What has God got planned?

So, today I was looking at the website for Ecola Bible School. I've talked about attending Ecola my first year out of high school for quite a while, but I really looked at the site today, and I have to say, I'm even more excited now than I was before. Their doctrinal statement is spot on, and I love the whole purpose of the school, to focus strictly on spiritual growth, instead of readying the student for jobs. (Don't get me wrong, college education is important, too, I just think it's cool that it is STRICTLY a Bible School.) The opportunities offered seem pretty neat, and I'm just quite excited.

I've been thinking a lot over the past few weeks what the future is going to hold for me. I know that this summer, I'm going to be doing a LOT of training horses, which I'm super excited about, in addition to probably some waitressing and work for my dad. Next year, HOPEFULLY I'll be doing correspondance courses and continuing to train and work, ect. POSSIBLY. And I do stress that, because of course, nothing is certain yet. My goal, though, would be to do my school work in the morning, go to work in the after noon and evenings, and then in the winter, when it starts getting cold and there's not a lot of opportunity to be training, basically work double time and try and finish both my junior and senior years in one, and get my diploma after my would-be junior year. That summer, (Summer 2012) I want to spend in Bend, Oregon, volunteering at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch. (Please, check 'em out!) Basically, they own mostly rescued horses, and are open year round to any and all families for sessions with staff and horses. They're also non-profit, so these families don't pay. Kim Meeder, (the co-founder, along with her husband Troy) have the COOLEST ministry there, guys. Seriously, the things they do, or rather, that God does through them, are really, REALLY cool. She's currently got two books published, Hope Rising and Bridge Called Hope, detailing some of the stories of the youth that she has worked with. They seem like really neat people. They stepped out in faith, bought a completely barren piece of property, and worked really hard to get it to a point where it was inhabitable, really. Anyway, I can't sing their praises enough, in case you couldn't tell. So I want to spend the summer volunteering there as basically a "junior" volunteer, since I'll be seventeen.

I love the ministry at Crystal Peaks, but I also want to go there and gain some experience. You see, I have this dream of starting a ranch, sort of similar to CPYR (Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch). Well, I suppose more similar to Home on the Range, really, for those of you who know what that is. Basically, I want to have a ranch for "troubled" kids. I have a HUGE heart for the kids who come from abusive families, or histories of drug and alcohol abuse. I feel that these kids, particularly in that teen range, get shuffled to the side, because they ARE challenging to work with. I am completely aware of that. I just don't feel that's a reason for them to get kicked to the curb, so to speak. They hit that age where no one will take them, because they have all these problems and issues, and that's where I want to come in.

The dream in and of itself is pretty big, but it would have to start small, just a few students. I want to eventually have separate dorms for guys and girls, with a dorm "parent" for each floor. Eventually, I would absolutely love to have an on campus school, with teachers with a strong relationship with God and experience and/or training specifically toward working with "troubled" youth. Of course, to start off, we would probably stick them into public school, which is what Home on the Range over in Sentinal Butte does.

I have so many ideas and details for this thing, you guys. It's something that's constantly growing and transforming in my mind. All the time, I keep getting more ideas, ways to really make it work, make it plausible, and of course, thinking of all the challenges that would come with starting and maintaining a place like this. The thing is, though, when I first got this crazy idea, it was just a pipe dream. I was like, "This is a really cool idea, but there is no WAY it could happen." That's starting to change though. I'm starting to see the practical ways in which it could be made to work. Like I said, it really is plausible.

I believe that this is a God-given idea, because I really have no reason to have this heart for troubled youth. It's not like I come from that background, it's not like I can relate. It's not like I even KNOW that many kids from "troubled" backgrounds. I can think of only three off the top of my head. Even so, this idea is there and constantly growing, and I have every confidence that if this IS God-given, He will open the doors that are needed.

I'm confident that if this dream is what God is willing for my life, He's going to open the doors, He's going to make it happen. He's going to bring the people into my life that I need to start this place, people with a similar heart and dream and vision. There are so many pitfalls to this idea, SO many things that can (and probably will!) go wrong, but like I said, I know if God is willing it, He WILL see it through.

On the flip side, though, if this is just a pipe dream and NOT what God has in store for me, I know it will be a flop. There is NO WAY a place like this can function without God at its heart. Because of this, I want to be absolutely, 100% certain that this IS God's call on my life, because I don't want to step out in faith, thinking, "Yeah! This is it! God's gonna do great things!" only to have everything crumble and hear Him whisper "No, I'm sending you somewhere else." If this isn't what God wants, the whole thing will just be a complete and utter failure.

Like I said, though, the more time goes on, the more ideas I start to get, the more I feel myself drawn to this ministry. I would love to spend a year at Ecola, and it would be amazing to work at Hom eon the Range for a time, to gather ideas, and get some hands on experience with the youth I hope to be working with, seeing if this is something I think I'm capable of and can do. Who knows? I might get there and go, OHMYGOSH, there's no way I can do this! This is NOT for me! Of course, I doubt that. In all honesty, I think the hardest part for me will be knowing that I can't save all of them. It will be watching those students walk away who haven't been helped by my program. THAT will be the deepest pain for me. But on the other hand, it'll all be worth it for the students who DO come away better geared for life, to be happy and successful and independent.

So I guess, my hope would be that you guys would join me in prayer, as I seek God's guidance for my life, in the short term, for the summer, for next year, and in the long-term, my college education, and ultimately the whole rest of my life. I would ask that you pray that God would keep this on my heart if it's what He desires, and if He has a different plan, that He would take this dream and take my fire for it. I ask that you pray for His guidance as I try and navigate these next years, trying to prepare for this crazy dream. And of course, that if this is where God wants me, that He would open the doors, that He would bring the people into my life necessary to make this dream come true, people with the same heart and dream and vision.

And someday, years down the road, if/when I have this thing going, you can say "Hey, I was an originator of this place. I was there from the very beginning, being one of her prayer warriors and paving the way for this place to happen."

These are my dreams for the future, hopefully GOD'S dreams for my future, and all I can think is that if these are MY dreams for this place, if this is something God truly has given me, can you imagine what GOD'S dreams for this place are? I can only think in finite terms, but God is seeing infinity, and my imagination has NOTHING on God's. So like I say, if these are my dreams for this place, the things that I want and hope and desire, can you imagine what God's got planned? Far more than I can ever even dream of.

So once again, I ask, join me in prayer, friends, and know that whoever you are, wherever you are, I am praying for you, too, that you would "grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen" (2 Peter 3:17 & 18)

Prayerfully, in Christ,
Erika Rose <3
xoxo