Category Archives: informational

The Heart Behind STS Ranchwear

 

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THE SMITH FAMILY

 

For those of you that know me at all, you know I spend a lot of time on Facebook.  I have  been introduced to a lot of wonderful friends, ministries and businesses.  I was scrolling through my page one day and found STS Ranchwear on my Facebook  The first thing that caught my eye was the cross.  I believe in supporting Christian Businesses with all my heart so when you mix the Cowboy Lifestyle and that together you have won my heart over for sure!!

 

I started following STS Ranchwear and I realized they are way more than a clothing line.  STS is about sharing Stran and Jennifer Smith’s Faith with others through their own lives.  You will find Ranchwear, Fashion tips, Recipes, Fitness tips and Testimonies of God’s love on their website and Social Media.  We all need encouragement from one another and I sure know I need help with fitness and fashion.  LOL…..

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I am all about Dreams and encouraging others in theirs.  This is one of my favorite things about STS and the heart of Stran and Jennifer Smith.

 

THE HEART BEHIND STS RANCHWEAR

Jennifer and Stran Smith are best known for their long standing careers in professional rodeo. Stran has 11 Wrangler National Finals Qualifications and was the 2008 World Champion Tie-Down Roper. He is best known for overcoming hardships in and out of the arena.

Jennifer was Miss Rodeo America and worked as a television correspondent in the western & equine industry for 15 years for networks such as ESPN, CBS Sports, and Outdoor Channel. Jennifer also spends time as a designer and consultant in the Western fashion industry.

What is not highly publicized is their background in ranching. Stran and Jennifer strive to carry on Stran’s 4th generation ranch in Tell, Texas. When not on the road, Stran, Jennifer, and 3 children, Stone, Scout, and Selah raise Black Angus cattle on the family ranch.

 

I am very honored to share with you a few questions and answers  with Stran and Jennifer.  A look into their heart and Dreams.

What inspired you to begin STS Ranchwear?

The combination of growing up on a 4th Generation ranch and spending the last 20 years in the rodeo and western fashion industry, we have an idea about what we want in Ranchwear. When we went looking for it, there was nothing on the market quite like what STS Ranchwear is today.  Our partner, Chad Fairchild with Carroll Original Wear has spent years perfecting the quality of outwear and sourcing quality leathers that fit the true western buyer’s standards.

The handbags were a vision of passion as well.  I wanted to create a line of bags that not only utilized luxurious leathers and western design, but also had all the organizational needs of today’s western woman.

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What is your vision and targeted audience for each of your blogs? 

We love EVERYTHING about the western life that we are so blessed to have been raised in. We feel it’s important to honor a legacy of the true working cowboy and family life, educating on skills, equipment, livestock, and wildlife. We, more importantly, strive to emphasize the principals that this country was built on:  HONOR and INTEGRITY while being TRUE to your faith, your family and yourself.   Anyone that is or just wants to be cowboy can find great stuff on STSRanch.com.

http://stsranch.com/strans-blog/

http://stsranch.com/jens-blog/

 

How has faith played a role in your family, being on the road rodeoing and running a business?  

In every way, Faith is the center of our life.  In every venture in our life, whether it’s rodeo, ranch, and especially our family we want to be in God’s will.  We wouldn’t attempt to do anything with out His confirmation… not just in our business, but in every part of our life.

 

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What three tips could you offer to tell us how to stay focused Spiritually, Mentally and Physically?

A goal without a plan is just a wish.  It is very important to have a plan so you know what direction to go.  Write down your goals and look at them often. Be consistent and stay the /coarse.  It is a marathon, not a sprint.  It is so important for us to have a Purpose in our goals beyond “us.” Like we’ve said, if God is at the center of everything you do, you have a bigger purpose and responsibility in obtaining your goals.  You never know who is looking up to you or who you will inspire in the meantime.  Stran said it best in his interview when he won the World Championship.  If your heart is still beating than God’s has a plan for your life.

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Thank you STS Ranchwear (Stran and Jennifer)  for this great interview.

 

To learn more about STS Ranchwear and Stran and Jennifer Smith please check out their website below and be sure to follow them on Facebook.

 

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CLICK HERE TO ENTER STS RANCHWEAR

Dream Catcher 3:20

Cassie Gilman

 

 

 

Wondering Where To Place Your Trust?

Have you been through heart aches, disappointments, relational let downs? Are you at a point where your not sure who to trust? You might even be to the point you no longer trust your own self, your own judgments calls and your own decisions.

I have been thinking a lot about trust today! I have been through all the things above. I have made wrong choices and let myself down as well as others letting me down. These experiences make it so easy to build up walls. To walk away from anything or anyone who might hurt me. To run from any chance I would let anyone down. I know that this place of wondering where trust is to be placed is something we all go through.

What is the answer you say? Trust no one! Don’t even trust yourself! What? You say! Listen to me hear me out. Trust is meant to be placed in one person only. GOD!

When you read through the word you never read trust in man. You find over and over where He says things like TRUST in ME!! Lean not to your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? Psalm 56:4

The reason we are to put our trust in God is He can never fail you!

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:8

So now how do you move forward? How do you have healthy relationships? How do you know you can make right decisions?

You trust God who lives in others! You trust God who lives in you.

What does He tell you to do where others are concerned?
He says LOVE one another as I HAVE LOVE YOU! John 13:34.
The way you and I do this is because we trust God within us and within others to make the wrongs right.

Love always trumps. It trumps your past bad decisions! Love trumps fear! It trumps past hurts and it opens the door for a great future.

God is LOVE!!
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8

And He says
11 For I (LOVE) know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

So today if your wondering where to put your trust remember TRUST GOD AND LOVE PEOPLE!

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalms 91:1-2 | NIV

Dream Catcher 3:20
Cassie Gilman

Interview with Tommy Brandt

I have been listening to Tommy Brandt for awhile now.  I have always loved his music.  Tommy is one of the top Christian Country artist out there.  His music has a true sound of Country Music with Lyrics of Christ Love.

I had been following Tommy on social media for awhile when I got to meet him this last November at the ICM Awards Week.  You know sometimes we anticipate what someone will be like in person when all we know is the media side of them.  I can tell you that Tommy’s heart is big and full of God’s Love.  I attended a Session at the ICM week where Tommy and a few other artist talked to us about how to remain a Christian with what we face in this world of Ministry today.  I watched Tommy share from his heart of situations where he faced hurts in his ministry.  I watched as he spoke and all I saw was a real man with a heart after God. More than ever in today’s world these are the kind of role models we need out there in the music industry

Interview with Tommy Brandt!!

Tommy Brandt is a gifted singer/songwriter who has spent the last twelve years touring the country spreading his down home message of faith, hope, and love through music, testimony and stories about his own life. In that time he has become a leader in his field winning multiple Inspirational Country Music Awards including “New Artist of the Year” in 2004 and “Male Vocalist of the Year” five times. He also was honored by the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2010 with a “Visionary Award” for his contributions to Christian Music using Inspirational Country Music with lyrics that encourage Faith, Family and Country. This Florida boy has the unique distinction in his genre to have had his first 16 singles top the Christian Music Charts. Tommy’s newest album was just released and is receiving great reviews nationally. His latest project titled “Praise Hymn” speaks for itself.

 

 

How long have you been singing Country and Inspirational Country Music?

Tommy:  I started out singing Country music back in the 90s with a band called “New South”. In 1997 I rededicated my life to Christ and began singing Christian Country Music and in 2003 made a full time career in the ministry.

What artist would you say has influenced your music the most?

Tommy:  There have been many great influences along the way, but if I had to narrow it down to one it would have to be Garth Brooks. The way that he not only entertains, but communicates with his audience is phenomenal! I want to sit in front of a crowd of 2 people, or 20,000 people and make them feel like it’s a one on one concert. “Making a Difference one song at a time”. Other influences include Kenny Hinson, Del Way, Hank Williams Jr, and Eric Church.

 What was your first song to hit the air waves? And which station started your adventure on air?

Tommy:  I released “No Turning Back” in 2003 and had my first #1 single with it. The first time that I heard it live on the air was on Powersource Top 20 Radio Show. It’s still one of my favorite songs to sing in concert.

 What would you say was the defining moment in your music ministry that you knew that this was what you wanted to do?

Tommy:  My first Christian concert was at a small Methodist Church in Okeechobee Florida where I led an elderly man to Christ. I didn’t really know how to give and invitation, or really how to lead someone to the Lord, but I poured out my heart and asked if anyone wanted what I had experienced with Christ and it happened. With calloused hands and tears rolling down his wrinkled face we held hands and prayed together. I knew this is what I was supposed to do with the rest of my life.  

 What motivates you to keep going when your tired?

Tommy:  It’s always that one lost soul that gives their heart to Christ that makes it all worth it and motivates me to keep on going.

Do you have any new projects in the making?

Tommy:  I just completed a new project called Praise Hymn. It’s a double CD box set with Praise and Worship songs on one CD and Hymnal songs on the other. We’re excited about the reviews that it is receiving.

What’s your current single on the air waves that we might hear?

Tommy:  I have a version of “Unclouded Day” out to radio now and am getting ready to release one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever recorded and written called “Broken”.

Do you write any of your own songs?

Tommy:  I write the majority of the songs that I sing. Although, when I hear a song that really moves me I am happy to record it.

What is your personal favorite out of all the songs you have recorded or sing?

Tommy:  Definitely the song I mentioned earlier “Broken”. I recently wrote this song as a testimony about my life.

Can you share one of your funniest memories of Singing on stage or while recording?

Tommy:  I had broken 3 ribs the day before a 3 day revival where I was preaching and singing. The pain was excruciating! Just before service I took a pain pill that I had never tried before that the Doctor had prescribed and literally had an outer body experience on stage. I was singing for the offering and wrote my own offering song as I was singing it. It was hilarious! It was like I was standing in front of myself watching in amusement as I played guitar and came up with comical lyrics on the fly. I wished that it would have been on video.

What is your favorite scripture and what does it mean to you?

Tommy:  Jeremiah 29:11. It gives me the promise of hope and a future no matter what I’m going through.

Can you tell me a little about Beyond Music Productions?

Tommy:  My wife Michelle and I felt led to begin mentoring young artists getting started in the music ministry about 5 years ago. There are so many talented youth out there ready to serve the Lord but have no idea what to do or how to follow their calling. We want to be there to lead them through the steps to achieve their goals and calling without all of the pitfalls that the music industry presents. We currently have 12 artists that we’re working with and really enjoy watching them grow.

What is your vision to work with today’s youth in the music industry?

Tommy:  Our vision is to have workshops across the country to train and mentor artists as we travel.

 

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Click here to learn more about Tommy Brandt

Thank you Tommy for this interview.

 

Dream Catcher 3:20

Cassie Gilman

 

http://getsalty513.com/

Get Salty!

One of my favorite things in life is to promote others dreams, purposes, ministries and businesses.  I was looking through my feed on Facebook and saw a page called Get Salty!  I stopped and decided to take a look.  I had once done a teaching on being the salt of the earth and the different uses of salt.  God tells us to be the Salt of the Earth in Matthew 5:13.  As I read the about section for Get Salty I realized this was their founding scripture.

I entered a contest on Facebook and won a t shirt with Get Salty’s logo and was so excited.  I asked them to change the size of the shirt so I could give it as a gift to a special friend.  When I received their reply they said they would just send me two.  When I opened my box they blessed me with 4 t shirts.  I was able to bless two other people and get their brand and their vision out there for others to see.

I am so excited to share their vision with you.

GET SALTY!

As a team roper and coming from a ranching family I have heard the slang “Salty” from my granddad down to my dad as describing someone that is good at something. As I was competing at a roping a pro team roper JOJO Lemond ran a super fast time and out of my mouth comes …”that cat is salty”. As I get home I tell my wife that I want to start a rodeo apparel, GET SALTY.  As my wife is a very devout Christian she says sure, but only if it glorifies God. Keep in mind that before I met my wife 13 years ago my life was black and white. I thought life was grand chasing the hwy and hitting all the rodeos I could… Boy was I wrong. She showed me what life was like in color as she introduced me to truly knowing the Lord. As she stated there are several verses in the bible referring to SALT she was reading the bible and came across MATT 5:13 ” Ye Are The SALT of The Earth…” We both thought that was very fitting to our clothing line. As we sell and explain our product we let them know both meanings of GET SALTY…describing ones God given talent and Biblical Reference MATT 5:13 ye are the Salt of the earth… We do not put the entire verse as we hope people will have the curiosity to open the Bible and read further than the remainder of Matt 5:13.
Our vision for Get Salty is to produce a trendy clothing line that will help spread the message of the Lord and praying it leads people to Christ.
Thank you all so much for sharing your vision with me.
Y’all be sure to check out their website and go like their Facebook page.  Order your Get Salty apparel today.
Click on the Photo below to go directly to their website.
http://getsalty513.com/Thank You all so much for sharing your vision with me.
Dream Catcher 3:20
Cassie Gilman

Interview with Steve Roberson

Interview Steve Roberson
Steve Roberson

While doing some PR for Carol Hogner I started listening to and following HLE Radio. I heard a song called Jesus Was A Rebel. I fell in love with that song. Sometimes we can get so caught up in stuffy old religion and forget that Jesus didn’t go with the flow.  Jesus hung out with the Rebels and outcast. He took His Light to them.

 

I friend requested Steve Roberson in October 2013. I realized then he has such a sweet heart and wants people to see the fun loving side of Jesus. Throug out this last year I have watched his Social Media post and peoples interaction with him. This Novemebr I traveled with Carol Hogner to the ICM Awards in Nashville and was blessed to meet Steve in person. Steve is just as personable and fun in person as he is on Social Media. I asked him if he would participate in my interview for my blogs. I’m so glad he said yes.

I hope you enjoy getting to know a little more about Mr. Steve Roberson. Be sure to check out the links I’ve inserted into this blog to listen to his music and follow him on social media.

Bio:  Diversity is the word that comes to mind when the name Steve Roberson comes up. Steve grew up in Montgomery, Alabama with the sounds of Elvis, Buddy Holly, The Rolling Stones, Hank Williams and Tom T Hall flowing through the speakers of his momma’s orange suitcase record player! He had a love for great music of all genres, and you can tell when you hear Steve’s music
Steve is on the road full time performing at venues such as fairs, festivals, rodeo’s, and churches all across the country, and is also a staff songwriter at Oden’s Row Publishing in Nashville, Tennessee. He has had numerous cuts in Southern Gospel, Christian Country and Mainstream Country Music.
2014 has proved to be a successful year for Steve, as he has been blessed with three number one songs on several Independent Country and Christian Country Charts, including the ever popular “Jesus Was A Rebel” and current chart topper “Letting Angels Down Easy”.

INTERVIEW: With STEVE ROBERSON 

 

Q.How long have you been singing Country and Inspirational Country Music?

Steve:  I’ve been singing Country Music all of my life it seems! After I got saved and in church in 2005, I thought that the country side of music was over for me. I knew very little about Gospel Music, but I was asked to audition for the lead singer position in a Southern Gospel Quartet based out of Clanton, Alabama. I sang with “The Samaritans” for about four years. Then for almost another year with “Broken Vessels”. Then in the summer of 2006, we were booked to sing at an outdoor festival near Montgomery, Alabama. And that is where I was introduced to Christian Country Music! Tommy Brandt and Danny Ray Harris were the headliners for this event and I was in heaven! I’m sure that I asked those two guys a thousand questions that day! I ended up with both of their CD’s and Danny even gave me some of his tracks to sing with. In 2012, Danny would also introduce me to playing in Cowboy Churches around the country while we toured together for a year as “The Southern Boys”. I’m forever grateful to Danny, Tommy and everyone else who has had a hand helping me on my musical journey!

 

Q. What artist would you say has influenced your music the most?
Steve:  WOW! That’s a loaded question!! Where do I start? There are so many that I could truthfully say, but I’ll narrow it down to a few. I always loved the smooth, powerful voice of Travis Tritt. He’s still one of my heroes in music. The great Marty Raybon is another! I still get chills hearing him and Shenandoah sing “The Moon Over Georgia”!. The other is Scott Roberts of Broken Vessels. There are so many artists on stage nowadays that in my opinion, are trying to put on a show for the sake of entertaining someone. Scott doesn’t have to do that because he is real. He truly wants God to use him to make a difference in the life’s of others, and it shows through on stage. And I’m thankful for the difference that he has made in my life!

 

Q. What was your first song to hit the air waves? And which station started your adventure on air?
Steve:The first one would be with The Samaritans. We did a song called “Joy In The Morning” that got some local airplay at Gospel Station WKLF in Clanton, Alabama. The first one for me as a soloist was a song that I wrote with my brother Frankie called “Pretty, Pretty Angels”, also at WKLF.

 

Q. What would you say was the defining moment in your music ministry that you knew that this was what you wanted to do?
Steve:  Defining moment?…. I don’t think that I can recall one. I’ve just always known that this was it for me!

 

Q. What motivates you to keep going when your tired?
Steve:  There are people out there in the world that are hurting, and I believe that God can use me, and the music that He gives me to reach them, ease their pain and lead them to Him.

 

Q. Do you have any new projects in the making?
Steve:  Yep, a new CD packed with Crank Down Christian Country, and Positive Country is due out in late January with a new radio release to go along with it!

 

Q. What’s your current single on the air waves that we might hear?
Steve:   “Letting Angels Down Easy” written by Randy Finchum and Chuck Oden is still going strong at Independent Country Radio and almost a year after it’s radio release, “Jesus Was A Rebel” (Finchum-Gibson) is still one of the most requested song at a lot of stations! And let’s not forget about “God Gave His Gift To Me” (Finchum-Batts-Roberson) My Christmas single.

 

Q. Can you share one of your funniest memories of Singing on stage or while recording?

Steve:WOW again! I have a lot to choose from! It has to be the time when I was singing at an old country church somewhere in Georgia. The church was in serious need of major repair and stage floor was very unstable to say the least! And to make things worse, I was weighing in at around the 400 lb mark! The service was almost over when the floor busted open and I fell through it into the baptismal tank, a tank that the church had no idea was there! Here’s the funny part. The Pastor said that they had been praying that The Lord would provide them with a way to baptize their church folks! I guess that The Lord does indeed work in mysterious ways!

 

 

Thank you Steve Robberson for this great interview!!!

To contact Steve for your next event….
205-924-9397

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/steverobersonmusic

www.twitter.com/@1steveroberson

 

Above and Beyond

Dream Catcher 3:20

Cassie Gilman