Love, Marriage and Houseparenting

— Chapter 9 —

It had been a few years since he left the Ranch.

Cory sat on his couch in his living room, watching his wife, Sarah, as she read a book next to him under the dim lamp light. It was getting late. Their newborn daughter, Annabelle, was fast asleep in the next room.

Cory couldn’t shake the feelings he was having. For the past few weeks, thoughts of Eagle Ranch had filled his mind. Gnawing at him. He couldn’t ignore it anymore.

“Sarah knows my story… She knows what the Ranch is like,” Cory thought, wondering if he should share his feelings with her, “I wonder if she would want to do this with me…”

Without speaking a word, Sarah looked up from her book.

“I’ve been thinking,” she said, her eyes soft, “What if we went to be Houseparents at Eagle Ranch?”

Cory’s draw dropped. Literally, mouth wide open. He stared at her, then began to laugh. Laughing so hard that Annabelle began to stir in the next room.

“Shhh…” hushed Sarah, smiling at him, “What’s so funny?”

“You won’t believe this,” said Cory, recovering from his laughing spell. “I have been thinking about that exact same idea for weeks. I can’t believe that God told you the same thing.”

A few months later, Cory and Sarah made the decision to go to Eagle Ranch and serve together—as Houseparents in the Love Home. Cory was 27, Sarah 24, and Annabelle was months old. 

Through their experience as Houseparents, Cory and Sarah learned how to communicate with others, establish trust, gain emotional awareness and empathy, how to give and receive love from one another, and so much more.

Cory and Sarah served as Houseparents for two years.

Houseparents are crucial to the success of the Eagle Ranch program. A unique mission opportunity for couples, Houseparents provide care, nurturing and structure for up to seven children going through a crisis. Learn more about the role of Houseparents by clicking here.

 

Cory’s story is one of many children’s stories from Eagle Ranch. Your support goes toward providing a home, counseling, education and spiritual guidance to children in crisis. Consider making a gift at EagleRanch.org/GIVE