It’s spring now and although we have only been here for a short part of the winter, there is quite a contrast between the two. The grass is no longer brown but a beautiful green. The trees are no longer bare but producing new leaves. The flowers are no longer hidden beneath the soil, but they are forcing their way up to show off all their lovely colors. Spring has arrived and with it many new things to be learned.
This brings me to my main thought. Spring is a time for training. When I played football, every year we would go through the process of spring training. No one, including me, ever liked spring training. It was long, hard and in Texas it was hot! As a young man I could see no real purpose in it. Now that I am older I can certainly see the value in training.
Just as athletes go through spring training and military men go through basic training, we as Christians go through training as well. Take Moses for example. His life was divided into different times of training. Forty years of training in Egypt, then forty years of training in the desert, followed by forty years wandering in the wilderness. God spent time training Moses for all those years in what to do, what to say, how to lead and yet, at the end, Moses could only look over into what could have been his next forty years of training in the Promised Land.
I want to train and learn everything I can about Buffalo Ridge. I want to learn what it takes to maintain the grounds, care for the animals, produce good crops and most of all how we can better meet the needs of the guests that God brings to Buffalo Ridge. By the way, I am already learning a thing or two. I have added a few new terms to my vocabulary:
“Boinking” - buffalo term for hopping
“Burning” - farmer term for ‘Call the fire department’
“Blessing” - Christian term for God is so good
Truly God is good. What a privilege it is to be counted worthy to be in “training” to be used by God to help others in their work for Him.
In I Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul speaks of an athlete in training. He goes through the training in order to win the crown. Paul says, “…that crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time, but our crown will never be destroyed.” He also says, “I train so that I myself will not be disqualified.”
It’s spring training at Buffalo Ridge; Lord, help me not to be a castaway!
by Chaplain Jim Robinson
Steady progress is being made at Buffalo Ridge. We are now starting to build a small deck on the Fellowship Room, built as a memorial to Fleta Robinson. This project should be completed in the next week except for building a fireplace. If we have too much wet weather, we might not be finished with the lawn, grading, and grass planting around the building. This would also keep us from getting the outside of the building painted.
This is the last opportunity for someone experienced in building fireplaces to volunteer. Otherwise, I will have to pour through some books (or websites) and put together a good plan and go ahead and build it. That will be one of my main projects for May.
I preached last Sunday at a Baptist church in the area. I believe it would be pleasing to the Lord for me to be preaching more. I would be interested in preaching at your church this summer or fall if you could see that I receive an invitation. I would even be interested in some 3-4 day meetings. I believe the Lord has laid on my heart some things that need to be shared.
Sam & Karen Renfro are continuing to be a big help to the team here. Please do keep them in your prayers, that they will be able to raise the necessary financial support to allow them to become permanent staff members.
While I am on the subject of finances, I want to let you know that we are currently behind financially. Present contributions are only about one-half of what it takes to meet expenses. If you are not a regular financial supporter, please ask the Lord if He would have you become one. You are needed!
I am starting (separate from His Way Ministries) a small buffalo ranch on neighboring land owned by my son, Tim. We expect to sell buffalo meat locally and to fill mail orders for buffalo meat as well. Just another way to help pay ministry expenses.
We continue to be greatly encouraged by the positive attitudes of team members here, and the growing number of requests of those who desire to come to Buffalo Ridge.
by Fred McCreary
(His Way Board
Member)
Sea-shell pink painted the streaky cirrus clouds overlooking the lush Buffalo Ridge pasture. Melding with the gray dawn, the soft blues and a few whiffs of white here and there, the earth's rotation birthed a new day.
A cool mist hovered above the lowlands below us as a freshness tinged with the aromatic sage plant tweaked our noses. Stop and smell the sages. Gaze upon the vista of the eastern sky. Now hear the dove cooing. Now see the sunny side up sun break the horizon.
Oh, the beauty of this Earth!!
What does God have planned for me today?
Buffalo Ridge Retreat Center offers many great opportunities
to develop and expand your creative talents. Is it artwork, writing, or needlework?
Maybe you need some time to just relax and wait upon the Lord in a beautiful,
restful setting to recharge yourself. The facilities at Buffalo Ridge offer
that opportunity for ministers and their families and for missionaries and
their families. This is the order of priority for reserving time to be alone
with the Lord at Buffalo Ridge.
But, hey, maybe one of your church boards needs a place for a morning or
an afternoon planning session. Give Lauri a call and come out for a visit.
Fill up your senses. It's beautiful!!!
Worth Underlining
The Resurrection
No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.
- William Penn
Joy in affliction is rooted in the hope of resurrection, but our experience of suffering also deepens the root of that hope. - John Piper
The Gospels do not explain the resurrection; the resurrection explains the Gospels. Belief in the resurrection is not an appendage to the Christian faith; it is the Christian faith. - J.S. Whale
When a man really gives up trying to make something out of himself - a saint,
or a converted sinner, or a churchman, a righteous or unrighteous man,...when
in the fullness of tasks, questions, success or ill-hap, experiences and
perplexities, a man throws himself into the arms of God...then he wakes with
Christ in Gethsemane. That is faith, and it is thus that he becomes a man
and Christian.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Creation Tidbits: Am I a Rooster? by David Green
The His
Way News is published monthly and is provided free of charge
to those interested. If you would like to keep up with the ministry
in this way, contact
us (please include
your mailing address).