Dear Praying Family,

Thank you for your prayers while I was in my six week course!!!  Thank you for praying for protection of Sarah's place and mine!!!  I had a very full six weeks, hard to believe it's been over for a week already!!!  Sarah also had a very full six weeks with her new job and trying to do some chores here.

I am so grateful for such an opportunity to focus on learning natural horsemanship.  For me it was more than just about horses, it was also a spiritual growth time as well.  I'm convinced more than ever that the principles of natural horsemanship are really God's principles for all our relationships.  The number one lesson that was driven home for me is it's about the relationship, not the performance!!!!!!!!  I remember them telling us at the beginning that we would have times of great frustration right before a break through.  Well, the times of frustration certainly came for me the very first week.  I remember walking down from my cabin talking to the Lord about my frustration with my horse when He reminded me that it really is about the relationship!!!!  That started a new beginning for me that is still being developed.  A whole new respect for my horse's fears and unconfidence is growing.  I'm learning not to put my goals and ambitions, to start teaching as soon as possible, ahead of the relationship.  My horse needs to know I will take care of her needs and not just push her through her thresholds of confidence out into total fear and insecurity just to do what I want.  She needs to be able to trust my leadership in order for us to travel in harmony.  This is true in my walk with God, except that He is always the perfect trustworthy leader!!  My horse is at my mercy in many respects, but I have a choice in seeking God, listening to Him, trusting Him and following His lead.  My own heart has been comforted with knowing His focus is on our relationship for from that I receive what I need to walk with Him in ministry.

My testimony was open as I spoke of how God had made the way for me to be there and how He was my help to learn and change my thinking and actions.  The cabins we stayed in were small with bunk beds for four campers, however there were only two of us in my cabin.  My cabin mate was from the UK and the polar opposite of me morally and spiritually.  She commented several times on the humor the faculty must have had in putting the two of us together as they knew her from the summer before and my application had my occupation on there!!!!!  She made no bones about not believing in God many times and I never preached at her.  I did have opportunity to share how the Lord had helped me through some very dark times in my life to which she said she should consider that.  By the end of the six weeks she told me that I had succeeded in getting her to start changing her thinking concerning God. : )  She said if I had preached at her she would have shut me out.

Pat Parelli met with us for three hours one afternoon near the end of the last week.  He wanted to know what our horsemanship goals were so he could tell us what level we should be looking at achieving in his program.  I was told I should have Level 4 as my minimum to achieve in order to be a good example.  He believes with the new study tool format they recently released that Level 4 will be easy to get to.  I know a lot of us would like to feel that way!!!!!!!!  I've got a lot to work on just to pass Level 3!!!!

Sarah's job change was right before I left on my trip.  She really wanted to take care of things here at my place but found herself putting in 12 to 14 hour days sometimes six days a week.  She also had extended family crisis's arise several times, so she was not able to do much here as she had planned.  She was extremely busy and overwhelmed.  She did try to keep up with sending my donor's receipts back, bless her!!!

Since being home I've been chipping away at the multitude of work that piled up.  Found myself needing to take naps the first several days back home and sleeping in all week!!  Getting older!!!!!! : )  Had Ladies' Bible study Tuesday evening which Sarah was very determined to attend. : )  Youth group has not started back up at church yet, I hope to find out what's up with that soon.

Thank you for your prayers as I get back into work here in Sanders!!!  Thank you also for your prayerful financial support, especially during these rough times in our economy!!