The Bucking Events in Video!

Enjoy a little cowboy action at the Caldwell Night Rodeo, Baby!!!

Caldwell Night Rodeo

Tom and Jean Hamilton, our hosts in Boise, took us to the Caldwell Night Rodeo for a real Idaho experience!

Archana, Me, Jean, and Tom at the Rodeo!

I felt so at home with the announcer’s twangy voice and being referred to as a “lady” all evening! We sat behind an old gentleman who had rodeoed all his life and was explaining the intricacies of each event to us. Archana felt bad for the calves during the calf tying event…I was really getting into it all (especially the bucking events) and having a blast!

Belle and Whisper

After church on Sunday we were able to take the Hamiltons horses for a ride. It was Archana’s first time on a horse, and she got rather saddle sore. After riding around the paddok for a while, Tom and I took them down the road and ran them a bit. So fun!

I LOVE the smell of horses!

Good Shepherd Church Plant

Great People to Share With

Speaking at Good Shepherd Church on Sunday was really fun! Good Shepherd is a church plant started by Tom Hamilton just outside of Boise, Idaho. It was super awesome to drive up to the building where they meet on Sunday mornings and realize it was a Boys and Girls Club!

My new church, Anchor Church, meets at the Boys and Girls Club here in Seattle, and Good Shepherd shares the same vision as Anchor – to impact their community with the Gospel starting with the people right in front of them: the staff and students at the Boys and Girls Club.

There are a couple stories that happened this weekend that I’d like to share:

The first is that I met a lady who was recently and unexpectedly widowed, and she decided to sponsor three widows through Vision Nationals which is a huge blessing for us and for her.

Also, the pastor and his wife reimbursed Vision Nationals – out of pocket – the price of my plane ticket out to Boise. This was one of the most generous acts I’ve experienced in a long time. As church planters, they have no financial security, but rely on God to supply their needs on a pretty much monthly basis. And yet, they give away money like it doesn’t belong to them! Because they live out the truth that it really doesn’t. It’s God’s money. And He is a good provider. What an example!

Another action shot!

Buffaloes and Rodeos in Boise

I like Boise more than I anticipated!

Late last night Archana and I arrived in Boise, ID. We’re here spending time with the Hamiltons, a wonderful couple that have been involved with Vision Nationals for over 10 years now. Tom Hamilton just began pastoring a new church here in Boise, and I will be sharing about Vision Nationals with the congregation tomorrow! I’m looking forward to that!

In the meantime, we had a little tour of the town today and it really made me miss home! The open fields, lots of horses and cows and llamas and buffaloes! But mostly it’s huge open skies and dry heat that makes my heart sing! I love Seattle…but nothing feels more like home than the bright sun in an open sky!

Oh yeah, and we might go to the Rodeo tonight! Fun!