Faith's Journey

Faith's Journey - Selah

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 21:50:48 GMT

The Lick-n-Chew Explained

PRO READING TIPS

| Tip A- Click on the links in brackets throughout the article for a deeper dive | Tip B- This is a long post, as it is two-months worth of our Faith Journey. If you must skip parts, the particularly relevant "horsey stuff" about filly, Faith is further down under the sub-heading, "Faith's Journey" | Tip C- Don't start reading unless you have lotsa time to "lick-n-chew" on it, OR refer to Tip B, but if you skip stuff, you will miss a lot! |

I learned something new today!

I had often wondered what the word, SELAH, meant. The Hebrew word, repeats randomly throughout the book of Psalms in the Bible. Curiosity got the best of me, and I finally looked it up. SELAH is a word meaning PAUSE; it lends technical structure to musical pieces, which makes sense, because the Psalms are basically a bunch of poems and song lyrics, inspired and preserved over the ages by God. The Psalms irrefutably comforts, encourages, edifies, admonishes, and exhorts humanity. Well, those who choose to look for such things in The Psalms, that is. Nothing does all of that quite as creatively and mercifully as God-inspired poetry and music.

Selah is such a harmonious-sounding word; don’t you think? I imagine the broader implication of the term can extend beyond musical applications. As such, it inclines my ear to read or hear “selah” as a call to find calm rest, much like how the pause in a melodious score might move the listener to inhale in excited anticipation and calmly exhale, finding a satisfying release. From time-to-time throughout my day, the Lord inspires me to consider restful contemplation, meditation and meaningful worship. On my best days, I submit to the Divine - not religiously or by strict compliance, rather fluidly and in tempo with my holy purpose for the day. A “pause” in the action of one moment usually leads me agreeably to the next.

ATTUNEMENT MATTERS

Selah, as I am applying the term in this article, considers what is happening, what is real, what is. This can be summed up in the term, consistent attunement. Horses are VERY good at this and we can learn it from them.

Misdirected attention can cause anxious flightiness, unnecessary aggression, or passive resistance & balkiness, if a horse (or person, for that matter) refuses to acknowledge or reflect on their present reality. An unwell state of dissociation is most likely caused by an internal or external perception of some fear-inducing commotion. Perception is not always reality. Sometimes we believe lies. Entire societies have been deluded and subsequently destroyed when enough individuals believed and followed lies. Believing lies is VERY DANGEROUS . [#1: TRUTH PRAYER]

In recovery circles, we call this DENIAL . My recovery coach (sponsor) used to say, “Debbie, you don't have to like your current situation, but you do have to accept it, if you want serenity.” Acceptance is key. [#2: ACCEPTANCE]

Popular buzz-words that refer to healthy attunement include terms like “mindfulness,” “being present” or “one with the universe”. I prefer to think of it as being in step with God and His plan & purpose for our lives. How is that accomplished without thoughtful, moment-by-moment reflection on REALITY? It isn't. Keep it simple, my friends: Father knows best! Seeking God and His plan FIRST greatly improves progress towards healthy connection in other relationships. Let's observe the following states of being and the way God designed mammals to respond to stimuli:

The state of PRESSURE vs. RELEASE . When we find ourselves contemplating pressure/release, our thinking may go like this, “I gotta save myself. No time to think... I gotta run away from that noise in the bushes, the frightful wind, that barking dog, troubled marriage, imperfect church, unruly kids, [fill in the blank].” This process represents the FLIGHT response, AKA good horse-sense OR possible trauma response that may not result in the best possible outcome. A healthy mammal, including horses and humans will naturally seek relief from pressure.
The state of INVITATION vs. TEMPTATION . When discerning between invitation and temptation, our attitudes may be, “The 'grass is greener' on the other side of the fence. Life will be better if I work to change my current situation, spouse, job, some aspect of my life...” This mind-set represents the FIGHT response, AKA good horse-sense (strong sense of justice) OR rebellion. Rebellion may look like irritability, indifference, entitlement, intolerance, impatience, bullying, etc. and may feel like apathy, frustration, anger, etc. A healthy choice, in this scenario would result in accepting a holy invitation as opposed to falling for an evil temptation.
The state of PLEASURE vs. PAIN . The ideas associated with pleasure and pain might be: “I am so comfortable in this lush pasture. I won't risk losing this. The price is too high! I don't have enough smarts, position, money, courage [fill in the blank], so I will wait here.” Situations like these may elicit the FREEZE response, AKA good horse-sense (strong faith, confident persistence) OR paralyzing survival-mode (often looks like indifference, laziness, procrastination, and feels like fear, anxiety or depression). Whether we find ourselves in a pleasurable or painful situation, the natural & healthy response is to push into it. Consider that waiting upon (or pushing into) the Lord for His direction may be the healthy response. [#3: REALITY CHECK]

God loves you perfectly, so even though others may (and in some cases, should) hold you accountable, ultimately YOU are choosing how to respond or react. In my humble opinion, God is the ONLY ONE who gets to weigh in on your ultimate destiny. Sometimes (actually, often), He uses other Christians to help guide or correct us, but factored to the lowest common denominator, He is all that matters, because He holds the keys to Heaven and Hell .

DEALING WITH FEELINGS

By God's design, our feelings give us clues about what's right for us in the moment. They are clues, not facts! That is important to understand. In a worse-case-scenario, if feelings start causing anything from mild confusion & uneasiness to psychosis & disease in the body, consider it a yellow or red flag to acknowledge & address emotions. It is best to do that BEFORE they start feeling like chaos in your body. I like to call this warning system a “feeling flag.” If you are unable or unwilling to find God's answers to the following WHY questions, consider the feelings associated with your WHY questions:

Why do I keep running from GOD to the point of exhaustion? Feeling flags: overwhelm, disconnection, fatigue, etc.
Why do I keep missing GOD in this destitute place? Feeling flags: loneliness, confusion, depression, anxious, hopeless, etc.
Why do I blame GOD? Feeling flags: resentful, bitter, angry

FIND YOUR SELAH

After you have banged your head on the brick wall called, “WHY” long enough, you will start FEELING the PAIN, which, by the way, probably started off as manageable pressure, if only Selah (your personal pause in the action) had happened sooner.

I suggest you lick-n-chew on “HOW,” regarding the pain points. What a glorious place to be! When the pain becomes greater than the fear, you are ready to receive the answer and if you “seek FIRST the Kingdom of God,” you will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle you. [#4: REALITY CHECK]

A case of point follows...

FAITH'S JOURNEY

To set up the BEFORE scenario, check out this video . I asked a young unknown (by me) horse trainer to give me an evaluation of my new filly. (I didn't know what I didn't know, until I took my Selah and Faith took her licks-n-chews.)

Did you watch it? Just my opinion, but I wasn't pleased with much about the trainers approach to my filly. After Faith's unhappy training session with my unknown trainer, as well as the session documented in my previous article , and with my pride firmly stuck in my throat, I consulted the expert. Ryan Rose is the horsemanship mentor that we have chosen to help walk us through the training of filly (sometimes silly), Faith.

I asked Ryan my questions about teaching her to lead behind. I carefully, watched the recommended training video that he sent me. Now, with a renewed mind, I received new strength and courage [#5: REALITY CHECK] .

Here is the result that played out... [VIDEO]

You can see, I spent only 16 minutes with Faith doing the “Own My Space” game that Ryan Rose taught me. This time we won! We achieved healthy connection, boundaries were respected and a good time was had by both of us. What happened next astounded me and I got to taste the fruit of our short, more informed training session, immediately.

Often, I felt chaotic inside because I didn't know what to do with Faith. When this happens, I tend to revert to old patterns of behavior from pre-recovery days when I felt that familiar chaos in my gut. BUT, after one "mind renewing" session, I saw transformation in my relationship with Faith. Let me explain...

The other horses were outside with their morning hay and I kept Faith in the barn to eat and I decided to brush her during her breakfast. Faith could still see the other horses through a gate. Then a sudden rain storm popped up and she went ballistic trying to ram and jump the gate to get out of the barn to her herd-mates, who she was convinced would save her from certain annihilation of baby horse flesh. Thankfully, my homemade gate withstood her fearful reaction and she didn't get hurt. I stayed in the barn with her and she eventually found her comfort with me! (Sorry, no video of all that ruckus.) After spending just 16 minutes doing what the expert advised a day or two prior, there was a totally cool outcome, even though chaos (wind & rain, in this case) still poked in.

Because of the communication and connection that we had experienced together, just minutes earlier, she was able to see me, her faithful master. We connected, she heard me and perceived me as her reassuring leader. She was then able to stand quietly and safely while I picked up all four feet with the rain & wind whipping up outside. She wasn't restrained or tied to the wall. She simply CHOSE to trust me. She obeyed, because she knew I could be trusted. I am so grateful to Ryan for talking me through this. I am so grateful that I now have a new tool in my tool belt from a mentor - the "own my space" game. And of course, gratitude to God overarches it all. He led us safely through the fear of the unknown – we THREE together – me, my filly and The Lord, with some help from a teacher friend.

TO WRAP IT UP

My licking and chewing, or Selah - the term I have adopted to reference the human version of the reflective process - has led me to today’s step in my faith journey and my journey with filly - never willy nilly - Faith. God lights my way, but I must CHOOSE to step on the Divinely lighted path.

Conversely, I may use my will to follow any other path available to me. And there are many outward (worldly) and internal (diseased) alternate paths to tread! I know, for I have strayed into the dark a time or two. My wander lust usually starts off innocent enough, coming from a place of curiosity or naivity or ignorance. Occasionally, I look back and see the "Sonlight" radiating from His Heavenly Throne. That’s comforting. However, if I allow myself to be driven more completely by the inner turmoil or outward clatter, then my mortal ears will stop hearing His Voice, altogether. My finite vision loses the cross-hairs of my limited scope. I am in complete darkness and I hit a wall. It is not that Jesus has ceased speaking or stopped shining His Light in my direction. The truth is that I have CHOSEN to walk away, so far away that I cannot hear and see with my mortal being any longer.

If God had not given us free will , love would not be love, because at its very essence, love is a choice . What a genius God we worship, to think that up!

I humbly offer this word of caution: DO NOT FULLY IDENTIFY with your DISEASE, your ROLE in the world, nor your ETHNICITY, nor even your GENDER. Identify with Jesus and put on the robes of righteousness that He provides, DAILY . Let Almighty God tell you who you are and why you're here . I mean, He is the One that created you and it was His plan that put you on the planet. Then and only then will you find everything you need to figure out HOW to walk it out VICTORIOUSLY.

WALK-ON MY FRIENDS

Each day, each moment, each new setting or adventure and each challenging situation is an opportunity to CHOOSE the Light or wander in the dark. Some may say, but I have depression, ADHD or bipolar disorder or a substance use disorder or heart disease or cancer or grief or poverty or [fill in the blank]. To that Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Mt. 11:28-30)

One reason I choose Jesus’ light is because He makes no allowance for all my ‘Ya, buts.’ To put it simply, Jesus protects me from the outside world AND heals my insides. Where He applies pain, I push into Him, and where He pressures, I move out with Him.

I would love to hear from you about your faith journey. Please comment, below or by email on our Facebook page . What path you are choosing this day? How is YOUR path lit; how will you know the next step to take? If you do not know Jesus, personally nor understand the Bible and how it applies to you and your particular circumstances or lifestyle, I invite you to reach out to me, privately . I don’t have all your answers, but I do know the One who does! And I do believe our horses will help shed some Jesus Light too.

Selah!

Thank you for reading Faith's Journey today. Below is a link to the complete playlist of this month's videos - the good, the bad & the ugly! Feel free to comment and I hope you will come again!

[FEBRUARY & MARCH 2024 PHOTO & VIDEO PLAYLIST (on YouTube)]

Here is a link to a video to a knowledgeable resource that I recommend. Check it out if you're interested...

[RYAN ROSE HORSEMANSHIP]

Do you get to enjoy 'horsey time' ever? If not, NOW YOU CAN...

CONNECT

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TFO.Farm/
Visit our main TFO Farm website: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/
Schedule a Farm visit: https://calendar.app.google/xobJ64MkLbcSBqJ48
Apply to volunteer: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/volunteer
Learn about the FoR-HiM equine-assisted learning (EAL) programs: https://www.foundationsprogram.org/
Apply as a student in the FoR-HiM E.A.L. Program (for ages 8-88+): https://www.foundationsprogram.org/#APPLY
Schedule a horsemanship lesson: https://calendar.app.google/xf59KBgrpd5fBxGv6
Support our Christian mission: https://www.foundationsprogram.org/our-sponsors
Deb Peterson's bio: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/AGENCIES#DebPetersonCTRI

Faith's Journey - Recovering Faith

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 06:00:42 GMT

What can we learn from horses, herd behavior, and the mistakes we make?

[PRO READING TIP: CLICK ON THE NUMBERS IN PARENTHESES, BELOW FOR A DEEPER DIVE.]

Have you ever failed at something, only to realize later that your fall was the result of starting on the wrong step in the process? Some call it "putting the cart before the horse." Often the cause of a misstep isn't that you did the wrong thing (although sometimes it is, and we will explore more about that in a future blog post) ; perhaps, you just did the thing at an inappropriate time and/or in an unwise way.

Knowing when, where, & how to start a new project, venture, or even a conversation, is important but, knowing WHY is key .

There is a point in every endeavor when the tendency is to veer this way or that. We lose focus, lose control, lose our moral compass, lose motivation or inspiration, and/or just plain lose our mind. At such moments we would do well to resist the mind-set that failure is our destiny . Our next choice matters! The point of this blog article is this: Choose to RECOVER.

Failure in life is inevitable. We don't know what we don't know so, falls, foibles & fails happen. The most successful people learn recovery skills. They start again, discover (or re-discover) their purpose and take each step a little differently and in better sequence the next time. Successful people don't forget the essentials: the re-circle (2) and the lick-n-chew (3) ...

LEARNING FAITH FROM THE JOURNEY

All dressed for the weather and new video equipment in hand, I set out to record my first training video of this V-Blogging series - not that I am going to teach you how to train a horse. I am simply walking out my call and expressing my faith to you. All worthy calls, adventures, journeys - or whatever you want to call it - require FAITH in something or some ONE bigger than you! My goal is to share my experience, strength and hope with YOU, my friends. On one cold and blustery day, I set out towards this goal...

I and my husband, Mike are well into our 60's, so this is no small undertaking for oldsters & amature horse trainers, but one to which we are drawn simply for the love of horses and the intrigue of new adventures! We have much to learn and many fears to overcome. Thank you for coming along!

For the safety of both horse and human handler, I believe the dominant, leadership role must be the played by the human. Our little filly, Faith won't stay small. If we neglect our responsibilities to her now, what is "cute" today won't be manageable when she is 15 hands (4) and over 1/2-ton of full-grown equis. [Caveat: Any parent of a teenager who regrets not establishing their authority with their child in the formative years, knows what I am talking about.] In a civilized world, the well-being of an inappropriately behaved thousand-pound beast is at risk - and the same goes for teenagers too. That is just the reality . Good manners matter. Given that we love our foal and realize that her destiny is to live amongst humanity, it is our responsibility to teach her and guide her to appropriate behavior. Then there is hope for mutual satisfaction in the relationship . (There is hope for you and your teenager too.)

I know what I want from my new filly. I think I know her potential , but we were quite unprepared for each other today. You don't know what you don't know... BUT that's no excuse for remaining ignorant, once you do know what you didn't know. So here, I am choosing to take a re-circle (2) and spend time reviewing what happened. Effective communication rarely happens when emotions are running out of control. Recovery is key!

Watch the video clip --> [CLICK]

The beauty of video is that we get to see later what we couldn't see at the first. Re-circle herd behavior (2) is similar. Reflection and re-assessment are higher-level thought processes and horses are capable of both. Thankfully , so are humans.

Did you notice the part in the video clip when Faith decided to bump me with her back-end? She wasn't overly aggressive, but she did have something to say and therefore, had her reasons for the inappropriate behavior. I'll share my lick-n-chew (3) on that later, but first let's examine the series of events and assess the situation. Come with me on my Re-Circle... (2)

I corrected Faith's dominant behavior by getting her attention with pressure on her face using the halter. That was my initial response and you will notice I expressed some emotion in the process. Emotion isn't good or bad; it will be expressed one way or another. Ideally, we will express ourselves honestly and openly, yet with a willingness to preserve the dignity (and felt-safety) of the other. As we surrender to the maturing process, our expressions become more and more refined and nuanced. As that happens, we also learn how to recover from negative emotions more quickly. That is part of what I call emotional integrity. And in the case of horse-training, we must guide our equine pro·té·gé to develop the same kind of self-control.

After the bumping incident, I sought out recovery . Notice I backed her a step or two to get her out of my space (albeit hindered by my short lead rope), and positioned myself to move her left hip over - the same hip that she used to bump me. I immediately went to her other side to move the other hip over, because I was taught that what we do on one side of the horse, we do on the other. That is when she attempted to step on my foot. (In hindsight, I should have given her a bit more time to process, before moving on to the other side.)

Yes, Faith and I were engaged in an argument! Not exactly how I had hoped to start off this session; a session that I resisted for days, by the way. (More about resistance in a future V-Blog post.) Faith was perturbed and uncooperative and probably somewhat confused . I was doubting my ability and losing confidence - and I was COLD. We were NOT connected partners prior to attempting effective communication. And that explains everything.

THE LICK-N-CHEW (3)

As the leader, I am charged with setting the tone for our interactions . I broke my own rule and let my partner down. From the start, Faith wasn't completely assured of her safety in a new space, apart from the herd. I just jumped in as if I cared nothing about who she was or whether or not she had something to say about my sudden interruption of her day. I could enumerate my excuses here, but what would be the point of that?

Connection is key. Recovery is the goal. How did I miss this initial step with her? My best guess is that we are still getting to know one another, but to be totally honest , I think it had more to do with my hurried mind-set, at the time. Never hurry - never worry. Once I processed what she was telling me, I decided to re-group and get connected with her in the barn, where at least the winter wind wouldn't bite so hard. The barn is also more familiar territory for us as new teammates . This first-time session away from her herd-mates, in the snowy yard was a bit too much, for both of us. I'll certainly think it through a little better next time.

I lead Faith into the barn to finish our lesson on a good note. Recovery requires a willingness to change - in this case, we changed our environment, which led to a change in attitude . Once inside, I tied her up. Tying is an important skill for horses to acquire and Faith already does this well. I groomed her with a curry (4) and picked her hooves (5) , another skill she has acquired. Domestic horses need to be able to tolerate touching every part of their body. Why? Think farrier and medical care. What if there were an injury or illness that required a virtual stranger to perform an invasive procedure? For their own safety , we teach horses to let us touch them all over. Next, I sprinkled her with some Coat Defense(R) (6) to dry off her wet coat and prevent rain rot (7) . That was a good place to end our time together . We exchanged opinions. We learned from each other. We enjoyed each other. Another good day of recovery (1) ! I did not film the grooming session, because I wanted to remain singularly focused for the sake of connection with my young horse, but here is a quick video of enjoying each other on a subsequent day:

--> [CLICK]

How about your recovery (AKA JESUS WALK)? Are your relationships mutually satisfying? How is your relationship with God, spouse/family, church and community going? Please comment and share your personal experience, strength & hope . Here are some good words from God who loves you! 'Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.' ~2 Timothy 4:2

Thank you for reading Faith's Journey today. Below is a link to the album of this month's photos and videos. Feel free to comment and I hope you will come again! (I promise the video quality will improve as I go, but for now this is wha'cha get...) Enjoy:

[JANUARY 2024 PHOTO & VIDEO ALBUM]

Here is a link to an article from a knowledgeable source. Check it out if you're interested...

[HORSENALITY: TESTING YOUR HORSE'S PERSONALITY]

Do you get to enjoy 'horsey time' ever? If not, NOW YOU CAN...

CONNECT

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TFO.Farm/
Visit our main TFO Farm website: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/
Schedule a Farm visit: https://calendar.app.google/xobJ64MkLbcSBqJ48
Apply to volunteer: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/volunteer
Learn about the FoR-HiM equine-assisted learning (EAL) programs: https://www.foundationsprogram.org/
Apply as a student in the FoR-HiM E.A.L. Program (for ages 8-88+): https://www.foundationsprogram.org/#APPLY
Schedule a horsemanship lesson: https://calendar.app.google/xf59KBgrpd5fBxGv6
Support our Christian mission: https://www.foundationsprogram.org/our-sponsors
Deb Peterson's bio: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/AGENCIES#DebPetersonCTRI

Faith's Journey Begins Here

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 03:22:28 GMT

The old woman and her dreams and an old man who helped make them happen...

New Year's Eve. This is day one and post #1 of my Faith's Journey V-Blog* series. 2023 ends tonight at 11:59 pm and one minute after that we will usher in 2024 . Now, when I say "we", of course I don't mean I am included in that collective pronoun. I am 62 years, 2 months and 23 days on Earth, which means I require my full three hours, pause for an hour to re-adjust and re-relax my achy old body, then three more hours, then pause for another hour to pee & re-relax..., then two more hours of sleep. I plan to be sleeping at midnight!

I know something about tomorrow too. It will come, whether I am ready or not! With that in mind, I asked The LORD, "Lord, what may I do to make 2024 the most meaningful season of my life on the planet?" After all, with each spin on it's axis, I am one day closer to meeting Him, face-to-face and I certainly want to be ready for the most important appointment of my existence. So I ask King Jesus, "What shall I do?" Who knows better, right?

I'm not saying He spoke the words in a booming voice from Heaven, "DEBBIE SHALL V-BLOG." What I am saying is that He has given each of us unique & specific gifts, and if we pay attention to HIM, He will lead us to develop certain skills & impart to us holy desires . So, here I am, answering a God call to write a V-Blog that I call Faith's Journey . I plan to write at this inter-space spot and share links to videos throughout the training and development of our new filly. As of this writing, we have not done it yet, but we will register her at the American Morgan Horse Association with the official moniker, Double-R-Faith , AKA Faith.

Specifically, what's this V-Blog all about? I am so glad you asked!

This series will chronicle the journey of a harried-n-carried-married couple (more about the "harried-carried" part, later) who have lived some six+ decades on Earth and have chosen to step into a traditionally, young person's domain as colt starters, ie., horse trainers, ie., horse crazy people. We will record our adventures of raising and training a young horse from 7 months old on up, as senior citizens. Having never started a young horse, before, this is a first for us. We plan make her safe to ride and would love to care for her all of our lives, but the good Lord will have the last word on that, as well as whether or not she will be with us all of her life. We are just along for the ride.

The back story would be a book, but for the sake of this limited context, I'll condense it. I am sure that many of my life events, life lessons and life <period> will pop in over the course of this, my Faith's Journey series . For now, let's suffice it to say that I am indeed called, among other things, to write. Throw in the fact that just one month ago someone gifted me a PIVO video tracking system through a seemingly "coincidental stroke of luck," it stands to reason that I shall now V-Blog. Ok, OKAY, so I don't really believe in luck, or coincidences and I am not even sure what a V-Blog is, but I do believe in the leading of the Lord. I have all I need to record Faith's Journey . So here we goooo!

As part of a life-long desire to, one day raise and train a young horse from the ground up, my dear husband, Mike and I purchased a weanling filly this past summer. She finally arrived at our place on October 27, 2023. Mind you, I am not a professional horse trainer, and I believe I have established the fact that I am no spring chicken. What I am is a risk-taker and a dream-chaser . (More about that in future Faith's Journey V-Blog posts.)

Since Faith's appearance at Too Far Out Farm two months ago, I have waffled between pride-n-joy excitement and shear panic. I mean, what the heck! If I don't do it now, then when? And... If I do it in this less-than-fit, 60+ year old body, it may be the death (or total disablement) of me! So I did what any starry-eyed, married woman would do. I asked my husband. He said, "Let's do it." I am pretty sure he is a risk-taker / dreamer too!

To be honest, there was a teensy-weensy bit of manipulation on my part and I knew it, so I took it to the Lord. He forgave me for taking advantage of my husband's propensity to live a happy life by maintaining a happy wife. The decision was confirmed, however, through Mike's sincere prayer request the next day at church. Mike asked our Christian brothers and sisters to ask the Lord to confirm that we would indeed make the right decision about whether or not to purchase the young horse. Later that day, which happened to be the very next time that Mike approached the Lord about our question, he opened the Bible and it "randomly" opened to 2 Corinthians 5:7 .

Look it up, you will see.

My personal goal in sharing this part of my happy trail with you on this platform, in this manner is to prove that you're never too old (too disabled, too weak, too unintelligent, too far gone, too... FILL IN THE BLANK...) to trust God with your dreams. Whatever the personal results of this journey, I'm sharing it with you in hopes that you will be inspired to begin your own version of Too Far Out Farm by trusting in the One who wrapped your soul up in a God-sized vision.

*I think I made up the term, V-Blog, but not sure. Let me know in the comments what you think so far...

Thank you for reading the "B" portion of this, my first Faith's Journey V-Blog post. Below is the "V" part. Feel free to comment and I hope you will come again! (I promise the video quality will improve as I go, but for now this is wha'cha get...) Enjoy:

"She's here!" (29 seconds) - https://photos.app.goo.gl/uLNXVLfZM6jRK4cB8
"Where do you want her? He'll take her there." (4 seconds) - https://photos.app.goo.gl/2q5Jm7Cx1c6d49sU7
First time in the TFO Farm pasture (1 minute, 29 seconds) - https://photos.app.goo.gl/McCJs1s2gqWvUNMY7
Meeting the "big horses" over the fence (3 minutes, 19 seconds) - https://photos.app.goo.gl/uASyQxEUHVFgeduq6
"She's following me!" (20 seconds) - https://photos.app.goo.gl/bw56PQCUBe69GWXK9

To learn about the life and ministry of Jesus as expressed by those of us residing at Too Far Out Farm LLC , you may connect in one or more of the following ways:

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TFO.Farm/
Visit our main TFO Farm website: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/
Schedule a Farm visit: https://calendar.app.google/xobJ64MkLbcSBqJ48
Apply to volunteer: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/volunteer
Learn about the FoR-HiM equine-assisted learning (EAL) programs: https://www.foundationsprogram.org/
Apply as a student in the FoR-HiM E.A.L. Program (for ages 8-88+): https://www.foundationsprogram.org/#APPLY
Schedule a horsemanship lesson: https://calendar.app.google/xf59KBgrpd5fBxGv6
Support our Christian mission: https://www.foundationsprogram.org/our-sponsors

Faith's Journey - About the Author

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 00:14:13 GMT

Who am I? A human doing or a human being?

"I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am."

Jesus

Who am I? It is a profound question. There is something innately human about pondering and wondering such things. Some asked the question, "Who am I?," and the their conclusion led them to fame & fortune. Others, to suicide. It is no small question, to be sure. Entire civilizations rise and fall over who one believes themselves to be.

Belief matters. Double-R-Faith, AKA Faith, arrived at Too Far Out Farm on October 27, 2023. She was 7 months old and a dream come true for me. I'm not sure if I am going through a late mid-life crisis or what, but starting a baby horse at 62 years old seemed like the next best right thing for me to do. My 66 year old husband agreed and here she is.

If ever something didn't make sense by worldly standards , this is it. On the other hand, if ever anything was morally right , this is it.

I perceive myself to be a child of God. The Bible confirms this and I believe what The Lord says about me there. [1] To be clear, there are many things about me that pique my curiosity and seek to satiate my ego, and I do not hesitate walking that more nuanced path of self discovery. However, all I ever really need to know about me was authored by God and written down by Divinely inspired men, many centuries ago. I am, by design, an i mage-bearer of God Himself. That's mind-blowing! And yet, by nature, I am a fallen creature. This explains the constant war within AND confirms my need for the on-going ministry of the Holy Spirit in my mind, body and soul. Not all creatures are "children of God." All who believe in Jesus (accepting His words as true) , however, are His Father's other kids and heirs to the Kingdom , with King Jesus . Not because I did or will do anything especially self-redeeming. All because of what Jesus did for me at the Cross of Calvary . He overcame sin as a sinless man by paying the wages of sin, which is death, and by His own Holy Spirit power, rising from the grave three days later. He is the ONLY ONE who could have done that and He did it all for me! He did it all for you, that we may be called Children of the Most High God!

Read the entire book of 1 John for more context and maybe you will also learn that God loves you anyways, too.

Heck! Read and study the entire Bible for a more robust understanding. The Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth , if you are honest, open and willing to receive His instruction, knowledge and wisdom. Receive and believe. No entrance fee required. It has been paid for you already.

What really intrigues me now that I know who I am in Christ , is this faith adventure of learning more and trusting my Creator, Guide, Teacher, Comforter, All-knowing, Almighty, Savior God, without hesitation. I aspire to such things as these. To know Him is to love Him. Those who won't know Him, will not love Him. It is a matter of the will. Choose well, my friends!

I AM WHO I AM.

God

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Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TFO.Farm/
Visit our main TFO Farm website: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/
Schedule a Farm visit: https://calendar.app.google/xobJ64MkLbcSBqJ48
Apply to volunteer: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/volunteer
Learn about the FoR-HiM equine-assisted learning (EAL) programs: https://www.foundationsprogram.org/
Apply as a student in the FoR-HiM E.A.L. Program (for ages 8-88+): https://www.foundationsprogram.org/#APPLY
Schedule a horsemanship lesson: https://calendar.app.google/xf59KBgrpd5fBxGv6
Support our Christian mission: https://www.foundationsprogram.org/our-sponsors
Deb Peterson's bio: https://www.toofaroutfarm.org/AGENCIES#DebPetersonCTRI

Summary of the 2021 Foundations Programs, the Pilot

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 15:32:58 GMT

This blog post comprises the 2021 Foundations Pilot Program summary report. The pilot program spanned six weeks between August and September of 2021. This report is humbly and respectfully submitted by Debbie Peterson, co-founder of TFO Family Ministries and developer/facilitator of the equine-assisted learning programs, known as Foundations of Recovery Horsemanship and Foundations for Youth Horsemanship Programs. This report is submitted for your information only, and may not be re-printed or disseminated in full or part or in any form without the express, written permission from Debbie Peterson and Too Far Out Farm LLC.

INTRODUCTION

My personal journey up to now, this 60 ^th year on the planet, has been punctuated by my passion for all things HORSE. Yes, I was that 8-year-old, wide-eyed, horse-crazy girl, full of awe & wonder, and I expect to continue so beyond my 80 ^th year, God willing. The 2021 Foundations Horsemanship Pilot Program was the culmination of my intermittent, yet relentless equestrian pursuits of the last 50 years. As a life-long horse enthusiast, my personal experience with horses has proven significant in teaching me life lessons that nothing, nor no one else could or would. (Only the horse could subdue the willful pride of my youth. No other created being, not even my most loving parents, could crack through that wall. I was a rebel, and “stubborn” was my middle name. My Dad, in his wisdom, built me a little yellow barn and together with my mom, bought me my first pony when I was eight. What a truly God-led move on their part!) Jesus used horses to help me through the inevitable pitfalls of life and gave me a sense of “sure-footedness” - the security of knowing that I could (and would) be “carried” through the hard times.

In 1998, after a devastating family crisis, I sought solace in the way that my parents originally pointed me, so many years prior – through the grace, truth and mercy of Jesus, accentuated by His gift of horses in my life. This ultimately led to my pursuit and acquisition of a certification and part-time vocation as a therapeutic riding instructor. I worked for a therapeutic riding center in Erie County, PA for several years, which helped fuel the fire and prepare me for my dream of creating a Christ-centered, equine-assisted learning and therapeutic activities community of healing & hope at my little farm in Crawford County, PA.

In 2009, my husband, Mike and I had a party! We gathered family & friends at our little homestead, that we affectionately call, Too Far Out Farm . At that first "open house," we dedicated all our resources to the service of the Lord. Since then, the Lord has been faithful to bring the lost, the hurting and the broken to our doorstep. Many people in transition found the love of Jesus at Too Far Out Farm, as expressed through the ofttimes lost, hurting and broken, yet regenerated hearts of Mike & I. We sought to share what we had, whether it be a horse back trail ride or riding lesson, a job cleaning the sheep shed, a word of truth or a bedroom in our home - whatever was needed at the time. We remain committed to following Jesus as we tend to the mission & ministry set before us. We call the ministry, TFO Family Ministries. “We build on Truth, walk in Faith and serve with Obedience...” This is more than a “tagline.” We have found it to be the key to a prosperous marriage and healthy family life.

As I pursued my dream, it seemed to also pursue me.

Through the trials and tribulations of navigating the way through my own character flaws, I miraculously stumbled upon discovering the value of surrender. The dream was put there by the “Dream-Giver,” and any path, divergent to the one of following Him, proved fruitless. This epiphany was pivotal and proved to be the catalyst that moved me from a dreamy state into a real-life adventure with Jesus.

Fast-forward to 2019. I spent the year setting up my personal circumstances to make room for the intentional creation of a formal therapeutic horsemanship program. I down-sized my graphic design business to make time for next steps towards a deeper fulfillment of TFO Family Ministries. The subsequent onset of the 2020 pandemic and personal challenges related to mine and my husband's health, suspended activities for a year, but by the end of 2020, we were back on track to launching the Foundations Horsemanship Programs.

To say that the 2021 pilot program was a success by worldly standards, would be at best, a stretch of the truth. Community participation and support seemed wanting and attendance by students was near non-existent. It would be convenient to blame the pandemic, however that stance will certainly not accomplish the goals that we seek to achieve. This program should have been part of the answer to the fear and doubt caused by the reaction to a world-wide novel virus outbreak, and given the involvement of key players, I believe it will yet be that, and much more.

Please read this report and judge for yourself the efficacy of the ministry, thus far. More importantly though, consider these humble beginnings as a mere spring-board for the transformation of our entire region.

PILOT PROGRAM SUMMARY:

GOALS: Participants will gain practical life skills and receive opportunities for positive character development through a series of six weekly, 2-hour sessions of Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) activities, Bible teaching, creative expression and focus group discussion. Each weekly session will build on the one prior to help prepare and empower youth and adults to plan and attain educational, professional and personal achievement, emotional maturity and spiritual growth. For a more complete overview of the Foundations Programs, you may download and review the complete statement of the 2021 pilot program Goals & Objectives Document by clicking here --> 2021 FHP Goals & Objectives .

The program was offered at no cost to the participants and we asked only that all applicants who were accepted to the program attend all six sessions.

WHO WAS IT OFFERED TO? We offered four tracks of the program, as follows:

A Crawford County youth program with room for 6 students.
A Crawford County adult Program with room for 6 students.
A Mercer County youth program with room for 6 students.
A Mercer County adult program with room for 6 students.

WHO WE ACTUALLY REACHED?

Although, we attempted to reach 12 Adults & 12 youth affected by substance use disorder - six each from Mercer County & six each from Crawford County, we missed the mark by a long shot. However, the ones that started and completed the program report that the program provided a profound betterment of their lives. Two youth affected by substance use disorder attended every session and successfully completed the program. Parents' participation in the class “circle-up” discussions was an unplanned, yet welcome and spontaneous amendment of the lesson plans. Various family members watched the classes, added their insights to the “circle-up” class discussions or waited on our deck while their child attended the class; as such, they were very inspired by the program. They report that their faith was encouraged during the “circle-up” discussions, before and after each class. I was pleasantly surprised by the families' stated benefits gleaned by simply observing what their kids were learning. I helped facilitate spontaneous family discussions about life, love and Jesus during these impromptu “porch-sitting,” gab sessions. The significant adults in these youth's lives enthusiastically stated that they want their kids to continue to participate in future programs. As a matter of fact, one of the parents has asked to serve on the board of directors when we transition the horsemanship program into 501c3 corporate status as a Christian ministry in 2022!

One youth was from Crawford County & one was from Mercer County. Since there were so few students that followed through after registration for the program, I opted to hold classes at Too Far Out Farm LLC in Crawford County, rather than utilizing the second, additional Mercer County location, as originally planned. The youth's families provided transportation to TFO Farm at their own expense. Although there was only one student in each class, I decided to keep the classes separate and I conducted private lessons for each of the two students.

The students became so enamored with the horses that they asked to continue in the program. Since I did not have plans for another horsemanship program for this year, I invited them to participate in the Wooden Nickel Volunteer Reward Program . They gleefully agreed and are three weeks into volunteering as stable management assistants for two hours per week. See this link for details about this volunteer opportunity open to anyone over the age of ten. WOODEN NICKEL VOLUNTEER REWARD PROGRAM

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Foundations Program that was originally developed for each age group were identical. Since the adults who registered failed to attend any scheduled classes, I was able to focus on refining and tweaking the program as I went and gear it towards youth, exclusively.

The program participants that actually showed up for classes every week were youth girls, age 10 & 14. They each received private lessons for the six weeks of the program.

The program morphed over the course of the six weeks from the original plan of six unique lessons into each lesson consisting of new instructional material and content for each of the first three weeks, then focusing on review, testing and demonstration, respectively during the last three weeks of the course. These were the themes of the six lessons and below each theme listed below, I have listed the specific topics/goals supporting the themes:

Lesson Theme One was REALITY: The students were encouraged to accept life on life's terms by discerning and choosing to believe what's true. The horses and I offered the REALITY Lesson by facilitating the TFO Farm EAL “Awareness Exercise”. (See also Session One of the Goals & Objectives document for more details.)
Spiritual Goal: Memorize & gain understanding of Jesus' words in Matthew 5:3
Horsemanship Goals: Gain horse grooming skills & learn from the herd through observation
Life Skills Goal: Practice acceptance of reality by being present (congruency of mind, body & soul and appropriate self-expression)
Lesson Theme Two was HOPE: The students were encouraged to choose HOPE, rather than despair, anxiety or resentment/bitterness when they encounter hardships in their lives. This biblical principle was illuminated by the TFO Farm “Gas Pedal/Brake Pedal” EAL exercise.(See also Session Two of the Goals & Objectives document for more details.)
Spiritual Goal: Memorize & gain understanding of Jesus' words in Phil. 2:13
Horsemanship Goals: Gain additional horse grooming skills & begin to learn to “speak horse”
Life Skills Goal: Learn effective communication skills & become more self-aware through body language, attitude/tone & proper energy levels
Lesson Theme Three was COMMITMENT: The horses and I demonstrated how the student may make a COMMITMENT to surrender to God's guidance when faced with challenges in life. We suggested this as the only path to true peace, and demonstrated this biblical principle by showing how horses (and people) can yield to (common) pressure and push into (inevitable) pain, rather than react with an unthinking, natural mind through a fight or flight response. The TFO Farm EAL exercise called, “Pressure/Pain/Release” helped demonstrate this principle. (See also Session Three of the Goals & Objectives document for more details.)
Spiritual Goal: Memorize & gain understanding of Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28
Horsemanship Goals: Learn the Pain/Pressure/Release principle of horsemanship
Life Skills Goal: Rest work & play, everyday! Finding and receiving balance in life
Lesson Theme Four was a REVIEW: The students had an opportunity to practice their newly-learned skills and principles and ask questions in preparation for the next lesson. This lesson plan totally deviated from the original lesson plan as outlined in the Goals & Objectives document, because my experience of teaching the first three lessons made me realize the need for REVIEW, during this course.
Lesson Five theme was TESTING: The students demonstrated to me, how well they retained the information in the previous four lessons. I evaluated them as they showed me how to apply their new skills. This lesson also deviated from the original lesson plan as outlined in the Goals & Objectives document, but proved to be a valuable experience of the students growing in self-confidence, as well as assuring me of their abilities.
Lesson Six theme was DEMONSTRATION: Although, also not in the original lesson plan as outlined in the Goals & Objectives document, the students were asked to invite any and all of “their people” to come to this last class of the course. The students were given opportunity to DEMONSTRATE their newly acquired skills to their most supportive family and friends. I found this helpful to me, as their mentor, to get to know the folks that the students consider “their people,” plus the students got a chance to earn some kudos from their family & peers. Each student received a Certificate of Achievement and a red or blue ribbon relative to each horsemanship skill acquired. I also gifted them with a framed photo of themselves with the horse with whom they connected most.

OUTCOMES-BASED DATA:

I had hoped to have a larger test group for collecting outcomes-based data. The initial premise was to conduct on-boarding and exit interviews relative to the participants' pre-program, verses post-program understanding of proven recovery principles & activities. These interviews were primarily geared towards adults, however no adults participated.

When I realized there would be such a small pool of participants and none were adults, I abandoned my original plan to collect, evaluate, analyze and report outcomes-based data. Instead, I decided to simply share anecdotal stories from participants and my own perceptions of how the program worked. Those stories and perceptions are weaved throughout the narrative of this report.

Perhaps, when the board of directors assembles for the first time in 2022, we will begin developing a more robust and professional system for producing and utilizing outcomes-based data.

FUNDING FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM:

We could not have conducted this pilot without the generous free-will donations of cash by certain members of the community. Most were individual private citizens, but there was also one business that contributed to the financial side of things, as well. (See the SPONSOR page of the program website.)

On September 20, 2020, I, doing business as Too Far Out Farm LLC, entered into a fiscal sponsorship agreement with Community Arts Experience, Inc. With C.A.E. acting as our fiscal sponsor, we were then able to legally solicit tax-deductible donations from organizations and individuals. Several people that were familiar with our mission and vision stepped up and gave generously.

I also conducted an online photo contest fund-raiser, which generated a small profit.

God provided and we purchased the necessary liability insurance and other program essentials, ie., marketing/advertising, curriculum/training & printed materials, and other program supplies & equipment. The program was fully funded without incurring debt.

CONCLUSION & FUTURE PLANS

Currently, TFO Family Ministries are operated by Mike and Debbie Peterson for the glory of God our Father, by the authority of His son Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. We have a vision of teaming up with other Christian community leaders, in order to grow the ministry and transform our world by sharing the gospel of Jesus through horsemanship. At this writing, five community members have stepped up to assume officer roles on a board of directors, as we transition the ministry, currently known as TFO Family Ministries to a 501c3, non-profit corporation.

We plan to further develop the vision and support the Christian mission of:

Reaching lost (those in transition) and hurting (under-served) people with the gospel and love of Jesus Christ (empowerment), helping them grow, heal and prosper (well-being) in love toward one another (relational reconciliation) through horsemanship, equestrian arts and equine-assisted learning & therapies, as well as the musical/visual arts and other farm activities (fun).

We build on Truth, walk in Faith and serve with Obedience.

Thank you for your interest in learning about the 2021 Foundations Horsemanship Pilot Program. Feel free to call me at 814-795-2686 or email toofaroutfarm@yahoo.com if you have questions or a desire to get more involved in this amazing adventure.

Respectfully submitted, in the love of Jesus,
Deb, Co-founder & Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

TFO Family Ministries at Too Far Out Farm LLC

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Summary of the 2021 Foundations Programs, the Pilot

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