Campfires!

It’s summertime and time to enjoy some campfires! As a child I remember sitting spellbound, listening to tall tales of adventures and roasting s’mores over the crackling fire. Little did I know that all the years I worked in the wilderness, I would sit around campfires nearly every morning and evening.

The campfire was the place where we figured out life. Where we cut our teeth on how to live the code of the West: where a man’s word was his bond and where courage and integrity meant more than money. A life of honor was to be esteemed.

Honor… It’s something seems to be missing from modern-day society. We lost it bit by bit as we removed God from our culture. Can we get it back? I believe we can, but I also believe that it’s going to take each one of us working together as a team to get it done.  How? Now, more than ever it’s time to be an example and to mentor people, not condemning them, but instead guiding them with love towards God’s moral law, which is summed up in the Ten Commandments.

First, it starts with honoring the Lord with our lives. This month I’ll be posting thought provoking Morning Ponderings about #Honor on my author Facebook page. You can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaOndovAuthor/ I’ll be meditating on those quotes myself and asking myself, how can I change my heart so that I display honor in my life?

What small thing could you do this week to strengthen the value honor in your life? Would you like to be a part of the team to bring honor back into our everyday lives?

Happy New Year 2022!

Have you noticed that, as every year rolls by, the times are becoming more exciting! I’ve always hated “normal,” so last year was amazing. Some days I woke up and wondered if I was living in the book of Revelations. LOL.

Rebecca & Sunrise

Here’s a snapshot of my highlights:

Winter ’21: a German shepherd puppy wiggled her way into my heart and Sunrise, my golden retriever, and I started training her.

Spring ’21: I learned how to memorize whole chapters of the Bible by following the book “An Approach to Extended Memorization of Scripture” by Andrew M. Davis. I’ve never been one who could do memorization—so this was huge for me!

     As the weather warmed up, I built a rose arbor archway over the entry to my sidewalk and planted the climbing roses (from my sister Julie and her husband Mike) on either side. They bloomed profusely all summer and one stem is already 7’ tall!

Summer ’21: Landscaping! I shoveled—by hand—over 12 yards of dirt and four yards of rock into a portion of the yard I couldn’t get to with the tractor. It’ll take a couple years to complete landscaping, but at least I’ll be on the tractor for the rest.

Fall ’21: Some friends and I drove over to our state capitol in Helena, Montana and testified before a committee hearing about some upcoming legislation. Wow! Talk about stretching myself—but it’s something “We the People” need to be doing. And we also got a private tour of the Montana State House of Representatives and Senate Chambers. I discovered that outside our capitol building stands a semi-circle of flags: the United States flag, the Montana flag, and flags of the sovereign nations of the Native Peoples of Montana. I searched through them for the flags of a dear friend and texted pictures to her. Honoring people and history is important.

    Later in the fall I hosted a Biblical Citizenship in Modern America class through Patriot Academy. All of us came away with awe and wonder of the miracles God performed to create the United States. I highly recommend every Christian to go through this to help understand our responsibilities as Biblical citizens. Did you know that the average constitution for a nation lasts only 17 years? But God gave us this Constitutional Republic, a one of a kind government where “We the People” are the rulers, and it’s worked for 246 years! I believe that our purpose is to share the gospel with the rest of the world.  And that purpose hasn’t changed. It’s time for “We the People” to roll up our sleeves and turn this nation back to God!!! Here’s a preview: https://coach.patriotacademy.com/biblicalcitizenship/  

Christmas ’21: My sister and brother-in-law from Minnesota flew in to celebrate with my brother, sister-in-law, and me. It was the first time in two years we’d been together. Special!

Winter ’22: I will be hosting a Constitution Alive! class through Patriot Academy. It’s a game changer! Find out more about constitution classes at PatriotAcademy.com.  And at the same time I’ll be taking an American history class through Wallbuilders & Patriot Academy.

Rebecca & Willow

     I’m still working my job brokering lumber, am under contract to write for a Guideposts publication entitled “Walking in Grace,” and am tinkering on some other book ideas. The word “bored” is not in my vocabulary for 2022!

May your 2022 be filled with excitement & adventures!

Blessings,

Rebecca Ondov

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Are you wondering about this photo? I took it because it was such a crazy-busy year that I told my sister-in-law that I wasn’t going to get a tree or decorate.  Her words to me were, “I can’t imagine Christmas without a tree.”

Those words swirled through my mind as I drove down the highway.  At a roadside stand I spotted the cutest wild-cut tree. Of course I bought it and strapped it on. But life took over and three days later the tree was still atop my car! I hadn’t had time to take it down. So…I had to put lights on it and take this picture to share with you–to put a smile to your face and bring joy to your day.

And here’s a snapshot of why life has been so crazy.

Whew! That is my word for 2019. It was the busiest year of my life.

While working my regular job, farming my small acreage, and squeezing in some writing, I designed my home and barn.

After having an engineer and a couple other designers help me, I acted as the general contractor on both projects. I hired subcontractors and had both buildings built on my farm.

During the days I was the one running to the lumber yard gathering supplies, only to discover an hour after I got back that the guys needed something else.  Off I’d go again. In the evenings and on the weekends I was a laborer on the project as well.

I literally didn’t have time to eat or sleep. By October I was falling asleep while standing up. But the great thing was that I lost what I call the “middle ages” around my middle, slimming down so much that I fit in my favorite jeans again.

At the beginning of November, even though the wooden trim wasn’t up around the doors or windows and there weren’t any closet rods in the closets (my winter projects), I moved in. Wahoo!

I never could have done it all without my faithful friends, who encouraged me and showed up to stain my barn and sand and stain nearly 200 2×6’s for the wrap-around-deck. Others helped me move–a priceless gift. Thank you!

Thank you to all of my prayer warriors who stood in the gap for me while I battled through many many TOUGH days as a single woman running crews of construction guys, especially at the end when I was so exhausted and almost lost SkySong, my saddle horse, to a mysterious illness. Thank God SkySong has fully recovered.

I never could have done it without God’s wisdom or love. He led me to hire an incredible team of laborers.

I am so grateful and blessed beyond my wildest dreams.

My New Year’s Resolution=SLEEP

So therefore–even if life is crazy-busy–Remember to Keep Joy in Your Christmas.

Love to you all,

Rebecca

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year!!

What an amazing and eventful year 2016 was—here are a few highlights:

Ever since I moved to this valley many years ago, I’ve leased some land with a little cottage while searching for a place to call my own. I finally found my dream piece of land and bought it in January—Wahoo! What a way to start the year.

Before the end of January I was learning how to write with my left hand. That’s what happens when you break your right arm and have a titanium plate put in—it’s months before you can use your right hand, thus, lots of practice with your left.

I thank God that I was a part of Samaritan Ministries Health Share as every penny of the nearly $25,000 was paid for. My experience with Samaritan Ministries was exceptional.

Had I been on my previous insurance plan, I would have had to pay $24,000 out-of-network—for starters—because I chose a surgeon whom I considered to be the best, but was out of their network. Check out my x-ray—yikes! This was NOT the way to start the year.

The end of January a new book of mine was released—My Horse Diary for Girls: What I Love about Horses. Perfect for those horse-crazy girls.

April, May, and June: my physical therapy was picking rocks out of my new hayfield and putting them in a pile. I decided that from the time God created the earth—until April—I was sure that nobody had ever picked up one rock. My neighbors thought I was building Stonehenge. Yes, I live in the ROCKY Mountains. Through it all, God has blessed me with nearly 100% recovery of my arm.

 

May through the end of August: while I flood irrigated my little farm, Sunrise, my golden retriever thought she was in heaven. I’m sure that she thinks every golden retriever needs 10 acres underwater. Many days she played so hard, she would barely be able to keep her eyes open on the way home (me too, from irrigating).

 

July: brimmed with excitement as I stepped back into the saddle with my new “bionic arm” and took in my first crop of hay. I also had a re-release come out with photos in it, which my readers had been asking to see. They’re loving it.

October: my literary agency had a conference in Monterey, CA where I hung out with incredible authors and learned about the latest trends in the industry.

November: Dad and I celebrated Thanksgiving together at his home in Minnesota.

What an incredible year I’ve had—and this is only a small sampling.

2017 brings fun ideas to the drawing board: I’m considering turning my books into audio books; I’m still writing away on a spec movie script; and my mind whirls with ideas of more books and movies.

I’m praying that your 2017 is abundantly blessed with His love, peace, and joy!

A Heartfelt Prayer for Our Nation on Election Day

This morning I woke up way before the birds fluffed their feathers, definitely before they warmed up their morning voices. My first thought? Election Day…or in my heart it felt more like ELECTION DAY!!!

Perhaps you feel that way too. I had to lasso those thoughts before they drug me off. I turned them towards the Word, Jesus, who in the midst of riots before He knew He would die an excruciatingly painful death, encouraged His followers. He calmly stood as the Prince of Peace. No matter when, no matter what, He always shared the Good News, that we were not to fear, but call on our Heavenly Father.

After sprucing up for the day, I discovered that my publisher had emailed a prayer that  touched my heart. And I hope that it touches yours. I’ve posted the beginning of it below as well as the link, so you can click on it to read the rest.

Before you go, I wanted you to know that it’s been an honor to have you join Denise and me these last 30 days of prayer. Our work is not done. I’m going to keep praying, how about you?

Love, Rebecca

A Heartfelt Prayer for Our Nation on Election Day by Hope Lyda

He has shown you, O mortal,
what is good.
And what does the Lord
require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8 (niv)

Lord, how you love each one of your children. I pray for your goodness and mercy to flow through this nation. May individuals from sea to sea cast their votes for earthly leadership and then cast their cares and needs upon you and you alone.

Jesus, release me from the fear that today changes everything…or that today changes nothing. The truth remains the same: Every morning I rise in the face of unknowns and am called to follow the One who knows the way. This has not changed. This will not change.

This season offers an invitation that I accept with a renewed sense of possibility and responsibility. More than ever before, I will come to you on behalf of the leaders here and throughout the world. And, more than ever before, I will commit to being your hands, feet, ears, eyes, heart, and help for those people you place in my life. (continue reading on the Harvest House Blog http://ow.ly/Lls2305XZ6J )

 

 

 

 

30 Days of Prayer~~Day 30~~One Nation Under God~~Here We Come

I would like to thank Denise Hartmann Echterling for writing out all these prayers and sharing them with us. It’s been an amazing 30 days. Now…to vote…and keep praying each day for our leaders.

30 Days of Prayer~~Day 29~~One Nation Under God~~Here We Come

 

30 Days of Prayer~~Day 28~~One Nation Under God~~Here We Come

 

30 Days of Prayer~~Day 27~~One Nation Under God~~Here We Come

 

30 Days of Prayer~~Day 26~~One Nation Under God~~Here We Come