Rachel Hanson-McBride

CRM Customizer

HOMETOWN: Bend, OR

Hey there, friends. It is a bit odd to introduce myself to all of you in this way. Since there are such a variety of reasons you may be reading these words, I am not sure that I can speak to every question in these short paragraphs. Still, I want to encourage you with a few thoughts from my life here at the ranch.

When I was a teen, I remember asking God what He wanted me to do with my life. I heard Him say, “I want you to use horses to show My love to children.” Over a year later I heard about Crystal Peaks and I remembered what God had told me many months before. That moment began my history with the ranch, and, on a deeper level, a relationship with a group of people I love dearly.

At this point, I have been working at the ranch for almost half of my life. Though it is my job, it is also the place I go to be with “family.”  

The ranch environment is a different world from any program or job I have ever been involved with before. This work is rarely easy, it isn’t even always fulfilling. The one thing it HAS been, again and again, is a tool God uses to teach me to love genuinely, trust Him fully, and live obediently.

What is something that you are passionate about doing outside of Crystal Peaks?

Well, I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and an amazing daughter. Though my time at the ranch has introduced me to many outdoor adventures I truly enjoy, nothing compares to the depth and challenge of learning to love and be loved by your own family. 

What is one of the craziest or most fun things you have done on the ranch or w/ the ranch on a trip?

Years back, Kim took the entire staff to Castle Crags State Park. Apparently Kim hiked the “dome” for fun when she was a kid, having grown up in that area. Though this story may be lost on those of you who have not seen the dome, let me tell you, not very many people would dare scramble up the beast. Innate fear keeps most logical souls from the undertaking. However, listening to fear is not really Kim’s thing.  

She led all who were willing up the slippery dome . . . through steep inclines, thousand-foot drop-offs, slippery gravel and the like. That short and dangerous hike was probably one of the most exhilarating, semi-suicidal, and crazy things I have ever done. Certainly the view from the top was phenomenal, but the real beauty of the hike was learning basic truth through real life experience—if you listen to fear it will hold you FAR back from your ultimate potential. Thanks Kim for helping to drill this truth into my head that day!