A Joy Ranch Blog
Have you ever wondered what life as a Houseparent is like? House parenting is a unique role like no other, filled with joys, sorrows, and everything in between. One question that every houseparent is asked frequently tends to be: “So, what do you do as a houseparent?” While this is not a simple answer, the Joy Ranch House-parenting team wants to share their stories so that you can see a glimpse into the life of a Houseparent, understand their work here at Joy Ranch and why it matters, and perhaps even search through the idea of becoming a Houseparent yourself!
Recent Blog Posts
Exodus Cottage News
After twelve years of serving as houseparents at Joy Ranch, Gene & Bethany Collins are resigning from our Exodus girls' cottage. Bethany is currently dealing with some health challenges which requires them to step away from the Joy Ranch ministry. Please pray for...
Leebrick Cottage – Words from New Houseparents
(Originally posted August 9, 2025 by Ashley Arnold) Today, our cottage doors officially opened! Houseparents… Such a simple word, but one that carries a weight only Heaven truly understands! When you open the door to a cottage like this, you’re not just stepping into...
Oh Boy! News About Our Boys…
We are happy to announce that we have a houseparent family for our boys cottage! Leebrick cottage is re-opening this weekend after months of prayer for the right houseparents to fill the role. Not only are we gaining new houseparents, but they have three sons of their...
Building By Faith
[Photo: Resident Jaxson helps in a building project] By: Erin Austin "I do not know why people call a project undertaken by faith a venture of faith. That is exactly what it is not. Webster defines a venture as an undertaking involving chance, risk, or danger. Faith...
A Small Beginning
by Erin Austin I've often said that Joy Ranch is a unicorn among children's homes. For multiple reasons, Joy Ranch doesn't fit into a mold. One of these is in the area of finances. From the beginning, the McHenrys vowed to trust God for all of their needs. "We were...
A Homeless Boy
Blog by Erin Austin Working with traumatized, abused children is one of the hardest things a person can do. It is heartbreaking, exhausting, and at times, intense. It is not easy. The things we hear and see are mind-boggling. A well-meaning person once told me after I...
Footsteps
I’ve always been fascinated by people’s stories. How did they get to this point in life? What happened in their past? Who helped mold and shape them into the person they are today? What is their story?
The Teacher is the Student
Learning is a beautiful blessing, isn’t it? Even as a 42-year-old homeschooling mom of three boys, there are still so many things to learn in life. Each day, I start my morning reading from the best book that was ever written, the Holy Bible. The Word teaches me so...
Homeschool Fundraising Goal Met!
If you missed the opportunity to give for homeschool, you can still help by purchasing school supplies from our Amazon list! Simply click here to view the list and you can ship the items straight to us! Thank you again for your support of our kids as we transition to...
Be A Kid Again Day
Today is National "Be a Kid Again" day! Since our ministry revolves around kids, we thought it would be fun to ask our kids, staff, and volunteers at Joy Ranch a little about the subject. We asked our kids "What is the best thing about being an adult?" and here are...
A Problem with Sin
I have a Golden Retriever named Lucy. Lucy is pure joy and often makes me laugh. She’s a big, intelligent goofball. I’ve had a number of dogs over the years, and Lucy is definitely the most intelligent one I’ve had. Yet for all her brilliant moments, she is still a...
Answer to Prayer: Morelli Houseparents
We were so happy to have Liz & Nick Morelli, as well as their daughter Sophia, join our Joy Ranch family last fall! They are an answer to long years of prayer and wanted to share their story with you. Stay tuned to how they are seeing the kids at Joy Ranch grow in...
About The Authors
Bethany Collins
Bethany Collins was a houseparent at Joy Ranch from 2013 to 2025. She is the perfect balance of tough but loving and kind. In addition to spending her time raising a house full of girls, she enjoys reading, watching Superhero movies, and laughing at her own jokes. There is a legend that says she is a ninja- the girls in her house attest that this is true.
Erin Austin
Erin is our Case Manager at Joy Ranch and she has a wonderful, furry, service friend named Lucy. Our kids love spending time with Erin and Lucy on campus and out in our community.
Michelle Rash
Michelle Rash was a boys’ house mom with Joy Ranch from 2014 – 2024. Ask any one of her boys what they would describe her as and they would likely say that she is a “mama bear” through and through. On top of raising a house full of boys, Michelle and her husband also have 2 beautiful daughters. Michelle has a relational heart and loves deep conversations, midnight runs to Wal-Mart, and is secretly married to Batman.
Interested in Houseparenting?
Download our Houseparent Brochure and visit our Employment page for more information!