it works!

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I got to the hospital at 3:00 yesterday, about 5 minutes after our girl's left lung collapsed... things were looking really bad.... REALLY bad.... she had been doing great, her temperature was back to normal, and they had taken her off the ventilator, but all of the sudden, everything went down hill fast.... Her temp spiked again and she was back on the vent... I went in to see her while she was sleeping and it was a scary thing... I held her hand and it felt so lifeless in mine, I just prayed and prayed for peace in her heart with whatever would happen....

There were several staff members from the Ranch at the hospital, her house dad being one of them... He got a call that one of his other girls gave their house mom this passage, she said God gave it to her:

'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz , and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel . You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem . Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'

2 Chronicles 20:15-17


We all went in when she finally woke and laid hands on her and prayed over her bed that God would give her, her family and all of us the strength to give the battle to Him, to stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord would give her... Yesterday, we didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but I am telling y'all, talking to God is an amazing thing, He really does hear us! That girl is so amazing, she's breathing on her own today, talking up a storm, smiling... The comfort I felt just seeing her beautiful smile today was amazing, and I truly thank God and all of her prayer warriors for that! That includes each of y'all, you're awesome! She knows she's not out of the woods yet and asked today for continued prayer, but in her written words yesterday when things were looking really down, she told us she's accepted Jesus into her heart, so she knows she'll be ok one way or the other... I appreciate y'all! Don't ever doubt the power and effectiveness of your prayers, He hears every one of them! Please keep praying, there's one more surgery on Thursday, and after that they're hoping to have her home in about a week but there are definitely still opportunities for things to go downhill again, I told her today that every second of the day there are people praying for her, so let's keep that up!

I love y'all a lot!

His,
Anna Kathryn

"I thank my God everytime I remember you!
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy!"
Philippians 1:3&4

keep praying!!

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Our girl took a turn for the worse last night... Surgery went really well, she was in for 3 1/2 hours yesterday morning.... Somehow contracted an infection and was taken to ICU last night with 105.5 degree temp... I know she's made some really positive choices for herself during this time... Please pray that she keeps doing that and that the Lord heals her; I know He can, but I don't know if He's going to, and I'm not gonna lie, that scares me and I'm so worried about her... Before I knew any of this yesterday, I wrote her a letter yesterday about healing, I hope when I take it to her today that she understands there are two kinds of healing, earthly and eternal... I hope I understand that too...
Thanks for your prayers, we really appreciate them!
His,
Anna Kathryn

prayer need!

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Read this please:


The female passenger in the Ford Focus was one of our students... I can't give names because of confidentiality, but please please please be in prayer for her! She had one surgery (on her lower intestine) right after the wreck. She has a 4-way fracture on L-2 (lower spine) and has her first surgery for that tomorrow at 7:30 am and the second on Monday. I haven't gotten to go see her yet because I'm sick, but I'm dying to get out to the hospital, I'm so worried about her, and I fear for these kids to leave this place now... This girl is a true testament to why we do what we do here, she has done so much in her life since she came here last year! My biggest prayer is that she understands that she was saved for a reason, and that she continues to make positive and life-changing decisions. Please join me in praying for her, especially tomorrow as she undergoes her second of three surgeries since the accident last week.

I thank God so much that these kids have such faithful prayer warriors in each of you!

I love y'all! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

His,
Anna Kathryn

"I thank my God everytime I remember you!
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy!"
Philippians 1:3&4

new tires come with warranties!!

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You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24

What an amazing summer I've had! This was the first summer since I was in middle school that I haven't worked, and you better believe I took full advantage of it! Just about every minute of it was filled, whether I was traveling or making jewelry for the business! My time in Tennessee was outstanding, Kiawah Island was beautiful, and our visit with family in New Jeresy couldn't have been better! Through it all, I knew there was a big lesson coming, I know the Lord never fails at that! This one, I've actually been expecting and searching for since April, so I'm excited to write about it! And it just happens to come at the perfect time: the beginning of a new school year!!! Doesn't the Lord have such perfect timing!

For those of you who have been privy to my life's journey since last April, you'll be excited to hear, the tires are doing well!! Haha, won't last long probably, the tire guy said, "With your luck, you may wanna invest in some kind of road hazard insurance..." It's a good thing I don't believe in luck! However, since I do believe in the Lord using 5 totally destroyed tires in 3 months to teach me something important, I may want to invest in that anyways!

Did you know that the original tires that come on new cars have no warranty from the tire company? That's craziness! I just learned that last week, as I purchased my 5th tire since April... Well, I guess that's ok because the warranty wouldn't have covered the curb and brick run-ins anyways... My car seems to have an attraction to those type things, it just steers its way right up on them, haha, any way possible to get us a thumb sized puncture in the side wall... But it sure could have helped out on the two tires that just wore out 14,000 miles early! Well anyways, it's all good, cause now all four of my tires are covered under warranty, and so will be every tire I get for my little Honda from now on...

So this is great, we start a brand new school year Thursday morning, we have A LOT of new kids, and plenty who were with us last year as well... I absolutely can't wait to get started on this new year, I think it's gonna be a really great and exciting time! Here's what I want y'all to pray for us: That those kids, everyone of them will run over a brick, hit a curb, or just get worn out on this life they're used to. Just like new tires come with warranties, so do new lives!! And as soon as they get rid of that old life they were born into, and replace it with Christ, they'll have a lifetime and eternal warranty from their Creator! And you know what's so great about God's warranty? It covers the bricks and curbs we hit everyday, and there's no prorating involved, plus, He comes to us, we don't have to wait on the side of the road, all stranded and out of options, He's already there! He forgives us and makes us totally new absolutely free of charge! No road hazard needed!

Gosh, everytime I look at my tires, I'm reminded to praise God for replacing my life, all ripped up and worn out, with a brand new life, great tread, no chance of being left stranded on the side of the road after I hit another curb! Wow! Suddenly I don't fear those things anymore! God is so good! I'm then reminded to pray for the same life change in these great kids during their time at the ranch with us!

I can't wait to be a part of this year and see the Lord's hand at work! Thinking about it right now gets me so excited about seeing how He does His thing this year! Please pray with us that these kids open their hearts to His beautiful voice and that they "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." I'll keep y'all updated!

Thanks, y'all, so much! I love each of you for your prayers and your thoughts! I already feel them for the start of the year! I think of you all so often and I look forward to hearing from y'all soon! Thanks again for your prayers!

His,
Anna Kathryn

"I thank my God everytime I remember you!
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy!"
Philippians 1:3-4

always there...

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“But will God really dwell on earth?

The heavens, even the highest heavens cannot contain you.

How much less this temple I have built?”

1 Kings 8:27


It’s been a long time, I know, and a lot has happened since I last updated… School’s out, so that’s different… I said goodbye to a lot of kids who I loved dearly a few weeks ago… For some of them, it was a very happy goodbye and a joyous occasion as they left the Ranch to begin a new and functional life at home with their families, and for others, I will worry about them every day that I live, but I feel sure my God will watch over them as they are prayed for often. Milton Martin is out too, I left the Honda dealership about a month and a half ago to pursue other goals with my time, and with that job ending, I said goodbye to a lot of grown people who I really grew to love over the last two years… It’s a good thing my little civic will still need oil changes every few months, so I’ll get to see those friends often… My new found free time has left me with no choice but to find a business partner and start beading!! I’ll let you guys know when our little homemade jewelry business is really up and running good, and y’all can come visit us! But in the mean time we are having so much fun trying to make it happen!! Please pray for our little endeavor, as we truly seek the Lord’s guidance in all of our jewelling craziness!!


Gosh, speaking of the Lord’s guidance, I’ve been so lost without direction the past couple months, it’s been crazy… That’s why you haven’t heard from me in so long, but praise God I think I may have my priorities realigned!!


Here is one thing I know to be true, for sure: When you let your relationship with the Lord slip, it’s not just your relationship with Him that suffers, it’s your whole life basically… your relationships with your family, friends, the decisions you make every minute of the day, your goals, plans, endeavors, whatever you do throughout the day is hindered so deeply by your refusal to talk to Him, listen to Him, and be open to His suggestions…. That’s a really crazy thing, because who has better suggestions than God? Right? So, what am I thinking every morning when I wake up? Every night before I go to sleep? “I got this… I can do this on my own… Yes, I’m doing all of this for you, God, but I don’t need your help, ok? I can glorify you in everything I do, without you even being in the picture… easy!” No joke, that’s the last 2 months of my life summed up in three lines…. If our bodies are His temple, why, no really, WHY would He choose to dwell in mine? According to my skewed thinking, I don’t even need Him…


And what happens? My relationships suffer; my family, my friends…. My endeavors fail; my goals, my plans seem so far-fetched… I make poor decisions that directly affect all of my relationships…..

It really all comes back to one really important thing……


Oh God,

“Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.”

1 Kings 8:30


I’m never going to find the peace I need in these situations if I don’t include the Lord… And it’s not just “Fix this, God,” it’s the peace that I need to be able to make decisions that aren’t easy, but are right; to forgive people and overlook silly things; to follow God’s guidance in my endeavors instead of what I think will work the best, please, in my experience, what I think will work the best… never does!!

It’s a good feeling to come to a place in your faith where you’re like, “Wow, this isn’t working… I really can’t go at it alone… God, all the heavens can’t even hold you! How much less to dwell in me! But that’s where you choose to be! Father, forgive me for not welcoming you into my life, my relationships and my decisions… Forgive me!”


It’s an amazing feeling to come to a place in your faith where you feel Him nudge you and whisper in your ear that sweet reminder:


“My eyes and my heart will always be there.”

1 Kings 9:3


Praise God, I can’t escape Him, no matter how hard I try – a true fear of mine I’ll write about another time... Anyways, God is good, keep in touch!! And that’s the moral!


Thanks for reading this far, I really do appreciate it! As for my next month or so, I’ll be busy traveling the eastern US, a week in Kiowa Island with a family I love a lot, two very much anticipated weeks in the state that I love (Tennessee), a week in New Jersey with my amazingly strong grandmother who I love so much and our wonderful family up there (I love them too!) Wow, that’s a lot of love! Anyways, then it’s school time again! It sure goes by quicker than it used to!! But I look so much forward to starting the new school year and seeing those kid’s faces again! Please pray for them over the summer, it’s an important time of year for their growth at the Ranch and in their families!


I love all of y’all a lot, and I thank you so much for your thoughts and your prayers! I pray that the Lord keeps you safe and watches over all of you every day this summer and most importantly that you don’t forget to invite Him! He’s a good one, I promise!!


His,

Anna Kathryn


“I thank my God every time I remember you,

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy!!”

Philippians 1:3&4