Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Wednesday 's blessings and blessings....
















Today the ranch was blessed with a whole lot of concrete and a whole lot of incredible help. Help from as far as Edmonton arrived to lighten the load. Neighbours from down the road arrived with shovels in hand, Lloydminster residents phoned and asked what can we do. And the God that loves the lost continues to bless us all out at the ranch.

Diane and I got to do a ranch presentation at the Rotary club this morning and we were also so blessed as we had to spend a lot of time after speaking with many wanting to help .

Diane and Shelly kept very busy cleaning and organizing the trailer and the storage area.
Shelly helped me with a bit of pipe threading as we built the main gas line for the Lodge and tomorrow we should have a gas meter and gas to use at the lodge.

Our lunch that the girls fed us was as usual a feast and we were able to get every belly filled and topped off with apple pie and ice cream, not a lot of complaining here. For supper James and Sara blessed us with a steak barbecue, baked potatoes and salad, we ate like kings, but I guess we are Kings kids.




Riding for the Son! Singing for the Son, Cooking for the Son, nursing for the Son, plumbing for the Son! it's all the same.

Colossians 3:23 - 24 What ever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Jesu Christ that you are serving. Our years of serving God through youth and family ministries have given us a strong foundation and versatile training for evangelism that serves us well no matter were God places us. God seems to have a particularly odd sense of humour when placing our family into situations that stretch our faith and continues to broaden our comfort zone, but He has never left us or forsaken us. We have been on a huge learning curve this past year, Along with loosing our lodge to a storm and learning how to build and set up a ranch, camp off the bald prairie, we have been sent a few curve balls our way and not from God either. We have been so blessed as we look at all the potential disasters that could have come our way, we only lost our lodge in an incredible wind storm, or hurricane, or plow wind or tornado or what ever it was, no one was hurt and we are pressing on knowing that Our God Reigns. Added to that the stresses of family and ministry finances, vehicle breakdowns and the health issues that we all deal with from time to time, we soon find our selves right were God wants us - on our knees with our full attention. But God is good. We have learned much and are happy to report that ministry out in the country in a beautiful valley on a new ranch development is a way cool, and that we are finding the opportunities are endless, and we continue to be encouraged by the fruit we are getting for our efforts. The Battle River Ranch Camp is committed to serving our community with the compassion, love and the mercy needed to build strong and healthy families. Thank you to each and every one that has come along side with all you have to stand with us on this project of hope.


What foot prints will you leave?

What foot prints are you leaving?

Or maybe you don't think you are leaving foot prints

Everywhere you go, you leave footprints; in the sand, in the snow, in the mud, in the dust, and in lives, for all time, to those that will follow …

Footprints are temporary records. They get washed away by water, blown away by the wind, and they disappear with time. Nothing is left but unanswered questions...

Who made them? Where were they going? Were they happy? Were they sad?

Were they teaching? Were they guiding? Were they helping?

At the beach did they pickup seashells? Did they chase seagulls by the water?

Were they lovers holding hands?

Were they small children exploring the beach for the very first time?

When it snowed, did they make a snowman? Did they throw snowballs?

Were they a father trying to save his family?

Were they a mother with a heavey load

Were they a soldier's fighting for freedom and those he loved

And the questions go on….

Your memories are the “footprints” in your mind, and only you know the answers...

· Where have you been? - What differance did you make?

· What have you done? - What hope did you share?

· What have you seen? - What legacy did you leave?

· What have you touched? - What will you be remembered by?

· What were your thoughts? - What will they say at your funeral?

The answers to these questions, and many more, will be — YOUR FOOTPRINTS FOREVER.



Footprints in the sand

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.

This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.

The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one se
t of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

The Battle River Ranch Camp is a one of a kind entry level trades and life skills opportunity facility. Offering an option to anyone that has been searching for an opportunity to find out their area of strength and work place career possibilities.

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 about their future or what they could be good at and to find out their possible skill area or level. We are a faith based and mentor based training facility and our hope is with the help of anyone that has a heart for helping so many to give each person that comes to the ranch an opportunity to find the skills 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 we would be very appreciative, and 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.

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
or visit our web site for direct donating, thank you

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

Once again we thank you from the bottom of our hearts 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.


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

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