The Rancher’s Daughter Story
“The main thing to avoid being a casualty is simply this: to have a kind of intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ whereby you’re able to hear God speak to your heart, you’re sensitive to what He’s saying to you to do, and that you’re willing to be obedient to Him. ”
It Started with a Thought
Rancher’s Daughter, I thought. I opened my eyes to see the sun just starting to rise outside my bedroom window. Still tired, I rolled over in an attempt to go back to sleep.
Rancher’s Daughter…there it was again. What is that, I wondered. Lord, is that from you?
Sunrise at the Livingston Ranch
It was March 25, 2023, and I was home—living in the same ranch house I grew up in. I looked out the window toward the creek, still unsure why those words had planted themselves so firmly in my spirit.
It is no secret I grew up on a Colorado ranch, and by the grace of God I was able to live there again as an adult. In May of 2020, my husband, two-year-old son, and I moved into the two-story white house where I grew up.
The White House, we call it, was built shortly after the Civil War, with a Welch family building the big addition around 1901. Within the addition, they built a small room upstairs, much like a closet, but I called it the library. It held shelves of books, and it had a small platform where I could write. This room was in the very heart of the home. Some might call it a prayer closet.
Near the time we moved, I began to have serious complications with my second pregnancy. I now know God was leading me on a season of surrender and obedience, as I left my career as a banker in 2021. Leaving was a sacrifice, but it blessed me with time; time on the ranch with my two young boys and time to rest. It also allowed me to discover creativity I didn’t realize existed.
During our years on the ranch, I began to write regularly. Each morning, I’d make a cup of coffee and quietly go upstairs to the library, where I would read the Bible, pray, and journal.
Journaling has become one of the most important aspects of my walk with God. It not only documents the things he is putting on my heart, but it also reminds me of his faithfulness. When I go back and read the entries from 2021 to 2024, I see how consistently He was prompting me: Write.
The White House
Meet Remi - the ranch dog.
In my journal entry on March 25, 2023, I wrote, “God has been calling me to write. Does the Rancher’s Daughter have something to do with it?”
In February of 2024, I found myself standing in a cozy coffee shop in Shell Knob, Missouri. As I waited for my cup of coffee, I roamed about the store and noticed a little sign that read: Grit and Grace. I snapped a photo and thought, I like that. My greatest regret now is not purchasing the sign, but little did I know it would soon become the name of my blog and very first book.
Writing Turned into a Calling
In March of 2024, one year after hearing Rancher’s Daughter, I felt God say: Kari, write a manuscript.
Unsure what a manuscript was, I Googled it: A manuscript is a written or typewritten document, especially the original version of an author’s work submitted for publication.
An author – Ha! God, you’re funny. It felt like a stretch.
Though it felt daunting, I started. It was then that I began to turn my morning journal entries into something that could be shared, each one with a verse, a story, and a call to action. A consistent theme began to emerge: ranch life, hard work, and learning to give yourself grace.
At the same time, I began taking small steps in faith. I reserved the Rancher’s Daughter handles on social media. By what felt like divine timing, I was able to purchase ranchersdaughter.com—ironically owned by a Colorado ranch woman. In November 2024, the Grit and Grace manuscript was accepted, and I signed with a publisher. By January 2025, I had launched the Rancher’s Daughter website and the Grit and Grace blog.
In just two years, what started as an early morning whisper has grown into a blog, a book, and a brand.
Why It Matters
When I feel prompted to write or share a story, I sense God calling me to be a vessel—to speak to someone who needs encouragement. Not every blog will speak to every person, but sometimes you’ll feel like one was written just for you. That’s not me. That’s God.
If my writing feels raw, that’s why. I’m not here to water anything down or try to appease the masses. I’m here to share what’s been placed on my heart—and I’m trusting it’ll land where it needs to.
Yes, I am a rancher’s daughter, but this brand is about so much more than where I came from.
And this? This is just the beginning.
What is God whispering to you?
Godspeed, my friend.
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“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
