J. Todd Vinson is the Founder and Executive Director of Willow Springs Boys' Ranch and
Jacob's Ladder Camps and Retreats in Chandler, OK.
Willow Springs Boys' Ranch provides a long-term home for boys who are displaced or whose families are in crisis. WSBR serves boys from across Oklahoma and the United States.
Jacob's Ladder Camps and Retreats strives to strengthen inter-personal relationships, develop character, leadership, and introduce the importance of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Jacob's Ladder facilitates groups for high school and college athletics, youth groups, service groups, prepares mission teams, couples and families retreats, rites of passage retreats, and corporate retreats.
Jacob's Ladders function is to help fund the mission of Willow Springs Boys Ranch.
Todd holds a B.A in Psychology and a Masters in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. Todd is a former Young Life staffer in Norman, OK. He also is a former Kanakuk Kamp counselor. Both of these organizations have had a profound influence on his life as he works with youth and families.
Todd and his wife, Jeannie, have been married for fourteen years and have four girls: Mattie, Ellie, Avery and Murphy. They are active members of Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond, OK.
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I was talking this weekend to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. They just got back from a conference in Germany. They shared this powerful story of Mike Guglielmucci, a person diagnosed with terminal cancer.
This video immediately made me think of a 17 year old young man in OKC. Ford, you got alot of people praying for you and your healing! Keep your eyes on Jesus and not the cancer.
What an awesome reminder that Jesus is bigger than cancer! Jesus is larger and more capable than anything that faces us today. Click on the link to watch the video on YouTube.
Her name was Mrs. Thompson. As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on
the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most
teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the
same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in
his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched
Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other
children that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath.
And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson
would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen,
making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
Continue reading "Making a Difference" »
I live in an amazing little town. A winter storm has hit Oklahoma today. Like everyone else I was at Wal Mart getting a few supplies. I was reminded tonight how amazing the people are in Chandler. It was sleeting and sticking to my truck as I pulled into icy parking lot. I parked next to several cars that were left running. No one was in them. The warm vehicles were staying ahead of the ice. I thought to my self, " Where else could you do this and your car be there when you returned?" The cars were still there when I went back to my frozen truck! I live in a great community full of great people. I wish I exercised the same measure of faith as the people parked next to me.
That trip to Wal Mart made me start thinking why I live where I live and why I do what I do. Deep thoughts for a trip to Wal Mart. It continually amazes me to see God at work in the lives of people through Willow Springs and Jacob's Ladder. I should expect it, but daily I am amazed by God.
My amazement is not based on great faith or my lack of faith in God. God is not limited by the amount of faith that I have. What a concept. God does not need me to work FOR Him. He does not need a CEO, Director of Development, a Publisist or a Spokes Person. However, He includes me in HIS work. He calls me to be available and obedient. He invites me along for the ride.
I have been reading about the life of George Muller for over ten years now. Muller is one of a handful of people whose life I strive to emulate. I discovered him in 1996, the year that I started WSBR.
Continue reading "Amazed by God" »
"All these exercises of my soul, which resulted from the fact that many believers, with whom I became aquainted, were harassed and distressed in mind, or brought guilt on their conscience, on account of not trusting in the Lord; were used by God to awaken in my heart the desire of setting before the Church at large, and before the world, a proof that He has not in the least changed; and this seemed to me best done by the establishing of an Orphan House. It needed to be something which could be seen, even by the natural eye. Now, if I, a poor man, simply by prayer and faith, obtained, without asking any individual, the means for establishing and carrying on: an Orphan House: there would be something which, with the Lord's blessing, might be instrumental in strengthening the faith of the children of God, besides being a testimony to the consciences of the unconverted, of the reality of the things of God. This, then, was the primary reason for establishing the Orphan House. I certainly did from my heart desire to be used by God to benefit the bodies of poor children, bereaved of both parents, and seek, in other respects, with the help of God, to do them good for this life;- I also particularly longed to be used by God in getting the dear Orphans trained up in the fear of God;-but still the first and primary object of the work was (and still is), that God might be magnified by the fact, that the Orphans under my care are provided with all they need, only by prayer and faith, without anyone being asked by me or my fellow-labourers, whereby it may seen, that God is FAITHFUL STILL, and HEARS PRAYERS STILL.
November 27th, 1835
George Muller
Continue reading "More of Muller and His Reasons to Establish an Orphanage" »
" I had constantly cases brought before me, which proved that one of the special thungs which the children of God needed in our day, was, to have their fath strengthened. I longed to have something to point to, as a visible proof, that our God and Father is the same faithful God as He ever was; as willing as ever He was; as willing as ever to prove Himself to be the LIVING GOD, in our day as formerly, to all who put their trust in Him. Sometimes I found children of God tried of mind by the prospects of old age, when they were unable to work any longer, and therefore were harassed by the fear of having to go into the poor-house. If in such a case I pointed out to them, how their Heavenly Father has always helped those who put their trust in HIm, though they might not always say that times have changed; yet it was evident enough, that God was not looked upon as the LIVING GOD. My spirit was ofttimes bowed down by this, and I longed to set something before the children of God, whereby they might see, that He does n ot forsake, even in our day, those who rely upon Him. Also I longed to be instrumental in strenghtening their faith, by giving them not only instances from the Word of God, of His willingness and ability to help akk those who rely upon Him, but to show them by proofs, that He is the same in our day. I well knew that the Word of God ought to be enough, and it was, by grace, enough for me; but still, I considered that I ought to lend a helping hand to my brethern, if by any means, by this visible proof of the unchangeable faithfulness of the Lord I might strengthen their hands in God; for I remembered what a great blessing in my own soul had received through the Lord's dealings with His servant A. H. Franke, who in dependence upon the LIVING GOD alone, established an immense Orphan House, which I had seen many times with my own eyes. I therefore, judged myself bound to be the servant of the Church of God, in the particular point on which I had obtained mercy; namely, in being aable to take God at His word and to rely upon it.
November 25th, 1835
George Muller
Every birthday as long as I can remember I got a red velvet cake for my birthday from my Grandma Fern. If you know anything about red velvet cakes, you know that they are hard to make. That’s probably what makes them taste so good! Something being hard never deterred my Grandma. Her life was hard. However, Grandma always seemed to find joy in the moment.
Continue reading "Red Velvet Cakes and Twenty Dollar Bills" »
"Men say Mr. Muller of Bristol is enthusiastic because he will gather seven hundred children and believe that God will provide for them. Believe me, Muller is not an enthusiast. He is only doing what should be the commonplace action of every Christian. He is acting upon a rule at which the world always scoff because it does not understand it. It is a system that always appears visionary and romantic to the weak judgement of sense but never appears so to the child of God. Muller acts not upon common sense but upon something higher than common sense-upon uncommon faith. Oh, the we had that uncommon faith to take God at His Word! He cannot and will not permit the man that trusts in Him to be ashamed or confounded."
Charles Spurgeon: Excerpt from The Power of Prayer in a Believer's Life
What giants are you facing?
The career that is long on hours and short on pay?
A spouse that has left you?
Car repair bills as high as the payments?
People who don't believe in you or your abilities. Now you are beginning to have the same doubts about yourself?
The children and family that you desperately want, but medical tests say it is not possible?
Your life's dream now begins to look more like a pipe-dream?
Continue reading "FACING THE GIANTS" »
I have been reading about the life of George Muller. His life has had a significant infuence on my faith and the work at WSBR.
In the introduction to the autobiography, Jim Elliff writes that George Muller knew what few understood-"God delights to show himself strong to those whose greatest aspiration is to demonstrate to the world that God is who he says He is."
Elliff goes on to say that "People do not care so much what you can do for God, but they desperately need to see what God will do for you."
Continue reading "God Is Who He Says He Is" »
While it is 105 degrees back home in Oklahoma, I am on family vacation at Seagrove Beach, Florida. The view and the solitude is amazing. This picture is the view from our balcony. Each night Jeannie and I walk with the girls along the beach looking for sea-shells and crabs. As it gets dark, you see flashlights all up and down the beach. Moms, Dads and kids with sandpales and nets in hand as they look for the big catch...little white crabs the size of quarters!
One night we had a bucket full. Quarter-sized, not super-sized. Last night, we were able to catch two that were large enough to fill our sand-bucket. I don't know who was more excited, the girls or me!
Continue reading "It Mattered to that One!" »
That is the question that Dick Liddell asked me ten years ago almost to the day. Little did I know the odessey that my answer would lead me on over the next decade.
I had wanted to start a ranch for boys who needed long-term care and open a camp. It was just a dream that my buddy Derin Carr and I had since our college days at the University of Oklahoma. I never thought it could actually happen. It was just a dream. Over the past five years that dream became a passion. I thought about it all the time. I did not want to do anything else. I had this passion since my days as a Kanakuk counselor and working on Young Life Staff.
Continue reading "So What do You Want to do with the Rest of Your Life?" »
My friend Sally with Faith Works of the Inner City told me a story about a man in OKC.
He told Sally, "I not always be a rake. Sally was not quite sure what he meant. "My father tell me not to be a rake. I not always be a rake. He say to me, be a shovel."
"I not always be a rake, Ms. Sally, one day I be a shovel."
Continue reading "Rakes and Shovels" »
Ellie turned six years old today. She had a beach party tonight at the Chandler City Pool. Ellie has waited for months for this day to come. You can not imagine all the planning that has taken place for "The Pool Party." When she woke up this morning the first thing she said was, "Is it time to get ready for the party?" Oh, the joys of being 6 years old!
Continue reading "The Pool Party" »
My hiking buddy, Skip Cannon took this picture without me last week while hiking the Horn Creek Trail outside Westcliffe, CO.
Continue reading "Embrace the Wilderness" »
I first met Sally Goin after the open house of the Liddell House. Sally worked with kids from Oklahoma City's inner-city. She told me a story about a boy named Miguel. He was in need of a safe environment out of the city where he could experience success. He became one of our first residents. He soon asked if his brother could join him.
Continue reading "Faith Works of the Inner City" »
I received a letter and pictures yesterday of one of our former boys. I had to share it. This fourteen year old boy wrote a letter to our boys at Willow Springs. This letter was unexpected and unsolicited.
He said, "life may be hard for you now, but one day you won't be at the ranch." When things get tough, the ranch will help you get through it. Remember why you are at the ranch. He quoted scripture saying that discipline is not fun for the moment but in the end it brings about life.
Continue reading "Life Beyond the Ranch: A Boy's Prespective" »
I had been on a tractor,brush-hogging for a couple of hours this morning, mowing grass and cutting thru the heat and humidity. I was hot and thirsty. It was 1p. I was suppose to be up at the Brick Square to meet with the guys.
The Ranch was meeting for our weekly Round UP. Our Program Director gave two guys a Gatorade cup. All the other guys were looking around wondering if they were going to get one. So was I. One cup was filled to the top. The other guy got a cup that was half-full. I was wishing that I had either one of them!
Continue reading " Half-Full" »
"What Do You Want to do the Rest of Your Life?" It is good to have an answer when someone asks you that question. That's the question that Dick Liddell asked me ten years ago. Uncle Dick is Jeannie's great uncle. He is "great" in so many ways. His heart is bigger than anyone else that I know. His heart for helping others is one of the reason that I am here at Willow Springs.
After hearing his question, I told said that I wanted to start a boys ranch and a camp. The next day, we were driving to Chandler, OK.
Continue reading "Vision" »
"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters." -- English Proverb
"It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." -- Anne Sexton
Father's Day was a great day. I was given a Nike watch from Jeannie and the girls. I was excited. I was in need of a new watch. I received a few other treasures today from my girls that are proudly displayed around the houses: a handprint made out of play-dough from Avery at church this morning;a "handcrafted Father's Day bookmark from Ellie along with a painted potted plant with flowers made of foam; and Mattie made me a one of a kind Father's Day card. Every card she makes me includes: Go OU somewhere on it. I've got her trained up right!
All my girls were so proud of their gifts and couldn't wait to give them. They waited as I opened them, watching my expression, if to say are you proud of me?
Continue reading "Father's Day" »
I have watched some amazing groups show up at Willow Springs and Jacob's Ladder over the past few weeks. All have volunteered their time on service projects. Here is a list of just a few of them: an electrician who has donated countless hours as he and a group of men have wired every building on our property; a fireman who invests most of his free-time to faciliate groups at camp and works to develop the property; a Friday morning businessmen's Bible Study from Edmond, OK; High School Student Leaders from Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian of Tulsa, OK; Students from Heritage Baptist Church from Oklahoma City.
These groups have rolled up their sleeves, put on their work gloves and have helped complete our gym. They have been clean up crews around the construction on the Henry and Yvonne Nicholes Graduate House, along with miles of weedeating and tree triming.
Their FAITH has been inspiring. Their work has been amazing!
Continue reading "Faith in Work Clothes" »
I have begun reading the book of Philemon. I never got past the introduction. Here is how it read in The Message by Eugene Peterson:
"Every movement we make in response to God has a ripple effect, touching family, neighbors, friends, community. Belief in God alters our language. Love of God affects daily relationships. Hope in God enters into our work. Also their opposites: unbelief, indifference, and despair. None of these movements and responses, beliefs and prayers, gestures and searches can be confined to the soul. They spill out and make history. If they don't, they are under suspicion of being fantasies at best, hypocrisies at worst. "
Continue reading "The Ripple Effect" »
Of all the conversations you have with someone throughout your life. It is funny the ones that you remember. Some of the smallest things have the largest impact. My grandmother, raised during the Depression, was full of funny sayings. Part of her life was full of sorrow, pain, and tragedy. However, she was full of hope, laughter, and joy to all who knew her.
Grandma Fern's life was characterized by investing in others. She did this even when it was not easy or convenient. Over the course of her life, Grandma battled with cancer: three types and six different episodes. Through it all however, she rarely complained.
Continue reading "Wrapped in Love" »
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