Thursday, October 9, 2014

Witnessing faith, cowboy style

John Mullins’ horse trots towards the horizon as the sun crests. Light begins to reflect off the dew, illuminating the mesquite trees and tall grasses of the South Texan landscape. Sounds of birds chirping fill the sky. The bellowing of cows along with the neighing of horses joins their chorus. John, a working cowhand, rides his horse towards the cattle entrusted to his care. He smiles as he watches calves frolic mischievously around their mothers. John’s breaths form clouds as each warm exhalation meets the cold morning air. Despite his warm clothing, he shivers. It’s another day on the ranch and he feels blessed to be a cowboy.

John grew up in Archer City, Texas, home to 1300 souls within thirty miles of the Oklahoma border. Now in his mid-twenties, he counts himself lucky. He has found a full time job doing what he loves. Many of his contemporaries have settled for day work or make their living in other fields. Regardless, these men and women live to be in the saddle. Some of John’s happiest memories have occurred while riding on a quality horse, watching the antics of the calves intermingling with their mothers. Humbled by the handiwork of God, he never tires of the beauty of these moments, especially at daybreak. “I see God every day.” John said. When asked if his belief is unique, he answered, “most cowboys have a similar viewpoint. We all struggle with our faith, nobody’s perfect, and His presence is felt more closely by some over others, but for every cowboy, it’s there. It’s hard to say, can’t speak for others, but its there for all of us.”

When challenging, dangerous stuff happen and men survive, John’s faith in God is deepened. The rugged, sometimes unforgiving land is filled with poisonous snakes, drought, and the aggressiveness of steers. At times, situations of life and death happen without warning. Through it all, John feels God looking out for him. “You realize how delicate life is, it can be there and then taken away.” When a heifer struggles with the birth of her calf and complications end her life, John knows life goes on. Her calf is alive and needs to be feed from a bottle. Faith strengthens him and he isn’t the only one. 

John Riggs, host of Authentic Cowboy TV show, is a cowboy and a preacher. He says “You can’t work this kind of country and see all that has been created and not know there is a God in heaven.” He goes on to say that cowboys are men of valor. They may not like each other, but they have each other’s back. Their shared passion is for the wide-open spaces, the satisfaction of a job well done, the freedom of being in the saddle, and finding God in the midst of His creation. Cowboys don’t claim to be perfect. In fact, they readily admit their shortcomings. What makes them men of valor is their unwritten code, their courage and their respect for others.

Casey Hoff, another Texan born young cowboy, is a ranch hand for JS Bidwell, a workingman’s ranch outside of Archer City. He has loved every minute of those seven years. He has experienced times when he needed God and God showed up. Casey’s faith is the core of who he is. On one of his living room walls, twenty crosses of different shapes and sizes hang as a reminder. In a time when we see many young people fall away from the conviction of their fathers, it is refreshing to witness faith in action. These young men live their principles.


Cowboying is not a lucrative job, but this way of life suits them. They are not in it for the money. Day after day, they spend long hours with a great deal of responsibility and danger. But they would not have it any other way. Their faith in God is interwoven into who they are and what they do. Jesus is their wagon boss and they live this life for Him.

http://www.charlestonmercury.com/index.php/en/lifestyle/travel/388-witnessing-faith-cowboy-style





Texan cross found on Casey Hoff's living
room wall among 20 plus crosses



Photo taken at dawn by John Mullins