August 4, 2006

Late breaking news :-)

Aug 19 is the day that I marry my new wife..... outside of Portland, Oregon.
We'll also host a reception in Boise a few weeks later. You are all invited
to this reception (dates will be in the next newsletter). No worries if not
a possibility. That's what I get for going so fast with this *chuckle*. But
there are reasons, which I will explain.

Why a fast wedding? Especially after I swore (after my first marriage) that
I would wait at least a year after meeting someone before I married them?

0. In praying about it, Karen and I both have peace about it.

1. Karen shares my heart for missions, and always wanted to be a missionary
to the Hispanic culture (and actually speaks Spanish better than I do
*chuckle*). I am developing a ministry to Hispanics right here in Idaho
through Thorn Creek Youth Ranch. It's a natural fit.

2. Karen has a heart and deep love for wounded youth, and has demonstrated
this by adopting 3 kids (a brother and 2 sisters) from Russian orphanages 4
years ago, and now raises them as her own, along with her own.

3. Karen has a deep walk with, and love for, God, that I very much admire
and respect. I once told myself that I could never marry again unless it was
to a woman who knew how to cry when in the presence of our Lord, and Karen
can/does.

4. Karen loves me (and I love & like her too :-) ), and wants to be my
helpmate, and will bring a measure of organization to my life that is
currently lacking (she has most been recently employed as a secretary at
George Fox University).

5. Karen's kids, while dealing with normal kid issues, do not display
serious behavior issues that would lead me to question what Karen has
modeled for them in her own life.

6. Karen is single, and her 7 kids need a father, and the sooner the better.
Her ex is in prison for many years for some very poor choices that he made
several years ago.

7. Since Karen is single and raising her 7 kids, her church set up a
mortgage fund for her that allows her to stay in her just recently built
house. This fund is set to run out in December, at which point she would
likely have to sell and move, no matter what happened between her and I.

8. Since we want to homeschool the kids the first year (she has done so
before with all 7), it makes sense to make the move now before school
starts, so that we can maintain some continuity in their education, rather
than letting them go to school for one semester in St. Paul, Oregon, and
then moving here at some point.

9. Due to everyone's schedules, both in her family, my family, and our
extended families, we either get married now, or next summer (but her
mortgage funds will not last till then).

10. Karen and her family came out and stayed onsite at the ranch (with me,
Joshua, Steve, Alan, and Todd - Karen and the kids stayed in several of the
guest rooms here) doing a summer family missions trip, for the entire month
of July this year. We made serious strides forward towards blending our
families at this time, and it would be a pity to lose all that progress by
waiting too long for the next step.

11. Moving in the winter time is no fun. It's now, in the summer before
school starts, or next summer.

12. Karen and I have both seen lots and lots of God fingerprints on our
relationship and concerning a wedding in August. Some of them have been
really pretty amazing. We believe that we have the approval of God upon our
union, and we have both prayed numerous times that if this is not from God,
that He SLAMS the door. The funny thing is, that every time we seriously
pray this, He gives us a fingerprint and pushes the door open even more for
us. Ask us about some of them; we would love to share them *grin*.

13. The scheduling for the wedding all just kinda FELL into place for August
19th, in a way that borders on unreal. It has not been a struggle or fight
at all. Everything has worked out, including some things that I expected to
be showstoppers (but in the end, they weren't even hardly issues).

14. Financially, getting married now is a wise decision for both of us, so
that we can tackle issues together, increase our shared financial leverage,
and work together towards financial freedom. We have already sat down and
developed a plan of action together that will realistically allow us to pay
our bills while still working in ministry together and maintaining our
family's financial viability.

15. Karen and I have many similar likes and dislikes, and we enjoy each
other's companionship and just simply being friends with each other.

16. Karen has modeled respect for me to me, and has allowed me to love her,
in ways that I believe honor God and His design for a good marriage.

17. Given the fact that Karen and I both believe we are meant to share our
lives together in God, and that we have both received our marching orders
for future ministry together, I can't see any reason to not proceed forward
at full steam.

We have sought the counsel and advice of the various people in our lives
that we are accountable to, including pastors, counselors, family, and
people that we respect as walking with God and capable of giving us sound,
Godly advice. Their responses and feedback are things that we have listened
to, and when appropriate, responded to. It has been a good process.

After the wedding, Karen and her family will be moving here to Idaho to the
ranch with me, where we will eventually be building a home of our own.  The
ranch board has also given us the permission and go-ahead to start
deputation and raising support so that we can dedicate more of our time to
developing the various ranch-related ministries. While this is happening, I
will continue to edit manuscripts at least part time, and Karen will also be
exploring the possibility of part time work in the local community, working
with youth either at the local public library, the local public school
system, or the Boise campus of George Fox University.

I hope this answers a lot of the questions that people are wondering and
asking concerning Karen, our engagement, and our quickly approaching
wedding. If you have specific concerns or questions, I am willing to listen
and try to answer anything else that you want to ask me.

Sincerely,

-Tim
www.bighouseministries.com
Tim Benedict
Thorn Creek Conference Center & Youth Ranch
21 Yellowpine Lane
Boise, Idaho 83716
208-392-6723
timbenedict@peoplepc.com