A Look at a Recent Session
It’s an incredible blessing to my heart to see that in just this year alone, we have held over 100 sessions at Bright Side!
How God continues to use the power of One Child, One Horse, and One Mentor coming together never ceases to amaze me. Each 8-18 year old is so different, and their interactions with each horse is so unique. And, how God chooses to speak through those relationships is incredibly dynamic. While those at the ranch often get to have a front row seat to how these moments play out, we don’t want to keep these details to ourselves. So many people and organizations have given their time, talents, and treasures to pave a way for these kids to experience these precious times, and we want you to see how you’ve help shaped their development.
So, here’s a story from a recent session we’d like to share with you:
A sixth grader has been in the session program at the ranch on an ongoing basis. Her parents originally signed her up because Bright Side represents the faith and values they want supported outside their home and because they wanted their daughter to spend some time outdoors and build her self-confidence. This sweet girl enjoys her time with the horses in each session but has been reluctant to move any faster than a walk. It’s partly because of fear of the unknown, and it’s partly wanting not wanting to lose control. She and her mentor set a goal of trotting by the end of this session season, and last week, her time came to try trotting on a pony. It was scary to try something new, but she did it! At one point, the pony sped up slightly, and the change in speed made her nervous. So her mentor took some time to talk over the topic of fear. They discussed some parts of her life that are currently causing her to feel anxious and worry, and they talked about how God gives us the strength we need to face each difficulty. The girl decided to try trotting again (possibly prompted by the mentor who told her they had to end the session with a smile), and she found it wasn’t as hard as she originally thought. She finished her session grinning from ear to ear. This young girl discovered that she was more capable than she originally imagined and that God walks (and trots) with us through the hard parts of life. This week, she was given a Character Award for Perseverance, because she is learning to not give up even when life gets hard.