into the church grounds.   It was amazing.  I hadn't even unloaded the horses yet and the pastor's wife came up to me, half in tears and said: "I can't believe ya'll are here.  I had to take a double-look to believe it.  Our music minister just quit this morning and we have no leader or guitar player for the women's conference!  And then, here ya'll are!"

I smiled to myself as I unloaded the horses.  God is so faithful.  The women's conference went really well.  We were also able to help them behind the scenes getting ready for it, as they were short-handed.  God is SO good!  It was a faith-building example of, even though you can't see what God is doing right then, He's always working behind the scenes on our behalf!  II Corinthians 5:7

Well, God had us in Midland for about a month and a half and then we were off to California.   Wow!  In route, while we were holed up in Flagstaff, AZ, we received a phone call that set our schedule on fire!  God opened an amazing door and we jumped that threshold, “galloping” on through…..more to come……

Cowboy Camp sign - Guadalupe Christian Camp - Queen, NM

Bruce and a borrowed mule riding in the Guadalupe Mtns.

Lots of rattlesnakes in this country!

View from the Indian Vista towards the broke-offs - Guadalupe Mtns.

View from the Indian Vista -Guadalupe Mtns., NM August 2007

Bloom where you are planted

Shara exploring the pictographs and petroglyphs in the Guadalupe Mtns.

Sky over Mayhill, NM

Well, here I am looking back at the last three months of 2007.  When I told you there was “more to come”….oh, man…I’m not so sure that we didn’t grab onto a tail of a comet!  The phone call came from Coy Huffman…rodeo announcer extraordinaire, but first, foremost and altogether more important, an apostle of the Lord.  He and his wife Donna have been a total blessing to Bruce and I and the Lord has greatly used them in our lives and Ministry.  We have met the most awesome people through them that will forever be life long friends and fellow comrades as we go out and tell people about Jesus Christ.

As you can tell by our schedule, we’ve been mostly in Central to Northern California and into Oregon.  What a blessing to meet these down home folks that love the Lord.  One of the gatherings that we all went to was a Cowboy Camp, put on by Merle and Sandy Newton.  They are in the top of their field in training working cow dogs.  We had the privilege of watching their dogs in action that weekend.  There were also other folks that presented their talents as well:  goat tying, barrel racing, roping, singing, horse training, ATV instruction and riding, etc.  We even had a stick horse rodeo complete with National Anthem, a clown and kickin’ music!  The little kids got to ride stick horses and stick bulls and buck out of the PVC pipe bucking chutes and show us their stuff!  It was a hoot! 

Bible Camp in Prather, CA - praising the Lord!

A snowy Mt. Shasta

I got to perform with the Glory Riders for the first time too.  What an honor!  They are a precision drill team that rides for the Lord.  It is an awesome ministry (for more info, see our “Friends” page and click on their logo)!

As we’ve traveled around this country, we are seeing a gathering of the Lord.  A coming together of believers that are of the same mind and Spirit.  Hallelujah!  The Lord even brought some of our brothers and sisters from Sweden!  What a kick they are!  They taught us how to dance….we taught them how to ride….and we all sang and fellowshipped together for about a month.  What an awesome time!  The Lord calls for our Unity….One Lord, One Faith, One Spirit.  What joy!  What an awesome example we had in Unity of the Faith.  Having FUN with our brothers and sisters, as we focused on the One Who brought us together….Jesus!  (Ephesians 4..the whole thing!)

The Joy of the Lord is my strength…..Whoooohoooo!!  Can’t wait for 2008!!

After all these years you can still drink out of the stream

Bruce and Shara on the Tule Indian Res.

Pastor John on the Tule Indian Res.

Boy are we glad for progress!

Riding the boy (Nocona) in Arizona

Casa Grande Ruins

Bruce at Lake Tahoe

Shara at the Gila Cliff Dwellings

Elk and Mule Deer on our Sunday drive thru the Guadalupe Mtns.

Easter Sunrise in Sonora, CA

Tom Modrell and Bruce - Easter sunrise

Encouragement for weary Road Warriors

Guadalupe Mtns.

Shara ridin' the bull at Faith Country - Midland, TX

What style!

Shara and Tari

Tari and Bruce

Storm above the buttes

Smile in Sedona - Oct 08

Shara, Danna and Bruce - Juvenile Detention Center - Nogales, AZ

The Glory Riders!

Shara and Gladiator

Mt. Shasta

Mt. San Jacinto - view from rest area

Hawk on the wing - Chino Valley, AZ

Truckee River - CA

Baptism Cowboy Style

Cowboy & Indian Meeting - Washington State

Native Friends we met in Washington - Gary and Pat Walker - Firestarters Ministries

Graham, WA

Bow and Arrow Cloud-God's Nature is Cool!

Trail Tails – 2008

Well, as of this particular writing, it is now September, 2008.  The dust is settling and I’m looking around going “Wow!”  We were hoofin’ it!  I told myself that I was going to write updates to our travels every month to keep up.  Well…..NOT!  As you can see, that didn’t happen!  Oh, well.

But, at least I’m back now.  However, with the arduous task in front of me of trying to remember all the exciting things that happened to us this year.  A word to the wise…procrastination is a bummer!  Don’t do it!  Anyway, (Lord help my memory)…here goes!

I’m sitting in the back of our Rig (in the horse stalls).  I got back here to our “camp” earlier than expected from watching a barrel race and realized I didn’t have any keys to get into our living quarters.  Bruce, with the keys, was about an hour away trying to find an Internet signal to check e-mails.

I looked around me for something to entertain myself with….let’s see…I have my I-Pod! ...no earphones…Bible!..nope..in the Rig and with Bruce in the truck….ANY kind of reading material (the back of a feed bag would have sufficed).  Oh yea!  I can saddle up Nocona!….tack room…locked.

I finally resolved myself to calling friends on my phone that had one bar of coverage…chancing being able to hear them, as I busted the volume key on it when I dropped it on the asphalt at the Salinas Rodeo. 

After calling my friends and leaving messages, I suddenly realized that our hay pod was unlocked and I had pads of paper up there.  Whalah!  I have got to update Trail Tails!.......

Wow!  What a growth year!  We kept hearing 2008 is a year of new beginnings.  However, eight also means “to put off”.  You have to “put off” the old, in order to “put on the new”.  Old thought patterns, old ways of doing things…  We hear the term “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”  Well, in some things that’s true.  However, in other instances, even if it does work, there may be a better way that God is trying to show us.  The plow still worked and the horses were still healthy, but that didn’t stop the farmer from eyeing and buying that new John Deere!  

Personally, it would have been hard to see the horses go, but the old ways just weren’t efficient enough to keep up with the times and the needs of the people. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

We’ve heard some crazy things being on the road.  Church splits are pretty common, unfortunately (look at all the denominations).  We’ve heard the usual reasons…doctrinal issues, hostile take-overs, arguments over what kind of flooring needs to go in the bathroom…she/he looked at me funny….whatever.  However, this one was pretty amusing.  Not, of course, to the people involved, but nevertheless fascinating because it shows just how far Satan can take us, if we let him. (1 Peter 5:8)

This one was over an Elk.  An Elk, you say? Surely, a metaphor, right? Nah, a real Elk.  Apparently, someone unwittingly shot an Elk that someone else in the church was tracking.  Granted, that’s a bummer.  I used to hunt and there definitely would be some disappointment there.  But….

Now, all the people involved are really nice, solid people.  But, it’s “funny” how Satan can wreak havoc by working people into a frenzy over things that aren’t going to mean anything after we leave this earth. (1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Ephesians 4:29-32; Colossians 3:12-17)

A thought-Satan can only dangle the “carrot” of offense in front of us.  However, he has no power over the situation or people until we take the bait and run with it.  He laughs over the impending destruction - - while God’s heart breaks.  Guaranteed, if the offense is not taken and forgiveness is chosen, a much better reward will be given….a bigger, better Elk maybe for the person who chose not to “take the bait”? (Matthew 6:33; John 10:10; Ephesians 5:1-7; I Corinthians 13:13; Philippians 4:19)

We all need to focus on the really important stuff….putting God first in our lives, loving others and finding out what our destiny is and working in it.  Satan has done a really good job in distracting us with all kinds of stuff.  It’s time to get our focus back and start walking in the love and power of Jesus Christ and claiming our heritage in Him.  In so doing, honoring what He died for.

Well, this year held a lot of joys and adventure, as well some pain….that’s life.  We met so many people on the road that have now become good friends.  We got to see territory that we probably would never have had a chance to see.  We traveled from Texas to Arizona…on to California…up to Oregon through Washington…traveled to Nevada via a stop back through California.  Hit Arizona and New Mexico again and then back to Texas.  Whew!!  It would take too long to tell everything, so please look at the pictures….they really do speak a ton!

In January, we went to our first International Cowboy Ministers Conference in Las Vegas, put on by Coy and Donna Huffman.  We knew it was the Lord telling us to go because Bruce and I both loathe Vegas.  But, we’ve both learned that when the Lord says go, no matter where it is, it’s to our best interest to go for it.  After all, I’m pretty certain, he can handle the spiritual riff-raff.  I am so glad we went.  We had a blast!  We met up with past friends and made new friends….even from Sweden!  We danced, sang, received encouraging Words from the Lord about our Ministry.  It was awesome!  We left there ready to start the new year.  And what a year it’s been! (Psalm 133; Ephesians 4:1-6; Proverbs 27:17)

But along with the good, we had some sadness too.  One of my horses, Tari, who I had for 18 years, passed away.  He was 24.  We were all in shock, as he seemed in perfect health.  We were totally grieved.  However, even though it was hard to understand, the Lord and His Grace was right there.  Mine and Tari’s heart was always in the mountains, no matter where we were…even when we lived in Texas.   The Lord provided a burial place on a ranch in a mountain meadow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  A good friend of ours Grandparents own the ranch and were so gracious to provide that place for him and for us.  It truly is a beautiful place. (John 16:33; Romans 8:28)

Thankfully, our schedule was packed and we were on the road right after it happened, so we were able to get away and heal.  It still stings sometimes, of course, as he and I went through a lot together (good and bad) in those 18 years.  And, of course, Bruce loved him dearly too.  So, it all takes time.

We’ve had the privilege of traveling with Coy and Donna Huffman to a lot of their rodeo Cowboy and other Cowboy churches from California to Oregon and from Arizona to Nevada.  We headed off for Arizona for a big run of Rodeo Cowboy Churches in Arizona. 

A really cool thing happened to us on the way to the rodeo in Yuma, AZ.  God moves in so many different ways.  I was driving our Rig down through the Cajon Pass in Southern California, looking intently for the turn off that would take us on a shortcut along the base of the mountains.  I looked at every sign as we traveled down the highway, but somehow I missed the turn-off.  Feeling very stupid and frustrated, I drove on through San Bernardino and right smack dab in the middle of traffic, which is what I was trying to avoid in the first place.  I tried to put a cap on my frustration, by bringing to mind the detours that we had endured in the past, only to find out that we were saved from something.  That and the traffic kept my mind occupied until we saw my Dad whiz past us on the freeway.  It took our minds a second to register that it was his truck and then we were both grabbing for our phones.  We ended up having a much needed and joyful time with my Dad.  We well knew “the signs” of a God thing and knew that we would have missed my Dad entirely if I had not “missed” the turn off sign.  Take life in stride and enjoy the ride!  (Proverbs 16:9)

In between the Rodeos, we were invited to Nogales, AZ on the border of Mexico to sing and minister to the kids at the Juvenile Detention Center.  What a privilege!   When you get to encourage kids in this type of facility, brought in there for various reasons, it is indeed an honor.  These kids have gone through a lot of hurts.  Some of them going right back into the situations they came from.  They need hope.  They need to know that they’re special and that God loves them and has a plan for their lives.  It meant a lot to us to be able to bring that message to them. We set up our sound system in a little classroom and let the Holy Spirit roll.  Word to the wise...never gauge what’s going on in someone’s head by their face.  We sang and spoke what the Lord told us to, regardless of what we thought we saw on their faces.  Oh wow!  The beautiful notes we received in the mail from those kids!  Jesus was speaking directly to their hearts.(Matthew 25:34-40; Mark 12:30-31)

The next month we were privileged again to be able to minister to the boys from the Elkhorn Boot Camp in Fresno, California.  It was a work day for them up at the Steidley ranch, along with fellowship with the Glory Riders and hanging out with the horses.  To see hardened kids from the streets go from being apprehensive and defensive, to trusting and just plain having a genuine, good time was amazing.  I remember one kid in particular.  He was petrified of riding a horse.   Finally, after much prompting and light-hearted jesting from his friends, he apparently decided it was less scary to get on the horse, than to face his friends.  We helped him mount up and then watched a miracle.  Encouragement abounded in that round pen….his buddies supporting him, while we worked with him on controlling the horse.  His confidence was building with every hoof beat and we watched the transformation before our very eyes.

I still get emotional as I write this.  I will never forget his face when he finally dismounted.  His face literally looked like it had a light bulb in it.  He had faced his fear and he had conquered it.  You could see the realization of self-worth all over his face.   To be able to look him in the eye and tell him “Well Done!”  was a joy I will never forget.  (2 Timothy 1:7)

We are so tempted in life to “jump on the band wagon” and point fingers at these kids who have made poor choices in their lives.  Yes, they have to be accountable for what they do.  But, when you see what simple acts of love    

can do to melt a heart of stone, you realize that these kids are a product of their environment and they’re just trying to survive.  They are worth reaching out to. They are not a lost cause.  “Love covers a multitude of sins.  Love conquers all”. (John 3:16-17; 1 Peter 4:8-10; I Corinthians 13:1-8; Proverbs 10:12; James 5:19-20)

It’s also been an honor to ride with the Glory Riders this year.  It’s funny how the Lord “brings things around”.  I remember years ago in Ft. Worth, TX seeing the Glory Riders Ministry Drill Team from Denison, Texas.  I was sitting on my  horse (Tari), lined up to ride with a Sheriff’s Posse on the parade route.  I saw all these white horses, rider’s dressed in white, with big red cross emblems.  I was a Christian, but I was not really living like it and kinda lost.  When I saw those Riders, it was a gentle reminder from the Lord that I needed to “come back”.  I still get tears in my eyes when I write this, because God is so good.  He doesn’t beat us over the head, but He’s always trying to talk to us, reach us in His gentle way.  15 years later, as I sat on a white horse with the Glory Riders-(California team) getting ready to “run” our drills in a rodeo arena, I realized and was so grateful how far the Lord had brought me and how much I was blessed.   I was able to ride with them a couple of times last year and Bruce and my schedule opened up for me to perform with them several times at various rodeos this year. (Revelation 3:20)

The biggy rodeo was the Salinas Rodeo in Salinas California.  Wow!! What a blast we had!  We were short on white horses, so I got to ride Nocona too.  A dream come true!  Thousands and thousands of people were at that Rodeo!  Nocona did awesome!  He’d never been in a rodeo or in a parade before.  Nothing like “throwing him in the deep end” right out of the chute!  He took it all in stride and he had fun too.  He did drills, ran with the sponsor flags and and we rode in three parades and grand entries. (Psalm 145:15-21; Psalm 37:4-5)

It was a miracle that he could go at all physically.  We had been dealing with a lameness issue with him for a very long time and the Lord was healing him (more on that story “down the trail”). 

As believers, we have far more authority through Jesus Christ than we take or believe.  It’s actually our commission from the Lord to live in that authority, (Ephesians 6:10-18; Matthew 28:18-20; Proverbs 29:2) even as spectators in a seemingly fun, everyday event.  We learned a good lesson to always be alert.  Sometimes we take for granted that life will go on-day by day, business-as-usual. How things can change in an instant!  Our friends and we were watching the Red Bluff Rodeo totally unaware of a bull that was charging through the back alley way.  With the effortless agility of a gazelle, this two-ton bull leaped over a 6 ft. high railing right into our section.  He proceeded to run over the laps of the people in the front row, box seats.  As we stood, open mouthed and slightly paralyzed with disbelief, we witnessed a wave of people running, pushing, jumping over each other and bleacher seats towards where we stood.  There was no where for us to escape, unless we wanted to swing over the back railing and drop 20 feet to the concrete.  Thank God the pick-up men were able to rope him and flip him out of the stands.  A few people got banged up pretty good, but by the Grace of God, no one was seriously hurt or killed.  I was reminded of a couple of good lessons that day: 1^st Lesson: Walk by Faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).  When I got faced with that sudden “in your face” fear, I froze because of what I was seeing.  What I should have done was start taking spiritual authority over the situation. (Joshua 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:7; Proverbs 3:25-26). 2^nd Lesson: What would have happened if we prayed over the rodeo event, etc. while we were sitting peacefully in the stands?  Could this had been prevented? (Psalm 91; Psalm 103; Hebrews 1:14; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 4:4)

Walk out your Faith and do what you know to do (James 2:26).

Lord, help me to pass the next test! 

The Power of God’s spoken Word is powerful! (Joshua 1:8).  When your back is against the wall and you’re desperate, it’s amazing how suddenly we get a clue and think “maybe I should take God at His Word and give it a go!” 

In Santa Maria, Calif., I woke up in the middle of the night with a bad migraine and was up the rest of the night, white-knuckling the porcelain.  We had to sing that morning at 10:00 and it wasn’t looking good.  Praise God for Bruce!  We have some Kenneth Copeland CDs with Kenneth reading the Psalms (Psalm 91; Psalm 103; Isaiah 54, etc.).  After praying over me, Bruce turned him on.  As the Word of God was read, I could feel my headache and nausea start to leave.  All of a sudden, the symptoms were gone.  I literally jumped up and flew around the trailer, throwing on my clothes, etc. as I only had a ½ hour until the church service.  As I walked up to the tent, I prayed the whole way that I could even sing.  My vocals were stripped from…well, ya know…and I had no voice and needed a miracle to have one.

I stepped up next to Bruce and grabbed the mic in total faith.  God is faithful, even though I still kind of had that “deer in the headlights look”.  My voice went off without a hitch and my test was over.   Even though the Lord didn’t cause the sickness, it was an opportunity he used to teach me some Kingdom stuff.  He walked me through it.  Bruce and I even spent the day at the Rodeo afterwards.  Whooohooo! (I Corinthians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; Hebrews 10:23; James 2:26; Hebrews 4:12). 

We are so honored to be right in the middle of what God is doing.  He’s teaching us so much about His Kingdom and, in turn, we’re being able to teach and show others that Kingdom.  We’ve seen people give their lives to the Lord, healed from their sicknesses, demons being cast out, miraculous provision provided….on and on and on.  God loves us so much.  He longs for the people of this earth to see His Power and Lovingkindness.  He knows this world and its systems, thanks to man, is messed up and scary.  If you are a Child of His,  you don’t have to live according to this messed up system anymore….”My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in Glory” (Philippians 4:19).  God uses the things of this world, but he certainly doesn’t depend on them.  In this age of complete uncertainty…I’m glad that, because of Jesus Christ, we can live Purpose-minded and not Provision-minded!   Our Purpose?  To have a relationship with Jesus Christ first, then show others the Kingdom and the King.  Isn’t that what Jesus died and rose again for?  I’m so glad He did what He did, so that we could do what we do!  God is good!!

As we wound up the year of 2008, we were able to spend a lot of quality time with family, both in Texas and in California.  We’re getting rested up for the Year of Harvest…2009!  Whoohoooo!  Bring on the ride in 2009!!

Tule Indian Res.

Tule River on the Tule Reservation

A friend we met in Donner Pass, CA

Shara and Bruce in front of the Pony Express statue in Reno, NV

Shara and the wild ones - Comstock wild horse band

The Black Stallion of the Comstock Band of Wild Horses

Gila Cliff Dwellings - New Mexico

Rainbow over Payson, AZ

Bruce and Shara - Lake Powell

Negotiating the slots at Lake Powell

Stuck in the mud - Lake Powell slot canyon

The Swedes dancing at the ICMC Conference

Praise and Worship team at the ICMC

Praising The Lord at the ICMC Conference

Dad and Me

Nocona & Shara - Grand Entry - Salinas Rodeo - CA

After the run - Shara & Nocona at the Salinas Rodeo

Rodeo Clown jumping a wagon team - Reno, NV

Stagecoach at Reno, NV

The One Armed Bandit - Red Bluff, CA

The Budweiser Clydesdales

The Lord's Prayer - Tohono O'odham Rodeo

Skydivers in Yuma, AZ

Skydiver in Yuma, AZ

Camp Thunderbird, NM

Horse Program-Camp Thunderbird

Nocona getting a makeover!-Camp Thunderbird

God Bless You!

2009

Pony Express Route-Schellbourne Station, NV 

Carson Spur Summit

It’s April, 2010 and I sit here on a picnic bench in the middle of a beautiful ranch.  I’m finally finding the quiet solitude to really write. The breeze is up. The mountain lupines are like an awesome perfume that hits the breeze when it wishes.  It’s a bit nippy, but the air is fresh, the birds are lovin’ life and I even heard the cry of a hawk somewhere above my head. My horse, Nocona, quietly grazes in the green pasture next to me.  Yeah, life is good.  God is good.

Not to be outdone by previous years, 2009 proved to be a very eventful one.  We were on the fast track many times and like a horse given his head on a “well-footed” trail, we flat flew!  And, I might add, loved every minute.  Even when the schedule was a bit stressful, we kept our seat in the saddle and our eyes focused on the goal, jumping any obstacles that threatened to trip us up.

Kings Canyon, CA

Kings Canyon, CA

The Crags-CA

Mt. Shasta, CA

Redwood National Forest, CA

At my cousin, Deborah's ranch

ICMC-Del Mar, CA

Guess who's bus THIS is??

This year, however, I was kind of in a weird funk when I got there and didn’t know what was going on.  Bruce asked me “what’s wrong?” and, of course, that’s all it took for me to start bawling.  I REALLY don’t like crying…because I don’t like sadness too much.  All I could offer Bruce was “I don’t know!”   So, I went to the Lord.  It was quite simple, really.  He told me I was normal…Thank God.  And then proceeded to tell me what was “wrong”.  The previous year we were staying at places where we were parked for long periods of time.  We’d pull up stakes, then go somewhere else where we stayed awhile and so on…Well, I got a bit of a taste of what a military kid goes through.  You hole-up someplace for awhile, get close to people, then have to leave.  Before our Facebook days and given the way we travel, there was no real way of keeping up with people very good and so by the time I hit the Conference and saw all my friends…I was a mess.  We’d been “uprooted” so much that I felt detached, confused and didn’t feel I really fit in anywhere….which of course was nonsense, because the Lord makes sure Bruce and I are equipped to fit in everywhere.  So, knowing that, the Lord and me...re-adjusted me, and I was good to go!  (Psalm 139)

Sometimes, finding a place for our Rig and Nocona gets a bit challenging, but we’ve never been left in a bad situation (albeit one time we had to spend the night in a rest area, but we were warm and safe…no worries.)  I’m sure our angels work pretty hard sometimes when we push it to the limit, but the Lord always comes through for us.  We found this place on the Internet to stay while at the Conference.  It seemed like a nice place and so gave a call on our way down to Del Mar.  As I talked to this guy, I wasn’t feeling the peace.  Not that he wasn’t nice and so forth, but something wasn’t “right”.  What ended up turning us away is that he wanted the entire week’s stay paid, up front and in cash to his “helper”.  That’s not too alarming except we never carry that much cash and were stuck, now, last minute, having to figure out how we were going to get us and our big Rig into the nearest Wells Fargo.  We quickly figured out THAT wasn’t happening!  So we pulled off on the shoulder of the freeway entrance and called our friend, Coy, who “knows everybody and their dog”.  He quickly connected us with a friend, who in turn connected us with Christian ranch owners about 30 minutes from the Conference.  The Lord put us right where He wanted us.  These people needed encouragement…we needed a place to stay….waaalah!  Gotta love the Lord and His wisdom!  (Matthew 6:25-34)

Kings Canyon, CA

Kings Canyon, CA

Hume Lake, CA

Pyramid Lake, CA

Chiloquin, OR

Our Native friend, Tallon-Chiloquin, OR

Del Mar, CA

Del Mar, CA

Aiming High Cowboy Church-SASS

When you hear a "pop"..stop!

After the Conference, we had more opportunities in California, then we headed for Arizona.  We love what we’ve been called to do and it’s a kick to see where the Lord will take us next.  This time, it was a Single Action Shooters Society (SASS) meet in Yuma.  This group is so awesome!  They gave us guns to shoot, including ammo and taught us the gun course…six- shooters, rifles, and shotguns…the whole shabang!  We dressed up in period clothing, grabbed our guns and “haved at it!”  We had a blast!  Bruce  (aka: Texas Chisholm) even took 8^th place in his division!  (My name for the weekend was Sacagawea..the Native woman I've always held a tremendous amount of respect for). The Cowboy Church the next day took place as the sun came up over the hills and the Spirit moved.  What an AWESOME time!  Nocona even made friends with all the ladies who stopped by his pen to give him treats.  He was in heaven!

While in Yuma, I learned a good lesson about getting in a hurry.   It was at night, and we were loading up to head to the Shoot.  I was running around getting Nocona "ready to roll".  I filled up his water container, moving as fast as I could. I whipped around the back of the trailer, was in mid-lunge onto the trailer and KAWHAM!!...my head implanted right in the butt-bar!  I hit so hard it knocked me off my feet and onto the ground (yeah, I move pretty fast).  Water went flying and there were a little more stars in the sky than there should have been.  Had there not been padding on that bar, it definitely would have knocked me out!  Bruce came flying around the corner (I made a lot of noise) and saw me laying there…scared the fire outta him!  He picked me up as I explained to him that Nocona didn’t kick me…this was all my own doing.  Believe me, I learned my lesson in more ways than one.  My Grandma used to say "The hurrier you go, the behinder you get".  Seriously, since then, I’ve never gotten in an all-fired-up-hurry again!

Shotgun arm!

Tonto River

After Tonto Basin, we headed back to Yuma for the Silver Spurs Rodeo to help Coy and Donna with the Cowboy Church there.

Sky Divers-Yuma Rodeo

Udderly...hilarious!

Indian Pit House-Catalina State Park

Nocona always has visitors!

Crater Lake, OR

Salinas Rodeo Parade

After the Yuma Rodeo, we set off for our next stop.  We were helping Coy and Donna Huffman again with the Tucson and Scottsdale Rodeo Cowboy Churches for the next couple weeks. As we drove, we were deciding where we wanted to “hole-up”.  We were tentatively headed for a friend’s house, but couldn't stay there because of all the rain that had hit the area.  That’s when we discovered one of our now favorite places…Catalina State Park.  Miles of horse trails, secure pipe pens, clean grounds and friendly rangers and campers (this little tidbit for those who ride and like new places to do it).

Since we didn’t have a horse for Bruce to ride, I usually rode out on my own.  While riding, there's always lessons to be learned or a reminder of lessons once learned.   I was reminded quickly one day about riding lightly and the power of Jesus’ name.  As Nocona and I rode merrily down the trail, Nocona decided to walk on a place that I didn’t want him to.  As I cued him, he fought me on it.  I got mad and raked him a bit too hard with the spur….oh, he listened then, but then he really moved….right into a cholla cactus.  Now, those of you that have ever had any experience with the desert are probably staring wide-eyed at these words, mouth dropped and reading fast to the end to see what happened!  Well, what did happen and what could have happened were two different things…Thank God!   He had about three “bulbs” of Cholla sticking in his back leg and hind end….and yes, he commenced to bucking, kicking, etc. and we had our own little rodeo going on, on the top of that hill!  “JESUS HELP ME!” was what I shouted!  Then the miracles started to show out, one by one.  Nocona stopped bucking and calmly stood there as I dismounted…like nothing was stuck in him at all!  There were no trees to tie him to (only cactus…and that wasn’t happening) so I had to hold him straight while walking back to his hind end.  He stood perfectly still.  Miracle two…I realized I didn’t have my trail gloves with me, which I NEVER leave home without…great.  Now, those of you that have been up close and personal with a Cholla and its lovely, long, needle-point sharp thorns are probably cringing right now.  So was I.  But, there was “nothin’ for it” but to cowgirl up, grab hold and pull.  Surprisingly (again a miracle), I hardly felt it and the Cholla came out easily.  Nocona kicked out a couple times, but I was able to get all of them out with no problem.  Miracle three – after all was said and done, I looked around me and realized we were standing in the only open, clearing around….no cactus or rocks.  Nowhere on that part of the trail could he have “broke in two” as we call it and both of us not been in serious trouble…except for right there!  Thank you Jesus! (and the angels I know who were standing there holding my horse!).

The Lord probably grins and then shouts “Dispatch!” to those angels as I hit the trails and ride.  He helped me yet again as I got myself in another predicament on a trail that wasn’t really a trail at all.  I’ve been “riding out” for many years and I’m not one to always take the beaten path…quite often I take the “road less traveled”, if traveled at all.  Well, I was on my way back to our camp, when I spotted what I thought was a fresh, new trail.  YEA!  So, off I went.  As I went up and down hills and wound through the rocks and cactus, following this dim sometimes non-existent trail, I began to get suspicious of it.  It wasn’t taking me where I needed to go and seemed to meander around…rather than showing itself as having purpose and direction.  As the sun began to get lower in the sky, I started to get nervous.  You DO NOT want to be caught after dark in this country.  It’s dangerous.  As I sat on top of a hill to get my bearings, I saw the landmark trees that looked over our camp.  I was so close, but yet so far.  Because of rocks and cactus and insurmountable obstacles, I couldn’t go straight down the hill like I wanted to.  Apparently, the trail that I was on was made by someone who got lost.  And now, so was I.   Note: Sometimes, you can see your goal and still be lost, because you have no idea how to get from where you are to where you need to be.  As I had walked up the hill that I now sat my horse on, I was constantly looking off that hill for a way down…nothing.  If I took my horse straight over, I could easily, seriously lame him because of rocks, hidden and otherwise, that protruded between the cactus.

The only way I knew was to trace my way back on the dim trail I’d come on, which would have put me in the middle of the "main" trail in the pitch black dark.  It was not looking good, but it was the only way out....so I thought.  I swung Nocona back down the "trail" and prayed.   As I passed the small arroyo that I had studied before, I looked down it again.   And then, I stopped and stared down that Arroyo.  Was that a path?  A way through the rocks and cactus?  I KNOW there was no way through because I had stopped and studied that place not ½ hour before.  Yet, there it was.  The Lord had made a way where there was NO way (Isaiah 43:18-21).  Wasting no time, we headed down that new path and got back to camp while there was still a tiny bit of light left.

Whew!  That was a close one.

What to do..what to do..

Our Camp at CSP

Cholla Cactus

The Ranger rescuing us from the skunk!

Ya Think??

So..this is where Gilligan landed!

The Navajo Rez

A sign in Texas!

Laughlin, NV Rodeo w/Jed Moore-Bull Rider

Hwy 68-Bullhead City, AZ

The Temp in Bullhead City!

Payson, AZ

There was another cool, Spiritual principle that we “walked out” in Scottsdale.  With all the Rodeos that we do, we always have favor with the parking attendants, etc. to park where we need to, set up our sound equipment, etc...no problems and no cost.  Well, this year in Scottsdale was a different story.  We drove up to the parking attendant, who promptly demanded $5.00 for parking.  We told her that we were in charge of the Cowboy Church that morning, which constitutes a free pass.  Declaring that she didn't make the rules, she demanded the $5.00 again.  We didn't argue, we just paid it.  Now, $5.00 obviously isn't a whole lot, but no one likes anything wrongly taken from them either. Later, after the Cowboy Church service, Bruce and I joined hands about that $5.00.  We knew, as heirs to the throne of Grace, we could lay claim to 100 fold return on that money.  The key was, instead of taking offense, we decided to sow into this venue.  Lives were touched and saved during this service, so in declaring it "sowed" for the kingdom in Jesus' Name, we could expect a return on our investment.  (Genesis 26:12-13; Luke 6:37-38)

Now some might think we made a big deal over something so small.  But, the Word says that he who is faithful over little, will be faithful in much (Luke 16:10).  We took God at His Word in regard to something small.  So, when something huge comes along that we really need to dig in and stand for, we'll already have an example of Faith that our Lord is true to His Word.

At the end of March, Bruce received a check for $500.00.  In April, I received another $500.00 made out to me.  The funny thing was, since we each agreed on the 100 fold blessing, we each got $500.00…..one hundred fold on that $5.00.  NICE!

Bruce w/Branded-Sandario Baptist Church, AZ

Parkfield, CA

Payson, AZ

Payson, AZ

Cheeeeese!

Prather, CA

Bruce teaching-Prather, CA

Bruce teaching-Prather, CA

Nocona after an adjustment-Prather, CA

Puget Sound, WA

Tule River Rez, CA

Tule River Rez, CA

Tule River Rez, CA

Blythe, CA-Caravanning to Texas with our friends

Deming, NM-Caravanning to Texas with our friends

Tornado Cloud-Sealy, TX

Sealy, TX Conference

Calf "Branding"-Sealy, TX Conference

Lynn McKenzie on Nocona-Sealy, TX Conference

Dust Storm-Midland, TX

After we left Scottsdale, we had a HUGE run in March. 18 gigs & 5 states.  WHEW!  We were FLYIN’!!  One of the most exciting events that took place was in Oregon.  A woman came to one of the meetings and was lame.  She came to be prayed over.  I wanted to see a miracle so I made sure I positioned myself right up next to her and the person that prayed over her.  As I watched in amazement, her leg grew out to match the other one!!  I’d never seen anything like that before and it was AWESOME!!

Among all the places we go, the Indian Reservations are the best.  We love them.  That’s where a BIG part of our heart is.  Native Americans are amazing and the Lord’s Spirit is moving and is getting ready to flood through the Rez’s throughout the U.S.  These people know how to worship in Spirit and in Truth as the Word of God says to do.  They get it and it’s AWESOME! 

The first Rez we went to this year was the Tule River Indian Reservation.  Our friend, Coy, could not make it to their annual Youth Rodeo and asked if we wanted to go in his place.  We jumped at the chance.  Bruce announced and I rode with my team, the Glory Riders.  We rode our drill to Battle Cry, etc. and honored all the Veterans there.  I had the honor of singing the National Anthem on horseback and posting the colors.  I think the whole Rez showed up.  If they weren’t on the bluff above the arena, they were in the stands and there were kids everywhere!  It was really cool!  Nocona had a great time too.  He was even visited by a small band of wild horses AND the stallion.  Herds of wild horses and cattle wander the Rez at will and you never know what awaits you when you open your door.  It’s pretty cool. 

We had the privilege of doing the music the next morning at church in the grandstands and the Spirit of the Lord moved.  The Word from the Lord that day was “keep my family together”. (Psalm 133; 1 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:1-6)

After leaving the Tule River Rez, we headed for Texas.  Through the rest of April and May we were quite busy with family and friends and singing at various cowboy and community churches.

While in Sealy, we had a blast by taking full advantage of the pasture pond at the Rice Ranch.  Nocona the "wonder horse" ferried everyone across until they got their "sea legs".  Soon after, saddles, socks, and boots were scattered over the pasture and all were "swimming" their horses in the "tank". One should never be too old to be a kid!

I learned a good lesson in assuming, as we headed West again and hit our last stop in Texas. 

As we pulled onto the grounds, I saw Graffiti all over the water tank that sits in the middle.   My first thought, unfortunately, was that of fear.  "Oh, no!", I thought.  "Here of all places, so far out of town, things have changed.  The gangs have now extended their territory to include the church grounds?  How can this be!"  Then, my head started having a field day.  We were supposed to be parked there for a few days. "What If" "they" decided to come and vandalize our Rig, etc., etc., etc.  Well, thankfully, I "popped" myself in the head and started praying over everything, etc. instead. But, isn't it funny how we pray, but it's still in the back of our mind?  When the Word says that the mind is a battlefield …it ain't kiddin'!  (Philippians 4:1-8)

The absolute hilarious thing was, we ended up meeting the kid who did it.  He went to the church there.  He had given his life over to Jesus.  He is an artist.  As a testament to his Faith and with permission from the Pastors of the church, he expressed his love for Jesus by painting his artistry on that water tank.

Had I looked more closely at this artistry, I would have seen the symbols and names, etc. and realized the truth.  It was humbling and it was a great lesson on "things are usually never what they appear to be".  Don't assume…find out the truth of the matter.  And, when that truth is realized, whatever it is, prayerfully go on from there!  (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

Prather, CA

Prather, CA

W/The Glory Riders

Mt. Pitt, Oregon

Oregon

Tule River Rez and the wild stud, CA

Our friend Kitahna-Tule River Rez, CA

Pearl-keeping an eye our for our friend, Carolyn!

Texas Rocks Rest Area-Caravanning to Texas with our friends

Paul Staggs & Bruce-Sealy, TX Conference

Matlock Rice giving a Cutting Demo-Sealy, TX Conference

Bruce teaching-Sealy, TX Conference

Dust Storm & Graffiti-Midland, TX

Our Camp on the Rez

Our friends Tom & Cindy (Ojibwe Pastor)

Braiding lesson

June found us getting ready to head for the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Before leaving for the Rez, we had breakfast in town with our friends in Midland.  Before getting on the road, the Lord spoke to Bruce in that still, small voice of His to look at the trailer tires.  As Bruce inspected the tires, there was one that had worn at a really weird angle.  We feel quite sure it would have blown as we headed up and down the steep grades of the Ruidoso mountain area.  We felt very thankful that not only did the Lord warn us of the hazard (and we listened!), but also that we had parked in a well paved parking lot, it wasn't raining or 100 degree heat, AND the bad tire was on the shaded side of the trailer!  Yea God!

The time on the Rez is always a special time for us.  Getting reacquainted with old friends there as well as making new ones. This year we met new friends from the Navajo, Mohawk and Ojibwe tribes as we helped the Mescalero Apaches celebrate their status as an indigenous (Native operated) church.  

Nocona is always a neighborhood hit as he entertains all the little kids that come by to say "Hello".  I discovered a new favorite treat of Nocona's as three little Indian girls fed him their breakfast……Fruit Loops!  Who knew??

One morning, I walked outside and noticed that Nocona was facing away from "the action" of the Rez and staring intently towards the church.  I thought this peculiar until I realized he was looking at himself in the church window.  Apparently, he thought another horse had come to visit!  Who needs TV when you have the funny reality of life right outside your door!

Assoc. Apache Pastor, Eldon Spitty with Bruce

Wild horses on the Rez

Antelope Valley, NV

The Black Band

Near Lake Tahoe, NV

Eagle Falls (Lake Tahoe)

Eagle Lake (near Lake Tahoe)

Eagle Falls (Lake Tahoe)

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe

Virginia City, NV

Virginia City, NV

Virginia City, NV

Virginia City, NV

Sierra Nevadas outside Carson City, NV

Driveway to Bo & Cathy Lowe's-Jackpot, NV

Bo & Cathy Lowe's Ranch

The Snake River, Idaho

Duck Valley Rez (Paiute/Shoshone)-Owyhee, NV

Getting our Rig underneath the power lines on the Duck Valley Rez

Leaving the Rez

The Pee Wee Stampede

The Fair Mascot

We even passed the Clampetts!!

The Road to Greenback Ranch

Church at Greenback Ranch

Hawk at Greenback Ranch

Riding the "hills" in Payson, AZ

Old Cave by the Verde River, AZ

Gabaldon Camp

Bruce waiting for Elk

Lake Powell

Rainbow Bridge-Lake Powell

After leaving the Rez, we headed for Reno and the Wild West Women Of The Word, put on by Coy and Donna Huffman.  This Women's Conference ROCKS and we really have enjoyed being a part of it.  While there we "camped" at a horse motel in a little valley called Antelope Valley on the edge of the BLM (for our friends that live outside of the US, that's the Bureau Of Land Management land).

It's funny how the Lord encourages us through the coolest ways. We had been out and about and had just pulled in, when this little girl came up to me in the truck.  We barely had even said "Hi" to each other and she proceeds to burst into song, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so".  She kept singing and I thought "Well, I'll just join her."  So, off we went singing the rest of the song.  It was so cool and brought my whole day into perspective.  She was one of the most joyful, uninhibited little kids I had ever met.  Her spirit was so pure.

Unfortunately, it was obvious that her family did not see this as a blessing, but an annoyance and verbalized to me as much.  My heart kind of broke for her on this, but it didn't seem to hinder her.  She just kept singing, asking me questions about my horse and just continuing to be a breath of fresh air!  Thank you, Jesus, for the precious heart of a child!! (Matthew 11:25; 18:3; 19:13-14)

As I mentioned, we were on the outskirts of the BLM with 64 MILLION acres to ride on!  I was a proverbial kid-in-a-candy-store!  I was also told there were wild horses in the area.  It took me no time at all to have my horse saddled and I was gone!  Of course, I really didn't think I was going to see anything.  Masses of land for these horses to run on and I can only ride so far (maybe 1 million acres…..just kidding), what were the odds (I thought) of running into them?

Well, off I went up and over the "hills".  I was riding down this valley and all of a sudden I "felt" something looking at me.  I slowly started looking around and then up and there they were.  Six jet black wild horses calmly watched me from their "hill" as I rode through their valley.  As I rode that valley many times during the next several weeks, I realized that this was their favorite hill and I could count on seeing them there, every time.  As I watched them, I noticed the stallion (a black stallion, no less) standing on the point of the hill.  As the breeze caught his mane and tail and flowed in the wind, I cried….I really did.  Never in my life did I ever think that I would witness this sight…for real and not just in some movie.  But, then again, the Lord is ever so willing to give us more than we could ever ask or think and give us the desires of our hearts.  VERY cool!! (Ephesians 3:20-21; Psalm 37)

A curious thing though. The next time I saw them, there were only four horses in the Band.  Two had mysteriously disappeared.  It wasn't until the next year that I discovered what happened (read Trail Tails 2010 to find out the "rest of the story" and the ways of the wild).

Well, true to my adventurous nature and forever searching for the trail less traveled, off I went to explore this vast, wonderful land.  However, being out in the back country, one has to keep an eye on the trail, but also keep an eye on the weather.  Which, in this case, was turning bad every minute.  As I looked towards Fred's Mountain, I saw the black clouds beginning to gather quickly.

Reluctantly, I decided to abandon my original trail ideas and head back.  It was a good decision.  With every step, the cloud build up was getting worse….that was on my right. To my left, big white thunderheads were forming and also heading my way.  If I didn't high-tail it out of there, I would be caught between both storms.

I had another decision to make.  1) Go towards Fred's, right towards the worst part of the storm (the shorter route home) and take the chance of not getting around it in time before I got hit? Or 2) take the longest route and hope I made it through that way?  It wouldn't have been so bad, except the thunder started rolling and I knew the lightning was getting closer and closer.  We were up in an open valley and a prime target.  Did I start praying?  You bet I did! and in Jesus Name because there is Power in that name!

I looked up at the sky and right between the mass of white thunder heads and the mass of blackness was a perfect trail of blue right in between.  I made my decision, threw on my slicker and urged my horse into a long trot, following that 'trail in the sky'.  As serious as this situation was, I had to laugh.  I looked up on the "wild horse ridge" and there they were, watching us as Nocona and I high-tailed it up their valley.  What must have been going through their heads?

Trotting and loping, dodging sagebrush and cactus, we finally made it off the ridge and onto the valley floor.  I looked back up at Fred's Mountain and it was ugly.  I started praying fervently again as I saw the lightning streaks come down and we headed into open country.  The wind was so strong in my face that I had to ride with one hand on the reins and one hand on my hat.  Then, I witnessed a miracle.  The wind was in my face, but the black clouds were moving away from us!  The Lord spoke to my spirit then and said, "I am bigger than the storm".  Whooohooo! THAT was SO cool!  As I swung towards our Rig in the middle of the valley, I saw that another set of storm clouds had formed over Fred's and was actually being held back.  As I safely galloped into "camp" and up underneath the barn overhang, the clouds were released and the downpour was deafening. But, we were safely in.  Praise God!

You know, the Word says your gift will make room for you (Proverbs 18:16).  To me, one of the revelations of that verse is that He will put you in contact with the people that will be a part of where you are supposed to be to share your gift.  In this particular case, the Lord was preparing an open door up at the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Northern Nevada/Southern Idaho. 

A woman came down from Northern Nevada to attend that Women's Conference.  For a year or two, we had always heard about this gal and her husband and the awesome work they do as buckaroos and pastors up in their country.  However, we had never met them, even in all our travels.  This day, was the day that we were supposed to meet.

We were introduced and each started sharing about our ministries.  I told her our heart for the Native American Indians and how we sing/minister on the Rez's.  Her eyes lit up.  She told me that the singer/minister that usually does the outreach concert up at the Duck Valley Rez, could not make it that year.  She was praying about what they were going to do to replace him.  The very weekend of the Duck Valley outreach was the only weekend we had available in August.  So, the door was open for us to go and meet and become friends with even more incredible Indians.  This time with the Paiute/Shoshoni's in Owyhee, Nevada.

Not only did the Lord open the door on the Rez, but also united us with our now good friends, Bo and Cathy Lowe.  We had a blast with them and were treated to homemade fixin's with Cathy's home cooked meals….from scratch, home-made sour dough biscuits and pancakes….home raised beef….milk, butter and cream for our coffee straight from their Jersey dairy cow.  Nice!

Up in that country, the people are good 'ol country folk.  While on our way to Owyhee, we stopped at a local eatery in Bruneau, Idaho.  It was a public place, but had the down home feel of somebody's personal kitchen.  After we ate, the waitress came out and said "Do you like cupcakes? I just baked a bunch of them and thought you might like dessert".  Priceless….literally.  She had just made cupcakes and wanted to share them…"on the house".  Gotta love it!

The time on the Duck Valley Rez was awesome.  It is the most remotest Indian Reservation in the United States…100 miles from the nearest big town.  There was a community Bar-B-Que and outreach that weekend.  And, even though it poured rain, we still had a great time.  During the church service on Sunday, our friend, Teola signed "The Lord's Prayer" in Paiute/Shoshoni, while I sang it.  It was hard to keep a steady voice as I watched her sign.  It was so beautiful! The whole weekend was amazing and we made life long friends there.

A funny thing happened on our way home.  We were driving out of the Rez and this Badger crossed the road right in front of our Rig.  Instead of continuing on his way, he wheeled around and tried to attack our truck and trailer.  It was hilarious!  Like a Chihuahua taking on a Great Dane.  Gotta love the boldness!

September found us hired as Pee Wee Wranglers for the Pee Wee Stampede at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Living out of a hotel room with just a microwave (no stove) and a "college" refrigerator for three weeks, we got pretty creative with chicken nuggets, TV dinners, salads and a various asundery of other delicacy challenges.  But it was all worth it.

The Pee Wee Stampede is a stick horse rodeo for kids ages 3-6.  Penny Conway developed this awesome idea and as you can see by the pictures, it's quite a set up.  We did three performances a day, every day for 17 days and we took up to 30 kids in a performance.  We give the kids their instructions, but you never know what these little tikes are going to really do.  It is absolutely hilarious!  In fact, it's such a big hit at the Fair, that people who don't even have kids in the Stampede, including the Fair workers, come and watch.

Here are some of the comments, etc. from the kids:

After Bruce explained to the kids that they all did great & they all get Championship Blue Ribbons, one very pert 5 year old girl loudly proclaimed to the entire audience "the girls should get Pink Ribbons!" Apparently, she was convinced that the BLUE ribbons were just for boys! Gotta love it!

A little boy as he was proudly pointing to the Stampede arena: “This is where I won my first trophy! The Pee Wee Simple!”

After telling the kids and parents that the ages to compete are 3-6, one little boy’s father tells us, “He’s 6”. As to which his little son responds: “No, I’m not! I’m 7!” Hee, hee…gotta love the honesty of the child!

A boy coming to compete again on the same day: “I’m still 5!”

As I was frantically trying to get the clown outfit on a very patient 5 year old he said: "Hey, 'scuse me. I got both my legs in here!” (I had put both legs in one leg of the clown outfit!)

To Bruce, as he stood beside the one we chose for the “Rodeo Queen”...she beamed up at him: “I’m the QUEEN”.

A little tike as he beamed proudly up at Bruce: “I have my house number memorized!"

A little Bull Rider to Bruce as he’s putting on their little chaps: “Hey.....How come you keep calling everyone ‘Partner’?”

"A 5 year old "Bronc Rider" looks up at me with beaming face, as he proudly holds his stick horse and announces "We're KIDS!!" :) 

The Ministry opportunities abounded all around our time there at the Fair.  We were able to uplift and encourage workers that would stop by our "arena"...everyone from the trash collectors to the security guards.  At breakfast one morning, the Lord brought in our path a manager of the hotel that was in charge of the eating area.  She was a fellow Believer, strong in the Lord and we were encouraged by her and vice versa.  As the Word says…iron sharpens iron. (Proverbs 27:17)

Penny Conway was also able to set up the Cowboy Church there in the Tingley Colesium again for one of the Sundays.  We had a great turn out and we were all encouraged.

Packing up the Pee Wee and hitting the road, we headed back for Payson, AZ to help Penny with her son's wedding.  We got to help cater for the rehearsal dinner and take video of the wedding and reception.  It was a blast!

After a whirlwind year, we realized that we needed to "go to the mountain" and "chill".  The Lord laid on our hearts that we needed to record another album and we knew we needed to "get quiet" and hear what He had to say to us about it.  Bruce found this horse campground called Gabaldon in the Apache Wilderness in Arizona. 

On the way back from Albuquerque, we had decided to check it out to make sure we could get our Rig in, etc. and familiarize ourselves with the accommodations before we got there.   We found it awesome! 

We pulled in to the Campground about two weeks later.  Bruce maneuvered our big Rig up a hill and in between the pine trees and there we parked in the only space our Rig would fit!   We called this spot next to the trail head our home for the next two weeks and settled in.  The summer crowd had long since vanished and we had the whole place to ourselves.

The smell of pines and the fresh, clear air of 9400 feet was heaven.  We filled buckets from the stream to water Nocona, wash dishes and take "baths".  We built campfires some mornings and cooked breakfast. The smell of bacon mingled with the smell of pine brought me "back" to the camping trips with my family when I was a kid.  The bugles of the elk serenaded us in the evenings, joined by the coyote section of the choir.  We even had a wolf run through our camp which was rather exciting.  Nocona, on the other hand, was less than amused at this unexpected "guest" and we were very grateful for the high-built corral made with thick tree trunks!

Enjoying our new wilderness life, we settled in and commenced to writing the songs for our new project-Heart Of God.  As I sat down beside the campfire with my Bible, pen and paper, I asked the Lord what He wanted on this project…what was HIS Heart. This is what He said (it's funny how you can hear the Lord loud and clear when you're quiet! (LOL) :

He wants a willing & listening heart (Isaiah 1:19)

Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.  (Matthew 6:33)

The Heart of God? Be a person after His heart

Perfect love casts out fear. God is love.  (1 John 4:18)

The Heart of God is to connect with our heart.

Unity with one another (Rom. 15:5-6; Rom. 14:19)

Righteousness, Joy and Peace-serve Christ in these things (Rom. 14:17)

Faith is the opposite of Fear

Find common ground

-Heart; praise and fellowship (rejoyce)

-Heart: edify one another

What pleases God:

Our Faith

Our fellowship with Him

Our love toward others

Jeremiah 9:24: He excercises lovingkindness, judgement and righteousness on the earth.

Psalm 136: His Mercy endures forever.

As I sat around the campfire and He told me these things, a tremendous peace came over me and a realization of how non-complicated and simple His message is to us.  We're the ones who complicate things with all our man made ideas of what we think pleases Him.  Ask Him, listen to what He says, and do what He says…pretty simple.  He always has our best interest at heart. He gave me the song "A Warrior" as I sat there.  He is the Rock and He ROCKS!! :)

The Lord blessed us so much with our experience at that place.  To just "be" and enjoy His creation.  The first day, the devil tried to put me on a guilt trip as I tried to relax, trying to make me feel guilty that we weren't "ministering" somewhere or hanging out with fellow believers, etc.  The Holy Spirit put a stop to this right quick.  He spoke to my spirit straight away and said "Look in My Word and see how many times I took a break and got away to be alone with my Father….hearing, regrouping, resting, etc."  The guilt gone, I enjoyed the next two weeks.  (Isaiah 40:31)

Riding out on my horse was amazing.  Walking out on the trails with Bruce to take pictures of the Elk was exciting….  Here are a few excerpts of the diary I wrote:

"Cooked breakfast on the campfire this morning...nothing like the smell of bacon mixed with fresh air and pine trees! Last night the bugling Elk were so loud it woke me out of a sound sleep. Even though it was about 30 something degrees outside, I still had to open the window to hear every bit of the "music" I could!"

"Wow! Words can't express the Choir we heard this evening, but I'll try.. Coyotes' Medley from the mountain beyond the meadow..then the horn section chimed in..Elks bugling in unison with the Medley! THEN, calling out and answering back and forth!" 

"Out here, it's obvious, man in his pride are laughable..because out here you can clearly see that God is obviously SO much bigger!"

"Thundering and raining here in the high country of the White Mountains (9400 ft+)..but, LOVIN IT!!"

"The Lord is so cool. He talks to you in your "language"..like this: "you can't walk someone's trail for them..but you can help pack their "backpack" (i.e words of encouragement, teaching of the Word, etc)."

"Caught two Elk sparring in the meadow the second night at Gabaldon, while another elk bugled somewhere in the forest."

"Did you know?.....Elk Bulls Bugle...but, Elk Cows "Meep"??....Apache Wilderness trivia...hee, hee."

"What a great day! Got songs written, Nocona's in his Happy Place and Bruce and I watched 30 elk meander up the meadow......"

"Wow! Interesting morning....Bruce and I were talking...having coffee....and then WHOOSH!....a wolf ran by Nocona's corral! THAT was freakish! (Appparently, Mexican wolves were re-introduced in this part of the country….nice….)".

We pushed our stay as long as we could there, but when we found ice in the stream the next morning and knew a major storm was headed our way, we knew it was time to leave this little paradise and head for Texas.  We ended up getting out just before the storm hit and were able to get settled in at the El Capitan, New Mexico rodeo grounds before it hit there.

"Hole-Up" spot-Lund, NV Rodeo Grounds

Riding the BLM, NV

Eagle Falls (Lake Tahoe)

Eagle Falls (Lake Tahoe)

Eagle Lake (near Lake Tahoe)

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe

Near Lake Tahoe

Reno, NV Rodeo-One Armed Bandit

Reno, NV Rodeo-One Armed Bandit

Hmmm...how far?

Guitar Hill near Jackpot, NV

Bo & Cathy Lowe's Ranch

Duck Valley Indian Rez-Paiute/Shoshone

Duck Valley Indian Rez

Duck Valley Indian Rez-Owyhee, NV

Javalina-Payson, AZ

Greenback Ranch, AZ

Either this or a tree..

At the Wedding

Three Chicks & A Cowboy Catering!

Riding out in Payson,AZ

Ancient Pottery Shards, etc.

Gabaldon Camp

Yes, there really is a trail there!

Elk sparring

Monument Valley

Monument Valley

Exploring the slots-Lake Powell

San Angelo State Park, TX

San Angelo State Park, AZ

Arriving safely in Texas, we went from one extreme to the next…wearing four layers of clothing to requiring the use of a tank top!  Gotta be flexible to live our life, that's for sure!  Nocona went from having a blanket on, to wishing for some shade!

San Angelo State Park, TX

Bruce & Grandma Bennett-her 90th B-day!

Schulenburg, TX

After singing at the Blanco Cowboy Church and seeing old friends there, we headed to our base camp in Hallettsville.  Praise God there had been plenty of rain in Texas, so there was plenty of grass and the tank (pond) was completely full of water.  No need to buy hay and our boy, Nocona, was definitely in his happy place again! 

The next Sunday, we sang at my old home church, Penning For Jesus Cowboy Church and had a great time catching up with everybody there.  The rest of November we hung out with family from Colorado, Kansas and Texas at the family ranch.  We had a blast playing our favorite games of Hand and Foot and Chicken Foot (Dominoes).  One night we got to laughing so hard the next County heard us, our make-up was running, snorting was heard everywhere, and we had to stop the game until we got under some resemblance of control.  Good stuff!

While there, Bruce (God love 'im) finally wrangled the mouse that had been hitchhiking with us ever since? and who'd taken up a cozy little residence in our stud stall.  Releasing him to, no doubt, a brand new world to him in Texas, Bruce then got the little guy's "condo" cleaned out, including all the little "presents" he left everywhere.  We think he hailed from somewhere in Arizona.

Because we live full time on the road, sometimes we wake up in the morning and it takes a minute to remember what State we're in.  It was December now and I had to think twice one morning...because it was SNOWING…..in SOUTHEAST TEXAS!!  Back to the layered clothing!

What do ya got in there?

When birds have chrome for a mirror....

The Game Ranch

The Game Ranch

Bruce & his Dad

Overnight stop in Deming,NM

Our "Hole-Up in Hemet

During this month, Bruce was able to play electric guitar with Branded (Robert Welch and Paul Staggs) and the band which is always a blast for him. Their gig was at a huge game ranch in Creedmore.  We drove through their wildlife preserve to get to the main building.  When the boys were warming up, I went outside and heard this weird noise.  It was a HUGE Rhino "playing" with the slat door of his shed...YOWSA! 

After our visit with friends and family in Texas, we headed off to California for our yearly Christmas visit with family there.  We camped at our usual spot in Deming, New Mexico and woke up to mud and snow!   Through much spinning, sliding, praying, no doubt pushing from our road angels and a miracle we got our Rig out and continued on to California.

Had an awesome time with family and friends again.  We fried turkeys, learned how to play on the Wii my uncle got for Christmas, played Musical Catchphrase….just some great family time!  We drove out to the desert too and visited with some dear friends of ours and had an awesome time catching up with them too.

We made our "camp" with some friends of ours in Hemet during the Holidays and after spending time with our family on New Years Eve, came back around 10:00pm to turn in.  Not!  They had built a campfire in their front yard and were wanting us to join them with music to bring in the New Year.  They're ol' cowboys and we sang everything from "Up Against The Wall Red-Neck Mother" to "Amazing Grace".  And we had a blast!  The New Year came in with a full, clear sky of stars and a beautiful moon.

Looking back at the year, we felt very blessed.  Do we have challenges? YES...Do we have disappointing things happen?...YES...But, when Jesus says to cast ALL your cares on him…we've learned that this is not a suggestion, it's a command.  Sometimes it's hard, but it's always worth it.  He says in His Word that He came to give us life in abundance.  But, we have to follow what He says to do.  THAT means, we get to have fun and enjoy life, as long as we take Him at His Word.  WHOOOHOOOO! (John 10:10;  1 Peter 5:6-8)

I have a shirt that says "When it comes to life's adventures, never pull back on the reins...and we don't!! :D 

The Repka Clan

We got footed PJs!

The Bueler Clan

Christmas Horse!

2010

The Bird Cage-Tombstone, AZ

A Staghorn Cholla with Ruins behind

The old Railroad Trestle into Tombstone

Sunset over Tombstone

Bruce-AKA "Texas Chisholm"

Singing w/Mike Morrison-Faith Country Church-Midland, TX

The Band

Studying the Song Charts

View from the vocal booth

Rankin Peters

Steve Story laying down Fiddle/Violin Tracks

Bruce laying down guitar tracks

Bruce laying down keyboard tracks

Dust Storm-Midland, TX

We started out this year again with an AWESOME week at the International Cowboys Ministers Conference (ICMC).  This time, in Tombstone, AZ.  Bruce and I joined the Praise & Worship Team again this year and had a blast!  It’s great to be able to just focus on the Lord and what He’s doing in a “No Ego Zone!”  All the musicians and singers flowed together.  Everyone was encouraged to do their best and have fun.  God is SO cool!

After the Conference it was time to hit the trail!...which Nocona and I promptly did with our new found friend, Alden and her horse, Larry.   We explored the San Pedro River, scouted around ruins, found Indian Petroglyphs and Pictographs and pondered the many outlaws, inlaws and various asundry of folk that passed through those hills.    It was also highly interesting to read the trail sign left by the Illegal Aliens crossing into our country.  This was a very busy route for Illegals!  We found various articles of clothing, blankets, etc. left in a tree or other strategic place as sign to turn a certain way….even big arrows with words pointing the way down a particular path (that was bold!).

I was glad we had angels riding with us as we noticed a truck moving slowly next to an old railroad berm.  They watched us intently, trying to figure out who we were.  My whole being went on alert.  I lifted my hand in acknowledgement, then continued to look straight ahead, all the while eyeing a hill next to us and scouting an escape route.  Gratefully, they saw us as no threat and moved on, leaving us alone.  As I sat my horse, calming the “willies” in my stomach, I had a suspicion that they were either carrying Illegals or drugs under a tarp that covered the back of their truck.  Our suspicions were confirmed when we chatted with a Border Patrol Agent and found out that was the very truck he tried to chase down after we had seen it.   Yippee!

After our adventures in Tombstone, we headed down the road to Yuma, AZ.  We were scheduled to sing at the Single Action Shooters (SASS) Cowboy Church on Sunday morning again this year. And, as always, had a blast with our Cowboy Shooter friends!  They graciously let us borrow guns and ammo again this year and we shot right along side them every day.  I love the variety of stuff we get to do in our Ministry!

Nocona, of course, was a hit as usual.  The ladies remembered him from last year and he got more than a fair share of treats.  He was one spoiled horse that weekend!

Back on the Trail again, we headed for the Studio in Holland, TX to record our new Album.  YEA!  And, oh did we have fun in the Studio yet again!  Our friends, Rankin Peters, Steve Allison, Steve Story, and Steve Palousek joined us again for another of our CD projects.  And, of course, this anointed team rocked the house this time too!  We worked and had fun doing it!  Bruce and I even got to swing dancing in the control room during one of our songs and messed up the fiddle player (he was laughing)and he had to do a retake. Oh well.  People have fun on our Projects!

It was cool to watch the Lord work the details out during the whole process of this Project.  We wanted the same musicians that were on our previous projects…Done.   We needed a place to hook up our Rig so we could be close to the Studio…Done (we were able to park behind the Studio and plug in right there and we were given favor by the “powers that be” that run the town).  We needed a place for Nocona…HUGE biggy!....Done!  Just so happened that our Producer/Friend Steve has a brother that lives out in the country and made their 10 acre W/BARN available to us.  That was such a God send because the weather was wet and cold the entire time we were there and Nocona was safe, warm and happy…no worries!  There’s an old saying that says “the devil is in the details”.  Nah…our GOD is in the details!  WHOOOHOOO!  (Luke 12:6-7)

The last part of our Project to be done turned out to be the most time consuming one.  We were excited to get this Project done and out, so it was hard and a bit frustrating to wait for this final piece.  I knew the Lord had told me to put Native American Flute on “Spirit Of The Living God”.  Since we go to a lot of Indian Rez’s (Reservations), I wanted to do this song for them.  Also, I knew a Native needed to play the Flute.  I’m part Native, but I’m just learning the Flute, so that opted me out.  So, my search was on. I made several phone calls and typed several e-mails.  Just when I thought I’d struck gold, the door would be closed.  Everyone was very nice, but for one reason or another, it just wasn’t working out.  I started questioning whether it was just me, or really the Lord that had told me about the Flute.  But, I had to hang on to the original “know that I know that I know” down in my spirit and keep going.  The last call I made was to a very gracious and accomplished Flutist.  I mailed him the rough tracks of the song.  When he received them, he was very excited and was looking forward to coming up with the part that would fit the song.  However, in the end, and even working with his son who was also an accomplished Flutist, could not come up with the part they felt would fit the song with the Flutes that they had. 

However, in the interim, our Producer/Friend Steve called us and said that if we were still looking for a Native Flutist, he may have found one for us.  “Out of the blue” a lady contacted him to do some work on a CD she had made of her playing the Native Flute.  She also taught Flute at the school right there in Holland (Holland is a town in Texas with a population of about 1000 people).  What are the odds??  In the same weekend that I had gotten the voicemail from the other Flutist informing me that they couldn’t do it, we received the voicemail from Steve telling us about Connie.  

We had already left Texas by that time, with no way of getting back into the Studio to help produce this last part of the Project.  I called Connie, listened to her skills over the phone and gave her the go ahead to work on the song.  Now, one of the issues we were dealing with was the key of the song, which was in “C”.  The issue with the last Flutist, as well as Connie, was they only had the adequate toned Flutes in the key of  “A”.  I was really praying hard now, because Connie was our last chance for a Flutist before ditching the effort of having the Flute on that song.  She thought her friend in San Antonio (140 miles away) had a “C” Flute, so she said she would try and borrow it from her.  However, in an attempt to use what she had, she decided to just try and play with the song on her “A” Flute.  Surprising even this accomplished artist, the “A” Flute worked, proving once again that the Lord will use who HE wants to use and He will equip who He calls! (Hebrews 13:20-21). The result was beautiful.  I cried when I heard it.  And, for the next few times we sang that song live, I had to hold back the tears as I would listen to the Flute bridges in the song.  It goes without saying…but, I’ll say it anyway!...it was worth the wait.  The Lord knew what He was doing!

Tombstone Livery Stable

The Bird Cage-Tombstone, AZ

Riding the San Pedro Riverbed

Ruins of the old silver days of Tombstone

Indian Petroglyphs & Pictographs

Sunset over Tombstone

Single Action Shooters Society Meet

Nocona & "Sacagawea"

Holland, TX-It rained...ALOT!

The road to Nocona's "home"

Had to go another way that day!

Nocona's pasture buddies in Holland, TX

Shara laying down vocal parts

Reviewing the takes

Bruce working with Ray Palousek

Bruce working with Clayton Palousek

Bruce loves cats!

Nocona meets an Emu for the first time!

LOVE country Walmarts!

Shara, Larry (friend's horse), Bruce & Nocona

Cleaning up after the flood at Catalina State Park

Road? What Road?

Yep there was a road there!

Forging the River

Riding through the Coronado National Forest

Hawk

Nocona makes more friends at Catalina State Park

Looking towards Tucson, AZ from the Santa Catalina Mtns

Seven Falls-Santa Catalina Mtns

Sunset over the Canada Del Oro River-Catalina State Park

Selling Souvenir T-Shirts for the Honeycutt Rodeo Company-Laughlin, NV

Looking out from our T-Shirt Trailer

This is the Women's Porta Potty! First Class!

Trip down & up the Colorado River with (Coy Huffman, "Scooter" Gates, Donna Huffman, Bruce & JD Gates-Laughlin, NV

Well, back to February, we were back on the road again..heading for Yuma, AZ.  The Album, at that point, was in the mixing stages...YEA!! And, though we got about 4 hours of sleep that morning (reviewing a cut on a song til 5 am) and had a flat tire on the truck ...undaunted, we forged on!  The Rodeo Cowboy Church was awesome. Towards the end of the service, a big cowboy stood up.  The Lord had moved on him to ask a gentleman in the audience to pray over his nephew.  The cowboy was visibly moved, as he had never had this happen to him before.  So, wide-eyed (like the rest of us), the cowboy had the man come down and lay hands on his nephew.  He was also told to use the water in Bruce’s water bottle to anoint him as he was prayed over.  Wow!  God can and will use whatever and whomever He pleases to get a job done….our job is to take Him out of the box and do whatever He tells us to do….an unsuspecting cowboy, an audience member and a bottle of Walmart water…nice!

February brought a whole new meaning to “roll with the flow”!  Parked again at Catalina State Park, we had an awesome time riding the trails and enjoying Park life which consisted of meeting new trail buddies and riding with “old” ones.  We sang at the Tucson Rodeo Cowboy Churches on both the Sundays and enjoyed yet more awesome preaching from Coy Huffman.   We were supposed to leave for the Chino Valley, AZ meetings on Monday, but were faced with a little “hitch-in-the-get-a-long” instead (translation-our plans got cancelled).  Arizona got a TON of rain, more so than the locals had seen in years.  We left to sing at the Cowboy Church on the final Sunday….it was raining.   We got out of the Park just fine.  Getting back was another story.  As we entered the Park, we were informed that the flood waters and the sand it carried had buried the road and we couldn’t get back to our camp.  We would have to park on the side of the road and walk back to our Rig, IF we wanted to brave the flood waters.  When the Park Rangers said the road was flooded, THAT was an understatement.  It was not only flooded, but about 3 feet of silt/sand completely covered the road so that even the dip in the road was filled to its brim!

Well, there was “nothin’ for it”, but to park our truck and start the mile trek back to our camp, Rig and horse.   We couldn’t cross where the road had been for danger of sinking in the sand, so we took the berm dike back to a place in the river where we knew we might be able to cross.  Thankfully, it wasn’t raining that hard and we got into the spirit of the adventure!  Taking our boots off and hiking up our good jeans we crossed in what proved to be some VERY COLD water!  I will never again giggle at the hikers we came across on the trail that had to cross in that water, as we rode through on horseback, earlier that week!   When they said the water was cold, they weren’t kiddin’!

After forging the river and getting back to our Rig, we discovered that we were low on generator fuel. So, back we went...forging the River again...walking a mile back to the truck to get gas in our gas can.  And then, walking the mile back AGAIN, forging the River (not easy with a loaded gas can) and back to our Rig.....oh....and it was really raining now!

This adventure was on Monday.   After a day and a half of checking the progress of the road clean-up, we finally pulled out on Tuesday afternoon and booked it to the Chino Valley meetings.  We pulled in too late to sing on Tuesday, but were able to join in on Wednesday.

As we asked God to literally “part the waters”, and as we bound Satan and conducted all the spiritual warfare you do when something needs to happen, this thought kept crossing our minds:  “we make our plans, but the Lord directs our steps” (Proverbs 3:5-6; Proverbs 16:9).   The Word says “when you have done all that you know to do”…stand (Ephesians 6:13).  In other words….don’t move!  Guess what?  We realized that, even though the Chino Valley meetings were a great thing, God wanted us in the Trail Camp.  I spent time with people as we chatted around my horse (Nocona has his own ministry goin’ on!) that I would never have had a chance to talk to under any other circumstance.  Even our attitude toward the Park Rangers during this adventure was an encouragement to the Rangers as they confided in us that they were being blasted by other campers…as if the flood waters were somehow the Rangers fault.   

The Rangers showed us favor as they fed Nocona that first day when they thought, initially, we wouldn’t be able to make it over the River to our Camp.  How they got the hay in there and where they got it from, I never figured out…but it was really good hay!

And, as live entertainment is always better than TV, we and other campers derived great entertainment in watching  those who would try to forge the River against all odds. “Turning the air blue” as they punched their accelerators, they only got so far as to bury their vehicles and themselves in the deep sand.  There were no emergencies to get out, just an over abundance of impatience, which was very amusing.

Our next venue was the Palm Springs, California West Fest Rodeo.  Leaving our Rig and Nocona with friends in Chino Valley, AZ, we headed south.  We were really excited about this one.  PRCA had not had a rodeo in Palm Springs for years and it was exciting to be a part of it this year with Coy and Donna Huffman.  There were around 60+ people there for the Cowboy Church.  We were once again reminded that when the Lord says “Come as you are”, he doesn’t just mean what you’re wearing.  He means the condition of your heart (Isaiah 55:1).  There’s another Rodeo in Palm Springs that is run by the Gay community.  Their Rodeo was shut down because their major beer sponsors had backed out.  That meant that the helpers and contestants at the “Straight” Rodeo were those that were Gay and “Straight”.  Now, how were we as believers in Jesus Christ going to handle it?  The Word of God says clearly that He hates homosexuality.  The Word also clearly says For God so loved the world…he did not come to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16-17).  In a nut shell?  Hate the sin, love the sinner.   Since we do what Jesus did (and does), our job is to show others, including ourselves, Jesus and His Love.  We then make the choice….for Him, or against Him. The Holy Spirit’s job is to help us clean up whatever needs to be cleaned up.  There is a root to all sinful behavior and the Lord knows what that root is, what caused it, how to pull it out and how to fill and heal the hole (Ephesians 6:12). So, here we are with a variety of people in the rodeo church service.  Their Gay Rodeo Queen, complete with sash and “tassels” sitting in the front row, directly in front of us, along with “couples” sprinkled all throughout the audience.   Jesus died for us all, Praise God, and we sang.

At the end of the service, the Queen bought a couple of our CDs & was anxious for his “friend” to hear the music too.  Praise God!  This man was also physically blind.  He asked me if I would lead him to the portable toilets that were on the other side of the fence.   I could feel the stares, as I walked this man to the bathrooms.   The stares came from the Gay and Straight alike.  They knew what I stood for.  They knew what he stood for (Romans 2:4; 1 Timothy 2:1-6).

We spent the rest of the day enjoying the Rodeo and spending time with my Mom and Dad in Hemet. 

The Lord sends people into our lives to uplift and encourage us in times of need.  The Lord has done that for us many times.  We feel honored and privileged when we get to be the ones sent to offer encouragement to those that need it.  It was so with my Dad and Mom.  Right before we left for Palm Springs, I received word from my Dad that he had been diagnosed with aggressive Prostate Cancer.  You know, when you get word like that, the initial reaction is that you just want to throw up.  The fear shoots through you like an electric current and your knees literally go weak.   Now comes the decision that every Believer faces.  Do you succumb to that fear and just survive by the world’s standards of “prepare for the worst, but hope for the best”?  Or God’s standards of grabbing the Word of God…speaking and believing what HE says about sickness or anything negative we’re facing?  Believing that we’re Overcomers of anything we’re facing (1 John 5:4-5; John 16:33).  We chose the latter, because in the past we’d chosen the former and that NEVER worked (probably because the "prepare for the worst, hope for the best" attitude really describes a double-minded person as described in James 1:6-8).  The Lord has also shown us, and we’d gotten confidence in His Word, that sickness and disease is NOT of Him.  It’s of the enemy and that enemy was defeated when Jesus died on the Cross, rose from the grave, grabbed the keys of death and hell from the enemy, and sat down at the Right Hand of the Father…declaring “IT IS FINISHED”.  Our job is to believe what He did, speak His Word (like He did with Satan in the Wilderness in Matthew 4)  and “walk” it out. 

Throughout the weekend, as we all lifted the Lord and His Word up, He moved and gave us Words of Encouragement and Power that helped us keep focused on Him and not the situation. Jumping ahead in this story, the Lord healed him through prayer and doctors that were divinely sent.  Hallelujah!!

Heading back to Chino Valley, we picked up our Rig and headed for the Laughlin River Stampede Rodeo.  This was a pretty cool deal.  On the advice of  our friend, Coy Huffman, we called Virginia Honeycutt to see if they needed any help (Roy and Virginia are the Stock Contractors and oversee the Rodeo). We would have never thought to call thinking, “What could we possibly do?  I’m sure they have everything handled”.   Well, what we didn’t know was that the person that usually sells the Souvenir T-Shirts couldn’t make it this year and Virginia was in a bind.  When Bruce called her and she found out that we could cover this spot, I heard a “Praise The Lord, Thank You, Jesus!” from over the phone, across the room.  It was awesome.  We love these people…good hearted, hard working, God loving people.  We were thrilled to be able to help them out.  We usually sing at the Cowboy Church every year, so we just added selling T-Shirts at the Rodeo for four days to our plan. 

We had a blast!   At the end of the Rodeo, Roy Honeycutt hired us on the spot for the next year! 

Tucson, AZ Rodeo

Our Camp at Catalina State Park

Looking towards Cathedral Rock

Santa Catalina Mtns

Romero Canyon-Catalina State Park

Roadrunner

Ancient Indian Pit Houses

Ancient Indian Grinding Holes

The Waterfall Ride

Saguaro Cactus

Nocona had other visitors too!

Santa Catalina Mtns

Frozen Waterfalls-Santa Catalina Mtns

Mt. Lemmon, AZ

Palm Springs, CA Rodeo

The Laughlin, NV Rodeo Entertainment!

The Colorado River

The Road in AND out!

It was close, but we made it!

Finding and gathering the Trial cows (Bruce was on Bev's horse, Bruno)

Bruce's first branding!

Working the Trial cows

The Ranch grounds

Practicing the National Anthem

Dog Trial

Smarty getting cool!

:Looking towards Buellton, CA

Our new friend, Emily & Nocona

After the Rodeo, we hit the road again, headed for Lompoc, California to meet up with our friend, Bev Leonard on the ranch she runs there.  Some other friends of ours, Merle and Sandy Newton, who own and operate the Crystal Rose Cow Dog College in Red Bluff, CA, were putting on a Cow Dog Trial at that ranch.  We were asked to come do a concert Saturday night and sing/minister at the Sunrise Service for Easter that Sunday.  Also, they needed help getting everything ready. 

The places that we get called to go are quite often filled with adventure and this was no exception….starting with the road into the ranch.  The main road had an issue with a big hump in the middle of it that likes to eat the bottom of trailers that come too close.  So, the plan was to take us another way, through a horse gate that led onto a dirt…type…road.  The size of our Rig can be deceiving for those that have seen it in wider spaces…rodeo grounds, ranches, etc.   With the truck, it's 53 feet long, about eight feet wide and the Hay Pod tops off the height at 11 feet, 4 inches.  Needless to say, we were all praying as we saw our Rig in relation to this "cow trail" of a road!  Again, the Lord always knows what he's doing and never puts you in a bind…forever guiding you, even though it seems the road is really narrow.  We got through the horse gate and our back trailer tire dropped in a depression where the side of the hill had given way.   That's when we discovered, for the first time, what 4x4 LOW can pull you out of.  Praise God!  We were to use that nugget of knowledge many times to come in the following months!

As we made it to the end of that section of road and started through the VERY narrow gate on the other end (around a couple inches clearance on the sides), we noticed a fire truck parked right in the middle of the next section of road we were headed for.  Apparently, the neighbor had illegally lit off some brush piles and they had gotten out of hand.  Anyway, we couldn't cross where we wanted to, so we had to turn and drive a bit up this guy's dirt road to straighten out our Rig, then back it down the road, through the poled entrance onto the main dirt road, then continue our journey on that road that leads onto the Ranch.  Interestingly, we were already backing our Rig onto the main dirt road, when the fireman came down and moved their truck….hmmmmm. 

The next day we realized that was yet another intervention of the Lord.  We figured this out because the next day we drove with our friend to get a load of hay.  Her Rig got stuck in the deep sand on the road that we had been diverted from the night before.  We got her Rig out…but realized that if that fire truck hadn't blocked our way, we would have driven our heavy Rig through there and we would have buried it. 

We settled in on the ranch that would be our home for the next couple weeks or so.  We helped round up and move cattle, set up panels, and helped sort the cattle in the pens, getting them ready for the contestants, etc.   I also got to sing the National Anthem on Nocona while Merle and Sandi's cow dog ran a pattern with the American Flag and the Cowboy Church Flags on his back…that was very cool!  It was very interesting and fascinating to see these Cow Dogs work the cows.  It was even comically entertaining as one dog, apparently deciding that chasing cows was not his thing, promptly bounded off chasing some scent in the air….out of the pasture, out of the competition and out over the hill…leaving a less than amused and mortified owner…and us trying to keep a straight face and our seats in the saddle!

We had an absolute blast!  We had fun singing/ministering at the concert Saturday night.    The Easter Sunrise Service was awesome, complete with wild flowers on the picnic tables, picked just for the occasion and the sun coming up over the ridge.  It was fun to meet the people in the area, including the man who invented the Bar Code (Paul) and the world renowned equine veterinarian, Van Snow.  The weather was beautiful (much prayer went into that one!) and everyone had a great time with each other, their dogs and their horses. 

On a sad note, though, we had just finished doing a TV show with His Country up in Gilroy, CA and were driving back to the Ranch when we got a phone call.  Our friend had just got word that Van Snow had been killed in a plane crash (just days after the Dog Trial).  We were all shocked.  He loved to fly stunt planes and something went wrong during the take-off.  You never know how long someone is going to be in your life. It may be a brief meeting, a season or life-long.  The time we spend with each other, no matter how long, should always be valued.

During our time on the ranch, our friend Bev led us all through the hills around the ranch on horseback.  Bruce was able to borrow one of her horses which was a real blessing.   This was really special, because with us being down to one horse, I usually had to ride out alone in most cases.  It was a sadness we always endured until we were able to get Bruce his own horse. 

We even trailered out to ride on the beach! The extra cool thing about the beach was that I had not ridden on the beach for 30 years.  And, 30 years later, I was riding on the same exact beach (Pismo)….on my own horse!  Nocona had never seen the beach, let alone come face to face with the surf.  He was pretty wide-eyed.  However, we were playing in that surf within an hour and happily loping up and down the beach. 

We were really blessed that day with amazing weather.  The locals couldn't even believe how nice it was.  They said it was usually foggy and windy.   We had a ton of sunshine and a slight breeze.  God is GOOD! 

The Old Homestead

The old & original Ranch Homestead

An ancient Eucalyptus tree

Having fun and clearing roads in the Mule

Mountain Lupine

My Birthday Ride!

Looking towards Buellton, CA

Looking for cows!

The Trail to the Beach

Pismo Beach, CA

Ancient Native Indian Shell Mound

Nocona meets the Ocean for the first time!

Parkfield, CA-Mike Mosby's Bronc Riding School

Entering the Tule River Rez

Posting the Colors

Singing the National Anthem

My friend, Kitahna

Wrapping up our stay at the ranch, we headed for the Tule River Indian Reservation.  Every year they have a big youth rodeo for the entire Rez.  Mutton Bustin', Steer riding, and Barrel racing for the big kids, along with the stick horse rodeo for the little ones.  Last year there were several Indians up on the bluff, checking out the Rodeo.  THIS year, they were down in the stands with us!

Bruce was the announcer for the big kid rodeo and did an awesome job!  All the times we were able to hear Coy Huffman announce at the PRCA rodeos paid off.  Coy would have been so proud of Bruce as he smoothly and effortlessly announced every event, all day.

I also had fun again this year riding Nocona with the Glory Riders.

It's always a joy spending time with the Native American Indians.  They are the most kindest, generous and down-to-earth people.  One man I talked to said something I'll never forget.  He said: "Sitting in the middle of Creation, is being in the middle of and seeing Someone with a big heart”.  Wow!

On Saturday night, we had a bit of intense excitement when we came back to the Rig after being out for dinner.  We had just been talking with our friends about bear and mountain lion that had been seen close in, along with the wild horses that always came around the houses, etc.  We decided that it was best to shut the gates around the rodeo arena area where we were staying to keep at least the wild horses from coming into our camp.  Coming back to the rodeo grounds that evening, we drove up to our camp and realized that Nocona was gone.  He had demolished his water bucket and busted through the back panel of his corral.  He was loose with wild horses, bear and mountain lion about....on about 100,000 acres of Rez.  Yikes!

As we called for him, we were praying hard...speaking the Blood of Jesus over him and commanding the Angels to go after him. Yeehaw!!  Miraculously, we found him quietly eating on the place next to the Rodeo Grounds without a scratch on him!  Praise God!   Nocona is such a calm horse that we knew "something" had made him "freak out".    After reading the "sign", putting "two & two together" and receiving confirmation by the Holy Spirit we figured it out.  The story? Two bored little Indian girls decided to ride him in the middle of the night in his corral.  Nocona is very calm, until you try that!  Realizing that I was once 11-years-old myself (and after my heart stopped racing), I had to chuckle.  I let my little friends know that all was forgiven, but also was very clear about the dangers of what they did and what could have happened.  Yeesh! 

Sunday morning we sang and ministered at the church service.  We met under the partial roof of the old building that was once a part of a sawmill.  The people had built a brand new church down the road, but all wanted to have the service outside on this Sunday.   We loved it!  There's nothing like worshipping the Lord while looking up at the beautiful mountains watching wild and semi-wild horses graze the hillsides!

On the road to the Tule River Rez

Wild Horses

Nocona's "home"

Bruce, The Rodeo Announcer

The Glory Riders

Accepting the honor of an appreciation plaque

Snow in Chino Valley, AZ

Snow at the 5M Ranch

Storm outside Black Canyon City, AZ

The Storm we prayed would NOT hit us!

Monday morning we pulled out to head for Texas.  We stopped off in Chino Valley, AZ at our friend's Larry and Lydia Powell-5M Ranch.  The Lord and His timing were at it again!  Lydia had just been thinking about how I really needed to be there so she could measure and cut the Elk Skins for my Regalia, when she got my call that we would be headed there for a stop over.  It was perfect!  We finished what we needed to get done, so she could continue on with the Regalia. 

What Regalia you say?  I'll tell you! The Lord gave me a vision about three years ago to ride the Native Prophecy that He has been speaking to the Native American people:

"Take courage! The Lord wants to do a new work in you- Isaiah 43:19.  God will pour out His Spirit on you and there will be a mighty move of the People through the Spirit. 

Get ready, prepare…it’s coming!  He will raise up the People.  He will make something out of the base.  Out of small beginnings, come great things!  Native Americans are a sleeping giant!"

I'm to ride my horse in light of this Prophecy to Native American Praise & Worship music in Native Regalia.  It's a Worship dance for the Lord, our Creator.

The complete story will be told in Trail Tails-2011 because I know I will be riding The Dance for the first time next year…because it will be finally time.

We then headed for the Wild Ride Ministries church with our friend, Mike Weaver.   Branded-Duo (Robert and Paul) and Dwayne Williams (Texas Teddy Bear), Mike and Bruce and I all converged on the stage for a concert Saturday night and then again for the Sunday morning service.  It was awesome!  We always have fun with our friends and the Lord was really rockin' that weekend!  I know He had fun too!

Nocona is never without a visitor!

The Dells outside of Prescott, AZ

Big Roadrunner outside Albuquerque, NM

Midland, TX Dust Storm

Zips! Our Fav place to buy Diesel!

Lordsburg, NM

The Worship Team

Bruce on his steel guitar

Bruce helping Jayc Harold with his project

Doing laundry at Mom & Pop Repkas!

Yes, Luling, TX is famous for its Watermelons!

Houston, TX

Shut up Devil!

Really??

Anybody remember this sign??

Hee, Hee!

Nocona's Visitors-Merced, CA

Backside of Mt. San Jacinto, CA

Tollhouse Road near Prather, CA

My cousin Kristy's wedding at Camp Pendleton

We were off to Sealy that Sunday afternoon for the International Cowboy Ministers Conference-Texas.  We were all a part of the Worship Team again t