Have you ever taken a moment, looked around Artesia, and thought to yourself, “This is a special place with lots of special people”?
Joshua and Gina Guell find themselves saying this all the time. How do two people from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, who endured many combat deployments, started a career in Federal Law Enforcement, lived in many places around the country, welcomed two premature children, and, with no experience in agriculture, come to embrace this way of life?
Three months before leaving for the Army in 2001, Josh and Gina started dating, and a long-distance relationship began. Three months passed very quickly, and Josh left for basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia, the “Home of the Infantry.”
In 2002, the Global War on Terrorism had just begun, and Josh joined the Army with a Ranger contract and made it to the 3rd Ranger Battalion. He deployed to Afghanistan, soon followed by an airborne insertion into Iraq. Seven days later, Josh was shot in his body armor during a large ambush. The anticipated five-hour mission turned into a 21-day-long operation.
Another significant deployment Josh took part in was “Operation Red Wing,” during which his squad located and secured Hero Matthew Axelson, the last remaining Navy SEAL in the Kunar Province. This operation became better known as “Lone Survivor” because of the namesake 2013 film starring Mark Wahlberg, which provided a cinematic portrayal of those events.
Meanwhile, Gina held down the fort stateside. She was often alone and endured the loss of her mother during one of her husband’s deployments. Life was hard as she tried to be a supportive wife while Josh struggled with the negative effects of combat. Gina held onto the fact that God brought them together for a reason, and even though things were difficult, she was where she needed to be.
After several more years and deployments, Josh found himself at the United States Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico. While Josh succeeded in his training, he noticed that he processed the world around him differently from other people. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was not commonly talked about or understood, and often had negative connotations attached to it. At the time, Josh did not dare share what he was going through and started coping poorly, primarily with heavy drinking followed by anger. With an upcoming move to Laredo, Texas, Gina did everything she could to keep things moving in a positive direction. Neither of them was excited about the move, but they felt the Holy Spirit nudging them in this direction, and they were obedient.
Although Josh and Gina were thriving outwardly, they were struggling at home as Josh’s PTSD seemed to be getting worse. Then, in July 2009, God intervened. Josh received a call from an old Army buddy who invited Josh back into the Army with a job at the Pentagon. They were excited about the opportunity, but another unforeseen challenge was just around the corner as they began growing their family.
Despite medical assistance, two years passed without a successful pregnancy. They decided to continue trying the “old-fashioned way,” trusting that God had a plan, and Gina got pregnant. However, their excitement quickly turned to grave concern when Gina’s water broke at the beginning of her 24th week of pregnancy. Izabella was born at 1 lb., 1 oz., with a torso the length of a pinky finger and her head the size of a golf ball. Josh and Gina experienced every aspect of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) roller coaster. Izabella was not the only one God started to heal during those six months. Josh went to his first PTSD counseling appointment, and he and Gina grew closer to each other and to God during that time.
In December 2011, Josh returned to being a full-time Border Patrol Agent in Laredo, Texas, while Gina took on the hardest role: full-time wife, mother, and CEO of the Guell family household. The years passed, and eventually, they became a family of four as they welcomed a baby boy, Ezekiel. A bundle of nerves during the pregnancy, they were thankful for a relatively short, seven-day NICU stay.
Shortly after Ezekiel’s birth, Josh developed a passion for studying the Bible and for prayer. God revealed to Josh that he needed to start dealing with his PTSD and look into the Veterans Administration (VA) services. Josh considered leaving the Border Patrol to join a ministry. Once again, he felt God’s direction and trusted that there was ministry in his current role. If he was going to receive help from the VA, then why not try to help other struggling agents? Josh submitted a program proposal for a concept called “Veteran Support Team.” Josh’s idea was small, but God’s idea was BIG. After multiple trips to Washington, DC, the “Veteran Support Program” (VSP) was standardized nationally.
Josh’s work as an agent eventually moved them back to Artesia for an 11-month detail at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). This short stint was extended to three to five years, and their family started putting down roots. They found a home with a bit of land, but it included something unexpected: goats.
And so, farm life for the Guell family began. Josh and Gina had never owned any farm animals except for chickens. They really had no clue what they were doing or how to do it. All they knew was they wanted to give this country lifestyle a try and MAYBE house a few farm animals. Over the course of the last three years, they went from two goats to now raising and breeding 30 goats, hatching and raising over 100 chickens, three dogs, and a litter of nine Great Pyrenees pups, four cats (and counting), and nine rabbits. This is where the “Funny” in the Guell Family Funny Farm comes from, like a circus theme song!
The adventure has certainly been a family affair, as Izabella and Ezekiel have learned and grown as well. They participate in 4-H and show animals at the fair. In 2024, Izabella was awarded Grand Champion for her Baker rabbit as well as Showmanship Buckles every year she has shown rabbits. Ezekiel scored first place in both compound bow and .22 rifle at the District Competition, as well as receiving a Showmanship Buckle in 2025 during the rabbit show at the Eddy County Fair. Both have greatly benefited from the hobby farm lifestyle.
Perhaps the person who has been most impacted by this way of life is Josh. Twenty-four years of serving his country in the military and in a federal law enforcement role have brought with them PTS and other negative side effects. Because many good things can come from negative experiences, Josh refuses to put the “D” at the end of PTSD. He believes that the past lessons can be applied to growth and life, even if they were originally negative. With this focus, outcomes can be beautiful. For the first time in decades, he now feels home.
Josh and Gina know that God has been lovingly leading their lives, and He certainly had a plan when He brought them to Artesia. Their success today is in large part because of the community that welcomed these foreigners with open arms. Their prayer is on a banner in their home, and it reads, “Be our guest, whether you come for a visit, or just to rest. When you enter our home, may you be blessed.” It is their daily pleasure to work at everything they do to honor God and to bless His people!
Photos by Eli DeHoyos at 360 Sports Photography
Life Lessons from the Guell Family Funny Farm
When starting a farm, pace yourself. The excitement can easily override your better judgment. You can wake up one day with more animals than you can handle, wondering how you got there.
Raising animals is a lot of work, but very rewarding. Sometimes they cooperate, and sometimes they don’t. But over time, if you love your animals, they will respond.
Sometimes bad things happen, and there is nothing you can do. Hard decisions must be made, and occasionally, an animal will die. It will break your heart, but know that you did your best.
You are not alone. Many good people will drop what they are doing to help you. Especially in Artesia, you don’t have to look far. And when you can return the favor to the community, do it with a smile.
Don’t miss the many, many blessings in the grind. Sunrises, sunsets, quiet moments to talk with God, animal sounds, new life, delicious milk, eggs, and meats, your children’s development, and the smells (oh my goodness, the smells) —breathe in all those experiences, because they are the aroma of true success and wealth.
Focus on God and pleasing your Heavenly Father. Never waste an opportunity to help someone, even if it’s costly or time-consuming—not that your good deed may be seen by men but in secret by God. And your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you.
Article written by Josh Guell and originally published in Focus Regional 2025 Winter edition.
