Growing up in the secluded Adirondack Mountains, Randi remembers racing the countryside's beautiful terrain on horseback. The most difficult run, an old, hilly, logging road covered over with slippery pine needles, was a place where horse and rider were tested, where a fistful of mane and a heart full of trust kept horse and rider together in the havoc of hooves. This first glimpse of the narrow passage under the shadow of looming evergreens was the green flag whipping in the wind-a signal challenging them to run The Dark Stretch together. When the love of her life, Graham, took her hand in marriage and learned the ways of the horseman, Randi had life by the reins. As ranch horsemanship director, she loved instructing children, working with the horses and coordinating the ranch rodeo. Still, some things were outside of her control. On July 30, 2010, just before her 7th wedding anniversary, Randi watched helplessly as her husband and his horse slammed to the arena floor in a rodeo accident. As Graham lay in a coma with a traumatic brain injury and with nothing but bad news coming from the doctors and machines, Randi painstakingly retraced the steps of her own training and grappled for the courage to face the difficult run before her. Just as she'd watched her husband lovingly teach the horse to trust him as trainer, God did the same for her, teaching her to give up control and listen for His direction as she plodded into this new Dark Stretch. The hundreds who saw the accident in the arena and the thousands who followed the story on social media will find new depth of insight as Randi gives a soul-searching account of her transformation and shares all that God showed her in the shadow of death. This story will inspire you to allow God to have His way with you, even if it means facing your own Dark Stretch.
About the Author: Randi Stump was born and raised into the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. She was always most comfortable on the back of a horse and soon realized a career with these animals was her calling. She received a degree in Equine Science and Management from SUNY Morrisville and soon married the love of her life, Graham. While serving as Horsemanship Director at the Word of Life Ranch she taught children, teens and young adults the art of horsemanship. Life took a dramatic turn when on July 3oth, 2010, Graham was involved in a rodeo accident with his horse resulting in a traumatic brain injury. As Graham lay in a coma, Randi took to social media to help deal with the continual devastating news of her husband's prognosis. After several months of extensive therapy and a final release to continue on at home, Graham and Randi remain steadfast in their faith and trust in their Lord Jesus Christ. Living with the continual side-effects of a brain injury: the struggle, the humor, the day in and day out grind of dealing with it all is why Randi continues to write and blog. Her faith through the 'storms' of this life have proven to not only herself, but all those who follow her: this relationship we have with Jesus is more real than ever! Graham and Randi reside together in Schroon Lake, New York with their three children, Wyatt, Keith and Fallon. They lead a simple and quiet life in the woods where they enjoy their horses, dogs and all the mountains have to offer.