Walk Like a Warrior: Inspirational True Stories of God’S Encouragement on the Trail Less-Traveled

By Shara Bueler-Repka

Life is an adventure. Bruce and Shara Repka (a.k.a. Pony Express Ministry) are a music ministry that travels the highways and backroads of the western United States with their two horses, Rocky and Nocona (a.k.a. The Boys).

Traversing the countryside in their fourteen-foot, short-wall, three-stall, living quarters horse trailer, they travel and minister wherever God sends them. Their, and others, inspirational true stories are a testament to how God reveals Himself and encourages us in our everyday lives. They have seen firsthand a real, loving, and powerful God who is always true to His word and who longs to have a personal relationship with us all.

In lifes challenging moments, do you search for testimonies of encouragement that exemplify Gods love, grace, protection, and provision? Find inspiration as you enjoy the many photographs and travel this trail with them, living the adventure!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 8, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512774801

Shara Bueler-Repka

As part of the Christian Country music duo, Pony Express Ministry, Shara is enjoying the life of a singer/songwriter/recording artist, freelance writer, and award-winning author. She and her husband, Bruce, call “home” wherever their rig is parked, but they get their mail and hang out with family in Hallettsville, Texas. When she’s not writing, she’s riding with her husband in the backcountry, singing, or engaging in other varied adventures that appear along the trail. Check out the website at: www.ponyexpressministry.com or come for a visit on Facebook.

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A Warrior

I worship at Your feet, King of Kings

I praise Your holy Name

And bow my knee

And only to You, I give my hand

Cause a warrior must kneel before he can stand

From the song-A Warrior

(Heart Of God Album—Pony Express Ministry)

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Easter Sunrise-Sonora, California; Our Rig-Donnelly, Idaho

ADVENTURE 1

For Such A Time As This

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him—Hebrews 11:6.

I was getting that restless feeling again. I knew this feeling. It was the same feeling I had when the Holy Spirit prompted me to move from California to Texas—just me and my horse. It had been a gutsy, momentous move to say the least as I didn’t really know anyone in Texas. But the Lord took care of me every step of the way, and I settled into my new job, new place, and new life. (Acts 7:3)

Back then, I was moving toward a secure job and life. Now, it was a little different and this change would require more guts than I would have dreamed possible of myself: the Lord wanted me to quit my job and go into full-time music ministry. My husband, Bruce, was already in full-time ministry, and God had never let us down financially. However, with both of us going full-time ... whew!—a bigger test of faith.

"Lord, please give me clear direction, I prayed earnestly. You know I’m hardheaded sometimes, so it would be really cool if you could give me a ‘burning bush’, ‘writing on the wall’, you know, something like that. I don’t want to get ahead of You and mess things up."

Well, I didn’t get the bush or the wall, but God spoke through a trusted friend of mine. When He spoke to her spirit, she wasted no time delivering the message. Her blonde hair and blue eyes virtually disappeared as I stared at her and realized God was speaking through her to me. God told me exactly what I needed to do, with a point-blank urgency in the tone.

His still small voice spurred me on throughout the next week, encouraging me to take that first step of faith and actually give my bosses notice when they came in the following Monday. I needed this encouragement as I looked at my two ministry bookings, tiny savings, and BIG truck payment. "I am your Provider, He said. I was the One who gave you such awesome employers. They were good to you and paid you well. How much more do you think I will take care of you as your direct ‘employer’? I am your Provider ... period." (He talked to me on my level of understanding.) He also hot-shotted me with, How can you minister about faith and then shrink back when I ask you to step out? Ohhhh, that got me! O.K. Lord, I determined, I’m goin’ for it. I’m gonna trust You and take You at Your Word.

When I made that decision, however, I knew Satan was right there wanting me to fall flat on my face. So, I dove into God’s Word to make sure I stayed strong. I looked up the word faith in the concordance of my Bible and read every verse under it. The Lord made it clear through His Word that He would take care of me in my decision of faith—just like He did Abraham, Moses, Noah, David, etc. (The list is a mile long.) I took hold of Hebrews 13:8 and believed beyond a shadow of a doubt He wouldn’t let me down either.

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Noah’s Ark-Lake Powell, Utah

I handed in my resignation. And I loved the way the Lord took care of my bosses too, making the transition easier for them by allowing me to wrap up loose ends and train someone to take my place.

After I left my job, Bruce and I embarked on a ministry trip. During the ensuing days, I had to stand and fight for my faith. The love offerings and CD sales were low because of the economy. Fear tried to take advantage of my thoughts with the sole purpose of overwhelming me with questions about provision. I fought back by speaking out the Word Of God: "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well—Matthew 6:33; Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight—Proverbs 3:5-6; Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you"—Matthew 7:7.

I realized that the Lord would never tell me to do something unless He already had the provision figured out. It was like the Pony Express. The riders were given the supplies they needed for the first leg: a horse, gear, food, water. But they actually had to get on and ride the route to see and experience the rest of the trip.

The Lord was right there, standing with me in my mind-battle. Are the bills due yet? He asked me.

No, I replied.

Have you paid your truck payment? He inquired.

Yes.

"Is the next one due yet?"

Well, ... no.

"Do you need that money now? O.K ... no."

He ended the conversation with the encouragement, I am not early, I’m not late, I am right on time. I also kept hearing in my spirit, It only takes one. Hmmm.

Our last ministry stop on that trip proved to be one of the most profound testimonies we experienced. In fact, a testimony we often look back on that continues to give us courage. At the end of our journey, God used one person to meet all of our financial needs. Not only that, the finances were covered for an annual family trip we thought we’d have to cancel. (Romans 10:11; Ephesians 3:20-21)

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(clockwise from top left): Monument Valley, Arizona/Utah; Bruce and Me-Under Cookie Jar Butte, Lake Powell, Utah; Rainbow Bridge-Lake Powell, Utah; The Grand Canyon-South Rim, Arizona

God was true to His Word. And He confirmed it—right on time.

Bruce and I are now in our twelfth year of full-time ministry together and we’ve never looked back. The Lord always takes care of us and makes Himself more real to us every day. He answers prayers, grants the desires of our hearts, and shows up in ways that blow our minds. He even takes care of our Boys (horses)—He loves our animals too (Psalm 36:5-6).

As we travel and sing/minister in and to a wide variety of places and people, we see a prominent, common thread of a message moving from the Holy Spirit: we all have been given gifts and talents, and He is wanting His people to rise up and step out in their individual God-given destiny. (Romans 12:4-8; Hebrews 13:20-21)

We were all born for such a time as this.

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Honeycutt Rodeo Company’s AVI River Stampede Cowboy Church-Ft. Mojave Indian Reservation, Arizona

ADVENTURE 2

Takin’ It to the Streets

But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works’; show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works—James 2:18.

A nyone with a heart of compassion has only to watch the 6:00 News and the world in general and be compelled to ask, "Am I doing enough? Am I doing all God has called me to do?"

For some it may get a bit chilly leaving the warmth of a church pew or descending from the heights of the choir loft (or stage) to go out to that cold and unknown world to minister (Romans 12:1). Ministry, however, is just another word for service. And when Jesus said, Go, make disciples, He meant go to the people: show God’s grace through Jesus by meeting their needs, then teach them to go. (Matthew 10:7-8; Luke 4:18-19; Matthew 28:18-20)

Service can take on different faces depending on the need at hand. I ask the Lord everyday for clear eyes to recognize every opportunity He brings my way (no matter how small or how big) and the boldness to rise up in that calling to be His hands, feet, and voice—His heart. The opportunities the Lord has given Bruce and me are so diverse that if we wrote it all down on a resume, we’d probably run out of ink!

The Lord said: "Listen to Me. What/who have I placed in front of you? Be My hands and feet, My voice and My eyes. Be My message and My love to others ... to whomever I place in front of you ... in whatever place/location that may be ... accepting whatever face it may have ..."

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Restaurant Rendezvous

She was cocky and fun. Complimenting my boots and trying to interest Bruce and me in a margarita, she glided through her duties with the smoothness and ease of a dancer. She was an accomplished server. Our friends were running late, so she playfully offered to sit with us—in case those friends proved imaginary—just so we wouldn’t be alone. She was awesome.

Our friends finally arrived, and we settled into conversation and order-taking, continuing the good-hearted banter with our now, favorite waitress. Toward the end of our meal, our friends introduced themselves as the pastors of a cowboy church and us, as traveling, music evangelists. Intrigued, she shared that she also was involved in a small church in that town. She let her heart tentatively reach out. Can I ask you something after I finish up in the back? she asked.

Of course, we replied.

She came back a bit later, bending down with her arms resting on the table. What does the Bible mean ‘to be fearfully and wonderfully made’? she quietly asked. (Let the ministry (service) begin.)

God cares about every detail of our lives, from the time of conception and forming in our mother’s womb to when we finally arrive to see daylight, we explained. And we all are created for a special, specific destiny.

Tears filled her eyes and her brave face no longer hid her hurting heart: the veil of everything’s OK was disappearing by the minute. My fiancé left me after finding out I was pregnant, she said, but I couldn’t bring myself to have an abortion. When I delivered the baby, the Lord sent me a couple who could not have children. She paused, and our tears flowed along with hers. I’m grateful for the safe, secure home He provided, she continued, regaining composure. Even though I know I did the right thing, it’s been really tough, giving my baby up.

That particular day, the family had sent her pictures of her baby daughter so she could still be involved with the little one’s growth and well-being. She appreciated the pictures, but the emotions of letting her go were still raw. She had seen in the picture a plaque above the baby’s cradle proclaiming the Bible verse, I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14-16).

The Lord steered us all there to the right place, at the right time. We could have sat anywhere in that restaurant. We could have picked any other day to have dinner. But God had it all worked out.

We prayed with her and did not judge her for the mistakes she had made. We encouraged her that now her little girl could fulfill her destiny in the Lord because of the right decision she had made. We also assured our precious server that God still loved her, and she still had an incredible destiny to fulfill for Him.

As we left the restaurant, we all warmly hugged each other, and we all walked away immersed in God’s grace. (Romans 8:38-39)

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Truck Stop Frank

The Lord gives us opportunities to encourage people as we travel down the road making the usual, mundane but necessary stops. At a truck stop in Nevada, He gave us another awesome opportunity to bring encouragement to someone.

As I waited in line to pay for our diesel, a Native American man waited in the line next to me. He was ragged and I presumed, homeless. As I looked at him, the Holy Spirit’s compassion rose in me. I had to help this man—with what, I had no clue, but I knew I had to talk to him.

When I finished my business at the front counter, I turned around and the Native man was gone. Maybe I had gotten it wrong. Maybe it’s just my mercy kicking in and the Holy Spirit didn’t actually move me to make contact with him, I thought. I needed to be watchful because Bruce was a long way off at our rig and I was pretty much a woman alone in that section of the truck stop. Still, the pull in my spirit never let up. I walked outside and started for our rig, praying, OK, Lord, if I indeed need to speak with this man, please help me find him in this huge facility. Walking closer to our rig, I glanced toward the only tree that stood on the place. There, underneath its protective shadow, sat my Native friend. I had no doubt now what I needed to do.

I quickly walked to our trailer and grabbed packaged, peanut butter crackers, Hershey’s chocolate bars—bypassed the banana (it was disgusting)—and headed out the door and toward the tree.