One of the many joys I’ve experienced as the calendar flips from month to month and year to year is being blessed with new friends. One such person has reached into my heart in a unique way and has enriched my life with her passion and love for Jesus.
I met Cathy Foyston briefly in 2013, but over these past five years, our friendship has become more intentional despite the two hour car ride and blustery winters that separate us.
Cathy and her husband, Bill own Back of Beyond Equine Centre situated south of Huntsville, Ontario on County Road 10. A quote from their web site will describe Back of Beyond better than I can: “Back of Beyond Equine Centre is a haven for horse and human. A place where you can spend time with horses and connect with them on a deep level; a place where you leave feeling better than when you came; a place where interaction with horses leads to greater understanding; a place where respect for others, confidence, safety and empathy reign true.”
I experienced firsthand how this interaction with horses can leave you in awe at one of God’s creations, if you are inclined to let that happen… and it happened to me! I wrote about my first experience with Beau in my July 2014 blog, The Other Beau in my Life.
But all that aside…
I want to share a story—actually Cathy’s story. However, in her own words she says, “It is really not my story; it is the story of who Jesus is.” She feels that what she experienced “belongs to all believers and [the experience] is available to anyone who God calls to believe and put their faith and trust in Him.”
With Cathy’s permission, here are a few snippets of the journey God took her on earlier this month.
“My trip to Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, in Bend, Oregon began on an average, cold winter morning while I was listening to a Focus on the Family radio program. I learned that Peaks Youth Ranch is a safe and positive experience for children and families to learn about the saving hope of Jesus Christ with their horses. Founded on hope, the ranch is a place where broken children, horses and families can find wholeness, belonging, and trust. This richness is expressed through the healing embrace of God’s unconditional love. After hearing this, I thought WOW, maybe this is something that could happen here at Back of Beyond. I saw on the Crystal Peaks website that they had a four day Similar Ministries Training opportunity in May. As a participant I would learn how they started their ministry and be given the information that would assist us here at Back of Beyond to run a similar ministry…
“… I thought for a few days about going to Oregon to take part in the training, but after checking google maps and realizing how far it was, I put the matter completely out of my mind. It was several weeks after that when the Holy Spirit clearly said, ‘You are to go to Crystal Peaks.’ I booked a flight for myself and a friend.”
But ‘life’ interrupted Cathy’s plans, or so it would seem.
“Six weeks before we were to go, I came down with a very bad case of the flu, followed by severe vertigo. My doctor said flying was out of the question. The trip to Oregon was off.”
Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to you. (Psalm 102:1 NIV)
“However, as I prayed about it and resigned myself to not going, the Lord made a way, just as He parted the Red Sea for the Israelites. Incredibly, my dear friend offered to drive our truck across the country – just over 4,000 kilometres one way! As the departure date approached, I felt a bit healthier and the trip was back on.
“We started our trip in high spirits; however, as the trip progressed, we realized what a long way 4,000 kilometres really is! I began to be sicker and sicker with each passing kilometre. Yet, each time we thought about turning back the Lord said,
‘Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’ (Isaiah 41:10)
“… Unbelievably, six-and-a-half days later, only through the grace of God, we reached Crystal Peaks,15 minutes before the start of the training… not in a blaze of glory as I had imagined, but weak and wholly dependent on the Lord’s strength…”
“… The sessions were great… however the most important takeaway was that my life is not about me. That God is calling me to something bigger than myself and I actually can’t do anything without the Lord. God calls me to maintain the balance between the vision/passion for Back of Beyond and my other responsibilities and to wait on Him patiently and to re-order my life based on His priorities.
“During the training… I continued to be very sick. I prayed often. I gave my problem of how to get home in the condition I was in to Jesus and depended on Him to make a way. I was only walking with the help of a walker (very humbling) and not eating much…”
“… On the last day I received a miraculous healing gift through Jesus….”
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see (Acts 3:16).
“I faced my fears: What will people think about me? How can I share the gospel in the face of adversity? What if Back of Beyond is persecuted for standing up for Jesus? How can I stay secure and safe? What if I lose my health? My wealth? My friends?
“All the lies and fears that I have lived in my whole life were blown up in that moment in an encounter with the living God….
“… I stepped out of my walker and left it behind, climbed the steps to the cross, knelt down and worshipped the God that has shown me the love of Christ in the Gospel. I walked down the hill and all the other sixty participants and staff witnessed the transformation and what the Lord had done.”
The journey home was much different, but another adventure lay ahead for Cathy: sharing her testimony to the Lord’s greatness, mercy, provision, and faithfulness while in Oregon.
“I realized there really is no place like home. This is the mission field the Lord has placed me in to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the hurting and lost through the horses. My prayer is that I will always remain in creaturely servitude to the Lord, lay down my pride and unbelief and let Him be God, until He calls me home. That I will continue to follow the Spirit’s leading even when it seems hard, and trust in the promises of God. I am sure His transforming work is not done in me yet and I will stumble and fall again, but Jesus saves. He is the great Physician. He will not abandon or forsake me, of that I am certain… The most important thing I learned was to follow God wherever He leads trusting in His promises and remembering that Back of Beyond belongs to Him…
“… What will happen in our missions program at Back of Beyond this summer? That is up to God; however, I am excited to see what He will do, who He will bring to the horses, and how He will show up.”
For no word from God will ever fail (Luke 1:37 NIV).
It’s hard to know what to say after hearing this inspiring story and learning of this miraculous healing. What I can say is that God is always in control. He is the only One we can trust and have faith in to never fail us or lead us astray. We are safe and secure in His love.
When God brings new friends into your life, thank Him and feel especially blessed, as I did when I met Cathy.
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Beautiful and timely story Ruth. Thank you for sharing.
Marilyn
So nice to “see” you on my blog post. Glad it was an inspiration to you, as I trust it was to others. Blessings!!
Faithful friends like Cathy are a blessing just as you are a blessing to her. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. He knows what we need as we have faith and trust in Him.
Heather, as always, you know just what to say! Thank you!