Monday, September 12, 2011

Monday and we are so thankful





Heading over to check on the horses one day a while back I spotted some rose hips and so I grabbed a few that I could find and later that evening I did a bit of checking on line about these units as I remember a neighbour years ago told us they were good for something or other. I found that wild rose hips are loaded with many vitamins especially vitamin C. So I figured that the person who first told me about this little vitamin pack may have known more about this item than I gave them credit for. I probably said things like ya sure what ever as I was walking away from them humouring them a bit and the left it at that. I'm sure that was 10 to 15 years ago.
Well now knowing all that I have found out about rose hips and how good they are for us I though that maybe I would see if there were any more to be found. After about 5 minutes of searching and getting my hands and especially my fingers full of small prickles I managed to find enough for a cup if tea for my sweetheart and I that evening. Well the tea was very good and we both slept really good that night.

Today before we left the ranch I thought that I would look again for some of those rose hips to take home and clean up for more of that delicious tea. I looked for a bit and did find a few but not too many till I tripped and fell to my knees and almost a nose dive into the ground. Well that's when it all happened. from down on my knees I could see rose hips every where under the plants and grass. I got right at it and in no time I had a really nice small pail of rose hips to take home with me. I will continue to look for more in the days to come so if you ever stop by during the next while we will serve you some really nice honey and rose tea.

Really neat thing about this whole experience is that it reminds me of my walk in life over the past 28 years. I remember people like Jim Hingston, Pastor Carter, Doug Klan, Dana Bailley, Sister Germain, and so many others talking about Jesus to me and I would humour them, thinking that these are real nut cases and what do they know anyway. I don't need this religious stuff in my life like they seem to need it.

But then as we got married and started to have children and I would sometimes follow Diane to mass and say I would go to help her with the kids, little bits of some thing started to impact my life for better than what I had ever had before. Then one day as I was looking for more I tripped and my life was falling apart, but down there on my knees at the foot of an old rugged cross I let go of all the old self and chose to give Jesus a chance. Down there on my knees it all made sense and became clear and I could for the first time ever see all that God had in store for this wretched soul.

When I fell to my knees I could see all those precious rose hips that I was looking for all the time, just like when I fell to my knees 28 years go and finally there I could see the abundant free life that God has for each and every one of us. Go figure!!!!



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 heartsfor 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

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Saturday and we need your help
















The first annual Lloydminster toy run was a great success and very well attended. James and Clayton held down the fort at the ranch and the basement floor is almost ready for cement. Please pray that we get a donation for the concrete this week as we will be ready for it. Equipment that we need for the pour has been donated and so we wait upon the Lord.

Start Praying!
...Noah, warned by God... [saved] his household... Hebrews 11:7
Are you close enough to God to hear His warnings when danger approaches? Noah was, and he saved his family. Are you close enough to your family for them to have confidence in what God has spoken to you? You can change the direction of your family without argument or discussion. How? Through prayer. Your loved ones need to be sheltered under the covering of your prayer life. If you don't have one, get down on your knees and say, '...Lord, teach me to pray...' (Luke 11:1). We are emotionally overwhelmed and spiritually depleted because we haven't learned the power of prayer. The lack of it has left us weak and anxious. We blindly make decisions for our businesses, our relationships and our ministries without taking time to talk it over with the Lord. The story of Noah teaches that you can't prepare for trouble without a warning from God. That means staying close to Him and hearing what He has to say. You can do great things after you've prayed, but you can do nothing of eternal value until you've prayed. 'If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land' (2 Chronicles 7:14). God promises to intervene on behalf of the person who prays in His will. '...if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him' (1 John 5:14-15 NIV).
The word for today

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

Friday, September 9, 2011

Friday and with hearts from which abundance flows















Another nice hot day every where and as we worked away we came to a point that we needed a welder and so I phoned Ryan for help but was told that he was not available so I called him on his cell phone and no connection so I tried a few other avenues and to no avail. But then before we needed to look any farther there he was at the ranch and all was taken care of in miracle form. God you are so good to us and we are highly favoured and grateful to you.

Our evening was spent as we rode Louis (the name of our bike) to an incredible evening concert in the par. Not sure who the dark guy was that spoke a bit, but Taylor Nelson played and sang and she was great.

The word of God is a Life Giving Force: (Ezekiel 37)
The only Reason Ezekiel was able to do what he did was because he was filled with the spirit and word of God! If we want to speak life to those around us or to our situations then we have to be filled up with and living in the word. Period! (Ez. 3:3)Remember: 'Gods word in Gods mouth is as powerful as Gods word in your mouth!' If you Eat it, you will breathe it and there will be life!
God is Not a genie or scapegoat;
We can't live our life any way we want and expect God to hear us when the chips are down or blame Him for our selfish choices (Isa. 59:1-2) Judgement came on Israel because they continued to rebel against God not because God couldn't save them! Our sin is what separates us from God!
A pig is a pig:
We can dress up a pig all we like but in the end you still have the same thing, a pig! We can try to cover our sin all we want but the fact is it is still sin! We may fool those around us but we will never fool God! If you are wanting Freedom you have to deal with the pigs in your life! If not they will drag you back to the pig pen!
Submit to God's Authority:
If you do not submit to authority you will never gain authority!
Only by submitting to Gods authority will you have the authority to speak life into your situation or someones else's!
The Word of God is a Probing instrument: (Heb. 4:12)
Before an operation we have to sign a consent form to allow the doctor to cut us open. We know operations are painful but without them we will likely die! So sign the consent form! Submit to God and allow Him through His word to operate on you and cut out what has been killing you. It's only by cutting, probing, exposing and removing that we can ever expect to get well and live a life of FREEDOM!
God bless you and thanks for being apart of what God is doing here at The Battle River Ranch Camp

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

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Thursday and moving on





















Our day was spent baling hay for the horses and hauling it home a older fellow down the road stopped in and said he had a bit of hay that he would bale and if we came and gave him a bit of a hand he would give them to us. We seen this as an incredible opportunity to share the love of Jesus with this 80 year old fella from down the road. James stuck with him and his old baler all day and learned a lot about haying and the art of timing when putting up hay. James and I loaded the trailer and got really itchy.

On the way over to get the hay bales this morning I mentioned that this will be like when I grew up and we always did fall haying and putting up the square bales. James S. said half way through the day that he hopes I don't want to experience to many old times like this.


.......... my sister tapped me on the shoulder as she. and some of her friends were out and about town. I've never forgotten that night on main street and I began my search for the motorcycle that I could ride down that highway of freedom and power. A guy who lived a few houses down from us used to ride a motor cycle. I hadn't seen him riding it for a while. I wondered what became of the motorcycle that he rode past our back-alley once in awhile. After some checking and asking some friends I learned that that motorcycle was still around and sitting in his garage down the alley from us. Getting up enough nerve I snuck down the street and took a look through the window of his garage and there in the corner on it's center stand sat the motorcycle of my dreams. I'm not sure how it all came about but eventually the guy took the time to let me come into his garage and take a look at the bike. Man it was a beauty it was a 85ccBridgstone bike and he said that he would sell it to me for $50.00. That was a lot of money back then, but I was working for my uncle sometimes and walking the ditches along the highway to collect bottles in gunny sacks and getting money for them. It didn't take too long to get the fifty dollars together. Once I paid the guy for the bike I pushed it home. It took a bit to get it home as the rear wheel was seized up and wouldn't turn. We loaded it onto my Dad's truck and hauled it out to my uncles farm where he helped me to tear the rear wheel off and remove the old bearings. Well where do you go find bearings for a British motorcycle in a small town. So we started by checking at a hardware store and they sent us to the local garage where the owner took time as he usually did for everyone who needed parts. And what do you know the bearing out of a Ford generator worked just perfect. My uncle paid him, and we were off, back to the farm and out to the Quonset where we had set the bike on a sheet of ply wood as the floor was all gravel. We started to clean up all the good parts and than my uncle helped me and showed me how to put the new bearings into their right spots. It wasn't long before we had it all together and it rolled out of that Quonset real nice. We then emptied the gas tank and flushed the old gas and some rusty stuff out, we then put it all back together and put in new gas. We also drained the oil from the motor and filled it with new oil that my uncle had in big barrels in his tractor shop. I watched as he grabbed a shiny metal container from off the counter and then with a clean rag he wiped out the container of any dust that may have gotten in it because he said, "we don't want any dirt in the clean oil as it could get into the motor. He then took the big barrel that was on a wooden stand on it's side, opened the little bung to let air into it and then removed the big bung. As he turned that barrel with that shiny container under the large hole, the clean yellow gold oil poured out into the container until it was full. Then he rolled the barrel back to where it would not pour out and put the bungs back into place and tightened them up. He then took an old block of wood and put it under the barrel to keep it from rolling away. We grabbed a funnel and filled the bike motor with new oil. He also helped me to clean the points and plugs. We took the battery that had been hooked up to his little blue battery charger and set it back into the bike, hooked it up and tried the horn to see if we had power and yeper we had power. We rolled it outside and turned on the key


and the first few kicks nothing, but then as the fuel worked it's way through the carburetor it started to fire a bit then it started, WOW what a feeling, my first bike, and it runs too. With a bit of fear and looking forward to that incredible feeling of being on a motorcycle on the open road, I put on the old helmet and pulled in the clutch. My foot engaged it into first gear and as I let the clutch out I was away, a bit jerky at first but I remember that first ride. It doesn't take long to catch on and then the freedom hits as the wind blows in your face and the road zooms by under your feet. It felt so good you didn't want to ever stop. I had to ride the mile or so to my cousins house to show them my new bike. After getting back to my uncles farm I thanked him and said goodbye to him and my aunt and I headed off back to town. I rode the bike on all the back roads to town, past a few friends farms hoping that someone would see me so I could show off my new bike. Once I got near town I got off and proudly pushed my bike through town and parked it in our yard.......

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