I read a quote once that said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” Joshua 1:9 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Throughout my life, the Lord has never failed me. I give Him all the glory and praise in all my accomplishments. Christ opened the door for me to come to Big Oak Ranch, and the impact it made on my life has been great as they are Christ’s hands and feet to children from broken pasts.
When I was ten years old my life came to a halt. My mom was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer and given a year to live. God graciously extended her life, and for three more years, my sister and I had our mother. But she passed away when I was thirteen. She was a rock for my sister and me. I am thankful that my bond with my sister continues to be strong.
A few months before mom passed, my dad left us for another woman. My life started going downhill quickly.
After my mom passed, I lived with my dad and his girlfriend. My dad chose to focus on drugs, alcohol, and women instead of me. This left me to care for myself, which led to making some poor choices.
I came to Big Oak at 14. Shy, hurt, angry, and lost, I trusted no one, especially men. My time started like many before me with the four promises for every child who comes to Big Oak Ranch – we love you, we will never lie to you, we will stick with you until you are grown, and there are boundaries.
I remember the practice of beginning each day with devotion and prayer at breakfast as a family, making up my bed and tidying our bedrooms and space before leaving for school. We did life together through meals, spending family time together at the dinner table, my houseparents listening to stories about my day. I remember doing chores as a family before bedtime.
I learned the value of strong teamwork, and money earned and saved. I bought my first car with money I earned and the rewards of hard work didn’t stop there. After long, hot days we would enjoy time in the swimming pool or jumping in the lake. We would take rides on ATV’s on the Ranch roads or through the woods. I was given the opportunity to understand what a family is supposed to be and I made lifelong friendships.
Of greatest value to me was the forgiveness I witnessed and was given. After messing up or doing something wrong the ability to work through that was always present. It was not always easy but my houseparents and Ranch staff always provided an opportunity to work through mess-ups together. We navigated life together and it laid a strong foundation for my role as wife and mom today.
After graduating from high school, my Ranch family stayed in my life, encouraging me to pursue a college degree. Mrs. Lynn, one of my social workers, was always available, giving guidance on school projects and continuing to invest in my daily activities. I finished the Physical Therapy Program at Jefferson State Community College.
I met my husband during a spring break mission trip. He traveled with college students from the University of Florida to spend their spring break working on the property at Big Oak. My Big Oak family mentored Mike and I through our engagement. Mike and I have been happily married for over 13 years. We had the opportunity to adopt two precious girls, and the lessons I learned at the Ranch continue.
We invest in our girls daily, creating positive memories out of seemingly ordinary moments – bedtime stories, riding bikes, hiking adventures and movie nights. We take time to talk to them about who God is, their identity in Him, their worth, value, and purpose. We serve in the children’s ministry by teaching the kids on Sunday at our church and we are intentional to teach our girls to serve others and we support them in doing so. Big Oak’s impact in my life continues to influence our home, work, involvement in the Church and our community, as negative cycles continue to break.
