Miracle Moments
Brought to you by: Community Partner Molly Maid of Birmingham, mollymaid.com/birmingham
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
The heart of Big Oak Ranch is family — walking through everyday life together and helping every child know they are loved. Children and families from across Big Oak Ranch — including the Boys’ Ranch, Girls’ Ranch, Communities, and ASCEND — gather in small ways throughout the year. But four times each year, our entire Ranch family comes together for special traditions: Christmas, the rodeo, the beach trip, and Summer ONE. These are highlight moments that give everyone the opportunity to reconnect, celebrate, and remember they are part of one larger family.
During the year, life is filled with graduations, summer family trips, and the routines of school. Summer ONE is a chance for everyone from both Ranches to slow down, connect, and enjoy being together before the school year begins again and normal rhythms return. We make memories laughing, worshiping, sharing meals, playing color wars and kickball, and enjoying being part of the larger Big Oak Ranch family. Special things happen when we gather together. There’s no script for it, but the Lord moves in beautiful ways — through children choosing to follow Jesus, kids realizing they belong, teenagers having the chance to simply be teenagers, and contagious moments of laughter. Connection and trust deepen in these moments together, helping make our families strong. They remind every child that our bigger Ranch family is one and that they are part of something bigger — a family and community that knows them, loves them, and is there for them as they begin to see the purpose God has placed in their lives.
Boys’ Ranch Houseparents Zach and BJ McLean shared, “Now we live within a community, within a family, that shares the same understanding and longing for this life. A family of people who stand beside us, as we were never made to do it alone.” As Big Oak Ranch continues to grow, our desire remains the same — to stay a close-knit family where every child feels seen, supported, and deeply connected. The time spent together during Summer ONE helps launch our children into a new school year with confidence. It becomes an anchor, reminding them they are not alone. No matter what changes the coming months bring, they can walk steadily and confidently with family by their side and the Lord leading them forward. These are the moments that strengthen our Ranch family and give every child the confidence to keep moving forward toward the full life God desires for them.
-Big Oak Ranch
