Off to the Bachelor Pad!

E R I C ---------- E is for Entertaining, R is for Riot, I is for Ingenious and C is for Comical. These are a few words we could use to describe a young man we have grown to love as he has resided here at Miracles Can Happen Boys Ranch since August of 2005.

Eric has completed the Season Level in our program and has now advanced to the Playoff Level. He moved into the bachelor pad, to begin a new phase in his life. While living in the bachelor pad, Eric, will learn how to hold himself accountable, control a check book, what paying bills is all about, and the basics of what it takes to be an adult living on your own. He will strive to make it to the Superbowl, in completing the program by staying in the bachelor pad at least 6 months. When he leaves, we pray that he decides to leave as the winner of the Superbowl. We say that in saying that it is their choice what they want to get out of this program. So, if you think of Eric please pray for him as he is entering the playoffs, taking on new tackles that will be set before him, with new privileges, different passes thrown at him, and needing to decide if he wants to listen to the coach of life, that we all need to listen to, or if he wants to try to be the quarterback that decides his own play to run. Thank you all for joining us in prayer for Eric as he moves forward in this program.

New boy coming May 4th!

As my husband and I have met with different parents in the last month, to fill our empty bed, I found myself in a very hard situation of helping my husband make a decision of which boy we should work with. As I sat listening to each of these mothers, hurting for their sons that they gave birth to, I couldn't help but think of my own son that I gave birth to 23 years ago. I love my son with all my heart, but he is making some choices in his life right now that are not going along with the way his father and I raised him. I, have sat in this living room, for years meeting with several parents, and cried for the mothers as they have hurt for their sons. Now, I sat in my living room, crying not only for these mothers but also for myself and the choices my son is making. I know, though, that God's word is true, and the verse that I painted on the rock at the entrance to this ranch, and the verse that is on our brochures, is the verse I will continue to hold onto. Proverbs 22:6 "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." My God is a Big God and He is not only going to do Miracles in other hurting mom's son's lives, but in my son's life too. The reason I have had a hard time helping my husband make this decision is because I want to help them all, because I am walking some what in their shoes now. The only difference is, my son is an adult and their son is still living under their roof. Please pray for the New boy that we have chosen to come here on the 4th of May, I will reveal his first name later, after we see if the guardianship goes through. Also, we would like you to join us in prayer for our son Cory.

Serving Him,

Recovery from surgery!

One of our boys, James, had to have galbladder surgery at the young age of 16. He is recoverying but can use your prayers, as he goes back to school. Pray that he will be able to catch back up on his school work that he missed out on, and pray for protection from elbows in busy hallways. He was at home with his mom, recovering from the surgery and we received a phone call about an arguement that was going on. Jim talked to James and told him that his mom is going through a lot right now in her life, and he needed to step up and be mature about this whole thing, he understood and hung up the phone. About a half an hour later, his mom called back crying, telling us that what ever Jim said to him thank you, because she just got the biggest hug ever from her son. God is using this young man, in a mighty way, in his families live's by the change they are seeing in his actions. Please pray for James recovery from this surgery and also for his family, when you think about it. His mom especially, she just went through one knee surgery about 6 weeks ago, and now has to have the same knee operated on, this Tuesday because it won't bend properly due to scar tissue. Thank you all for checking this blog, to get updates, please leave a comment so I know if I should keep this going.

ICorinthians 16:19 & 20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

Heinsite fitness center in our area put on a biggest loser contest, with 47 participants. These participants were trying to see who was the biggest loser and they lost a total of 899 pounds. Before they started this they were explained that the money they paid to enter and the money they had to give for not reaching their goals, was going to go to the #1 winner (loser) to be given to their favorite charity. There was a tie, so they had to share the money to give to the charity of their choice. Guess what, we were both of their choices. So because they were the biggest LOSERS we were the biggest WINNERS and recipients of $1,010.00 to help us run the race God has placed us in. Our God is an Awesome God and uses people in very creative ways to help us continue doing His work.

Sacrifice! Thank you Jesus! Thank you supporters!

Hebrews 7:26-28 "Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever." NIV

Hebrews 26-28 "So now we have a high priest who perfectly fits our needs: completely holy, uncompromised by sin, with authority extending as high as God's presence in heaven itself. Unlike the other high priests, he doesn't have to offer sacrifices for his own sins every day before he can get around to us and our sins. He's done it, once and for all: offered up himself as the sacrifice. The law appoints as high priests men who are never able to get the job done right. But this intervening command of God, which came later, appoints the Son, who is absolutely, eternally perfect." THE MESSAGE

Thank you Jesus for fitting our need; you did it once and for ALL, even for me. Thank you God for appointing your SON, who is absolutely, eternally perfect. Jim and I couldn't do this job of working with these boys daily but you sacrificed your life for us, so that you could forgive us when we mess up trying to deal with these boys. It's not an easy job, but with your help we can do it and we will continue on in the race you have placed us in.

We would like to thank all of you who have sacrificed a part of your life to help us run this race. I especially think of everyone who sacrificed a little to adopt a cow, the cow's are even being used to minister to these boys. The one on one time that Jim or Curtis have while milking the cows has been a great tool. So when you see a cow running in the pasture, think of the boys ranch, the race we are running and say a little extra prayer.

This cow's name is praisin', it's kind of funny to think back of how the proud parents of this adopted cow came up with her name. They were having septic problems with their house, and were praying, thought they were going to have to pay $2,000 to 2,500 to fix their problems but God took care of them so they felt God was telling them to take that $2,000 to buy a cow, so they did and they were praisin God so they named her praisin. We are having septic problems with this cow, she is our dirtiest cow, because the gets down on her front knees and poops, therefore poops all over her bag and is constantly covered in poop. But we just keep praisin the Lord because he is good, and it makes us laugh to think how this cow got her name.

Do not Steal!

Luke 19:19 Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself."

Sometimes it is so hard to carry through with our consequences that we have established when it is so major, but we know that we have to be stable, consistent, and follow through with the rules or we might as well hang up what we are trying to teach them. They at times are just testing to see if we are still going to be there for them.

We just had one of the boys, that have been here for a while just get caught stealing at school. With the school rules he got kicked out of school for three days. Our rules when they get kicked out of school are 2 loads of manure everyday they are kicked out. However our rule for stealing is paying back double the amount that was stolen, this really hurts when the item that was stolen is valued $200.00. So this boy has a huge lesson to learn through this. At first when he got caught he was just going to give up, didn't care and was just going to end up in jail when he got out of here anyway. However, our God, is a powerful and loving God and the holy spirit got to working on him while he was loading the manure, his attitude changed, and he worked off his consequences and is ready to try again, and start to accept the fact that he can succeed and that he wants to succeed.

Please pray for this young man, help him to continue to realize that yes, he can be forgiven and move on from here. Jesus knows exactly which one he is.

Thank you for your prayers!