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Internships: Testimonies
Trent Thacker 2008—2010
A two-year internship at the Ranch is not
like two years elsewhere. It is like five
monumental years elsewhere. My college
years were a time a great spiritual growth,
yet I have grown more spiritually in the
last two years than I did through all my
college years.
I have learned when I sacrifice, even a
little, I see my heart conforming to the
image of Christ. God’s way is better, I
really do feel more blessed when I give than
when I receive; being a peace maker is more
satisfying that getting revenge, it feels
better to serve than being served. Every
time I obey I find that God satisfies and
fulfills the longings of my heart and I get
to experience the “abundant life.”
A beautiful aspect of Ranch life is the
structure that encourages righteousness and
limits temptations. The discipline needed
for godliness is mostly built into the
program.
This is an amazing ministry. I have grown
tremendously during my internship and feel
equipped for the future to be a good father,
husband, friend and servant.
Mike Kotlarski 2010
Christian Encounter Ranch stands as a
gateway—a place for an encounter—for those
broken, sick, hopeless, bereaved, shattered,
abused, forgotten, unloved, neglected,
underappreciated, unapproachable, poor, lost
and sinful... who are willing to come and
find a new life fully illuminated by God’s
grace and love, having transformed their
lives.
Removing pond scum carries with it a foul
stench and disgusting sludge. Removing
brush and branches from around uphill cabins
is a difficult and slow operation. If these
jobs themselves were not hard enough, the
disposition of the students expressing
immaturity, uncooperativeness and frustrated
attitudes, heaped extra trouble on the
situation. The entire group had to be
addressed at least once. I have learned, at
a very personal level, what situations like
these require when you are in charge. These
lessons scare and compel me to trust all the
more upon the Lord, the only sure and true
authority. As God has extended grace
towards me, I know I need to extend grace
and forgiveness to others.
Christian Encounter has a fine balance of
unique individuals working nicely in an
integrated whole. I’ve felt appreciated,
honored, respected and needed in this
ministry and in my role as an intern. I
learned to trust God more fully during my
time at the Ranch. Returning to college
with many unknowns, I can fully trust that
God will direct my way and supply me with
all I need to finish well.
Alena Egense 2009--2010
This whole ranch runs on God’s strength; the
idea of the ranch is crazy without Him. We
are all inadequate and yet, God uses all of
us.
My natural tendency is to avoid conflict and
to care for someone by giving them what they
want. However, sometimes the best thing to
do for someone is to say ‘no.’
The Lord used my break times to teach me how
to really rest. With a limited amount of
free time, as compared to college life, my
personal time became sacred and I learned
how to use it wisely.
1Peter 4:10 says “each one should use
whatever gift he has received to serve
others.” This is a perfect description of
the intern-team. I was always encouraged to
be myself and use the gifts I have and not
try to be like other interns.
My time at the Ranch has been life
changing. I became a part of the Ranch
family that I intend to stay close to my
whole life. The skills I learned here about
interacting with people, in some ways,
parenting skills, are ones I will take with
me wherever God takes me
Nathaniel Boyd 2010
I view the leaders at
the Ranch as humble, determined, and strong.
Humility and strength together are powerful;
they enable leadership without aggression
and ambition. This kind of leadership
earns respect instead of demanding it, and
is easy to follow. I feel called to
leadership of some sort and it was very
beneficial for me to have leaders who model
these traits. I have learned from
their example and have been encouraged in my
calling.
I have been able to
spend time with a very different group of
people than those I grew up around.
This helped me understand people better and
taught me to see things from their
perspective rather than just my own.
Brittany Rosene 2010
“Having a loving,
supportive intern team was a key component
of making my intern experience a good one.
My time at CEM was a challenging journey,
but was also very rewarding. I will never
forget the life-lessons I learned. Some
character traits strengthened in me were:
endurance, consistency, confidence, servant
hood and courage. I also grew in my ability
to love others and give unconditional
grace. I will always be grateful for my
time at CEM, the life-lessons learned and
the friendships I made. The Ranch will
always have a very special place in my
heart.”
Marcia Ward 2009
“I knew I would learn a
lot when I became a Ranch intern, but I did
not realize the depth His lessons would go.
Sometime during the first few months I
realized God was answering a prayer I had
voiced about six months earlier, “Lord,
teach me how to love better; teach me how to
love like you, to love those who do not
always return love.” The more I came to
know the students, the more I felt affection
and love for them, and the more it hurt when
they rejected, ignored or disrespected me.
Through those interactions, God taught me to
love more deeply.
“You make known to
me the path of life; in your presence is
fullness of joy; in your right hand there
are pleasures forever.” Ps 16:11
Connor Knapp 2009
"The first night of my
internship I heard loud swearing and things
crashing, and saw a young woman bolt out of
the lodge. This was my introduction to
life challenges at CEM. Being an
intern has been the hardest, best thing I
have ever done in my life. I have
grown more during the past two years than
any other time period. I have seen and
experienced peace, malcontent, joy, sorrow,
love, hate, and the face of Jesus in every
single person.
Life at CEM is like
frozen juice concentrate. Something
hard and intense that becomes sweet and
wonderful. My time of service and
learning at CEM has changed me forever and I
hope to continue allowing God to have full
charge of my life."
Tiffany Geiger 2008
“It has been a great
experience being a part of a Godly team of
interns. I have gained some wonderful
life-friends. I was able to see the body of
Christ at work; we were all so different
from each other, but were able to work
together to conquer issues and situations.
There is a “special bond” that is hard to
find in many places. I also feel more
prepared for parenting, though I hope to
never have ten or more teenagers at once,
ever again!”
Lucy Barbour 2008
“My internship was a
difficult, joyful, stretching,
tear-my-hair-out, refreshing, painful,
growing experience. Ministry for me will
always be coming alongside my brothers and
sisters and growing together. I have grown
and received healing in many areas of my
life. God has blessed me with maturing
experiences and insights that help me
challenge those around me to take
appropriate steps in their own lives as they
pursue spiritual maturity.
Working here without
having daily time with God is like going
after a dragon with a butter knife... My
talents, gifts and abilities are useless
unless submitted to Christ. Another huge
thing I learned is that boundaries are SO
important. A Christian leader could
actually cripple someone by giving too much
and causing the needy recipient to become
dependent. Though I came to the internship
to help students, I really received a great
deal of healing myself.”
Clint Leigh 2007
“I have been impressed
with the signifance of prayer and the focus
on Jesus Christ that the leadership
expresses on a regular basis, and how
deliberate an effort is made to pass that on
to the interns and students. “Where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
This is a truth that comes to mind when I
try to define what’s happening at CEM.
There is something
about letting other people invade your
personal life that really helps unearth
someone’s personality. I know myself better
as a result of this internship and would
credit it to living in community. I felt
right at home living at the Ranch because
it’s peaceful and away from the chaos of
city life. When people come to live in this
type of environment, it has a way of
bringing things to the surface that would
otherwise stay easily hidden in the noise
and busyness of the daily grind. “
Merodie Bend (Leigh)
2007
“A former intern once
told me, “I have never felt so close to the
sufferings of Christ as during my time at
the Ranch.” This rings very true to my
experience here and has been something I
have clung to in my harder months. It seems
that when we choose to gird up and battle in
prayer against the horrific attack on the
lives of these students and stand up against
the appalling choices that have led them
into captivity, we taste a small portion of
the sin that Christ willingly carried to
Calvary. In a rage [a student] blurted out,
‘ You don’t even know how to help me! You
haven’t been through half the stuff I
have! Why do you think you can help
anyone? You’re like a life guard that
doesn’t know how to swim!’ …But in the
midst of that situation, God was so present,
and I truly understood what a lie this was.
Before I knew it, a response was shooting
out of my mouth and my whole countenance was
burning with passion. ‘I may not know how
to swim, but I love you, and I’m doing
everything I can to learn.’ That is how I
learned to love…I just dove in. …How do you
offer yourself in ministry to those who are
hurting without sacrificing yourself in the
process?
The Ranch will never be
replaced in my heart; I can see this
experience is second only to my salvation
experience when considering the change it
produced in me.”
Kristen Heiner 2006
"I would say that the most rewarding
experience during my internship was the
relationships that I developed. It was
also rewarding to see how those
relationships were strengthened throughout
these past three months. ... even though I
came into this internship wanting to share
God's love and serve, I was also a recipient
of God's love because other people from the
ranch family served me. I think that's
just God's crazy way of working within the
body of Christ. The more that you
serve, obey, love and give the more you will
be blessed... In my opinion, the CEM
ministry to troubled students is on the front
lines of a battle. Even though living
in community is hard, CEM is providing
students with everything they need to have
their emotional, physical, spiritual, and
mental needs met. I feel that CEM
accepts both students and interns where they
are but they love them enough to not leave
them where they are."
Julie Shapland 2006
“Do not be terrified;
do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God
will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua
1:9 “I forgot how afraid I was when I said
yes to my savior [to do an internship]. I
was terrified. Afraid I would fail. Afraid
I wouldn’t be able to make it through the
next year. Afraid I would stop caring and
ignore the students. So God met me in my
fear…I can attest to the faithfulness of
YHWH, my savior.
Chris Garau 2005
In intern meetings when
I would share something that happened and my
voice would crack, I would pause and wait or
pretend I had to clear my throat. But what
really was going on was my feelings were
coming out as I was talking. I kept
thinking that someone was going to laugh at
me or talk to me after the meeting about it,
but nobody did. [At the ranch] It is okay
to express feelings, it is healthy.
My intern team was
great; they became my friends. I can’t
believe that I did a year internship! I
heard the choir from Africa, I made an igloo
and slept in it during a blizzard, and I
spent 15 days out in the wilderness. And
then there are the little times just goofing
off in the office or on a Friday night [out
with the intern team]. I want to be able to
look back [on my life] and not get bored and
wish it could have been different. I don’t
want to settle for comfort or complacency in
my walk with the Lord, but live my life for
Him.”
Autumn Webster 2004
“This internship has
been one of the most rewarding experiences
of my life. I have learned so much about
myself, about other people, and about
relationships. I love this ministry. I
love the way you can feel and see the Holy
Spirit moving and working in every aspect of
the ministry. I loved seeing body ministry
in action. I love the way it is set up in
order to keep individuals accountable.”
Charlie Cazin 2003
“After living here for
a while I soon realized that my ideas about
Christian Encounter Ministries and how I
would contribute were a tad bit off. I
started to see that my role here was one of
a servant and not a “savior.” Once I
realized that, things seemed so much
simpler, and a heavy weight seemed a bit
lighter.
I came thinking I had
very little left to learn. Boy was I
wrong! I learned interpersonal
communication is one of my greater strengths
and I believe God has given me the ability
to speak powerfully to large groups. I was
able to practice this skill at the Ranch and
it has been beneficial for me. I also
learned about my weak spots.
In my opinion, this
ministry to troubled students is “God
breathed.” I see sensitivity and
consistency to His will, day in and day
out. I respect this ministry; it will
forever be my family.”
Jessica Matthies
2002
The CEM internship has
often been described as being ‘squeezed
through a knothole’. I think that the
“knothole” is shaped like the word “Love”.
I believe that all the lessons that I have
learned while being here all essentially
stem from learning more and more how to
love. This internship has been one of the
most influential experiences in my life in
teaching me this lesson. Going through the
‘knothole’ has been incredibly difficult at
times, joyful at others, rewarding always.”
Gena Chavez (Lyerly)
2001
“All the “fights,”
tears, laughter, friends, and family made
here [at CEM] have filled my soul with a
glimpse of how joyful eternity will be.
I was just walking
through the kitchen and it occurred to me
that I belonged. I have finished two years
and like all things my time here will end.
Yet I will always belong in this family of
Christians. God has led me here and is
blessing me everyday. I have witnessed
people giving their lives to the Lord. I
have made friends and had the opportunity to
find healing in my personal life. 2
Corinthians 1:3-4, ‘Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of mercies and God of all comfort, who
comforts us in all our affliction so that we
will be able to comfort those who are in any
affliction with the comfort with which we
our selves are comforted by God. Amen!”
Ryan Koch 2000
“I am trusting God to
convict people. That is so much more
effective than me “busting” them. If a
student turns because of God working on his
heart, that is a pattern that will serve him
long after he has forgotten me and the
consequences I issued.”
[At the conclusion of
his internship Ryan wrote]
“Folks are giving me
pictures lately, photographs of themselves,
with the instruction (or) question, “You
won’t forget me, right?” How could I
forget? Please don’t think I will. God has
put you in my heart, your smile, your
crying, your progress and mistakes.” …I
will brag about you. I will write you and
pray for you. And God will compensate for
the distance, the way only He can. I
understand your concern. People have left
you before, maybe forever. You were
forgotten by some important folks; you know
the routine. It is awful to be left. Worse
to be forgotten. I’ll remember you making
the honor roll…your baptism…the notes you
wrote me…how mad we would get at each
other…our talks, meals, hikes, games, work,
swims…”
Robbin Merriam
(Adams) 1981
“I was told an
internship at Christian Encounter Ranch
would be an experience I’d find very
demanding, challenging, trying, and
mentally, physically, emotionally and
spiritually taxing, as well as a host of
other not so pleasant sounding
descriptions. They were right. Yet, on the
other hand, I was told an internship at
Christian Encounter Ranch would be an
experience I’d find very rewarding,
fulfilling, inspiring and worthwhile, and
one which I’d find hard to explain to
someone else. They were very right.
My internship has
helped me to know what it means to be a
disciple of Jesus and to commit myself to
following Him forever. In turn, I have
learned what is entailed in discipling
others. I’ve realized the importance and
need of being constantly aware of my own
conduct, words, and actions as I am being
watched by others just as I look to Jesus.
My life IS my discipleship of the
Lord; therefore, I need to continually
examine myself to see what my life is
teaching."
Full description of internship:
Internship
Form: To Express
Interest
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