11-25-2005
Dear
Friends,
A Happy
Thanksgiving to all!
:-)
God is
good. And I am thankful.
I went back
to look at where I had that wreck last week..... and if I had been just one
foot either direction of where I clipped that other car, I likely would have
spun, rolled, and possibly gone over a 100+ ft cliff just 25 or 30
yards away, which is nothing when spinning or rolling at 55 mph. God DEFINATELY
was taking care of me that night *thankful smile*.
Something
else has really struck home with me this week.
That broken
friendship that I mentioned last week... still has no resolution. It is
maddening. I spent most of today fretting over it, stewing in all sorts of
painful emotions, and missing my friend, until I realized something. Satan
had won, by sidelining me, getting me to worry about something and forget my
calling. So by sheer act of will alone, I handed the situation over to God and
let it go, focusing instead on being a leader once again, focusing on this
ranch project, and letting God sort things out and be my vindicator. It wasn't
easy to make that mindswitch, but suddenly, where I before had deep turmoil and
intense hurt, I had peace in my heart again. And I guess that would be my
question to you...
What is it
in your life that has you sidelined, keeping you from fulfilling your call,
that thing that God has asked you to do for Him? What turmoil, or what problem,
has stolen your peace? Can you give it up? Give it to God? Rise above that
thing, and walk again in your calling?
We are in a
battle. And the darkness is playing for keeps. If it can sideline you, and
neutralize you, it has won. But as a soldier, a child and ambassador of the
King of Kings, we dare not let that happen to us. There are too many hurting
and wounded people out there that need us and need God working through us. Time
is short. Have you been sidelined and neutralized? What will it take to wake
you up and shock you into action again?
As for my
life and the ranch here....
I have made
several very important contacts in the past week, with people that have
connections to those that can help renovate this place. That is an answer to
prayer right there, in a big way.
I installed
a second wood stove here, but it won't draft right yet, and smoked me out
pretty bad this evening.... *chuckle*.
Someone
gave us a good canon copier with all the bells and whistles so that we can do
all the things that I have wanted to do with training manuals, discipleship
materials, and ranch paperwork and publicity things. Answer to prayer. God
continues to build a good foundation here. I am feeling pretty positive about
the ways things are moving. It's neat to be a part of.
I have
helped several neighbors here get set up and ready for winter. It is a good witness
and testimony. Seeds planted.
My dad is
ok. Thanks for the prayers there too.
Had a
chance last night to pray with a desperately hurting man going through a
divorce. And because of my own heartache in the relationships area and my
own recent divorce, I was able to cry with him as we prayed. It is a good thing
to be able to pray with brothers. Very special.
Two weeks
ago, the Northern Lights lit up the sky here at the ranch. It was awe
inspiring. I stood outside and stared up at the stars and the lights for over
an hour that night. Even the local newspaper said they were substantially more
spectacular than normal for here. I have never seen them that strongly or that
brightly here in Idaho. Wave after wave of golden, green, and white light raced
across the heavens over my head, like breakers across a seashore. And the
curtains of red, green, and white light in the north were pretty amazing to
see. God truly created a beautiful world for us to enjoy. I was entranced. It
was simply beautiful. It led me to worship my God in a special way.
And that
led me into another deep thought. The world was created perfect in the
beginning. Yet, because of our rebellion, and the flood, the world is now
imperfect, and dying. Scientifically we know this is true. This planet will not
even support life in another 2000 years, according to the Scientific American
magazine. It is a dying world. And God, according to scripture, can't look upon
imperfection. What must He feel like, to still want to walk with us, to live
here among us, on a world that is corrupted from the beautiful thing it once
was? And yet, I still think it is beautiful, even now, and I thank Him for it.
I saw in this another facet of God's love for us, that He endures the heartache
of watching His perfect creation die slowly because of us and our poor choices,
and yet, He still wants to walk with us. Know us. Be our friend. Forgive us, If
we only ask Him to come into our corrupt lives and clean us up and forgive us...
Kinda mind blowing....
Ain't God
cool? :-)
This
Thanksgiving, be sure to let those people that are important to you, know that
you appreciate them and are thankful for them. And be sure to say thanks to God
too, for even just one beautiful thing in your life. He deserves to hear us say
that we appreciate Him too.
Just for
fun, you might ask God to show you HIS fingerprints in life and the world
around you... See what He reveals to you.
Until next
time.....
:-)
-Tim
Tim
Benedict
Thorn Creek Conference Center
21 Yellowpine Lane
Boise, ID 83716
208-392-6723
tbenedict@bigskytel.net