Joanie Tucker

Female

Mansfield, LA

United States

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Please tell us about how you are associated with or involved in the cowboy church/ministry community.

I came to the Lord a broken woman-physically, emotionally, and spiritually. A recent divorce from an abusive husband who vowed that I would lose everything I had - which included my family scattering across the United States, most of my friends, my family’s farm, my treasured job – and left me penniless and moving to a state that was quite a culture change. I had spent 32 years in Michigan raising my family, teaching, caring for my parents until they went to live with the Lord. I was the Executive Director of an Educational Horse Sanctuary that helped those individuals with special needs. And then suddenly I found myself in Texas starting a job that ended up being a hoax…
The first thing my upbringing reminded me of was to find a church. I was as traditional as they come: 18 years as a Sunday school teacher & VBS director, 12 years leading a children’s choir, supporting the efforts in missions through our church leadership. Yet my world was turned up-side down when I began going to a Cowboy Church Texas. The pastor would close each of his sermons with a Call to Christ prayer at our seats. He simply asked us to invite Jesus into our hearts and I thought, “Have I EVER done that? Jesus, have I ever asked you to LIVE in my broken heart?” With that simple act of loving faith, I did so and my life has never been the same.
You see, in all my church experience, I had no idea what an altar call was. But I soon learned quickly how powerful the act of prayer can be on one’s life. After accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I was convinced there was more… I just didn’t know what or how to go about seeking it. The Cowboy Church gave out New Testament Bibles and I began to read it faithfully, cover to cover.
On night, I cried out and asked God, “What is it you want me to do?” And for the first time since I was a child, I heard Him talk to me simply and clearly. “I want you to do what you did at the farm… and include me.” That night, my hands and mind were not my own. For hours I wrote 40 lesson plans based on scripture much in the style of a Vacation Bible School format that utilized my "horse partners" when we worked with special needs individuals.
Today, I am working on becoming an ordained youth minister. Though God has not guided me to my new "homestead" yet, I am so happy to do the Lord's work wherever He wants me. I pray that He will show me the way to a new job, life, and church family soon!

How did you find out about ICCAN?

I found out about ICCAN through a Cowboy Preacher's wife. Very happy I did!!

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