Saturday So Blessed so about Jesus

Can I tell you a secret?

I am in awe of mothers.

The hand-holding, brow-wiping, life-changing women of the world.

I love how mothers create, bring life into the world, nourish souls, tie the shoelaces of the future.

I love how they wrestle about where to send kids to school, and what to get for Christmas, and how to take the seed of a life and grow it into strong, tall faith.

I love the way they laugh about too much poop and mountains of laundry and the beautiful chaos that they somehow keep spinning in orbit.

I love how time etches memories across their faces, like little lines in an extraordinary story, and the way their eyes light up when someday someone calls them, “Grandma.”

I love how they throw their arm in front of you at a sudden stop in the car even if you’re not their child, even when their hair is silver, even when nursing and diapers feel like so many moons ago... They never stop loving each and very one of us. I guess it's because they are made in the image of God. Thanks Mom you're the best.

Saturday, ranch building day was another full day of projects to move ahead on. I often wonder what the enemies of Nehemiah's looked like as they coward around outside the walls of the mighty city of God.

Nehemiah 6:15-16 (NIV)

¹⁵ So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.

Opposition to the Completed Wall

¹⁶ When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

We were so blessed today as Dorothy and Leah paid us a visit and as a saint that Dorothy is she blessed us a she put her hands to work helping Durandt duPlooy lift rafters for the dormers up onto the second floor. Yes and she also blessed us with some wonderful chocolate chip cookies, yummy!! God calls many but few will hear.

We keep our focus on the vision that God alone provided and as we push on, though the battle rages on all around us there is such a calm on this ground and as Dorothy said you can just feel it.

Later on this afternoon we had a neighbour and his wife stop over for a visit and after some of Dorothy"s great cookies, George asked if they could join us for church tomorrow. We have been praying for this moment for over two years and because of God's faithfulness the fruit is there. Sunday will be an exciting day that's for sure.

As God is a big time builder He knows the equipment that we need and when we need it and the bobcat He blessed us with this weekend was a hugh blessing.

I got all of Charlene's rocks moved and even some dirt in place as well. Then gravelled and leveled out the road that Ray built for us last weekend.

How great is our God who makes each of us so unique and wonderfully made, each one with gifts that God will use to build up and encourage each other on our journey and mission to rebuild lives and be truly prosperous in all God has for each of his children.

Our hope and prayer is to let as many of you know about the ranch as possible so that the hope it will bring and the lives it will change and the encouragement it will provide can start as soon as possible. The ranch will be a one of a kind facility and will offer an option to many like no other.

When God has a plan and like our friend Mike and Pastor Lyle wisely told us just keep your focus and don't let the distractions pull you away from God's purpose. Thank you once again for taking the time to view our blog. The Battle River Ranch Camp is a non profit organization that is focused on developing trades, life skills and training opportunities for men and women that are searching and find it difficult to get the opportunities needed to develop a productive life skill. Many men and women today have no idea what they could be good at or how to find out their possible skill area or level. We are a faith based training center and our hope is to give each person that comes to the ranch an opportunity to find the skill they were created for.

Harold and Diane Stephan left a life filled with addictions and bad choices. Their journey has taken them through different twelve step programs and life recovery through a relationship and healing process with Jesus Christ. If it were not for caring people in their lives that never gave up on them or thought they were a hopeless cause they too would still be lost.

We would love to hear from you and if you feel this is a program and facility that would help you or someone that you know, or you would like to be more involved with a ministry like this or support it financially we would love to talk to you and would very much appreciate your help in what ever way you can. Even if you could help with a small one time donation or a larger one it would help so much to bring this life changing facility and place of hope to be opened by this fall.

This is a ministry for those that have a heart and desire to make a difference in the lives of others with the skills and gifts they have been blessed with and have a desire to pass on what they know to the next generation.

You are always welcome to visit and we look forward to your input. This ministry is prayer based, and we pray daily for the needs of others, if you have a need for prayer and not sure where to start give us a call and we will confidentially support and help you in this area. You may not know a lot about God but God knows everything about you and He loves you more than anyone can or ever will.

God Bless You and Your Family!!!

Harold & diane Stephan and

Board of Directors of the Battle River Ranch Camp

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL US AT 1-3O6-825-7734 OR

haroldstephan@hotmail.com

WHY WE PRAY AND HOPE THAT

YOU WILL GIVE JESUS A CHANCE IS BECAUSE

THE LIFE YOU REALLY WANT AND CAN HAVE IS UP TO YOU

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED TO DO

DON'T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT AND HERE'S WHY

#1

Because you have a past

You can't go back, but He can. The Bible says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8) He can walk into those places of sin, failure and hopelessness, wipe the slate clean and give you a new beginning. A beginning with a real and lasting future, full of hope.

#2

Because you need a friend that won't let you down

Jesus knows the worst about you, yet he believes the best. Why? Because He sees you not as you are, but as you will be when He gets through with you. What a friend!

#3

Because He holds the future

Who else are you going to trust? In his hands you are safe and secure - today, tomorrow and for eternity. His word says, "For I know the plans I have for you ...plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray I will listen". (Jeremiah 29:11-13 TLB)

If you'd like to start over, with a new beginning with Jesus today, Diane, I, the board of directors, volunteers and supporters of Crossman Ministries and the Battle River Ranch Camp would ask you, if you are looking for a new beginning to please pray this prayer:

LORD JESUS CHRIST

I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. I ask Your forgiveness and now turn from everything that I know is wrong. Thank You for dying on the cross for me to set me free from my sins. Please come into my life and fill me with your Holy Spirit and be with me forever. Thank you Lord Jesus, Amen.

If you have made this commitment and would like to make contact, please call us. We'd love to talk to you and help in any way we can.

We are praying for all of you reading the blog every day.

We all need and are searching for choices and option every day in our lives.

We want you

to know that you do have a choice as to where you will spend eternity and we just like to

let you know that even in those last minutes of life if you call out to Jesus with all your

heart He will be there for you. Just look at the criminal that hung on the cross beside

Jesus. Each and every one of us make choices every day about the life we want to live

while we are here on this earth but very few know about the option we have available to us

when it comes to eternity. God really does love you, Jesus really died for you and the

Holy Spirit will come and live in you. Just give Him a chance today

TO DONATE :

If you are able to and would like to make a very needed and appreciated donation to this worthy project that is changing lives now and forever PLEASE consider making a donation to:

CROSSMAN MINISTRIES / BRRC

Box 11403

Lloydminster, Ab.

T9V 3B7

As a registered charity your tax deductable receipts will be sent out at the end of the year.

Once again we thank you for considering The Battle River Ranch Camp a life skills and trades introduction opportunity, as a option to support financially, an option that is making a differance in the lives of our young men and women right here at home in Canada.