Rebecca Ondov never dreamt she'd become an inspirational writer; it blossomed out of her passion to inspire others to dive into adventures, so they would be empowered to lead fulfilling and exciting lives. It began out of her own extraordinary life. Fifteen years she rode her horse through the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex of Montana from May through December. Thirteen years of that she led groups of people on horseback, packing their gear on mules, through miles of rugged winding trails. The other two years she rode for the U.S. Forest Service as the Wilderness Ranger for the Scapegoat Wilderness. With her German shepherd trotting alongside, she roamed thousands of miles of mountain trails—alone—pulling her pack mule behind her. Often times, on the ten-day hitches she never saw another soul.
Through the years Rebecca developed a unique outlook on life. Each day proved simple—either she lived or she died. If she lived, then she tackled the next day’s adventures. “Believe me;” says Rebecca, “I developed tons of character as I encountered everything from grizzly bears to injured horses! Most of the time, I worked at least a two-day horseback ride from the nearest help. All I had to fix the situation were my wits and God—God always turned out to be my best bet.
In 1992 she felt led to enter a Guideposts writing contest even though she had no interest in writing—or talent, she thought. Then, out of 5400 manuscripts, she won. Guideposts flew her, along with 14 other winners, to an intensive week long all-expense-paid workshop, which was tutored by some of the top Christian Writers in the world. “The whole week I felt like a fish out of water, but I knew God would only ask me to do the impossible. Deep inside I knew I wanted to write words that would empower people to pursue exciting and fulfilling lives.”
In 2000 her children’s picture book, The Once In A Blue Moon Boot Bus, was released (Cook Communications). Her career also includes: writing for magazines, attending UCLA, and being accepted into the non-profit Christian organization Act One: Writing for Hollywood where she was privileged to study in New York City under their exclusive and intensive screen writing program. Currently she is writing a couple scripts.
Rebecca is honored to have been added as part of the Daily Guideposts 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 “family of writers.” Of course her devotionals are popular Western flavored stories of how her relationship with her horses and mules has led her to a more intimate relationship with God. She says, “The best part of writing for Daily Guideposts is the friendships she has developed with the readers through their personal correspondence.”
In July of 2009, Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace was released, in which Rebecca was a contributing author and one of the “Pearl Girls.”
Rebecca’s first adult inspirational book was released in February 1, 2010. In Horse Tales From Heaven: Reflections Along the Trail with God , Rebecca corralled a collection of her true-story inspirational adventures from the 15 years she rode her horse through the Bob Marshall Wilderness—everything from encounters with grizzly bears to the breath-taking stories of when she was caught in a 240,000 acre forest fire. It’s been so popular that in July of 2010 it went back to press for a second printing.
Her latest release, " Horse Tales from Heaven: Gift Edition," contains 10 condensed stories out of " Horse Tales from Heaven" with breathtaking art by internationally famous Chris Cummins and packaged as a gift book. Click here to peek inside on YouTube: Horse Tales from Heaven: Gift Edition
Rebecca lives with her family in Western Montana. Three horses, two mules, and a golden retriever, keep her entertained. By day she brokers lumber and by night she forges ahead with her passion—writing stories about the Western lifestyle, which encourage her readers to pursue an extraordinary life.