The Blessing Ranch to be exact. It’s outside of Ft. Collins, Colorado. The name is sort of a misnomer. This is the place where Pastor couples come to get “blessed” by a Christian psychologist who helps them sort out all of their junk. This is the place I described as something akin to putting needles in my eye.
The truth of the matter is my marriage and my ministry are worth the time, and worth making the effort to grow. I can make jokes, but this is a blessing. Dr. Walker is a friend of mine. I’ve been here 3 times with groups of Pastors and this is the second time with my wife. It’s so important to get this help from the outside.
Listen, I’m well aware that Satan’s best tactic would be to take our marriage or me down. We may not be on his “Ten Most Wanted” list, but he knows how much damage it could do. So Denise and I are committed to working on our relationship and we need help doing it. I hope you will all do the same. Even if it’s reading some books or going on a marriage retreat – get some help! I’m setting the example here.
Fortunately I married an amazing woman, and God has blessed us as we’ve grown to love and grown in love over these 24 years. And fortunately God has brought us good people to help us along the way.
The beauty of this place is that it is so “away.” I have no cell service here and the nearest store is 35 miles away. It’s about half way between Ft. Collins and Laramie, Wyoming. Looks like an old western movie, and you think there is going to be a rattlesnake around the next rock.
Dr. Walker quoted Simon Weil to me today who said something to the effect of “The heart has two teachers; adversity and beauty.” I get that. Adversity never seems far away, and our ministry and our marriage have had some tough heart teachers in that area. We are closer and wiser because of it. This is why we come to places like this to get help.
But the other side of this place is the beauty. There is nothing like getting away from the rat race and being in nature to see that God is there.
Yesterday afternoon we took off up the mountain and stopped by a lake to read and think and pray, and all of the sudden a Moose cow and her baby came by to pay us a visit.
How cools is that. I’ve never seen a moose in the wild.
It was just such a blessing and a nice reminder that God is there watching over all of it.
Ps 147:7 - Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.
Here is a picture of an antelope I took as it was running next to our car down the highway.
He sort of reminds me of the pace of life and the futility we all live with sometimes. Just running and running – many times without any real place to go.
It’s good to stop.
See you Saturday for Bob Russell. My favorite preacher and one of my mentors. Don’t miss it.
tim
What beautiful country....!!!! Truly God's country.... Have a beautiful and wonderful time away.... You both deserve it. We need you and we are blessed to have you as our preacher and blessed to have Denise as your partner in life. Love you both.
Deb H.
Posted by: Debbie H. | June 19, 2008 at 09:17 PM
We need more pastors that will be real about their marriage relationship and the attacks they endure! What a great example you are setting for the rest of your flock!
My wife and I have responded to Gods call to build a marriage retreat to make it affordable for churches to conduct marriage retreats. We would love to host a group from Parkview when we have it completed. You can find us at frylake.com
Posted by: Dave Campbell | June 19, 2008 at 10:13 PM