Have you ever felt like your dreams have been delayed?

Maybe you've prayed, worked hard, stayed faithful, and still found yourself wondering, "God, when will it be my turn?" That question became the heart of a powerful Faith Conversation between host Sarah Rose and barrel racer, horsewoman, educator, and entrepreneur Sue Karges. 

Together they explored the tension between pursuing God-given dreams while learning to trust His perfect timing. Their conversation is one every dreamer needs to hear.

When God's Timeline Looks Different Than Yours

Sue describes her life with two simple words: "Delayed purpose.

"From waiting nearly forty years to become a mother, to decades of pursuing her dream of competing at the highest levels of barrel racing, Sue has learned that God's timing rarely matches our own.

After years of infertility, Sue and her husband had finally saved enough money to pursue in vitro fertilization. Before taking that step, they prayed and came to a difficult decision—they would trust God completely with whether they were meant to have a child. Instead, they used their savings to buy broodmares. Two months later, Sue discovered she was pregnant. At nearly forty years old, she became the mother she had prayed to be. Looking back, Sue doesn't see disappointment. She sees divine timing. God wasn't delaying His promise. He was preparing His purpose.

Success Isn't Always What We Think

Like many barrel racers, Sue dreamed of qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo. As a teenager competing for Miss Rodeo America, she promised herself she would return within five years as an NFR barrel racer. Fifty years later...The dream still lives. But something has changed. Today Sue realizes that chasing the dream was never supposed to become more important than walking with Christ. As Sarah shared during the conversation:

"I don't want my peace connected to my time or my placing. I want my peace connected to Jesus."

What a powerful perspective. How often do we allow our joy to rise and fall based on results? One great run...One tipped barrel...One promotion...One rejection...One opportunity...One missed opportunity...When our identity becomes attached to success, our peace disappears the moment circumstances change. But when our identity is rooted in Christ, we can celebrate every opportunity He gives us—whether we win or not.

Horses Reveal What's in Our Hearts

One of the beautiful themes throughout the conversation was how horses reflect what's happening inside us. Sue shared that horses respond to our peace. They feel our confidence. They sense our anxiety. They know when we're joyful. Sarah added that before entering the arena she often simply repeats: "Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus." Instead of focusing on fear, she shifts her attention toward gratitude. Instead of carrying pressure, she invites Jesus into the ride. What if we approached every challenge that way? Not just barrel racing...But business. Relationships. Parenting. Ministry. Every arena of life.

Sometimes the Setback Is the Setup

Sue told another remarkable story. Just as she believed she was finally entering the season she'd dreamed about, she fell from a haystack while feeding horses and shattered her hip. Hip replacement surgery. Months of recovery. Another delay. Or so it seemed. During that season, something unexpected happened. Sue and her husband—who holds a PhD in animal nutrition—developed a horse feed that would eventually grow into their own company, Vision Equine Nutrition. Had she been traveling and rodeoing as planned. The company may never have existed. What looked like an interruption was actually God's invitation into another purpose. Sarah gently challenged Sue: "What if it isn't delayed purpose...what if it's divine timing? "What a beautiful reframe. How many things in our own lives have we labeled as delays when God simply calls them preparation?

• Psalm 37:4–5 — "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this."
• Proverbs 3:5–6 — "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
• Jeremiah 29:11 — "'For I 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.'"

Don't Make Winning Your Identity

One of the most impactful moments came when Sarah shared the story of professional steer wrestler Rope Myers. After reaching the highest levels of rodeo, God repeatedly asked him one question: "Are you happy now?" The answer surprised him. No Because happiness wasn't found in championships. It wasn't found in buckles. It wasn't found in recognition. It was found in Christ. That's a lesson every competitor—and every believer—needs to hear. There is nothing wrong with excellence. There is nothing wrong with chasing God-sized dreams. But our identity must never depend on achieving them.

Luke 10:19 — "I have given you authority... to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."

The Holy Spirit Goes Down the Alley Too

Toward the end of the conversation, Sue shared perhaps the most life-changing lesson she ever learned. Growing up in church, she knew about God. She knew about Jesus. But no one had ever taught her about the Holy Spirit. Years later, while attending a barrel racing clinic led by Lynn McKenzie at Kathy O'Brien's ranch, Sue discovered the incredible reality that the Holy Spirit doesn't simply visit us on Sundays. He lives within us. He rides with us into the warm-up pen. He goes down the alley with us. He convicts us. Comforts us. Guides us. Strengthens us. That revelation changed everything. Not because it filled her with condemnation—but because it filled her with companionship. She was never alone. Neither are we.

• John 14:26 — "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit... will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

What Are You Waiting For?

Perhaps you've been wondering why your dream hasn't happened yet. Maybe you're praying for healing. A child. A breakthrough. A new career. A restored relationship. Or maybe you're still chasing a dream God placed in your heart decades ago. Sue's story reminds us that God's timing is never late. Sometimes He delays what we want because He's preparing something greater than we could imagine. Your purpose has not expired. Your calling has not been forgotten. And your story isn't finished. As Sue beautifully prayed at the close of the conversation, may each of us experience "just a few moments of that peace that passes all understanding," allowing it to ripple outward into the lives of everyone we meet. Because that peace—not trophies, titles, or success—is what truly changes the world.

• Hebrews 12:1–2 — "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Connect with Sue Karges

Sue and her husband founded Vision Equine Nutrition, providing nutrition designed to help horses thrive through balanced, low-starch, performance-focused feeding. Website: https://ezvision.com