by Erin Austin | Feb 2, 2022 | Houseparent Blog, Resident Interviews
What is your favorite food? “Pizza – pepperoni.” What is your least favorite food? “Vegetables. If I have to pick one I don’t like the most, I really don’t like cabbage.” What is your favorite game? “Fortnite.” What is your favorite animal? What is your favorite... 
by Mandy Nester | Jan 21, 2022 | All, Houseparent Blog
Several years ago, before I worked at Joy Ranch, I felt compelled to volunteer some time each week participating in exercise with the kids at Joy Ranch. My mom had worked at the Ranch when I was a teen, and I always felt a tie to the ministry after that, plus I was a... 
by Mandy Nester | Jan 14, 2022 | All
Recently, we were blessed with some pictures and stories from Bob & Carol Givens. Bob said, “My mother often told me when Richard and Mary McHenry came to Mt. Calvary Church in Elizabethtown and shared their vision for developing the children’s home mother... 
by Mandy Nester | Dec 24, 2021 | All
How did we finish up the twelve days so fast? This photo looks like the same one, but if you look closely, there’s a different kid in each. They decided to not show their faces for this one. In the song, the twelve drummers are symbolic of the Apostles Creed of... 
by Mandy Nester | Dec 23, 2021 | All
Oh what creative fun was this one! Our very own Liz Fernandez ran around getting pictures of our pipers… Let us explain a few of them! Charlene Austin, our ERC Coordinator, fluty piperElaina Pratt, “piping” some icing on the cakeAlex & Nana,... 
by Mandy Nester | Dec 21, 2021 | All
For this one, we took a stroll down memory lane through photos of the year. Admittedly, these are not all “lords”, but some ladies as well… and if you count, there are more than 10! But, that’s OK, because this is the Joy Ranch version! We love... 
by Mandy Nester | Dec 21, 2021 | All
Did you know the nine ladies dancing represent the fruit of the Spirit? What a blessing it is to see these qualities being produced in the young ladies (and young men) we have at Joy Ranch. Our prayer is that they will continue to grow in the Lord as they grow in... 
by Mandy Nester | Dec 17, 2021 | All
As mentioned earlier, we are blessed to have lots of animals on the Joy Ranch campus. Our kids LOVE their furry friends and they aid in helping the kids heal from past trauma. Currently, we have no cows we milk at Joy Ranch, but who knows what the future holds?... 
by Mandy Nester | Dec 17, 2021 | All
We didn’t have seven swans on campus (even though we have cows, chickens, donkeys, dogs, goats, and…) or we would have posted a picture of them. According to our source, “It would take someone quite familiar with the Bible to identify this gift.... 
by Mandy Nester | Dec 17, 2021 | All
Our very own Julia put a creative spin on this one… six geese-a-laying… in the sun! We’ve had some beautiful, warm, sunny weather at Joy Ranch this week, so it fits in just perfectly. In the song, the geese are symbolic of “These lyrics can be...
