Friday's Frenzy

More cards to get out in the mail and if you don't get one of the ranch Christmas cards and news letters please let us know and we will get one to you as soon as possible. James is away for a few days and so Larry and I are left to hold down the fort.

One of the pictures is of a hole that dusty is eating out of the center of a bale of hay must be the best part.

We finished up out at the ranch and headed in for a time of carolling at the pioneer lodge which is always a great time and what an opportunity to bring a smile to the many seniors that are there.

When Your Hut's On Fire

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for
God to rescue him..
Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements,
and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in
flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned
with disbelief, grief, and anger.
He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'
Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him!
'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.
The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart,
because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering.
Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke
signal that summons the Grace of God.

Thursday A Day of Change

As James was deep down in the belly of the new and empty holding tank he heard a noise up above and when he looked up the deep dark tunnel in the light at the end of that tunnel he could see something or maybe someone and then he realized it was yes he was now sure it was Larry. Go figure!!!!

Because of God's blessing and goodness to us and the efforts of a great board and staff we are excited about some great new developments for next year. We also been have the opportunity early next year to present the ranch project to several well known Canadian business people and God willing they will be able to help us move on with God's vision to impact lives.

Progress continues at a miraculous pace out here at the ranch. We used to wonder what if we get to a point and we have run out of materials to continue what then do we do? Well thank the good Lord that has not happened and so we move ahead at the provided pace. As so many of you have join in to help, this first of it's kind facility will come into reality as a place that God will use to change and improve lives. As we help by giving direction and hands on training to those seeking to improve their work skills, we also hope and pray that they will find their place in society and relationship to the God that loves and cares for them dearly .

Many of you have said that you are not able to help out as a volunteer but you have held us up in prayer and are constantly calling to up date our prayer needs. Diane, Peg, James, Larry, I, and the board of directors of the Battle River Ranch Camp and the many young men and women that have already benefited from their time at the ranch are forever grateful to each and everyone of you for your generous contribution and commitment to this incredible Kingdom Building Project. We are getting calls from across Canada as to how one can find out more about the ranch.

Once again thank you so much and may the good Lord bless you and keep you as you seek His purpose in your lives.We wish for each and everyone a Very Merry Christmas.

Wednesday Report

As we take a trip out to the ranch with farm hand James and Larry we need not look to far to see that snow wind cold or heat can't stop the incredible amount of work that the two of them accomplish in a day let alone a week or two. Our electrical is almost up to date with all the small bits and pieces finally getting completed. The walls are almost completely framed in the shop and not a day goes by that we can't see more and more the finished blessing. Lloyd at Nelson lumber has been such a asset to us as we plan and set up the lodge package. Barr engineering is busy as can be but are working on the Lodge plans and will have them done as soon as possible. We press on with the strength of Christ.

In a time where many of you may be struggling to have your day-to-day needs met, we need to join together in prayer for God's provision and strength.

Prayer for Provision, Contentment, and Strength

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means and I know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. ~Philippians 4:11-13

Lord, it is Christ who gives us strength to continue to move forward. God, give us strength. Often we feel that we can't go on another hour let alone another day. It seems we can't bear it anymore. Oh God, but you bore it on the cross. Your Son bore our suffering on the cross at Calvary. Give us His strength. Strengthen us through Christ Oh Lord.

Lord, in the trials, Lord we need to trust in you. Even through the tears, we look to you, Oh God. Even through the momentary suffering, we have confidence in You Alone, Oh God. Hear your servants, and answer the cry of our hearts.

Many that are following this prayer may have never called out to you Lord but now find themselves comforted in your presence. Bless them as they too come to you for understanding as to why life is the way it is and in the search for answers it's you and you alone that can fill that void.

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:8-10 (in Context) Galatians 6 (Whole Chapter)

Terrific Tuesday

As Peggy, Diane and I continue to get the Christmas letters out and I spend time with business men thanking them and talking about our plans for the new year, we are encouraged with the great continued support and how it is growing.

James and Larry are doing a great job out at the ranch tying loose ends for Tim and framing walls, as well as looking after all the animals.

God had a plan to use His people in order to bring about the birth if his Son Jesus Christ. No enemy would stand in the way of that plan. God's plan is still being carried out today. The responsibility of each follower of Christ is to discern God's will for doing his or her part in bringing closure to God's plan. The responsibility of the church is to proclaim God's plan for His people to each of us and then how He will use us to be an impact on our community.

As we look at the history of God's people, may we:

-Remember that God provided deliverance from the challenges to His plan for the salvation of this world.

-Remember that, "Power and might are in your hand..." v.6

-Remember that, "...the battle is not ours , but yours" v.15

-Being sensitive to God's call on our lives in order to do our part in His great plan of Salvation.

-By celebrating God's power in the message of Christmas.

God has a message for each of us in this upcoming Christmas season. While each of us has had and are having many challenges God's plan for salvation and healing for everyone is still the same. The birth of Jesus Christ ushers in God's power plan to overcome the enemies of His love and truth through this baby who was born to defeat the powers of Satan and all evil.

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.

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.

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

Monday Can't Beat That Day

We work, we play, we study, we learn, we persevere, we trust, we are disappointed and lost, and then one day we walk away from it all, and give it all to God. We then use our experiences and gifts to do what God calls us to do above all else. To be the evidence of the love He wants every one to experience in this life. Nothing can take the place of that moment when we surrender our lives completely into the hands of a loving savior. Possibly the next greatest moment is when a friend of ours and his wife, that have not attended a church, ask if they can join us at church Sunday.

Diane and I are the furthest thing from knowing all the right words and area's of the bible to know just at the right time, often we don't even know how to pray right or say the right words like so many people that we know and admire for their wisdom and skills. But God does even use regular, ordinary folks like us sometimes to impact lives with His love. Go figure!!!

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

My chains are gone

I've been set free

My God my savior has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy reigns

Unending love, Amazing grace.

John 3:16-21

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Sunday can't beat that day

Stormy Sunday as we jump from one place to another with a full schedule of events that we attended today. Please pray that we will be able to get all the Christmas letters out in the next few days. God's blessings to all and all our love thank you.

Bible Verses about

Grandparents

Proverbs 17:6 ESV / 49 helpful votes

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

Proverbs 16:31 ESV / 38 helpful votes

Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.

Proverbs 13:22 ESV / 15 helpful votes

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.

Isaiah 46:4 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.

Psalm 145:4 ESV / 11 helpful votes

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

Psalm 37:25 ESV / 11 helpful votes

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV / 10 helpful votes

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

Deuteronomy 4:9 ESV / 10 helpful votes

“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children—

Psalm 103:17 ESV / 8 helpful votes

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,

Psalm 92:14-15 ESV / 7 helpful votes

They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Exodus 34:6-7 ESV / 5 helpful votes

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Titus 2:1-5 ESV / 4 helpful votes

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

That Old Lighthouse
As I view the subsistence of my life, a melody appears,
to the reflections of a child and the sounds of time,
building to a place, I've become.
A face with tiny wrinkles, the hair a tint of gray.
Her eyes hold a gleam, to help a dreamer on their way.
My Grand Old Lighthouse to this day.
A hand firm but filled with love
a child could understand.
A gentleness of spirit to urge you into another day,
my first glimpse of Jesus,
in my Grand Old Lighthouse to this day.
The pains of a child become so real as
I look back through those eyes to see
how she wished to make all the hurt stop.
The point reached between Grandmother and child,
the place where each knows to look
at the peak of dawn and the destination She would choose
for each of her bundles of delight.
She still stands tall through years of strife,
to make me realize
Grandmother
you're that Grand Old Lighthouse in my life.

Donna Robbins
Niagara Falls, NY

Saturday So Blessed

As we rushed around from one place to another today, one event after another, then home to finally get our tree decorated and lights on, it's so good to see our family enjoying life at it's fullest with out all the drugs and alcohol to give them the false hope that it pours into a person. We enjoyed a hearty supply of aunt Betty's egg nog and fresh salsa and lots of fun.

Our society is desperately searching for hope in all the wrong places. Waiting for Diane in the van tonight I listened to Charles Adler on the radio and he said we are drastically failing our children, that we have failed to pass on what they need to build their lives on. Seem we choose to pass on to our children a life style that we are comfortable with rather than a life style that will benefit them as adults parents and as productive assets in society.

This morning I got a call to go and help a lady who was frozen into her home, so I went over and got the doors working, it was so great to see as she said to her son come and clean the snow off the deck and there was no fuss or muss he got on his coat and boots and away this boy went and did what he was asked.

Blaine shared with me also how as he has his son Jacob helping him with cleaning the driveway he shows him the tricks of the trade so to speak and Jacob really enjoys helping his father because he walks with the father and the father shows by example that a job can be an enjoyable challenge. To those that yet do not understand that is what the ranch will be all about. It may be hard to understand but we believe that it's not to late and our young people deserve the chance and we intend to do all we can to offer them all the hope and encouragement we can with the help of many supporters, volunteers and God's Love.

Merry Christmas to all of you and your families please keep us in your prayers as their is still many that believe this is a waste of time and money.

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.

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.

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

Psalm 23 (King James Version)

Psalm 23

¹The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.