MAXINE HARDER
STABLE HAVEN / EQUINE THERAPY MINISTRY
Maxine Harder grew up on a farm near Waldheim. At the age of 19, after attending Briercrest Bible College for one year, she married her high school sweetheart, Lance. They moved to the Lower Mainland of B.C. and lived there for more than 10 years. Their two daughters, Bailey and Willow were born in Chilliwack. In 2006, Lance and Maxine felt God telling them to move their little family back to Waldheim. In 2009, they started a construction company called Front Porch Design & Construction and have built many homes in the Waldheim area.
Maxine has always loved horses but never got to do anything with them despite growing up on a farm. Finally, she got the opportunity to take lessons together with her daughters. Not long after, Lance bought Maxine her first horse, Remington as an anniversary gift! Maxine knew God had a plan for her to use horses for His glory. She began volunteering at Redberry Bible Camp, helping with the horse program. She has been volunteering at camp as the Barn Mentor and serving on the board for the last five years. This is where the connection of horses and working with youth began.
Maxine grew up in a Christian home and is blessed to have a legacy of faith in her family history. She attended Redberry as a kid and it was there that she had a significant rededication of her faith in Jesus. She loves Jesus and loves how her faith gets deeper the longer she walks with Him. Sending her own kids to Redberry, and then working there together with them as they became staff, has been an incredible opportunity to serve God in her life. It was at Redberry where she discovered how God uses horses to minister to hurting teen girls and show them Jesus’ love.
Maxine lives on a ranch with her husband. They have a menagerie of animals, most notably horses and highland cattle. They love having people out to their ranch and Maxine, especially, enjoys sharing her horses with others, including a few girls she knows through camp that come out to ride. Lance and Maxine became empty nesters in 2019 and Maxine was wondering what the next chapter of her life would look like. She needed a job but felt called to ministry. It was through a conversation with good friends, Kim and Barb Worthington, that God began to plant seeds for her to come work at Youth For Christ. Over the next year, God undoubtedly confirmed this calling.
Maxine is beyond thrilled to be starting an equine therapy ministry called Stable Haven. She looks forward to seeing the many ways God will work!
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”