After I relayed some specific financial needs in the last
update, an organization has helped out with several of those things. Thanks
be to God for the help that they gave. By the way, in
response to a suggestion from someone else that also gets these updates, I put a
donation link (through paypal) on my website to make it easier to contribute. As
I said before, I do not have a non profit status set up yet to give you a tax
receipt, but should by the end of the year, and one of my supporting churches
has offered to let me run things through them if needed, until our own is set
up.
I am starting to get loose ends wrapped up financially and
getting started paying off some old debts left over from before the divorce.
Also have started addressing past burning bridges where I have let people
down. That is a very good feeling to be taking care of those things, though hard
to actually do.....
Oh, you gotta read this one *smile*. Twice now, when hauling
extra heavy trailer (16ft with sidealls) loads of stuff up to the ranch, on
rainy days, I have prayed, and several people prayed with me, that God would
clear the road before me and keep me safe. Both times, a patch of sunlight
went ahead of me and dried the road out as I was going through, just like I was
walking through the Red Sea. It was quite amazing really :-). One of those
times, God placed the biggest most vibrant rainbow I have ever seen, directly
over the ranch, as I was headed up there on the last 5 miles of dirt road.
Then coming back from the ranch one of those days, I watched a trailer that was
smaller than the one I was pulling, do a cartwheel down the interstate in the
eastbound lanes at the Broadway underpass in Boise. The trailer whipped out of
control, slammed the guy's full size pickup around and into the guard rail
(totalled it), then disconnected and literally went end over end down the
freeway. I immediately pulled off and called 911 and made sure the guy was ok
(he was) and everything, but it was a sobering reminder that God is watching
over my footsteps and without him, I am nothing.
God continues to bring individuals across my path for me to
minister to. That has been very rewarding. 3 in particular come to mind
recently. It has been very good.
I continue to play my guitar for the worship team at the
church in Robie Creek. That has been very satisfying too.
Two days after I asked God to give me some teeneagers to work
with, a door has potentially opened for that as well, to work with a church
youth group.
A man that works in one of the juvenile facilities in the
Treasure Valley has asked if I would be willing to take on several young men of
19 or 20 yrs old that have been asking about the ranch, just to give them a
place to stay when they get out, put them to work, and mentor/disciple them as
they put newfound walks with Christ into practice in the real world, not behind
bars. There are still some details to work out there, but we'll see. This also
happened in direct response to a specific prayer I asked God about who
would be my first residents at the ranch (besides myself).
God continues to provide me with good food
*chuckle*. This might not seem like a big thing, but to a single guy
that is on the go non-stop working on a project as big as this
one, it is VERY important and very appreciated, those of you who have
blessed me with your hospitality both in your homes and by fixing me meals to
take with me and eat on the run. Thankyou.
I have had several very long and very good times of fellowship
with fellow Christians recently, that nourished my soul, and encouraged them as
well. True fellowship with close friends in the body of believers is
such an amazing thing.
I had been praying last week that God would bring me an
appraiser that could evaluate the ranch property for us, to give us an idea of
its true value, so that we can structure our offer correctly. Through what
I consider a divine appointment, I am now in touch with a company that does
these sorts of appraisals. And someone has donated a classic vehicle to be sold
on ebay, so that the proceeds can pay for the appraisal. God's timing is so
perfect... *thankful smile*. I will send out a link once I have the ad/pics
posted, so that you can see them if you are into classic trucks.
We have prayed over the ranch property several times now, and
dedicated it to God's use, and forbid any unclean spirit from taking up
residence there. The change in the atmosphere after the the third time praying
these things was almost tangible, and a deep sense of peace and welcome (at
least according to several people that visited the property both before and
after this was done have said) overshadows the place now.
The gasoline powered electrical generator that was loaned to
the ranch until a permament power solution could be found, continues to run
well. Thankyou Dennis and Beverly. I run it for several hours each evening just
for lights and computer and vcr for my daughter Vanya (when she is with me) so
she can watch her veggie tales and Bible songs videos.
Something else exciting! My dream of a home for unwed mothers
may also be becoming a reality too already through several close friends, a
couple that I have mentored and that I now count among my closest friends. They
are currently looking for a large house that they can start accepting live-in
unwed mothers-to-be that God has already brought to them for shelter, help,
mentoring and spiritual guidance. Pray for them. And if you have leads on a big
house with a whole lotta bedrooms in Boise somewhere (the ranch is too far out
of town for their needs/goals), that they could rent/use/buy cheaply, let me
know (email me) immediately. Thanks.
Paul Stutzman, running for Boise county commisioner, was
elected yesterday in the primaries there in Boise County. This is a neat
developement, as he and I both feel that God has placed him there to pave the
way for this ranch and many other Christian ministeries that are and will be
developing in the Boise County area. Assuming no write-in candidates campaign,
Paul is in! Total answer to prayer!
A second youth oriented ranch, that fouses primarilly on
troubled teeneagers, has now also pledged us know-how and support as I/we begin
wading through some of the paperwork required to make this project happen. God
is definately bringing in the right people and resources at the right
times....
There are also several things that I need desperate help and
prayer with, things that let me know that I am in the middle of a battle still,
both physical, and spiritual.
I have been meeting the neighbors up at the ranch, one by one.
Of the 4 I have met so far, 3 are deeply into Native American spiritism and
shamanism. One of them built that chapel that I mentioned before in another
update. I need to develop a closer relationship with these people to understand
better where they are at in their own life journeys and then....?
The water supplies to the ranch are broken, both from a
spring high on the mountain overlooking the ranch, and the water
line from the community water supply. Thus I have been living there part
time for over a month now, hauling in all the water that I need to
use, spring water in jugs to drink, and 5-gallon buckets from the creek
below for everything else. I would very much appreciate anyone that would like
to come up and make one or both of these things functional again for me/us,
sometime in the next week or three after the appraiser has been there. Or even
if we could install a ram pump from the creek to fill a big tank on the hill
with a heavy duty filter and black light (to kill germs) installed (none of the
peices of which I have yet), that would work too...
I have also been trying to set up a small gerry-rigged
micro-hydro unit, but have not been having much luck. I have already laid in a
pipeline in that is feeding about 25gpm with about 30 feet of head (about 14psi
static pressure). If I had more pipe, I could probably improve both these
values by 25% or more. It isn't much, but jetted and nozzled right,
it's supposed (in theory) to spin an alternator fast enough to charge
a battery bank and inverter 24 hrs a day, enough to let me run basic lights, the
refrigerator, a stereo, a couple power tools, and my computer for
ranch work during the daytime and evening. Someone donated a big 2400 watt
inverter/charger to use with the battery bank, but when I tried to hook it
up and turn it on, one of the chips onboard exploded rather brilliantly *sad
chuckle*. Never seen an computer chip explode like that before..... But I have
most of the batteries I need, the wire, a small working 400 watt inverter (that
I found for $20 at a yard sale the next day after I asked God for one), a
trickle charger, and an alternator of questionable quality that I picked up at
another yardsale last year. I even have a hydro wheel/turbine, not as efficient
as some of the ones you can buy online nowdays, but with the right jets and
nozzles, it works. I just haven't had time to finish putting it all
together yet and fix the big charger/inverter that exploded on me the other
day..... I was also thinking to add some solar panels to the equation too at
some point (anyone have access to some that are not being used?) But again,
probably a project to complete after the appraiser has been there, and something
I could use some prayer concerning and maybe some hands-on help with at some
point in the near future.
But just the process of moving, trying to find out
why the ranch water isn't working, trying to get basic ranch
electricity running, and trying to finish renovating the house that a
real estate agent is allowing me to renovate to sell to put the profit towards
my bills so I can finish moving to the ranch, on top of the other ministries God
has allowed for me, and still trying to earn a little money to pay bills along
the way, it is all just running me into the ground. I am getting tired. Can
I say that in brutal honesty? Discouragement is a real danger, and
something that I would appreciate prayer about, just that I can keep up this
pace, that God continues opening the financial doors as needed, and that in the
middle of it all, that I not lose track of my focus on HIM.
Also pray that the right buyers come for this truck on
ebay, and for this house in Emmett, and quickly, so that I can make my
financial commitments by month's end, finish moving, wrap up other loose ends
with people, and start focusing on the mountains of paperwork, writing, grant
writing, and PR that all needs to start happening immediately with the ranch.
This house in Emmett that I am renovating, the real estate
agent that owns it is getting very antsy to move it quickly, and because it
has taken me longer than expected/anticipated to do the renovations and get
it on the market, relations are quite strained with her right now. Pray
peace over that situation please, that I can finish it all up rapidly, and that
it sells quickly.
So in the Emmett house, I was going to convert a big walk in
closet into a second bathroom, but I don't think that I have the time, money, or
energy to do that also on top of everything else, so here's the basic stats as I
am wrapping it up. 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, almost 1100 sq feet. 2 car garage
(enclosed but no door yet - anyone have an extra used good clean 2-car
garage door that they want to donate to the project?) Gas heat. On about a fifth
acre in Emmett, near the river in a decent section of town. It would
make a good rental, a nice home for a retired couple, or even a good
starter home. I was planning to ask somewhere in the $69,000-$75,000 range, but
will have a more firm price after I finish up some things and talk it through
with the real estate agent who owns it some more. But here's a little more about
the place. Nice open, bright, old fashioned kitchen with cabin style wood
paneling. One bedroom with a huge walk-in closet. Small pantry in kitchen. 3
small tiered ponds/waterfalls in back yard. Raised flowerbeds around the house
and along the back fence. Large bedrooms. Small storage shed in back
and large storage room in the garage. 3 blocks from downtown
Emmett. If you have more questions or want to see the place, email
me!
Pray that I feel better too. I have not been feeling so hot
physically...
The man that I had interviewed to be our cook is now in prison
till late this fall. He at this point is no longer an option to be a part of our
core staff. So I am again praying that God brings us another cook soon
:-).
Pray that my cell phone turns up. I either completely
misplaced it, or it was stolen, last Saturday night. Such a simple convenience,
but one you sure miss when you come to depend on it.....
Pray that I have peace and patience with Pauline. She has
filed for bankruptcy now, meaning that all the community debts that she agreed
to pay as part of the divorce, will now revert back to me. Irritating,
to say the least. I need grace and wisdom...
Pray for my daughter...
I really am so thankful that I know who my Redeemer is, and
that He loves me. Some days I get up and just feel absolutely
fractured/shattered and completely overwhelmed. But I know whom I serve, and He
loves me, even though I am still a long way from perfect. And that helps, and I
can do what I need to do for that day. I would serve no other besides Him. I am
very thankful for those of you that cover me in prayer, and those that
consistently ask how things are going, or have helped out financially or with
food or goods, or even have helped with simple labor onsite at the ranch. It is
good. God is good. And I am thankful, to both Him and ya'll.
By the way, if anyone wants to come up to the ranch this
weekend for Memorial day, and camp out (literally - no power, no water, though
the bathroom works with creek water from buckets) in RV, tent, whatever (map is
on my website - lots of places to park and/or pitch tents), I am open to that .
If you could help out with a donation of just whatever for staying there,
it would be cool too, but no worries if you can't. There's lots to be done, and
I will be working on things Saturday that I could use help with, and
am plannig a big bonfire Saturday night (bring hotdogs and fixin's)
with prayer and God time. Sunday I will be at Robie Creek church in the morning,
and back relaxing or working at the ranch that afternoon. Please RSVP if
you would like to come up any of those days/nights. Bring food, card games,
(horseshoes?), guitars, etc.
Sincerely,
-Tim
PS. As always, feel free to pass these along to friends and
anyone else that you think might be interested. If you don't want to receieve
them anymore, tell me that too. Thanks.
_________________
Tim Benedict, MCSE