July 12,
2007
Dear
friends,
Just a
short(er) little update for you.
We are no
longer on the 10 day deadline to deposit $10,000 Earnest Money in escrow that
was imposed by the land owner, due to the fact our hands are still tied since
they have not forwarded us their soil test results verifying that the ground
where the illegal diesel tanks came out is indeed clean. I nicely pointed this fact
out to their lawyer (the owners are apparently out of town), and he retracted
the 10 day timeframe and said he'd make sure we got the results ASAP (still
waiting though *sigh*).
We've had
some pretty cool feedback on our proposed focus change to a International House
of Prayer. That's been neat to see. But I do repeat, we are not completely
abandoning the idea of working with wounded youth, orphans, and foster
children, as some people have apparently assumed. Wounded youth, orphans,
and foster kids need God's healing touch that is found through prayer,
just as much as the rest of us do. We are simply broadening our focus in some
ways, to reach out to all ages, to bring them all into the presence of the
Lord, and to facilitate healing for all people that come to us. We still
support our foster families, and we will still host camps for them, albeit
their focus will now be much stronger on the "developing a personal walk
and prayer life with God" aspect of things than what I had envisioned before.
The
international part, about being a house of prayer for all nations,
just verifies and confirms to us what our dream has been all along, to work
with cross cultural ministries here in our own area. The Hispanic Churches are
deeply interested in working with us. Members of the Russian church in Boise
have expressed interest in coming here. And I'm starting to believe that my
Indian brother pastor friend's church in India prays for us more seriously and
regularly than almost any other church around, even those here in the Boise
area. God is bringing the nations to us. It's pretty amazing really, when we
think about it.
We haven't
made a definitive decision on a new name yet though, but "The
Father's House of Prayer on Thorn Creek" seems to be a top runner... And
"Big House Ministries" will likely remain as the name for our
umbrella organization.
And just
some more personal updates from around here.
Ruthie and
Viktoria are safe in Australia, working on a project there for Teen Missions
Intl. It's neat for me as their father, to watch them step out in faith of
their own, and to learn to trust and serve God on their own, after having taken
them in as my own children one year ago as fatherless and wounded girls. Their
healing and growth has been neat to watch.
Sergei has
been working hard around here, occasionally staying with Christian friends near
here to be closer to one of his paying jobs. It's neat for me to begin to
experience and feel a fatherly pride in him and the way he works hard at
whatever he sets his mind to.
Joey is at
the Friends denomenational camp "Twin Rocks" this week, on the coast
in Oregon. I am praying that he receives quality time and Godly input into his
own life while there, as he still carries wounds from his own period of
fatherlessness in his life. I hurt for my son sometimes.
Hannah just
returned from a week stay with her best friend in Oregon. Her smile and gentle
laughter always bring a smile to my face, and I am thankful for her.
Vera as
been staying for a few days with a Christian couple near here that are like
surrogate grandparents to some of the kids, just so she too could get a little
vacation away from home like all her older brothers and sisters are getting. I appreciate
her warm hugs and butterfly kisses. I love my children.
Vanya wears
glasses now, and is adjusting better to new life in a big family, with lots of
new sisters to play with. She especially enjoys playing with Isabella, the 3 yr
old of the family, and that warms my heart to watch.
Isabella is
talking up a storm, and has learned that flattery gets her lots of things. So
she's always telling Karen how beautiful she is, and giving me lots of smiles
and hugs, and in general, just warming up our lives. It's very cute *chuckle*.
Karen
continues to add her woman's touch to things around here, something for which
we are all grateful. She has done a good job converting this bachelor pad into
something that resembles a working/functional home. I thank God for her almost
daily.
Something
neat happened on my birthday yesterday. I received the final proof of my first
novel, before it goes to print next week. That has been such a lifelong dream
that is coming to fruition finally. I thank God for His remembering my personal
dreams in the midst of my serving Him and building HIS ministry.
We've seen
God in some other little things here recently too, not only just the big
things. I'd like to share one or two of them.
Last week,
we took our friends from Portland and Seattle with us up to some (gorgeous) hot
springs near here to soak and swim in. There were so many of us that we
had to take both vehicles. Most of the way there though, we pulled off the road
for a breather while I looked at a map. And the Subaru wouldn't start
again. We tried jumping it, pushing it, tightening possible loose
wires, etc and so forth, but the starter simply wouldn't engage. I finally
just loaded everyone into the suburban (we were WAY overloaded) and drove the
rest of the way there, trusting that after we had our hot springs time and
campfire/wienie roast time, God would work out a way to get the dead vehicle
going again (no cell phone service, and 2 hours from Boise, up in the back
country). I think several of the other adults questioned my sanity and good
sense in this *chuckle*, but I didn't want to let the broken down vehicle spoil
our planned evening of fun and memory making. Besides, I had peace about it
*good natured shrug*. So I put on a good attitude, and away we went.
So after
a marvelous evening soaking in the hot springs, roasting hot dogs and
marshmallows, and munching on smores, we finally headed back to the other
vehicle about dark. When we got there, I asked for someone to volunteer to pray
that God would get the other car going again for us. Joey got volunteered.
His prayer? Very simple. "God, please make the Subaru start. Amen". I
almost had to smile to myself. But anyway, after he prayed, the men all got out
(3 of us), and I got into the Subaru, stuck my key in the ignition without even
bothering to pop the hood or anything, and by golly, it started instantly.....
I think Joey's eyes got big for a moment, and I really did grin then (God is so
good). We all thanked him for praying, and then we thanked God for answering.
And we made it home safe and sound. Incidentally, the car hasn't given us any
more trouble since, but we're still being cautious with it.
Something
that I have been pondering a lot lately, especially as I continue writing the
new book about God's innocence, is how God doesn't make a habit of
disappointing children. Apparently I said it in discussion with Karen once, and
she has reminded me of it more than once, and it is beginning to take on a
deeper and deeper meaning to me. God doesn't make a habit of disappointing
children then they come to Him in simple honesty and sincerity. I've seen it
around me, and I remember it as a kid, how God answered some of my simple
prayers (which the answers to I have never forgotten). I saw it last week when
Joey prayed and asked God to fix the Subaru. I saw it when my two girls stepped
out in faith and asked God to let them go to Australia.
And the
question then becomes: How can I in my own faith,
become more like the children in theirs, like I too once was?
So that's
today's musing. I'm pondering the simple faith of the children, and
how God responds to it.
I hope that
we have encouraged you, and we pray that each of you recognize some small
touch of God in your life today.
Sincerely,
Tim and
Karen and Kids
The
Father's House of Prayer on Thorn Creek
208-392-6723
timbenedict@peoplepc.com
http://www.bighouseministries.com
21 Yellowpine Lane, Boise, ID 83716