I have been busy working because there are some things that we want and, I figure, the only way to get them is with cash in hand...duh!..amazing how that works. Buddy and I are also involved in a new church. It seems like a year now that we've felt in limbo with a church and have prayed for direction. I think the path God led us on gave us a clear picture as to the end of our search. Let me tell you... we tossed around the idea of visiting a newly planted Cowboy Church in our area and decided it was time to visit. The preacher and his wife just moved from Alpine in west Texas where they had started a church and were there for 6 years. They were then sent to our area to start another. They moved here with all their struggles and a huge pile of faith. The church had only been meeting a few months and still in the baby stages of getting started. Let me tell you how God works... we walked up one Sunday morning and the preacher's wife saw me, reached out for me and gave me a big hug and said "You're here. I've been praying for you". She and her husband had been praying for us specifically to come. At that moment, I knew the reason God led us there. Wow, what a ride!
Let me tell you... even for those of you that might not know Christ, someone is out there praying for you right now just waiting for you to open your heart and accept the Holy Spirit and share in the peace and joy of salvation.
Our church is getting ready to have it's big launch the weekend of the 26th and 27th so we've been hustling to get ready. We're having a two day ranch rodeo with a sanctioned WRCA on Saturday and Sunday with breakfast, church service and then an open ranch rodeo.
We know now that God is using us to minister with what we know - our horses. Buddy will be roping with several of the youth on Wed nights after Bible study. I don't rope so I'm just along for the ride on that one. As a side-note, I wonder if I'm along for the "ride" because the other night I took a tumble off my horse and landed right on my tailbone..yep, I do believe it's cracked or broken. My git-up and git-down is a bit on the slow side but I am still gittin' it! YeeHaw! Praise God is wasn't worse!
Anyway...that's pretty much what's been going on. Whether I've been at work or busy with church activities, I've been on the go. I will try and stay motivated to blog and, hopefully, add some pictures in my next post.
Happy Trails...
Berte, I got to hand it to you, when you blog you have something to say! I am so thankful for your new church. How exciting to get into a good church where peoplc are praying and where they care for seeing souls saved. That should be their purpose.Many people including us have been in limbo, not with the Lord, but between churches and trying to find a good one. Praise the Lord for yours.
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful that you weren't seriously hurt in your fall. Been there with the tailbone thing and it takes forever to get well again.
I'm so glad to see you 'back in the saddle' and look forward to hearing about your life.
God Bless ya, Debbie
So good to hear from you again Berte. Your posts never seem boring... always something going on with you guys.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with the rodeo weekend at your new church.
I am glad things are going well for you. May I ask a personal question? Are you Pentecostal? I used to go to an Assemblies of God church, and they are famous for starting cowboy churches in Texas. I lived in Texas for 8 years, and I miss it dearly. But I am home here in North Carolina where most of my family is. Again, I'm glad all is well for you.
ReplyDelete-Randy
I would love to answer Randy's question about my religious background. I was raised Missouri Synod Lutheran. My husband was raised Methodist and then Church of Christ late in his teens. Probably all on the conservative side. Buddy and I knew in our hearts God had a plan for us on how to serve but we just kept missing it. We finally discovered to use what God has blessed us with..a love for horses. What a way to reach the young folks and those cowboys who long for the Lord but hesitate because they are supposed to be "tough". It's been truly amazing to see those that we've met at rodeos, ropings and some ranches that want to know about what they've been missing. The Lord does not turn away those who are in jeans and covered in mud. He loves us all.
ReplyDeleteOne more note-
ReplyDeleteThe Baptist General Convention of Texas has partnered up with the Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches and now there are almost 100 Cowboy churches planted in Texas.
Hi, Berte! Good to see you back in the saddle! Guess you'll be settin' purty easy on that tailbone fur a good while! I'm glad you weren't hurt anymore than that - but a broken tailbone is bad enough.
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited that you and Buddy have found your calling there at the Cowboy Church. We've got a couple of Cowboy Churches in our area I think. One I know of for sure. I grew up Baptist, and my husband Church of Christ, and we have been attending the Church of Christ ever since we married. It was wierd, I never felt "saved" till I started going to the Church of Christ.
I'll bet Buddy and you can really help those kids there with your horses and his roping. It will sure bring them in and I know the Lord led you guys there. You had to feel the "lostness" and "limbo" so you would know when you got to the right place!
We know you're busy. Sometimes we all don't have the umph to blog. I've been feeling that way myself sometimes. But I personally have been very interested in your life on the pecan plantation and I know others have, too. You keep up the good work and when you can, let us know what's going on! TAke care of that tailbone, too! - Vickie
So glad to see you back! blessings,Kathleen
ReplyDeleteOh Berte I am ashamed of myself! I was begging for you to blog some more and your post just today showed up on my blog from a week ago. Sorry!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you are back! I am so happy for you guys finding the right church. It is so funny how we have to have "the right fit" in a church. We are the same way. Went to a church for 3 years and were bored to tears every Sunday. We left one Sunday I looked over and said "I have heard the same sermon for 3 years now." He agreed and we decided that we would start looking for another one. Many years later, several churches later we have found a great one. Now just getting us there is another story........the devil seems to think that we need Sunday as a day of work. I know that we are both not wanting to work but it seems to get us each week. Please Pray for us that we will find the road to church on Sunday morning instead of driving by it heading to Lowes!
I wish we could have been there for the cowboy church weekend with you guys. We are old horse people and love a good rodeo too!!!!
God Bless!!
ps. the word verification this comment is... judgethe....ironic huh?
Berte, I felt warm and uplifted to read the latest chapter in your spiritual life /journey.
ReplyDeleteRight now I don't have a body of Christian with whom to fellowship, and I miss it. In this town the Christian Church has proven to be too liberal, and the Church of Christ, too legalistic. I'm looking for a job 70 miles east of here, and if that works out I'll just drive 33 miles and go to church with my dad. It's a Church of Christ that is NOT legalistic.
Thanks for sharing!
Nancy R.
(the other grandmother of "A", "K", and "?".)