Prayers and Answers!!
Feb 11, 2008 - Yesterday at church  we received a message about living the dash (the dash meaning the dash between the dates of our lives, example 1960-2008).  We have been guilty many times of saying, "well when we get a bigger facility..."  or "when something else happens we will...",  but that is not how Jesus lived his life.  He is the only person that knew exactly how much time He had on this earth and He lived every moment to its fullest.

I want to encourage you to do these things to live your life to the fullest:

Give to Jesus:
1) the first part of every day (talk to him, ask for help even if it is only 10 minutes).
2) the first day of every week (go to the church of your choice and get reenergized).
3) the first part of your income (to give praise for what you have received).
4) the first consideration of every decision.

I talked with my pastor recently about our ministry.  While we have had some success, it doesn't seem to be as big as we had hoped.  I have learned to wait on God and take the opportunities to minister as they come.  Pastor Mark made a profound statement:  just be willing to do God's work, if this is truely His calling on your life, it is on Him to make it work.  Days later my wife told me while she was praying she decided to just give it all (the ministry situation) to God (something I learned long ago).  I told her I had been praying for a long time for that comment, and I thought God would now open up the doors.  I still feel that way, but after the message on Sunday I've decided if it never comes that it ok.  I will work full out for God each and every day in whatever capacity HE wants me to.

Live the DASH.... all he ever guaranteed us was TODAY.  If we dwell on yesterday, we will be full of guilt and disappointment on things we can't change.  If we are always looking to tomorrow, it may never come.
Nov 27, 2007 - McKenzy got to go home for a short time to be with the family.  Since then she has actually gotten to go home and be treated in an outpatient manner, thanks to everyone for their prayers and support.  You can still visit the website below for up to the minute details.

Sept 17, 2007 - On Saturday night Sept 15, McKenzy Winne (15yrs old) was in a bad accident.  She fell off of a tailgate of a moving truck and struck her head on the pavement.  She has made it through surgery to remove a blood clot in her brain and the skull fragments, but needs everyone's prayers for a complete and total recovery.  Our God is an awesome God and I know He will heal her.

For complete details and updates go to http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kenzywinne .  Password is fosterfalcons (her volleyball team name).

October 3, 2007 - God is good all the time!  McKenzy is improving each day and is recognizing people.  See her journal at the above website and keep praying for her healing.
June, 2007 - What do I want to be when I grow up?  This question has been haunting me a lot lately.  I have a successful career in real estate management.  My company is great.  I just can't help but think that there is more out there.  It's not about the accomplishments, the money or the recognition anymore.  How can I serve God in a bigger capacity doing what I am doing?  I realize that there are plenty of ministry opportunities in every day life.  I would just like to put more towards God in some capacity.  God has been stiring something in me lately that just can't be quieted.  I can't put my finger on it.  Please pray for clarity in all of this.  I have been praying for a direction for a long while.  Perhaps God is getting ready to move me in His direction.

UPDATE: WOW!!  God so answers prayers in a big way!  Things started to get really bad for me at my old company.  I loved the people there, but the job was just too much and my boss continued to pile it on because he knew that I would do whatever it took to get the job done.  Because of the person that I am, I began to sacrifice my life for that job.  One day during the month of July, I sent an e-mail to Scott Knode with Lincoln Harris CSG.  We had met several years earlier when we were turning a property over to them in a transition.  We had kept in touch since then from time to time.  Scott answered that e-mail with one back telling me he had a position open for Area Manager and would I know anyone that would be interested.  HELLO!!  We started talking about it -- it seemed to be a job that I would love to do.  Scott tried to talk me out of it (LOL!) because the job is going to be a challenge, but I really, really wanted the job!  The salary didn't even really make a difference, but they were very generous.  My job involves being able to help the managers and staff and support them in their dealings with the clients and the doctors who are their tenants.  Did you see that?  I get to help!!  That was an answer to my previous prayer!  Anyway, I'm in my 4th week at LPC, and I am so happy.  The people are all so nice (and seem to all be believers!!).  Thank you Lord for answering my prayers. 
June, 2006 - Kristy has had some health issues lately.  She suffers from a condition in her right eye called uveitis.  She has suffered with it for several years.  Uveitis is usually brought on by an auto-immune disorder such as Lupus.   She had a bad recurrence in June, 2006.  She went through the same treatment as always, but this time, the doctor wanted to test her for all of the auto-immune disorders.  We did those tests in July and then we waited.  We prayed about it and called on all of our prayer partners to pray about it too.  In the middle of all of this, she also had an irregular mammogram which needed to be looked at closer.  So prayer requests were sent out on that as well.  ALL tests (including the mammogram) came back NORMAL!!  Praise the Lord!!
June, 2006 - This is our first "official" prayer request for the Out of the Stall Ministry.  We are in desperate need of a round pen.  Amanda has begun teaching lessons, and there is only so much you can do running a horse back and forth across the pasture.  We need a 60' round pen to teach these lessons and also to start working with the kids in the ministry.  A round pen provides a much more structured area and makes it easier for the student and the horse to focus focus focus!!  So please pray that we will find one in our price range or one that is donated!!

Update!!! There is so much power in prayer!!  We got our round pen and it is nothing short of a miracle.  I won't go into the details, but I will tell you that TJ was in a funk on Monday, July 3rd.  I came back from work (I was one of the only people working that day)  and found TJ sitting on the couch in a mood.  I sat down to talk to him.  It got a little heated, but what I told him was I saw him spiraling downward and I wanted to know why.  He said he didn't know where God wanted us to head with this ministry.  He said that nothing was going right and that he just thought maybe the ministry was not going to happen.  God tapped me on the shoulder and I stepped up and said that I didn't think he was correct and that I felt that our ministry WAS going to be because it was for God and not us!  I further told him that I thought his round pen was going to come in the form of a miracle.  He asked me what I meant and I said that I didn't know.  Either it was going to be donated or we were going to find some money we didn't know we had coming or something.  On July 5th he got  a call from one of his clients that had blown off the idea of getting a new server a few months back.  They wanted to re-visit the idea of a new server.  He went to meet with them and ordered their new server.  His client asked what he thought his time would take and he told him.   The guy wrote him a check for $2000 up front!!  I happened to call him after he handed him the check and TJ said "I'm holding the check for the round pen in my hand."  He was stunned.  This was money we didn't know was coming, so it was not earmarked for bills.  This was straight from God.  We ended up not being able to find it locally in our price range, but found a better round pen and had it delivered the following weekend.  We were also able to purchase two round bale holders and two, 3-tier saddle racks -- all for under what we would have paid for a round pen here in town.  GOD IS SO GREAT!!!

To further this story, we went to TJ's old church the following weekend for our granddaughter's dedication.  Jana Meeks, one of the pastors, stood up and said that she had gotten a word that morning and she wasn't sure who it was for...but God wanted her to put it out there.   The word was "Don't let your vision be compromised by your circumstances."  We had prayed for a confirmation of our vision and that was it!!  Again -- GOD IS SO GREAT!!
March, 2005 - TJ was unemployed for several months before he found a job.  During this time, we learned to live on my paycheck and we prayed that God would show him the way to a job.  Our bills continued to be paid during this time and we feel like that is a direct answer to a prayer.

As a follow up to this, in February of 2006, the company TJ was working for started to slow down and he was unable to bill as many hours as he had been.  Things started to get tight financially again.  We prayed about it and TJ told me he thought he was supposed to go out on his own.  Before I would have just screamed "NO" because I would have been so fearful that he wouldn't have any income again.  This time God gave me a peace about the whole thing.  I knew that whatever happened would be blessed by God.  We took a step out on faith and TJ went out on his own.  He immediately picked up two clients -- one of which would be enough to sustain the income he was making before!!  He has continued to pick up more clients since then and we have been able to get things started on this ministry!  Praise the Lord!!
January, 2005 - You know, sometimes God's lessons are really, really tough.  But in the end, they are best for everyone.  In January, 2005, we discovered some major repairs that were needed to my truck.  TJ had lost his job in early December, and we were living paycheck to paycheck without a dime to spare.  The truck required $1,500 worth of repairs and I just didn't know where it was going to come from.  My wonderful dad let us use his American Express card for the immediate need, but we still had to pay him back.  We decided to sell one of the horses (which was going to kill me!!)  Anyway, poor TJ looked at me and said "I think this is your lesson!"  Meaning, I was so dependent on the almighty dollar, that I did not stop to put all of it in God's hands and trust that He would take care of everything.  Boy, I don't think I've ever been that mad at TJ -- afterall, I was the one going to work everyday and bringing in the paycheck.  How DARE he tell me this was MY lesson?  In the middle of all of this, I had to make a business trip to San Antonio.  I laid in my hotel bed that night and just surrendered to God.  I said "Whatever will be your will -- will be your will."  I left the hotel the next morning and saw that my truck was broken into in the parking lot of the hotel.  I had $4,500 worth of rodeo tickets in the console and a bag of tools in the back seat.  All the "thieves" took was a sleeve of warped CD's that was hanging on my visor!!  All I did was rejoice and thank the Lord that he was there to scare off the thieves and keep them from robbing me blind.  I really, really felt His protection right then.  I drove all the way home listening to any worship station I could find.  I got the mail from the mailbox on my way in.  There was a letter from my brother in Colorado (which I thought was strange).  When I opened up the envelope, there was a check for $1,600 with a note that said "Don't argue -- God told me to do this."  I was completely overwhelmed.  I had talked very briefly with my brother about all this in a passing conversation.  I didn't tell him we were hurting financially.  Yet, he sent the check anyway.  He listened to God and blessed me!!  My cup runneth over!!
Mid-June, 2004 - Kristy's prayer.  I was 38 years old and still single.  I had never been married before and seemed to find something wrong with everyone that I dated.  I didn't know why God was keeping me single, but I was willing to wait because I knew He had a plan.  In mid-June of 2004, I said a prayer.  I said "God, I don't know why you've kept me single for so long.  But I will trust that you've got a plan.  God, I'm very lonely.  I'd really like to find someone to share my life with.  And God, I know I'm picky, but they must love horses as much as I do, but not have a harsh or heavy hand with them; they must have a great sense of humor; they must be intelligent and should be able to carry on a lively conversation; but most of all God, they have to love YOU as much as I do."  I said that prayer in mid-June, and I met TJ on July 7th.  He was the answer to everything I had prayed for and then some.
Home -- Our Vision -- Other Activities -- Upcoming Events -- Words of Wisdom -- Our Staff
For more information, contact us at
info@outofthestallministry.com
Out of the Stall Ministry
19834 Cedar Lane, Tomball, Texas  77377
281-290-6149