Lori & Tonto
Finding illustrations of God’s love in the world around us is a precious gift. Recently, our own Lori Miller was able to share the gospel with people through a program called Finding Faith in Horsemanship. She, along with fellow horse trainer Shelby Rader, led a demonstration for 25 attenders from all walks of life. They ranged in age from 8 to 80. Some were single. Some were with families. And, whether they were horse people or not, they had the opportunity to make powerful connections to a relationship with Jesus.
Like people, horses are born with a fight or flight mentality. As prey animals, they have a mind of their own and, when faced with a frightening situation, make the choice to fight and struggle or to run away. “More often than not,” Lori shares, “that is how people are with God.”
Lori goes on to explain that they are able to use the horses to talk about how Jesus asks us to follow and trust Him, even if it does not make sense.
“When we surrender our will for His, the result is beautiful and there is freedom.”
As part of the demonstration, Lori and Shelby remove the saddle, bridle, halter, and lead rope, allowing them to work with the horses at liberty, giving them the freedom to choose to stay or run. In that freedom, the horses follow them around obstacles and over jumps. “At one point we lay the horses down (a vulnerable position for a prey animal, something they won’t do if they don’t feel safe) to show what it looks like when we lay everything we have at the foot of the cross and give it all to Jesus.”
By providing these Finding Faith in Horsemanship demonstrations, Lori has found ways to open the door to discussions with participants who openly examine their own relationships with Christ. “We have had opportunities to continue faith-building relationships with several participants, have seen new found hope in seemingly hopeless situations, and we’ve seen Christ soften some hard hearts.”
If you were unable to attend the most recent event, Lori is looking for more opportunities to share this ministry with others. “We try to keep our spiritual eyes and ears open for whatever God has for us,” she says, “so if you know of a farm that would like to host a demonstration let us know.” Lori expresses how passionate she is about horses and simply wants to use that passion as a tool to point people to a relationship with Jesus. “God has given everyone something that makes them feel fulfilled and that can be used for God’s glory and to tell others where their joy comes from!”
