Choices and Horses

Since my gratitude post was less than popular, I'll go again to Jake's unusual behavior.  This week we were able to go to horse therapy at Hoofbeats To Healing in Palmyra Utah.  Jake was so mad last Saturday he ran away three times, only did 75% of his jobs, and raged in front of a bunch of people.  He usually saves his rages for me. Then after having to restrain him in the barn he just shifted into compliance.  He later told me that he just decided to shift into his "trust brain" because he "just knew he wasn't going to win while being held"  HALLELUJAH!
This is the lesson I have worked for these past few months!  He just knew that I was powerful enough for him and that he could chose to be obedient.  This brought to light the fact that within all of this therapy Jake ultimately has a choice to be in his reactionary state using his "fear brain" or to calm himself down and use his reasoning or "trusting" brain.
To go back to the horse therapy, after Jake decided to shift his horse obeyed him completely!  It was amazing.  We have had Jake ride while he was mad or frustrated and the horse acted just like Jake, defiant and stubborn!  It's amazing how these horses can project the riders state of mind.  Jake has experienced in a real way how frustrating it is to deal with stubborn, uncontrollable things in his life.  It also calms him down and gives him the ability to stay in his reasoning "trust brain".
With all of the therapy we have been doing, Jake can still chose to be fearful and angry.  He is in a constant testing mode, where he wants to see if we will be the same with him no matter what he acts like.  We have to stay the course for him!  We have to be the strength he needs before he can be strong himself.
The only way I can be constant for him is to pray to my Heavenly Father and always be worthy of his guidance and Spirit.  I also have to have the faith necessary to enact the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to help me become what is needed for Jake's healing.  It's the only way for me to become the kind of mother he needs me to be.  I know that God gives us strength to do hard things.  Our faith is nothing without the action behind it.  We have to be willing to do ALL that God commands us to do so that he can accomplish his will here on Earth.  I know God lives and loves us and knows us as well as we know our own children.  His son Jesus Christ atoned for our sins, sorrows and weaknesses.  In this power we can do all that is required of us!