December 19th, 2022 E-Newsletter

Join us at RING LAKE RANCH for  

Renewal in Sacred Wilderness

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is -Thank You- it will be enough.” 

-Meister Eckhart

Dear Friends,

I want share with you some of the comments we heard this summer about what guests most appreciate about Ring Lake Ranch:

“Having deep spiritual learning and conversation directly linked to Ranch essence – horses, natural world, creation of community”

“General atmosphere of calm and retreat and the enjoyable activities to be done between resting.”

“Silence and beauty and kind staff.”

“Being in a special place that offers rest, relaxation, natural surroundings, time for reflection, and hospitality”

“Friendly staff and multi-age guests made it feel like community”

“The natural beauty, the community feel, small size, focus on here and now, have thoughtful conversations, little adventures and guilt-free ‘me time.’ “

“The spacious invitation to spiritual practice in riding, hiking, wilderness, and rest.”

Every once in a while, I’ll hear a sermon that includes a litany of the world’s woes: war, poverty, environmental disaster, political discord, and on and on. It’s hard to hear even for a few minutes and even harder to carry in your mind as the reality in which we are living. As I read through the guest comments like the ones I have shared above, it’s easy to see Ring Lake Ranch as an island getaway that provides escape from all of those ‘woes.’ I want to believe, however, that the experiences people have at Ring Lake Ranch are more than brief respites before we are all thrown back into ‘the real world.’ They are ways of seeing and building an alternate reality, a different story (to borrow a phrase from our friend Gareth Higgins) than the one so much of our culture presses on us. You can see glimpses of that reality in the comments above: “creation of community,” “natural surroundings,” “rest.” My hope is that every visit and every season at Ring Lake Ranch is a chance for all of us to learn to live more fully into that reality as individuals and communities. 

I hope you recognize your own sense of Ring Lake Ranch in these guest comments. And, as the year closes out, I invite you to support the reality we find at the Ranch and all it can mean in our lives. Your financial contribution will enable Ring Lake Ranch to embody “renewal in sacred wilderness” for many years to come. Thanks so very much. 

You are welcome to make your donation by clicking here, or mailing a check to Ring Lake Ranch, PO Box 806, Dubois, WY 82513.

Wishing you all the blessings of the holiday season,

 

Andy Blackmun

Director, Ring Lake Ranch