Dreamers of A Kinder World
Love Is A Game Changer!
This post follows inspiration taken from my favourite rescue duo in the world, Kristin and Jay from Ziggy's Refuge Farm Sanctuary in North Carolina, the US of A!
Kristin and Jay have been rocking the farm animal rescue world since November 2010 when a little (at the time!) and very cute "teacup" pig, found his way into Kristin's life, home and heart.
Unbeknown to everyone at the time, Ziggy's arrival marked the start of a massive life and destiny changer, not just for Kristin and Ziggy, but for Kristin's future partner Jay, and farm animals the world over.
Life with Ziggy the Piggy in the Virgin Islands was paradise, Kristin met Jay shortly after his arrival and whilst their relationship blossomed and grew, so too did Ziggy, from 25lb to almost 300!!!
Unable to find a rental that would allow her not-so-mini pig son, Kristin uprooted her life in 2014 and used all of her life savings to fly Ziggy from the Virgin Islands to her and Jay's new home, a large, locked and loaded RV, ready to explore, love is a game changer!
Farm Animals Are Friends Not Food
This dynamic trio travelled the entire US and Ziggy quickly became the life and soul of every party.
All types of people would meet this happy and outgoing boy and suddenly become disgusted by the idea of eating bacon, and after following Ziggy on social media for some years now, I too can testify to the same.
After meeting Ziggy, something inside changed, as farm animals became friends, not food, and people everywhere were becoming vegetarian and vegan, creating a movement!
Ziggy's entrance into Kristin and Jay's life created an unstoppable force that tornadoed into a mighty team dedicated to saving farm animals from the gruesome and grotesque fate of farm to fork.
Ziggy's Rescue is committed to compassionate living, where killing is replaced with kindness and where vegan for the animals became the only logical choice.
Rescued & Loved
Having volunteered at as many rescue sanctuaries as possible during their travels, eventually Kristin and Jay decided it was time to put down roots and create their own safe haven.
In 2016 they purchased Kristin's dream farm, were approved as a non-profit and started rescuing animals.
Every animal in their care was either rescued from the cruel, cramped conditions of factory farms or thrown away in the trash facing imminent and certain death due to a disability.
The sentience in all of them is so clear and every social media follower and visitor to the farm can see their individual personalities, intelligence and will to live.
Today, Kristin, Jay and Ziggy are living their best life, surrounded by rescues who were at one time neglected and abused, who finally have the happiness and love they desired and deserved.
Changing The Face of Farm Animal Rescue
Not only is this powerhouse team giving those without a voice or a choice their dream life, they are also changing the face of farm animal rescue with pioneering technologies that even the best vets in the world only ever dream of.
Transporting large farm animals is both difficult and expensive, and tired of driving multiple hours to be able to access the best vet hospitals, only to have to leave their precious babies overnight, they set up their own, the River Centre For Compassionate Care, in loving memory of their beautiful pig River, who was gone too soon.
With the help of Dr Jan Hawkins, an esteemed large animal surgeon and tireless advocate to advancing veterinary medicine to be more compassionate, effective and innovative, especially in the realm of anaesthesia, they are changing the face of farm animal rescue.
There are countless others on the team, all of whom are equally passionate, dedicated and supremely experienced, and an entire symphony of perfectly attuned instruments have come together to deliver what can only be described, as heaven on earth.
It is absolutely astonishing how each star came together to align in such perfect formation, a feat that cannot possibly be solely attributed to the work of human hands.
Anointed, Appointed & Perfectly Positioned
When powerful teams like this come together, to carry out an equally powerful mission, where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, magic happens.
Each person's journey is perfectly written and their credentials are expertly tailored with precision and purpose, designed to fit exactly into the exquisite, exemplary and exceptional endeavour that comes when we answer the call.
It is the same here on Amanda's Ark, with every single member of my team including myself, uniquely anointed and appointed and perfectly positioned to fulfil our roles in a way that no-one else can.
Before God formed us in the womb He knew us, before we were born He set us apart and appointed us. (Jeremiah 1:5)
God created our innermost being; He knit us together in our mother's womb and God's works are wonderful. (Psalm 139:13-14)
A Deeper Purpose
Before I was living a life of service, I felt that I had my ladder firmly positioned against the wrong wall, and that I was selling my soul to the devil (I wasn't), doing work that didn't offer any real fulfilment, but actually, God was preparing me.
All of the roles we have undertaken are relevant, necessary and essential for the things God has prepared for us, plans that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
For God's plans are to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
We are not designed to be lost, miserable or broken, we are built for greatness, and the blueprint for a successful life is written on our hearts and planted deep within us.
Life has so much in store for those who are committed to serving, learning and growing ever deeper in love, and it is only by following our innate calling, that it is possible to scale such dizzying heights.
The Secret Is Giving
We are called to take care of God's glorious creation respectfully, righteously and reverently.
Each of us should use whatever gift we have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10)
The secret is giving (Acts 20:35), for in giving we receive more than we could ever imagine, and herein lies the paradox.
We are called to be devoted to one another in love and to honour one another above ourselves (1 Corinthians 12:10) and whatever we do, we are to work at it with all our heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Colossians 3:23)
We are to do good, seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14) for the LORD blesses his people with peace (Psalm 29:11) and is the God of peace. (Romans 16:20)
An Instrument of God's Peace
I have a beautiful song on my playlist called Servant of Peace by Snatam Kaur from her album Liberation's Door, the words of which are taken from a prayer by St Francis of Assisi, it's essence capturing our purpose perfectly.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy,
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The Most Excellent Way
As I listened to this beautiful song, channeled directly from the seat of the Divine, the next song on the album Mother's Blessing, my favourite song, played after, and this too is deeply poignant.
It captures the pure, perfect and unwavering love a mother has for her child, including those of us who are sheltering animal children under our wings.
Those who are fighting the good fight, who are in the world but not of the world, holding high the banner of the Lord, standing fearlessly for love and life, walk the narrow path on the road less travelled.
These faithful servants have been set apart and God hears when we call to Him (Psalm 4:3).
Every one of us are needed, in the same way that the body is made up of many parts, with all parts being indispensable, and as we eagerly desire the greater gifts, God will show us the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)
Glorious Gifts
We each have different kinds of gifts and different kinds of service but everything comes from the the same source.
The gifts we are given are manifestations of the Spirit, given for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
These include messages of wisdom and knowledge, faith and gifts of healing. (1 Corinthians 12:8-9)
We instinctively know that these gifts are from the Holy Spirit because when we receive them, we say "it just came to me".
When I was racking my brain all weekend trying to figure out how I would build my community, the second I let this go and decided to be of service to one of my dogs Brownie by taking her for a walk, everything just came to me in an instant, there was nothing for me to figure out, it was given to me as a gift.
Great Rewards
Animal rescue is amongst the hardest yet most rewarding labour of loves in the world, it is not for the faint of heart and only real rescuers are able to generate the very great rewards that come from such a noble endeavour.
We have to give everything we have, no matter the risk, for the sake of the little soul in our hands, who without us, would be lost, broken beyond repair, scared, alone and facing certain death.
We are sent out two by two, to walk the path of peace, partnership and a life of passion and purpose, and everything is given to those who knock, seek and ask.
But God tells us to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in His house and He tells us to test Him in this and see if He will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)
God told me many years ago that He is giving me the pinnacles and He has done exactly that, far surpassing my wildest dreams and everything I ever thought possible, and Kristin and Jay can most definitely testify to the same.
We Are Created To Love
We were created to love, we cannot live without it.
When babies are separated from their mothers or caregivers, they die, and the same is true for us.
We can only survive if we are connected to the Source of where we came, and that source is light and love.
But we were not meant to just survive, we were made in the image and likeness of God, we are children of God and we are called to a higher purpose, with God's commandments written on our heart.
Love is the source of all things, from love we came and to love we will return, and what happens in the middle is up to us.
Love Is The Only Way
May we always remember that love is the only way.
And may we never forget God, even for a moment.
Let us care for His creation with the love of a mother's and father's blessing, becoming worthy in His sight, that He may call us His friend.
And for the Kirstin's and Jay's of this world and all those on Amanda's Ark, may we continue to be a beacon of hope, a ray of light and a creative spark of divine power, carried on the wings of angels, in deep service to creation, as we turn dreaming into doing!
Amen.
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If you would like to read more, my first blog featuring Kristin & Jay is below, enjoy!
