​​​Using horses to transform lives, imparting hope, and healing

I had practically grown up inside church walls. Any event or program, we were there.

Life as I knew it began to change as my dad became distant and then decided he wanted to leave our family. This left my mom raising me and my younger brother by herself. After 4 years of my dad playing hooky, the divorce was finalized.

During those years I began going to the place where I’d heard you go when you’re hurting…the Bible. This was the first step in a religion based, self-improvement search, hoping my good would outweigh or make up for the bad. This is where I thought I could learn to be “good enough”.

About the age of sixteen, I realized what the gospel meant. It means good news. The good news is that God, being a good and righteous judge, could never overlook my “bad” no matter how much “good” I did-or how much “bad” I did not do. However, being rich in mercy He could and did take the punishment I deserved. I could do nothing, He did everything.

Though I had accepted Christ as Savior, there was still healing He wanted to walk me through and He used Hope Ranch to aid in my healing.

I met the founder of Hope Ranch (Terri) at a church we were both attending. She started teaching the Bible study class I attended and invited the group out for s’mores and horse riding. Somehow she got a hold of my number and called to see if I could help with different things at the ranch. We worked, ran errands and played with horses. God used her and the horses to shine rays of light into a dark place I couldn’t seem to get out of.

Now I own one of the Horses (Tikka/Ziva) and I work, teach and have fun with those that God brings to the ranch.

​​​​​Jessica