Skip to main content

Holy Heifers and Sacred Snorts: Lessons in Loyalty from Bessie the Cow”

 


🐄 “Holy Heifers and Sacred Snorts: Lessons in Loyalty from Bessie the Cow”

Out behind the chapel in Dry Gulch, where the prairie grass grows tall and the sermons grow longer, lived a cow named Bessie. She belonged to Pastor Elmer, a man of deep conviction and questionable aim when it came to milking.

Bessie wasn’t just a cow—she was a congregant. Every morning, she’d wander up to the chapel steps, chew her cud thoughtfully, and moo at the bell tower like she was calling the faithful to prayer. Rain or shine, revival or potluck, Bessie showed up.

One Sunday, Pastor Elmer forgot his sermon notes. Panic set in. The congregation waited. Bessie mooed. And Elmer, inspired by the bovine interruption, preached on “Faithfulness in the Forgotten.” It was his best sermon yet.

Bessie’s loyalty wasn’t flashy. She didn’t gallop or gallivant. She simply showed up, day after day, with a steady gaze and a holy moo. And sometimes, that’s the kind of faithfulness God honors most.

🐄 Moo-ving Reflections:

  • Loyalty isn’t loud—it’s consistent.

  • Laughter is sacred when it springs from shared presence.

  • Even cows can be carriers of grace (Numbers 19:2, anyone?).

📚 Curated References:

  • Psalm 36:5 – “Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”

  • Numbers 19:2 – The red heifer, consecrated for purification—a bovine with divine purpose.

  • “The Cow in History” by R. L. Porter – A look at cattle’s role in agriculture, religion, and folklore.

  • “Animals in Christian Thought” by K. C. Smith – Explores theological symbolism of livestock.

  • “Faithful Creatures” – A devotional series highlighting animal loyalty in Scripture and story.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burden and the Blessing: What Saddlebags Teach Us About Spiritual Load

  The Burden and the Blessing: What Saddlebags Teach Us About Spiritual Load In the days of pioneers and trail riders, saddlebags were more than leather pouches—they were lifelines. Strapped to horses and slung over shoulders, these compact carriers held only what was essential for survival: a tin cup, a Bible, a bit of jerky, maybe a sewing kit. Every item was chosen with care, because every ounce mattered. The journey was long, the terrain unforgiving, and the weight had to be bearable. There’s a quiet wisdom in those saddlebags—a lesson for our spiritual lives today. 🎒 Packing Light for the Journey Pioneers didn’t have the luxury of excess. They knew that clutter could cost them time, energy, even safety. So they packed light, trusting that what they carried would be enough. In our spiritual walk, we often do the opposite. We load ourselves down with guilt, fear, expectations, and the need to control outcomes. We carry burdens that God never asked us to bear. But Scripture remi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sanctuary in the Saddle: Finding Peace on the Trail

  Sanctuary in the Saddle: Finding Peace on the Trail There’s something sacred about the rhythm of hoofbeats on open ground. For many riders, the saddle becomes more than a seat—it becomes a sanctuary. Out on the trail, surrounded by wind and wildflowers, the noise of the world fades. What remains is the quiet presence of God. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul." — Psalm 23:2–3 These verses echo the experience of countless trail riders who’ve found peace not in buildings or pews, but in the hush of open landscapes. 🐎 Stories from the Trail The Rancher’s Prayer : A rancher in Wyoming once shared how he found his deepest prayers not in church, but while riding fence lines at dawn. With only his horse and the rising sun, he’d speak aloud to God, letting the rhythm of the ride guide his thoughts. “It’s where I hear Him clearest,” he said. “No distractions. Just sky and Spirit.” The Grieving Rider : After losing her h...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Gospel According to Gus: A Tail of Loyalty and Laughter”

  Here’s a faith-infused blog post celebrating canine loyalty and laughter—with a curated list of references to support the themes and anecdotes: 🐾 “The Gospel According to Gus: A Tail of Loyalty and Laughter” In the dusty corners of our frontier town, Gus the dog was more than a companion—he was a sermon in fur. With ears like flopped hymnals and a bark that echoed through the chapel walls, Gus reminded us that joy and loyalty are divine gifts, often delivered on four legs. He greeted congregants with tail-thumping grace, fetched Bibles with reverence, and once photobombed a wedding portrait with such gusto that the bride declared it “a blessing in disguise.” Gus didn’t just live among us—he ministered to us. Scripture tells us, “A cheerful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22), and Gus was our town’s pharmacist. His antics—baptizing himself in the horse trough, stealing meat pies from the church picnic, and chasing squirrels like they were agents of chaos—brought laughter tha...
Post a Comment
Read more