I’m spending a couple of days in Colorado helping a ministry that means a lot to me. The Blessing Ranch (blessingranch.org) is an organization that ministers to Pastors and Missionaries. The setting is a 100 acre ranch that is 30 miles north of Ft. Collins, Colorado. It’s just a few miles from Wyoming. It’s the middle of nowhere, and it’s heaven.
I’ve been here 4 times before, twice with other guys and twice with Denise. I found out about it when one of my mentors invited me to come with him. Now I send people here regularly. I have missionary friends coming here in a couple of weeks. Dr. John Walker is a clinical psychologist who was also in ministry so he really understands the weirdness of pastoral work. There are such great challenges on one hand, and such joys at the same time. The stress on a marriage is always at a different level. John has really helped me and really helped us. He was one of the guys there for me when I hit a burn out time after our relocation. I don’t think I’m exaggerating to say that I’m not sure I’d still be the Pastor at Parkview if it wasn’t for my time here at this amazing place.
I always appreciate the words of praise and thanks I get from people because God has used Denise and I in ministry to them in some way. But I doubt that any of you can appreciate the level of ministry we get from others along the way. Friend and co-workers in ministry, family who understand us so well, my guys I do ministry with, as well as professional counselors and mentors who have kept us in the game.
I don’t know really what I’m saying, except that I’d like for you to say a prayer for John and Deanna Walker and realize that if God uses me to help you – he’s also used someone else to help me – and someone else to help them. That is the way God works.
Okay, I know what I’m saying… Go help someone else. Don’t break the chain.
I hope you are inviting people to our new series "Are We There Yet?" Go to the series website to watch the video and send an e-vite to friends! It starts in a week and a half on Saturday, October 24th, when we will be launching two services on Saturdays at the Orland Park Campus...4:00 and 5:45 PM. If you come to the Orland Campus, PLEASE COME ON SATURDAY NIGHT. PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR ON TOP!
This weekend, we’re privileged to have Pastor Barry Cameron who is the author of the ABC’s of Financial Freedom that we’ve been reading and using for this series. I hope you will be here. He’s a guy who is living everything he wrote about.
This Sunday evening, we are having a campus-wide prayer event to ask God’s blessing on our new service, this series, and the people you are inviting. That's Sunday, October 18th at 5:30 PM in the Orland Park Campus Worship Center. We invite you to come to worship and pray with us.
Thankful for you and for the people who have helped me,
Tim
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