When Dreams Come True

Sharing is caring!

For as long as she can remember, Rebekah’s greatest dreams involve horses. She reads about horses, draws pictures of horses, writes stories about horses.

Months ago, after booking our family vacation, I promised her a horseback trail ride. She has impatiently counted down the months and days until the opportunity came.

Then, 2 weeks before the anticipated vacation I called to schedule her ride, only to find out that the rules require an adult on the ride with minors. I would love to trail ride with her- but now that I’m a single Mom on this vacation it’s just impossible. I knew she would be devastated.

After all she has lost… all the disappointments of the last 18 months, I just could not shatter this dream. I had to find her a trail ride, I just had to!

I googled and searched, emailing every single possibility no matter how slight. Any website or email address attached to riding lessons or a stable received a message enquiring about the possibility of a trail ride. Only one message got a response. 

Just a few days later, my whole crew set out for the adventure of a lifetime at Kandy’s Chance Ranch. Not only a trail ride- but so much more, for all of us. My crew spent nearly two hours living Rebekah’s dream.

The owner, Kandy, believes that riding doesn’t begin in the saddle. Even a trial ride begins with grooming and getting acquainted with the horse. Except for Rebekah, all of my kids were pretty iffy about this horseback riding thing. Horses are big after all! I really expected 2 or 3 of the kids to decline to ride. 

When we arrived each child was assigned his or her own horse AND teacher/helper! Sure enough, by the time the children met, groomed, and saddled their horses every single one eagerly climbed into a saddle! And when I say groomed and saddled I mean it- they really got to do it all with a little help and coaching by their awesome helpers.

Even Jon had his own horse to groom and ride…

Next up came a lesson in the ring where Emily made sure to tell Kandy that her Mommy said “Someone has to hold on right there the whole time!”In the ring, the children got to learn how to stop, start and turn their horses. By the time they left the ring for the trail ride, they were all confident and excited. They didn’t feel like children on ponies walking circles at a fair, they were riding! (But really, the whole time their helper had a hold of the lead just in case.)

The kids got all the experience of a real true trail ride, even though they really didn’t have the knowledge or experience to go on one.

It was incredible for all of my children, not just Rebekah. Sometimes things work out so much better than ever imagined. (Ephesians 3:20)Vacation trail riding would have been fun- a quick half hour of sitting on a horse trained to follow a leader. A glorified fair pony ride really. 

This experience was so much more.

Learning what it really takes to care for a horse; you can’t just jump on and ride!

Getting to know the horse and bonding with it during that care. 

Confidence.

Joy.

Of course for them. But, me mostly- watching this dream come true.

One promise not broken.

I’m just in awe. Seeing God take care of the ‘little things.’ (Which were not at all little to my crew.)

The reminder- He’s going to take care of the big things too.

Even though I see a dream shattered, He might just have greater, bigger, better plans.

Deep breaths, lots of prayers, and learning to trust. God’s got this.