Ranch Hands

Gary and Roxanne Van Riessen

Founders of Returning Glory

Nearly 30 years ago, a God-sized dream was given to Gary concerning a ranch named Shiloh – a place for people to meet God for quietness and restoration.  A place to pause – for God to touch a heart.  The realization of this dream began in 2002 with the first chapter – the horses and Returning Glory.

With the purchase of a buckskin horse in 2002, which we purposefully named Shiloh, the journey called Returning Glory began.  With all of Shiloh’s woundedness, she has taught us the unique, God created ability for a horse to touch a human heart.

We have owned horses for over 20 years.  At one point, thinking that horses and the associated expenses were an extravagance, we were ready to sell everything (horses, tack & trailer) to go forward in whatever kingdom work God wanted for us.  After prayerfully considering the decision, we were pleasantly surprised by God’s desire to engage horses to “do” His healing in struggling hearts – ONE HORSE, ONE HEART, ONE HEALER.

Gary continues in his tent making skill – geotechnical consulting engineering.  With God’s blessing, his consulting business provides for a large portion of the financial support needed to continue this ministry.  Whatever time he has available is used to fix all kinds of things on the ranch – buildings, equipment, water lines and fences.  However, the passion of the dream is realized when “work” time is used to teach young men ranch skills while also teaching life skills.  Hand and Heart – the Cowboy Way.

Roxanne grew up with an ever-increasing love for horses, but did not get her first “real” horse for 30 years.  In the midst of raising their 3 children and owning and operating a decorating/interior design business out of the home, horses came into her life via two “miracle horses”, KC and Gunner, from a Kansas ranch.  Then, with limited time, trail rides with fellow “horsy” friends were undertaken whenever possible.  After volunteering with a county organization in equine learning for two years, she felt called to begin a similar program with the faith-based aspect as the foundation.  Many trips for training and the legal paperwork began – Returning Glory was founded.

Returning Glory ranch is a place for people to explore their hearts – spending time with a horse and God in unique learning situations where life’s challenges are “set up” so answers can be discovered.  It is those special times when hurting children and adults explore heart issues and embrace the hurts that ultimately allow Jesus to do His healing and restoration.

In the world’s eyes, we were both “unqualified and untrained” to do the ministry work of Returning Glory, but hearing the call, we apprehensively stepped forward in faith.  We began to understand that God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called.  God is faithful – He continues to equip and train us each step of the way – we are always dependent on Him.  He desires total dependence on Him – for His “heart work” is His alone.

As Returning Glory moves forward, and as the dream of Shiloh becomes somewhat clearer, God continues to put before us our spiritual mandate to reach out to “One Heart at a Time”.   The journey is, at the same time, exhilarating and fearful – similar to riding Shiloh at full gallop.  Yet we know the Hand on the reins is steady and sure, and we go forward in His Faith – For His Glory – On His Trail.

Deb Johnston

Certified Equine Experiential Learning Facilitator

Deb has a bachelor of science degree in education, and a master’s degree in counseling. She is also certified in equine assisted experiential learning.  Deb worked in the Lee’s Summit School District as a teacher and counselor for 20 years.  Prior to that she worked as a coordinator and advisor for the Office of Early Childhood Development in the state of Arkansas and served as a consultant to the White House Conference on Children and Youth

“Since becoming a part of Returning Glory, I realized a dream come true.  I could work with two things I loved–young people and horses at the same time.  The combination is amazing!  There is something about horses that draws the young people we work with into a circle of stillness, that is missing from so many of their lives.   The horses seem to provide a calmness and clarity.  The glassy depth of the eye of the horse seems to give them a glimpse of things they desire in their lives, but had lost hope of achieving.  Horses are full of grace, strength and wisdom.  They seem to be a reminder of Jesus.”

Paula Walker

Certified Equine Experiential Learning Facilitator

I’m a 54 year old mother of seven, 3 being step children, now all adults.  Grandmother of seven wonderful grandchildren, an insurance & financial professional for the past 12 years and now for the past 4 years a horse lover.  I have known my savior Jesus since college and have been forever His.  It has been such an incredible journey watching God put things in order, heal & restore lives because He is faithful to complete the work He begins.  Four years ago I volunteered as a mentor.  I was hooked.  Watching God work through the horses to touch these kids was amazing.  I have worked in children’s ministry all of my adult life and not seen the results that I have seen with God & horse activities – oh by the way, it works on adults too!  I want to facilitate this kind of ministry as long as God privileges me to do so.  I am gaining needed certifications to increase my experiential knowledge.  My  husband & I now have two horses of our own on our property, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to work with Roxanne and Gary in this Ministry of healing, restoring, reconciliation, leadership skills and fun!  An added note: I feel most qualified because of my many life experiences in deep hard places that I was able to find God faithful in overcoming what Satan meant for evil and God used for good to restore to me all the worm had eaten and moth destroyed.  I have a desire to see people restored, healed, and functioning in wholeness.

PROCLAMATION

“If anyone ever asked me how I ended up the intern at Returning Glory, my answer would have to be this, ‘God ignited a fire in my heart whenever I heard about or saw the ministry that takes place here.’ The passion I feel is the same passion that ignites when I follow the call of God to share His Word with the world. How beautiful to find a ministry that takes relationships and makes them center to healing, hope and restoration. And lets be honest, who doesn’t love horses? They are foreign, beautiful, and slightly dangerous and yet gracefully gentle. It is a cool ministry that allows us to work with them. But this ministry is so different from other ministries, it forces one to listen to the Spirit of God to speak truth, it takes the uncomfortable, un-patterned route of relational ministry. I have been called to missions and my life will be patterned through the work of the Church. But I believe God called me here to take me from the religious patterns, the familiar and at times comfortable places of ministry and pulpits, of Bible studies and Sunday school (as full of God as they are) and put me into a ministry that required me to move into the unpredictable, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable. God put me in the place of prophets and teachers before me that had to listen to silence, suffering, and even bones to hear the Word of the Lord, except here at Returning Glory I hear it through the Spirit of God speaking through a horse. Every avenue of this ministry from mucking stalls to laughing with a child requires me to open my heart and hear the Spirit speak truth. After all it is hard to not listen when it is burning a passion in my heart.”

-Melissa Watte- “Mel”
Intern of Returning Glory
Student at Nazarene Theological Seminary