One of Life's Lessons Taught through a Horse

I can not believe we are almost through February! Where did all the time go? I feel as though my life is going by very quickly and I am just trying to keep up with it all.
One adventure that I would like to hi-light has been with going to Sandy Creek Bible Camp. This has been something that I have started to do every week for the last couple of months. They have 10 horses on property 8 that can be ridden. God has sort of dropped into my lap an amazing ministry with these horses. God has as all so used these horses to  minister to me. Let me explain...

Karen all prim and proper on her horse Rocky

Such a happy camper;)

 So first I have to say that I just need to laugh at myself! When I got engaged to Tyler I thought that would be the end of me working with horses. I even remember getting all teary eyed when I left Camp Redcloud, because I knew then that it would be the last time in a camp environment that I would get to serve God in this way. I remember crying this fall in despair of never getting to ride horses again. And then God moved us to Houston.
God knew I was going to need some place to minister to people using horses, and I believe He has brought that into my life. Sandy Creek is just a little camp located in Brenham. I would like to consider their herd of  horses to be a meager lot...but

Karen was cantering Rocky:)

diamonds in the ruff. I was a little skeptical as to how much I would be able to help this camp with their horses, but wow, God is!
What is even better about this whole thing, is that these horses are proving themselves good in the arena for my friends to come out and ride and for me to coach them as they ride. I am in my glory!!! To teach and fellowship with people is an awesome privilege!
Again I never thought I would be working with horses in this capacity, and yet here I am! Here are some pictures of our time:) My Mother-in-

Susanna on Blaze

  law Karen Kaminski and a friend Susanna  came and rode:)
As Susanna was riding one of the horses, Blaze, I sort of had a teachable moment come to me. Blaze is a great trail horse and a good horse to lead the trail ride. He has a routine however, that he doesn't think to kindly to being messed up.The routine goes as such: He goes out on the trail, he works, and then when he gets back he gets hitched up to the rail closest to the barn to rest. Seems like an innocent enough routine on the surface, until we bring working in the arena into his life. The first couple of times around, Blaze was great for Susanna. He did relatively what she asked of him, no problems. She asked him for trot and circles and all kinds of things. A little while in however, Blaze decided that it was time for the trail ride to be over. He was tired. So he parked at the rail. He became a stuck horse. She kicked and pulled and did everything in her power, and yet he ignored her. She would finally get him to move and they would make a lap and he would

 park himself again when they reached that wall. His actions seemed harmless enough, after all it was his routine, but it was still disobedience.
I am finding in my life right now that God is choosing to push me away from my comfort zone and away from my tight nit schedules. I find myself beginning to act like Blaze.
"But God! I know what my routine is, look I can be obedient in what I know to do...why do you want me to learn something new?" Just like Blaze I find myself stuck in monotony and complacency. God has so much more he wants to do through me than just to

That grin was really more of a "I'm gonna kill you if you don't move soon." kind of grin.

Notch, a smart horse with great potential!

have me be a run of the mill Christian. Just like I see Blaze being more than just the run of the mill Trail horse. I want him to succeed, to become more than what he is now.
God wants me to live an above average life. He wants me to live an extraordinary life for His glory. That requires me leaving at his throne my ideas of how things should be done. It comes down to trusting God. Do I have the faith it takes to trust that God has my best at heart?
I have been reading a book by Beth Moore called Praying God's Word.

I've been reading the chapter on Overcoming Unbelief. One of the verses encourages to pray back to God is Philippians 2:17. This is how she wrote it: "Lord Your word indicates that my willingness to make sacrifices and serve you faithfully flows from faith...Father, please help me understand the importance of faith in my walk with you."Our trusting Jesus has to come into play, if we are ever to allow Him to use us. It's amazing, when we let it all down at His feet He uses us.
After a while, I could tell Susanna was struggling, so I had her jump on my horse, Notch, and I took Blaze for a ride.

I had ridden Blaze not a week or two before, so I knew what he liked to do and where. Once I helped him get over his blockage of having to stop, it was like he was a different horse. I decided to push him and see what he could do. By the end we were doing Canter transitions from a stop. Such a beautiful thing. He surrendered what he thought he needed most, and I brought better things out in him than I thought were possible of him.
When all was said and done, When we let God take control, He may still work us and there may still be friction, but ultimately it is to bring our hearts into
harmony with Himself. So he can use us for greater things.

 So needless to say, I had an amazing time at Sandy Creek:)

One of the hardest things I have been pushing to do lately is run:P I found this work out online and decided to take the challenge. I have decided that at some moments...yes...I hate myself for doing it. But yet I love it. I love the feeling of knowing you sweated because you worked hard; or because you hurt because you did more than just was necessary.
This is the work out I am working toward:
Week 1: Run 1 min. walk 90 seconds
Repeat 8 more times. Do three times a week.
Week 2: Run 2 min. Walk 1 min.
Repeat 7 more times. Do three times a week.
Week 3: Run 3 min. Walk 1 min.
Repeat 6 more times. Do three times a week.
Week 4: Run 5 min. Walk 1 min.
Repeat 4 more times. Do three times a week
Week 5: Run 8 min. Walk 2 min.
Repeat 3 more times. Do three times a week
Week 6: Run 12 min. Walk 1
Repeat 3 more times. Do three times a week
Week 7: Run 15 min. Walk 1 min.
Run fifteen more min. Do three times a week.
Week 8: Run 30 min. Do three times a week.
I just finished week 3...Its tough, but I can feel myself getting stronger. My stamina is gaining and I know I am not the same woman I was a year ago. Praise God! God is so good to be strengthening me.
 The last little thing to say is just sort of something I am excited about.

Before...

 Our couch just didn't work in our living room. There was too much yellow, blue and brown...and the couch was an olive green. Thanks to the wonderful invention of slip covers, I got a chocolate colored two piece slip cover and I recovered all the pillows accept for one...and wow...it is like it is a totally different couch! It is amazing how such a little thing can make all the difference in the world! Very excited about my home improvement:)

After!!!!

Well I believe I am off to read for the evening. We just got our dog book in...I need to start reading quick! Our dog comes in just a couple of weeks:)
Well I hope that you are encouraged or inspired by my blog.
Love in Christ,
Jules

The cutest little donkey at Sandy Creek Bible Camp.