#stacywestfall

[golge-gezgin]

Bazen kendinizi hiçliğin ortasında bulursunuz, bazen de hiçliğin ortasında kendinizi bulursunuz.

( Stacy Westfall )

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[ Ankara, Çanlaya, Dumlupınar Mahallesi, 09.05.2021 ]

[linceyhinkle-blog]

Not Me.

I'm sure, like me, you have a person or people in your life who you look up to and who have accomplished amazing things. For me, one of those people is my friend and mentor, Stacy Westfall. Stacy is a national freestyle reining champion...for those of you who don't know what that is check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-7v8Ck1crg and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YCgsZmjsww. Basically it's amazing. I was privileged to spend the summer of '09 traveling with and mentoring under her. It was an amazing experience and I learned so much about reining, training, and communing with horses. As the summers have come and gone, I've had the opportunity to work for Stacy during events and support her in her clinics and competitions. 

Two weeks ago, Stacy won the 2011 American Quarter Horse Congress Freestyle Reining competition for the second time. The first was in 2006, and launched her career as a trainer, competitor, and clinician. I have immense respect for Stacy for several reasons: 1, she has goals and knows where she wants to be and has a plan to get there, and she has accomplished many of those goals. 2, In between her successful business as a trainer, breeder, and public figure, Stacy is married and has 3 children--all boys, under the age of 14. 3, Stacy is a great model of what being Christ-like and following Him in the public eye should look like, without saying a word.  

This August, she launched her first blog. I began following it to see what it was going to be all about, expecting it to cover training tips and the like. I was surprised to see blatant references to her faith, accompanying Bible verses and quotes. Surprised but not. 

In her post today, Stacy recalls something that happened to her after she won the Freestyle this year, "Unless you have been hiding under a rock you have probably heard about Vaquero’s success at the Quarter Horse Congress last Saturday night, but did you hear about my failure?

  It happened after the awards were announced while I was exiting the arena. There were maybe 20something or 30 people milling around, several of whom I was signing autographs for. One particular woman spoke up and expressed several things she had on her mind. She started by stating that this was the first Quarter Horse Congress she had attended and that she had been appalled by some of the ways she had seen horses being treated while she was there. She then said that she was impressed with watching me ride….and then it happened.

Everyone looked at me…and a very pregnant pause…. occurred….

and I said, ‘Thank you.’

What was really happening was that I was at a loss for words. I don’t feel that I deserve much of the praise I get for these things. You see I am just expressing (by riding my horses) what has been written on my heart. It is like I was born to do it. I am drawn to it.

And what I failed to do was to give credit to The One who wrote it there.

I could blame it on the fact that I had not had much sleep, I could blame it on the fact that I was still in shock over winning, I could…I could…I could….

Be realistic giving thanks to God, to Jesus, for blessing me the way I have been blessed is not a habit I have formed. I am working to change that. Thank you Lord.

Matt 5:15-16 Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a bowl, instead you put it on a stand so that it may give light to everyone in the house. Do this in the same way, let your light shine before men so they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

I was so impressed by this admission. She has accomplished the indescribable, and has every reason to say "Thank you", but it means more to her to admit that she must give credit to the One who placed the desire in heart and gave her the talent to perform. I am so inspired, and my hope is that one day I too will have the opportunity to give God the glory and show others that He is the one to be praised. Not me. 

Check Stacy's Blog out here: http://stacywestfallhorseblog.com/