10/20/2026
So very true. ❤️❤️
What if God sent you into the rodeo world for a reason bigger than the rodeo itself?
What if the place you love is also the place He's asking you to serve?
Think about that for a minute.
The smell of the dirt.
The sound of the horses.
The bulls in the chutes.
The cowboys pulling their hats down before a ride.
The mamas holding their breath in the stands.
The little kids dreaming about the day they'll get their turn.
It's a way of life.
A community.
A tradition passed down through generations.
And for so many of us, there's nowhere else we'd rather be.
But I've been thinking about something.
What if the western way of life isn’t just something we get to enjoy? What if it’s also something God can use!
Because behind every cowboy hat is a person.
Behind every competitor is a heart.
Behind every family sitting in those stands is a story we may know nothing about.
Some are celebrating answered prayers.
Some are praying for a miracle.
Some are trying to rebuild after life knocked them down.
Some are quietly wondering how they're going to make it through another week.
And some are smiling in public while fighting battles they wouldn't wish on anybody.
You can stand in the middle of a packed arena and still feel completely alone.
You can be surrounded by people and still wonder if anybody sees you.
You can win a buckle and still go home hurting.
And that's why I believe ministry has a place in rodeo.
Not because rodeo needs to become a church service.
But because people need Jesus wherever they are.
Including here.
Especially here.
Jesus didn't spend His life waiting for people to come to Him in a building.
He went where the people were.
He sat with them.
He listened to them.
He loved the ones others overlooked.
He met people in the middle of their everyday lives.
And He calls us to love people the same way.
In Matthew 9:36, Jesus looked at the crowds and had compassion on them because they were troubled and helpless.
He didn't just see a crowd.
He saw people who needed care.
And I wonder what would happen if we started looking at our rodeo crowds that way.
Not just as ticket holders.
Not just as competitors.
Not just as spectators.
But as people God loves.
People with stories.
People with struggles.
People who may never walk into a church but might encounter the love of Jesus through someone they meet at a rodeo.
What if we made our arenas places where people felt welcomed instead of judged?
What if our young people heard encouragement instead of constant criticism?
What if a cowboy who made a bad ride still walked away knowing his identity was bigger than his performance?
What if we treated our competitors with respect even when they beat us?
What if the way we handled disappointment, conflict, and success showed people something different about the God we serve?
And what if we stopped assuming somebody else would be the one to do it?
You don't have to be a preacher to point somebody toward Jesus.
You don't need a microphone.
You don't need a platform.
You don't need thousands of followers.
You just need a heart willing to be used by God.
A kind word.
A helping hand.
A little patience.
A willingness to see the person everyone else walks past.
Those things may seem small to us.
But we serve a God who has always done extraordinary things through ordinary people willing to say yes.
And maybe that's what this calling is all about.
Maybe it's not about being the biggest event.
Maybe it's not about having the most followers or being the most recognized name in the Western industry.
Maybe it's about being faithful with the people God puts in front of us.
Because I don't want to build something that looks successful on the outside but misses the reason God allowed me to be part of it.
I want the kids to know they matter.
I want the cowboys to know they're valued beyond their rides.
I want the families to feel welcomed.
I want the hurting to find encouragement.
And I want every person who walks through those gates to have an opportunity to see the love of Jesus in action.
Not because we're perfect.
But because we're willing.
So give me the bucking bulls.
Give me the cowboys, the horses, the dirt, and the arena lights.
Give me the Western way of life I love so much.
But never let me become so focused on building a rodeo that I forget to build people up along the way.
If we can do that well, the impact might reach a whole lot farther than the arena fence.
🐂 Chelsey Nelms�0890 Bucking Bulls
