How God Uses Our Trials

Too often I hear people asking “Why? Why would God put me through this if He is real?” Because God has ordained that Christians will co-rein with Jesus Christ in eternity, to a certain degree,  they must prove that they can be trusted with authority and power. This life is a training ground to reveal both our weaknesses, and our strengths, regarding Godly character. Simplistic as it may seem, without a test, without adversity, we have no testimony of any spiritual, life-changing depth of character. Not only does he use these trials for testing ground, but also to show us our faults, and where there's room for improvement. When someone goes through a rough time, there's two ways they can go, they can either go down hill, or they can grow. It builds Godly character in someone when they make it through and grow. Being a Christian is all about growing, you must step up your Christian walk daily if you want to fulfill the shoes that God has laid out for you.

            On judgment day, God will reward Christians for making it through trials, as it talks about in Revelation 2-3 to the seven churches. The sooner we realize that “life is one long series of tests” and “life is about choices we make and actions we take” the quicker we’ll grow to find some peace inside ourselves and more peace with God. Remember: “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.” Philippians 4:13.

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Wise Counsel

I had the awesome opportunity to practice with Ricky Green this week.  He helped me immensely with my roping especially with my heeling.  As we were about to begin Ricky asked me about my heeling- how it was going what I needed help with etc.  I pridefully responded that I could rope feet pretty well, and what I really needed was help getting quickly into position.  Of course since God resists the proud I immediately whacked the next five in the ribs.  When this happens you want to hide, to make excuses, or to “safety up” even though having your weakness exposed is the best thing for you when there is someone like Ricky there to help you overcome that weakness.  So, I had to humble myself, and I prayed all of my weaknesses in the heeling would be revealed.  God obliged and I was able to learn, not just how to get early position, but how to finish my follow through and where to swing my rope before the turn. 

Proverbs 10: ¹⁷ He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray.

Improvement

·        Heeling early position really improved

·        Steer wrestling went well

Needs Improvement

• Not getting to work on my calf roping as much as I would like
• Work on my cardio

Check out the Elite Clinic coming up Dec 29-Jan 2

Drew Horner 11/23

This week, I have been taking it easy on my good horses and practicing hard on my practice horses.  I have been really trying to focus on catching every steer I throw at no matter what happens, no matter what my horse does, what the steer does, whether he ducks his head, runs, dodges left or right, my main focus has been to up my consistency.  For me, I’m not much of a perfectionist, I just want every loop to go on legal and get shut fast to keep the timing for my heeler.  I couldn’t care less how it goes on I just want it to go on tight and fast.

 Some ways I work on my consistency are rarely scoring on my practice horses forcing myself to throw at every steer, forcing myself to take shots that I’m not used to taking to stretch my boundaries.  I keep tabs on how many I catch and put it into a ratio.  For example, if I ran 10 on my paint horse, and caught 9, I put on my phone “9/10 Polo” (that’s my paint horse).  I do this for all of my horses so, when I get to the end of my practice session I may have 7 different ratios on my phone, then I put them all together to find my catch percentage.  Lately my catch percentage has been around 85%, which is ok. I also have been doing a couple different drills on the dummy.  I stand flat footed, or I walk at the dummy and don’t stop walking through my delivery I do these dummy drills in sets of 10.  This helps me keep my focus and concentration and then lets me relax and take a minute break.  For the most part, working on my consistency boils down to numbers. 

Other things:

Health/ Fitness

I have pushed up my workout routine here lately.  Since I am home and have the opportunity for a consistent ritualistic day, then I can push myself more physically. I do more reps and I have added some weight into my routines. I am trying to build some upper body strength in my core and my arms to help me with my riding and my swing power.

The coolest thing I have learned is the work I put into my roping is helping me in my everyday life.  Roping has been a huge part of my life and I am where I am for a reason.  I know God has given me a passion for team roping, not just to win, but to develop me into much more than just a professional team roper.  The more I rope, the more I realize what matters most in life is my relationship with Christ.  I know He is my creator and that He wants me to live my life for Him.  Team roping has opened so many doors for me to develop relationships and those relationships have transformed me into who I am today.  God is using team roping to teach me something new and I love to learn! Team roping is more than just a sport to me right now.  Going through the ups and downs of this crazy sport and being around the people I am around has impacted my life so much.  It has made me realize that there is more to life than being a winner in the arena, and I now strive to be a winner outside of the arena as well.

www.skyranch.org/rodeo

No Fear

When I am preparing for something like the Timed Event invariably there will come a time when I will begin to doubt whether I will be ready then fear will start to whisper “you’re going to fail.”  I am aware the Word says that we have not been given a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind.  However, knowing this (even quoting this) doesn’t always help to cast out the fear. Most people just continue even though the doubt remains.  They simply put the fear down and pretend that it isn’t there.  While this is better than being paralyzed by the anxiety it is not the same as having the fear removed.  It says in 1 John 4: ¹⁸ Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. So, I don’t just want to get over my fears I want them cast out.  For I know that if they remain even if the rest of the world doesn’t know I will know that I am being nagged by these fears.

So, how do I remove that fear?  First, I must realize that the root of the fear is a fear of judgement. Secondly, realize we have been accepted by the Father. Finally, since we are not being judged, realize our acceptance is not based on our accomplishments but solely based on His Love.  Therefore, since the results at the WTEC have no effect on what the Father thinks about me, there is no longer any need to fear. 

Improvement

·        Working on my horses

·        Heeling went well

Needs Improvement

• Not getting to work on my calf roping as much as I would like
• Still not staying diligent with the exercise

www.skyranch.org/rodeo

Drew Horner week 2



These next two months, November and December, are very slow.  It’s the perfect time for me to get everything ready for next year.  I am really trying to take advantage of the time home to spend tit with friends and family, while still working at my roping everyday.  Balancing things like family, relationships, school, and roping is pretty hectic.  Keeping my priorities straight is a huge struggle with me.  I do my best to keep them in this order: relationship with God, my family, roping, and school.  Yes, for me roping is in front of school because in order to compete at a professional level, you have to treat it like an occupation, but school is important for me as well.

November and December are a time of preparation for me.  There are not many jackpots or rodeos to go to, just a few local jackpots during the week and a few open rodeos on the weekends. This will let me have the time to get ready for next year.

ww.skyranch.org/rodeo

Corey Navarre week 4

A picture of Cody Custer

Goalsfor week 4:Work out 5X's

                Posting drills 4X's

                Get on practice bulls

Monday:

  Ab ripper X

  Drills

Tuesday

  Chest, shoulders, and triceps(P90X)

  Drills

Wednesday

  Yoga X

  Got on 2 practice bulls

Thursday

  Legs and Back

  Ab Ripper

Friday

  Kenpo X

  Drills

Sunday

  Drills

www.skyranch.org/rodeo

Corey Navarre Week 3

Goals for week 3:

 Work out 4X's

  Drills on stationary barrel  3x's

Monday

  Legs and back (P90X)

  Drills

Tuesday

  Kenpo X

Thursday

  Core synergistics (P90X)

  Drills

Friday

  Cardio X

Saturday

  Drills on stationary barrel

Sunday

  Rest day

Good week, I achieved my weekly goals.

My overall plan is to increase the workouts as the finals get closer.

Also getting on bulls more and more, getting on everyday for about 14 days leading up to when we leave for the finals. (these bulls mostly consist of jump kickers) To the younger guys just getting started I suggest getting on as many bulls as you can as often as you can. (they don't have to be buckers)

Phillipians 4:13 " I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

www.skyranch.org/rodeo