Today was yet another powerful day of connection and growth for these young ladies! We started the day with our morning devotional, we read Psalms 139: 1-4 and 13-14…

“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I am far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.”

We discussed the masks people wear as they go about their daily lives; not real masks, but invisible masks that hide who they really are or what they really think.  We act a certain way so people will like us.  It can be scary to take off the masks we wear to protect ourselves from being hurt by others, but the cool thing is that God know everything about us and he loves us just the way we are…the way He made us! God doesn’t make junk!

After breakfast, the girls joined the wranglers at the barn and learned to trot on their horses.  After trotting, they went to the other arena where they were completed an activity called the minefield. One person is blindfolded and has to drive a mini-horse through a minefield…the only way they can make it through is by listening to directions from other girls who are not blindfolded.  It’s a difficult exercise in communication.  See Facebook for a video recorded live of the activity!

Next Gen provided another amazing activity teaching flexibility and adaptability.  The girls had a lot of fun and learned what it takes to become an entrepreneur.  Later in the day, we had a guest speaker, successful entrepreneur, Brooke Slocum, who spoke about her personal life and challenges as an entrepreneur.  The girls asked great questions and enjoyed having her here.

The girls are really developing as a team and as individuals…the staff is doing an amazing job connecting with these girls and have taken some huge strides in the right direction!! Even when things get weird at times 😉

We spent the evening on paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks and then finished the night with a trail ride on our horses!  What a day!

Tomorrow morning we leave for the Manistee forest! This 11 mile hike is something not many people can say they have been able to accomplish…but these girls are ready!  We will do our best to post on the blog, but sometimes we have limited wifi so please be patient if you do not see a post every day.  We will also try to post on Facebook as much as can at @RRanchMI.org.  We hope to see you on our next live post!