Matt & Kim Smith came on staff in 2009. Matt and Kim have two girls. Matt is the Director of Equine Ministries.

Fall Newsletter 2009
Dear Friends,

I am writing today to tell you about the Smith Family’s great adventure. First, let me tell you a little tale of personal experience.

Years ago guiding in the rocky mountains I set out on a trip to a drop camp near the summit of a nearby peak. From the ranch it looked like an easy day trip and shouldn’t require much out of the ordinary. I wasn’t 4 miles into my trip when I rode my horse into the edge of a bog. I stopped just short of falling in when the pack horse ran into mine and pushed him right into the mud filled hole. When I extracted myself and my horse from the muddy mess I was slightly less than pleased with the pack horse who stood by watching with a look that seemed to say, “glad I didn’t fall in there”. I would like to tell you that my troubles for the day were over. My friend, the pack horse, had another plan. Plastic box panniers on a pack horse and loose silverware don’t mix (hopefully this statement alone will save someone out there a headache.) When the pack horse jumped over the creek the sound of the rattling silverware alone was enough to make him buck the pack saddle open as he disappeared into the distance. I spent the next mile following a trail of cooking utensils, silverware and dry goods. At the end of that trail was…you guessed it… my buddy, the pack horse, enjoying a small feast at the edge of the water. Red faced, tired and muddy (from the bog incident), I repacked everything, taking the time to wrap the silverware and lash it together. My trip continues through the valley relatively uneventful. As I neared the base of the mountain it got bigger and bigger until it appeared so large that from my perspective the summit was not even visible. Well…lets just say it turned into a very long day. After riding for what seemed like many hours, the scenery changed. The temperature dropped the trees grew thinner and thinner until they disappeared altogether and soon the peak was in sight. At that point my slowly sinking spirits were renewed and the trip to the top seemed within reach. The view from the top of that peak was more than worth every pain I experienced getting there. I could see what seemed like the entire country and was in awe at God’s creation and my smallness in relation. I returned to the ranch with a sore rear end, no sympathy for a tired pack horse and a new appreciation of what was required to reach the top of that mountain.

I returned to that peak not three days later and I have climbed many mountains since then, but the lesson for me was one of perspective and price. From the ranch the peak seemed small and easily attainable; from the base, insurmountable; from timber line, within reach; at the top… in the presence of my creator. The true worth of my journey however wasn’t measured by my destination but by the cost required to get there and my education along the way. In Luke 14:28 Christ admonishes us, For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? God’s call on our lives is a costly one. In fact, it should cost all that we have. John 12:24 says unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. The cost of our journey is far outweighed by the reward of our destination in the presence of God and the character he has built into our lives through our trials. He knows our individual needs so well, he gives us no more than we can handle and shows us the timber line when we need it the most, renewing our strength and calling us to his side.

God is calling us. He is calling the Smith family to step out in faith and follow where He leads. God has laid on our hearts a burden for serving Him in a different capacity and location. He has presented us with an opportunity to serve as staff at Miracle Mountain Ranch Missions, in Pennsylvania. This is not an easy decision for us as we are very content where we are in Findlay. God’s direction is clear and I have been confronted with the “cost” of following that direction. Am I willing to give up my “contentment” and “control” where I am and allow God to provide the far greater things he has in store us? God wants more from me and He is asking if I am willing to give Him my very best. I know the cost and I know that God is faithful to complete the work He began in me. (Philippians 1:6) We are looking forward as a family to the great things He has in store for us and the adventure that comes with it.

For those unfamiliar with Miracle Mountain Ranch Missions (MMRM), it is a Christ centered evangelistic and discipleship ministry, in a ranch setting. One of the main focuses of the ministry is a year long intensive discipleship training program. This program provides the atmosphere, opportunity and encouragement to become grounded in the Word of God, the love of Christ, and the foundational principles and practice of Christianity. The discipleship emphasis provides a unique hands-on, life-learning experience in which Biblical principles are emphasized and utilized to develop Godly character, personal discipline and life habits necessary in effective Christian leaders. This is building the type of servant leaders in our next generation that we are truly in need of. The substance of the lives and hearts of the students is evidence of God’s hand at work. We are passionate about this ministry and I am humbled by the opportunity to help build into the lives of these faithful individuals. The heart of this opportunity is living out our relationship with God in front of others and developing the body of Christ in the same manner. It is a ministry of multiplication in the truest sense.

We are thrilled to answer the call of God on our hearts in this new direction and see the evidence of His hand through His provision of our needs. As we step out in faith God continues to pave the way for us. We have been blessed with a buyer for our rental property in a “less than optimal” economic climate. God sent us skilled workers that gave freely of their time and expertise to repair our roof and help ready our house for sale. We have received faithful support through prayer from our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. The list goes on… There are though, still hurdles in our path. Moving our household is no small task and we still need to sell our house. We are excited to see how God will provide in these areas and make His hand even more evident to us. As staff members at MMRM, we are called upon to raise our own financial missionary support. If you are led by God to share in the financial burden of our ministry, donations can be made to our family through the non profit organization of Miracle Mountain Ranch Missions. We believe whole heartedly in the ministry at Miracle Mountain and we are stepping out in faith and obedience to God’s calling on our lives (Luke 12:22). We are trusting that God will provide for our financial needs as He does for every other need in our lives. If God is calling you to be a part of our ministry, we thank you for answering that call. We are anxious to see the ways in which God reveals Himself to us and we look forward to seeing His provision in this new path of our lives. It is hard for me to relinquish control of this area but I know that God is faithful and He is asking for more faith from me. I need to lay down my pride and surrender my will to His. Even more than financial support, we need the support of those dear to us through prayer. Prayer not just for us, but for the hearts of the young men and women entrusted to us.

We know God’s calling and His direction is clear. We are excited to be a part of the ministry at MMRM. Most of all, we are longing to see more people won to Christ and see young men and women continue the work that was faithfully started in them. Our true calling is laid out by Jesus in Matthew 28. Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Dear Friends, we thank God for you and the blessing that you have added to our lives over the years. We are praying for you continually and trusting that God’s will is being made complete in your lives.

The Smith Family,
Matt, Kim, Josie and Emma