Bridles and Bibles

12/03/2025

A settling thought. 🥰

12/03/2025

God hears your prayer… but then He blesses your hands.

I heard this quote the other day. I think it was meant to encourage people to get up and work for what they want. But that’s not the part that hit me. Working hard has never been my struggle—in fact, I tend to be the opposite. I get too headstrong. I push. I try to make things work even when it’s not God’s plan.

And that brings me to Simba.

If you’ve followed our page for a while, you know I talk about this horse a lot. Not because he’s our “best” horse, but because he’s the one I’ve learned the most from. Simba is very much like me—hard-headed, convinced he can do the job himself. And when we’re working cows, that usually turns into arguments, brace, tension, and frustration for both of us.

I’m not ashamed to say I’ve had a lot of help with Simba. My coach has worked with him many times, and through him, she has learned a lot about me too. One of the techniques she’s taught me is loosening his jaw—helping him relax in the poll, using the bit to soften him when he gets tight and anxious.

When I think about my reins, I see them as the way a horse listens. Of course, a good horse should feel your whole body, but sometimes the world gets louder than I do. Sometimes the noise, the pressure, the worry—all of it—drowns out my cues.

And in those moments, the reins help me capture his attention again.
Almost like gently taking someone’s face in your hands and saying, “Hey… look here.”

My hands have done a lot over the years.
They’ve roped calves and started c**ts.
They’ve branded, doctored, built fence, and worked on cars.

They held my husband’s hand the day we got married.
They held my newborn daughter for the very first time.

They’ve nursed calves, hugged friends, prayed over strangers and family, and they’ve held the reins of more horses than I can count.

So yes—God hears your prayers.
But He blesses your hands, too.
Not just to work…
but to communicate, to soften, to relax, to pray, to love, and to touch.

Look at your hands for a moment.
What do you see?
Callouses? Scars?
Soft spots? Strong ones?
Do they tremble when you’re nervous?
Do they cover your face when you cry?

What has God blessed your hands to do?

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me…
He rescued me…
He brought me out into a spacious place…
He rescued me because He delighted in me…
He made my hands strong for battle.”
— 2 Samuel 22:17–21

12/01/2025

The Biblical Buckaroo is a heartfelt conversation between two horsemen, ranch women, and mothers: Sara Jean Wedel and Jessica Merrifield. Together, they explore horsemanship through God’s eyes, with a deep focus on the traditional jaquima to freno progression.

Sara Jean—famously known as The Rare Buckaroo for her incredible knowledge and advocacy for the traditional spade bit—joins Jessica Merrifield of Bridles and Bibles as they dive into all things horsemanship, ranch life, marriage, motherhood, and most importantly: living a Godly life.

From gear to groundwork, from faith to family, these two women bring wisdom, humor, authenticity, and the heart of a buckaroo lifestyle rooted in Jesus.

Real ranch talk. Real faith. Real horsemanship.
Welcome to The Biblical Buckaroo.

11/27/2025

🍁 Happy Thanksgiving from Bridles and Bibles! 🐴📖

Today we pause—right in the middle of the busy, the blessings, and even the battles—to give thanks to the One who holds the reins of our lives.

Just like a good horse learns to rest in the hands of a trustworthy rider, we learn to rest in the goodness of our God. Thanksgiving isn’t just a moment; it’s a posture of the heart. It’s choosing to see His faithfulness in the small things, the hard things, and the beautiful things.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” — Psalm 136:1

We’re grateful for every person who’s come alongside our mission, for every horse that’s taught us something new, and for every moment Jesus has met us right where we are. This life—this journey from the round pen to the cross—is better because we don’t walk (or ride) it alone.

May your day be filled with peace, gratitude, good food, and the gentle reminder that you are deeply loved by a faithful God.

From all of us at Bridles and Bibles—Happy Thanksgiving, friends. 🧡🐴📖

11/26/2025

Let her do it with you.

This was something I felt the Lord lay on my heart last night.

My sweet 2-year-old daughter is in that stage where whatever you’re doing, she wants to do it too. I know this isn’t always doable—there’s a time and a place—and honestly, it’s something I struggle with quite a bit.

I have a really hard time with cleaning. It’s surprising, because I like my house to be clean and organized as much as possible. But I remember how upset my mom would get when the house wasn’t clean, and how I would rush around after school trying to get everything done before she got home. That led to years of what I call “anxiety cleaning”—running around trying to fix everything because I can’t relax until it’s all perfect.

My daughter, though, really wants to help. I try to let her… but not as much as I should. I forget that this is how she learns.

Yesterday, I watched her put her books back on the bookshelf without being told. I thought it was strange for a 2-year-old—but then I realized she’s probably watched me do it so many times. And if she’s already learning these little habits from me, then I should probably involve her more. Maybe she won’t grow up with the same anxiety I have about cleaning if it’s simply part of a normal daily routine.

It reminded me of something Wade says when starting c**ts:
“Sometimes you sacrifice the horse to do the job, and sometimes you sacrifice the job to teach the horse.”

So many times I’ve started c**ts on the job. They learned to move their feet and do the basics, and then it was time to work. That first gate might’ve taken us an extra five minutes, but the next one didn’t. Sometimes I pushed a c**t into something before he was fully ready—but I still ended up with some pretty cool horses. At the end of the day, they learned because they were involved.

Maybe that’s something we need to remember when we get overwhelmed. It’s not always about the product of the job, but what we learn while doing it.

With Bridles and Bibles, I am learning on the job all the time. There are so many things I don’t feel ready for or don’t know how to do. I’m relying on my team, my friends, and my family to help me. Maybe that’s the point—maybe I need to learn to let go of control, and trust others.

When I was riding c**ts and sacrificing the job to teach the horse, I always had a friend or coworker nearby—someone on a more experienced horse who could help when I needed it.

Maybe it’s okay to be the c**t.
To be learning.
Because God has already placed the people in your life that you need to lean on so the job still gets done.

11/21/2025

What Does It Mean to Be “Broke”?

The word broke can mean so many different things.

In the horse world, broke means trustworthy, supple, responsive, and willing.
In the money world, broke means you don’t have anything left.
A broken-mouth cow means she’s older.
Sometimes broke means cracked, damaged, or worn out.

But what does broke mean to Christ?

The Bible tells us that God meets us in our weakness:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
— 2 Corinthians 12:9

He isn’t talking about being destroyed… He’s talking about being broken in — softened, yielded, and shaped.

Broke like a horse.

When you’re training a young c**t, you say you’re “breaking” him.
But you’re not hurting him.
You’re teaching him to listen, trust, and move with you instead of fighting against you.

So let me ask you this:
What stage are you in right now?
Are you being broken?
Are you in that uncomfortable, stretching part where God is asking you to trust His hands?

I’ve sat with friends who worry about being too broken.
I’ve sat in my own moments of feeling broken.
But the truth is — that’s exactly where God meets us.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
— Psalm 34:18

And Jesus Himself said:

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28

I can technically get a job done with a horse that isn’t broke…
but it’s a fight.
He’s anxious, braced, resistant.
He fights back instead of listening.
He doesn’t know how to trust the one leading him.

But a broke horse?
Here’s the important part:

A broke horse listens while we do the job together.

That’s what makes him broke.
Not fear.
Not force.
Not defeat.
Listening. Trust. Softness. Partnership.

And honestly… I’ve been learning this myself again.

I haven’t posted much since the horse show.
I’ve been sick, we moved, life happened, and I needed a break.
But as I tried to juggle everything, I realized I was anxious.
I wasn’t listening.
I was trying to take every job and carry every load myself.

One night I got home and God stopped me.
He told me gently:

“Stop thinking about everything. Let Me instruct your next step.”

Put the baby to bed.
Brush your teeth.
Put on your pajamas.
Kiss your husband.

So I did.
And my mind relaxed.
For the first time in a long time… I felt like a good, broke horse.
Soft. Listening. Following His feel.

But here I am again — trying to make things work in my own strength.
Trying to take the reins back.

But I don’t want to live that way.

I want to be broke.
Broke in the best way.
Listening to every step He gives me.
Letting myself relax into the One who knows the way.

Because being broke in Christ…
is really being whole, safe, and led.

11/18/2025

Come see us Reload Outdoors23:2048:Reload Outdoors]!

11/10/2025

11/10/2025

Giddy Up on in for another popular Tuesday on the Town! It’s Christmas Shopping w Spurs on!