Expectation positions us to see miracles, big and small. It sharpens our vision and focuses our attention towards God. It liberates us from apprehension that blinds us to the majesty before us.

During the quiet sleepy months of winter, our family seeks the Lord for His direction for 8th Mountain’s coming season. This year, the third pillar of our Mission Statement took center stage. RELEASE! He said.

So in a spirit of wholehearted surrender, we obediently aligned with God’s heart for 2018 and leapt into the space of risky trust.  Of course, we had no idea what all this would mean.  But He remained ever faithful and led us step-by-step.  Now 4 months later, we are physically walking out our release as we face a radical change that affects 8th Mountain Ranch.

As our insurance policy approaches renewal in June, we have learned that our arrangement of sharing  home and ranch on the same land  is now an un-insurable combination and in order for us to accommodate the underwriter’s requirements, we must relocate to a different property arrangement.

Sadly, to continue our work, we must sell this property and move out by June, which is what we are in the process of pursuing. This was all quite unexpected. RELEASE! He said. And He is forever faithful. And so here we are. Following His footprints.

Do to the current price of land, we lack sufficient funds to re-home the 8th Mountain organization at this time, so we must suspend operations until we receive God’s provision for our new home base. With great expectation, we hope to resume our service to Colorado youth and families as soon as possible.  We covet your prayers and intercession until then. It would also greatly bless us if you continue to walk with us through this changing season.

Meanwhile, this last newsletter [for awhile anyway] will try to capture moments from our heart’s memories of delight and moments of precious joy to share with you, our faithful friends and family.

Looking Forward & Looking Back

Happy Birthday! In May, 8th Mountain anticipates its 3rd birthday which will also be its final month of operating on 1819 Haystack Road – a bitter sweet milestone.  Bitter to leave this land and all the history of our first 3 years. It’s a sweet gift to reflect on all the God accomplished through the mission of Rescue, Redeem, and Release!   Our three pillars. Join us for some memories:

 

RESCUE the Equine:  We safely homed and rehabilitated 4 amazing horses.  Each with their own story of triumph, my heart sings over Regal’s victorious win over life threatening disease, Jonathon’s miraculous comeback from debilitating shoulder and hoof pain, Sky’s unique journey of overcoming despair, and Shiloh’s dramatic shift from a panicked survivor into a calm companion. For 3 years, all 7 members of the herd faced a variety of adversity, yet we repeatedly witnessed tenacious overcoming.

 

 

REDEEM the Broken Hearted:  Hosting nearly 100 participants and over 50 families, each precious vessel carrying abusive injustice, abandonment, and despair encountered hope and healing in this place of sanctuary. Effervescent joy bubbled up time and time again, as the safe shadow of our gentle giants created a sheltered place to be known and loved.  To read more about the stories of redemption, follow the links below to archived newsletters.

 

 

RELEASE into Kingdom Design:  In essence, release catapults us into our new area of growth.  It’s an opportunity to take our discovery of new identity and new purpose and live it out. When God interrupts our inertia, we can often feel disoriented as the direction or speed changes.  Change can be scary.  Change can be uncomfortable and unfamiliar.  Yet, change is necessary to cause us to emerge into more of our original design. After each session, when a participant has faced a fear, practiced a new skill, or risked in a new relationship, I would bless them with the permission to take their new discovery of themselves with them.  The reality of being loved is not tied to the ranch.  The truth of our value is not attached to the horse. These realizations simply took place during the ranch encounter, which effectively serves as a catalyst to discover the truth of one’s gift, potential, and worth.  We saw this time after time.

The raging adolescent asked to practice tender patience with a scared horse. Voila! He feels his inherent compassion.  The invisible child finds his voice to lead a 1200 pound animal effortlessly.  The rejected teen joins up with our loving sorrel, quickly allowing her to identify her strength as a friend.  The fatherless orphan strokes the dark fur of the grazing gelding and finds connection with a Daddy God who loves her.

 

Release is perhaps the sweetest climax of transformation because it calls on all that’s been discovered to now be center stage for the rest of our journey.  This is how we see this place of transition for 8th Mountain Ranch.  We are entering a profoundly exciting time of release.  We’ve had 3 years on this glorious journey of discovery.  Now we are stepping into our “New Beginning!”   With joyful anticipation and faith filled hope, this move serves as a catalyst for all of the members of the ranch to step into the newness of who we’ve become and SOAR!

 

Changing Seasons

May we never tire of doing what is good and right before our Lord because in His season we shall bring in a great harvest if we can just persist. [Galatians 5:9]

In closing, please accept our heartfelt gratitude for your faithful company on this leg of the journey.  Many of you have put sweat equity into this land, and we want to thank you for all the big and little gloved hands that have tended, maintained and nurtured the grounds.  Your countless prayers have covered our times of encounter, releasing grace filled provision to the land, animals, and visitors. Many have selflessly volunteered your time and energy to assist with sessions, feeding, cleaning stalls and animal care.

Others have sacrificed financially undergirding our session work which has yielded a bumper crop of transformation and healed hearts in the past 3 seasons. All of you have labored with us to make God famous in the lives of each guest, participant, and volunteer!! Your partnership is paramount for which we are deeply grateful.  Thank you from the depths of our hearts! We could not have done this without you.

We tip the bowls of blessing and slosh in His perpetual faithfulness as we move onward and upward to the Throne.

Bringing Heaven into the Earth Takes a TEAM EFFORT

If you’d like to serve with us during our transition, we can always use extra hands to pack up the ranch. Please call to arrange a time to come.  We also welcome your presence through prayers and encouragement while we journey through our transition into the new season.

Regarding donations, financial gifts will continue to be applied toward the ongoing care of our adopted horses, and a future location that can accommodate the newly imposed insurance requirements.

Joyfully Anticipating our New Beginning!
Amy and Dale Eben 

“My Master has riches beyond the count of arithmetic, the measurement of reason, the dream of imagination, or the eloquence of words. They are unsearchable!

There is no love like His, neither earth nor heaven can match it. To know Christ and to be found in Him–oh! This is life, this is joy, this is marrow and fatness, wine on the lees well refined. My Master does not treat His servants churlishly; He gives to them as a king giveth to a king; He gives them two heavens–a heaven below in serving Him here, and a heaven above in delighting in Him forever.The unsearchable riches of Christ! This is the tune for the minstrels of earth, and the song for the harpers of heaven. Lord, teach us more and more of Jesus, and we will tell out the good news to others.” Charles Spurgeon

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