I sat there on the wooden plank stadium-style seats that had been cut into the hillside, feeling strangely at ease despite the fact that I was out in the middle of nowhere, across the country from home, and surrounded by relative strangers. It was the summer after my sophomore year of college and through a divinely orchestrated series of events I had been hired to work at Lost Valley Ranch. I'd never laid eyes on the place before that day and unlike most of the other college-aged staff who surrounded me, I didn't really even know anyone who had worked here before or who had even been a former guest. Like I said, just my presence there was a mini-miracle in and of itself, and is another story all-together.

As I looked around at the rocky peaks that surrounded the valley we were nestled in, I remember marveling at the rich tones of the sky as day turned to dusk... how the remaining light of the day played on the mountains. Little did I know how much I would grow to love evenings spent sitting in this spot alongside Goose Creek. But that night, my very first night at the ranch, the purpose of the evening was to provide some initial orientation to prepare us for the summer ahead. After nervously singing along to 'Home on the Range' and a few others Lost Valley classics, Bob Foster Sr. took the stage and began sharing the tale of how he and his wife dreamed and prayed their way into owning this valley 50 years ago. And as I sat on that plank of wood, my eyes began to sting with tears because, in that moment, I felt the magnitude of how my life was all the sudden intersecting with the vision that had been cast those many years ago by one man. Somehow my life had just been plucked out of "just a fun summer adventure" and into the script of a much greater purpose... a purpose of creating a place and space for families to come have an unforgettable experience, and beyond that, a legacy of turning guests into friends and friends into family. God felt very real and very near in that moment of realization.

I think it's safe to say that I quickly fell in love, hard and fast, with Lost Valley and everything about it! I spent 3 summers and a full year living, working and breathing the mission of the Ranch. And no, LVR is not perfect, but I can safely say, it is the place that has had the greatest impact on my life. Everything from work ethic/attitude, learning how to live in a close knit community, seeing the humble effectiveness of servant leadership, making lifelong friendships, taking my relationship with God to new heights and depths, and of course the common thread that ultimately wove Ross and I together (although that took more than 6 years after the first summer we met!).

Over the course of the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of my favorites moments or memories from my time at the Ranch, so those of you who don't know anything about it, can hopefully get more of taste for this place that I hold so near and dear to my heart!

My goal is take on a long-time dream of creating a coffee table book that creates a beautiful visual and emotional tribute to the legacy of Lost Valley and the stories of the people whose lives have been profoundly impacted by the ranch. So what I'm asking is for YOUR story about Lost Valley Ranch. How did LVR impact you or your family? (There have been families going to the Ranch for 50 years, wow.) Anything from funny anecdotes to heart-felt dramatic stories of the role that this very special and unique place has played in your life. Please email them to me (amy.noon.free@gmail.com) with the subject line {Lost Valley Ranch} - and please oh please, help me spread the word!

Also, I will be starting to plan my cross country travels to photograph some of the people who submit their stories, so please let me know if you are interested in having me come to see you! Here are some of the places I am already planning to be:
Atlanta area
Nashville area
Indianapolis area
Kansas City area
Colorado Springs/Denver area
LA/San Diego area

** Some old film images that I scanned in! I'm in the top two...