There's a couple in Argyle, Texas who rehabilitates animals like horses, goats, and any kind of animal that's had broken legs or something that would disqualify them from what that animal normally does. Of course, more than anything else, they rehabilitate horses. But here's the thing, once a horse has had a break of some sort, it is done racing.
In fact, it' still a very big issue as lots of horses are put down once they experience a break. But here's what this couple does. They take these animals and then they bring in kids who are suffering from that same sort of brokenness. This is specifically for kids who have been through some serious trauma and so they end up taking these rehabilitated animals and put the kids to work helping these animals. While the kids think they're helping the animals, it's actually the animals helping them! Throughout this process, they've found that these animals are tremendously beneficial to kids on the spectrum.
In fact, I realized that one woman actually works there because she herself had a traumatic brain injury when she was young. This place really has just given her a new lease on life. What I love about animals is most of the time, they can sense the extra need and they get the nurturing aspect going and as a result, it just ends up being a wonderful partnership.
However, in light of this story, I want to remind you of something. While the world looks at these animals and says, "nope, you're too broken," remember that it's their brokenness that makes them so valuable and the same is true for you. You may think that you are too broken to be of any use to anybody or even to the Lord. But I'm here to tell you that it's our very brokenness that will minister to people the most.
"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:10