How Faithful Farms Came To Be...

When I was in eighth grade, I had a teacher that had us write letters to our future selves. We could write or put whatever we wanted in this letter, and he would send it to us the week we graduated from high school. I remember being excited when I opened it and found $20, but there was something else I had written that stays with me more.

When I was a senior in high school, I was ready to walk away from horses. I was frustrated, exhausted, and couldn’t find the joy of being around these animals anymore. I was discouraged and wondered what the point in pursuing horses would be. There were many other uncertainties in my life at the time as well, one of them choosing a college and a major. Those that knew me at the time knew the obvious college choice because of the love I have for horses, but I was stubborn and wanted to cling to the things I wanted. I was “torn” between two schools: Asbury and Baylor. Asbury had the equine and psychology major I had always wanted. It allowed me to pursue and grow in knowledge of horses while also learn to use them in a therapy setting. Baylor offered me an opportunity away from horses, which is what I wanted at the time. I remember my mom saying to me while weighing this decision, “Josie, who are you without horses?”. Cue the teenage girl sass and a figurative slamming door,  I said, “I don’t know but I will figure it out.” While horses don’t define me, they’re certainly a big part of who I am. And my mom was right (but don’t tell her that!)—who would I be without them? There were other factors as to why Baylor was not a good fit for me, but a large one was due to the fact that I would not have access to horses the same way I would at Asbury. My friends and family around me saw the obvious choice, so when decision day came around, Asbury it was.

Fast forward to that last of week of school my senior year of high school, I got the letter eighth grade me had written. In it I wrote, “My dream job: I want to work with horses and people with disabilities in a therapeutic riding.” Asbury had a major allowing me to do just that. I graduated from Asbury with degree in Equine Studies with an emphasis in Equine Assisted Activities and a major in Social Work. Since then, I have been employed at Saddle Up! and became a certified PATH instructor where I get to teach lessons to the sweetest kiddos and the kindest horses.

You may be wondering, why all of this is important and how this relates to Faithful Farms? As I reflect on all of this, I see God in every one of these details. He had put a desire in my heart at a very young age to share the power of horses with people. Now I think, over the years in some ways it has changed, but in others stayed the same. I am thankful to serve a sovereign God who knows me and who knit me together (Psalm 139:13). I am blessed to be able to pursue this dream, but I have not cultivated it on my own. I have had TONS of supports from family and friends, and without them I surely would feel overwhelmed. Most importantly, I rely on the strength I find in the Lord (Isaiah 41:10) and the knowledge He has given to me when it comes to horses. I want to be the Lord’s faithful servant, doing everything to honor and glorify Him through the stewardship of my horses and the land we have, but I also see how faithful and good He has been to me. If I had walked away all those years ago, I certainly would not have anything I do today, and for that, I am so humbled. I am constantly reminded that when I trust in the Lord all things work together for good (Romans 8:28) and that He ALWAYS keeps His promises. So here’s to Faithful Farms, an exciting new chapter and beginning. Thank you for being a part of it and to God be the glory (Romans 11:36).