Exodus Farms

Micah 6:8
New International Version
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Musings from the founder…

Mondays…..they can be full of joyful anticipation…….or full of trepidation……and I have decided the difference is all about what we focus on! I can focus on all the challenges that a new week brings……..not enough volunteers, meetings, doctor appointments, hoof abscesses….and all the unknown hiccups that hide in the shadows of Monday through Saturday. OR…….i can focus on all the unexpected and unknown blessings that God wants to shower on me…….whether it’s sharing what we do with a lovely group of church ladies, discover a breakthrough with a challenging horse, having dinner with a tableful of new friends, getting to relax on my deck for the first time in ages, belly laughing with family….or simply a nap……all precious blessings in the midst of my challenges! These two crazy dogs have got it right…..they joyfully hope that there is going to be at least one ball in that metal can and they joyfully hope that someone will come and throw it for them! A young man I met this week named Samuel….also has it right! Dark ebony hair and the sweetest dark brown eyes…..he is probably about eight….the softest, kindest face and a voice to match…you could tell he was a very quiet soul. I shook his hand and told him it was a pleasure to meet him and I was so glad he had come to the farm. He looked up at me with those eyes……and said “Miss Ginger, can I tell you sumthin?” “Of course you can my friend!” “Every time I come here…I am going to smile….cause this is the happiest place I’ve been….” “I bet..” I thought to myself…… having just learned of his early history of violence and abuse. And yet, here was my new little friend……..expecting nothing more than joy and smiles from this new place. He…..and these crazy dogs…….could teach us all a lesson on approaching a new week……❤️

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:12

Psalm 16:11: "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Wishing our founder a very JOYFUL birthday. - ❤️ All of us at Exodus Farms

We call this series of photos Fall Fun with Festus (ooh, maybe he can have a show of his own to run alongside Miss Mildred's Manners! 😂). As you can see, we are all waiting around eagerly for Fall Sessions to start THIS WEEK!!! The weather is beautiful, the horses are excited to see everyone, and Festus is ready to assist our Greeter team in their important duties! (He says he's just the right height to stick his nose onto the table to sort papers and eat - er, hand out - snacks 🤣).

We have used our break to clean, sort, apply for grants, start preparing our next round of sponsor updates, expand the "village" of people who want to help kids and families in our community, and pray pray pray for the next round of sessions and for every child who will attend!

If you've been thinking about volunteering to help with the horses and kids this season, THIS IS YOUR SIGN! Just look at Festus in his cute Fall outfit - you can see all that adorableness in person, every week, AND be a vital part of healing the hearts of children in our community. No matter your experience level, there's a way to help out - the only qualification is a heart to love and encourage the kiddos and families! Email us at [email protected] to jump on board for this school year!

❤️🐴☀️

We have an incredible team of story tellers here at Exodus…….and many of you have read our stories in our book….or right here on our Exodus page! But tonight, we are simply anticipating the next great chapter of Exodus Farms! Starting tomorrow afternoon, every single session day for the next 9 weeks will be full of the most amazing stories of smiles and giggles and discoveries and triumphs and life changing moments…..and some tears….always SOME tears wiped away by the sweetest horse necks that wrap around our precious kiddos! But the stories would not be complete without heroes and heroines……and that’s where you come in!!!!! Our stories would never be as good without our incredible volunteers who show up tirelessly week after week in order that our kiddos would each find a happy ending for their many stories! Don’t miss out on the fun…….we still need so many to fill our Fall session teams……nothing will be as rewarding…or fun….as being a part of our kiddos’ stories! PM me for more info and times!

Once upon a time……..a volunteer came to Exodus ….and their life was forever changed……as they were a part of forever changing a child’s life…….❤️

“Love is donating a chunk of your life to patch up holes in the life of another.”

A Clysdale horse that weighs 2000+ pounds….can pull 8000 pounds. Now you would think a team of two Clysdales would pull 16,000 pounds…….but not so. The two of them can actually pull 24,000+ pounds. Now if those two Clysdales have been trained and worked together for any amount of time…….that number jumps to 34,000 pounds OR MORE!!!! This concept has fascinated and inspired me since learning more about driving from my red headed angel! It has inspired me as I have chewed on the principle of WORKING TOGETHER……of PULLING TOGETHER……..to get the big tasks….the hard tasks done! I believe with all my heart…….that we can forever change the challenges of our foster care families …..when the private sector…..the non profits, the community, the churches………PULL TOGETHER….to create a village…a village of support and networks that can offer help in the areas of deficit for our foster families to find victory for themselves and their foster kiddos as they experience the love and support of a community that wants to see every child succeed…..a victory village of resources……if you have a fire in your heart for the children in our community….come to the very first victory village round table at the ranch tomorrow morning at 11am-1pm as we share and talk pray to see what God might have in store for His kids!

Ecclesiastes 4:9
“Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:”

Victory Village round table
Saturday September 19th
11am-1pm Exodus Farms

Ephesians 4:32 NIV
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

“Courage…..is being afraid…and saddling up anyway.”
John Wayne

Folks often ask us what do the children take away from their experiences at the ranch…..and I think one of my favorite answers is COURAGE…..and the courage to be resilient! Over and over again…we watch them have the courage to climb on a 1200 pound animal….and as we get to know each one of them and their various challenges and heartaches…we encourage them to take that courage they mustered up to get on that horse…..and take that courage and the resilience they found inside themselves….to school, into their broken families, their foster homes……or that car or camp they might be living in.

Our horses and their stories….often teach the courage and resilience much better than we ever could! I saw that play out in our arena this am! Our precious LB (Lilly Belle) had lost her right eye in a horse mishap during our summer break. We all prayed that besides healing completely from the surgery, that God would give her strength and courage to get right back to all the tasks and roles she plays at Exodus! We have been busy reintroducing her to her herd, taking walks, hanging with her many volunteers as she adjusted to one sided sight. My red headed angel has worked hard to get her “right back to it”……challenging when you are a fright and flight creature and now half of your world is dark! But today Ash, our driving leader…. got LB’s son, Flash out and had our wrangler walker LB along side to get use to the sounds and movements of the cart on her dark side. She did beautifully…..so much so…that Ash said “let’s put the harness on her!”……..and then….”let’s put her in the forks and walk her around.” This took real courage on Ash’s part as she more than anyone knows the risks when driving a horse that suddenly panics…..she has single handedly taught our minis to pull carts. But again, LB did beautifully! So beautifully that the farm-ily that surrounded this sweet mini mare said “put the dogs in the cart!” Unflappable, she walked the doggios around the arena …now dark on one side……with courage and steadiness. I watched this morning our prayers being answered for LB……that she would …from this horrible accident…..come out on the other side with courage and resilience ……..and I am excited to see the children God will bring to Lilly Belle this Fall that will need a mini horse size dose of courage!!!

John Wayne told us to saddle up anyway……..Lilly Belle showed us today …..that she harnessed up anyway…..in order to move through the trauma and tragedy of her accident……..to carry her kids to the same victory she has found!!!

As someone who is often "on a mission", I love love LOVE being in a place where I am constantly reminded that sometimes, the most important, mission-critical thing to do right now...is stop for a hug.

1 Corinthians 16:14 - "Let all that you do be done in love." Even if what you're doing is picking up poop...clean in love...and always stop for a mule hug.

❤️🐴☀️

From my very first visit to Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in Bend OR…..from my very first hike up that steep cinder hill……I have wanted a cross on the farm……a quiet place where I could reflect…pray……or just remember my whys on the hard days. Years passed….and nothing came of it…until last summer and the demolition of my beloved barn. Now it is no secret the amount of tears I shed as I and many others took down my barn piece by piece. Many said I was crazy….”rent a dumpster, hire a claw and be done with it in two days!” I couldn’t bear that…..the beautiful wood, the twisted beams, the rusted corrugated metal, the barn fixtures…….i just couldn’t. So many dear ones humored me…and worked so hard to pull nails and sort and stack lumber. And lo and behold…..as we peeled off layers…..I saw cross after cross in the old bones of the old structure. As we stacked the beams and the supports for the rickety old stairs that my deceased brother had built the first year we were here, I had my helpers pull two of those tired old beams out of the stack……”let’s save those…..maybe someday……someday……..those would make a perfect cross..” Fast forward a year…..we have completed all the conditions, built a new bathroom……and we have exhausted every volunteer that made this all happen! So, imagine my surprise when two of them reached out to say ……”we want to come out and build that cross for you!” And imagine more surprise when we got a freak day of ran last week that enabled a volunteer to dig the hole for my cross…30 inches across and 40” deep in less than three hours! And even more surprise, when my two volunteers were here the day after their aunt and sister gave up her battle with cancer and went home with Jesus. “We can wait to set the cross, guys….this is a hard day.” “No…..we want to be here…..and get this cross up.” And up it went….and their aunt and sister, I am sure… was smiling from the heavens! You see, she was the mother of our leader, Julie and one of the kindest, sweetest, big hearted woman I have ever met. She loved every horse on the farm and sponsored two…..she was a valiant prayer warrior for us……and a huge part of our farm-ily. And as I stood watching her family lift and set my precious cross, I smiled through my tears at the goodness of my God! The cross had to wait……for like all things on the ranch…..it would have to wait because it would have it’s own message….that there is always resurrection out of destruction that brings HOPE to all…and there is new and incredible purpose in the old, broken, damaged and twisted things. As I watched these men work so hard not even a day after losing their loved one, there was another message for me…..every single piece of this farm brings peace…and healing to every single broken heart that sets foot on its dirt………and the cross…..it IS my why…

And Karen Dunlap…..you will be forever remembered on this farm….your beautiful words of encouragement got me through this process! Dance with your Jesus…..ride my white horses for me….and I will wave with every sunset….