Greetings in the name of the Lord!
Time doesn't just fly, it accelerates. No, I'm not dusting off a master's thesis on General Relativity: If you are under, say, 35 years of age, you may not have realized it yet, but our time on this Earth is very short (for those who would like a harmless debate, take this to the forums: is it too short, or not short enough?) It's hard to believe that it's been 2 months since we did a BF newsletter, after the Texas retreat - time has definitely gotten away from us. But we haven't been idle in those months! In this newsletter you'll find out details on our two upcoming Spring retreats, and more.
Biblical Families Retreat News:
We look forward to meeting many more of you this coming year! We know the economy is shaky for many, but gas prices are down, and hopefully will stay that way for awhile, making a "road trip" much more reasonable. Come and join us - were sure you will blessed, and so will we, by your presence!
North Carolina mountain retreat: March 27th-29th, 2009
We have meeting and kitchen facilities reserved at a great campground-style location! You can rent a (really nice) cabin, share a larger one with another family, camp (tent or RV sites), or stay in a nearby hotel. The Campground is just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, less than an hour northeast of Asheville. We have people all over the East Coast, and this gives a central location for those families to attend without having to drive to Florida.
We will plan on doing cooking in a common kitchen, making for a more community-type event, rather than eating out (though there is some food not too far away). This will be a great way to get to know each other, in a more relaxed environment, and for the kids to have a safe place to play - indoors and outdoors (temps in late March should be 60s during the day, chilly at night).
Reservations can (and should) be made for cabins or camp sites NOW! Some of us have already. If you are interested in attending, just let us know: nathan@biblicalfamilies.org, and we'll send you Campground info right away. (Note that it's likely that Pastor Randy will not be attending this event.)
Orlando, FL: May 22nd-25th, 2009 (Memorial Day)
We are considering this our "signature" retreat for 2009. Pastor Randy and his family plan to be present and sharing. This will be our 4th Memorial Day retreat in a row - a "root" from which Biblical Families grew. The location is set in stone (10 miles west of Orlando, 6 miles north of Disney), and local hotel information is available now, write us if you'd like it or any other information. email: nathan@biblicalfamilies.org
The 2nd half of the year is still tentative, we are still waiting your input and suggestions:
West Coast
Perhaps mid-to-late September 2009 in Northern California (drivable from San Diego to Seattle), let us know what would work for you .
Open to feedback on location and date.
Dallas, Texas
Perhaps January 2010 - Open to input on exact date, we will try for a non-hotel location next year, and settle on a date by mid-year.
Other news:
Besides retreat planning, Biblical Families has been growing behind the scenes, and we are ministering, via phone, email, and personal visits, with a number of families each month. We have started some (small, but hopeful!) home-group-style meetings in the Orlando area - let us know if you are ever visiting this area, and we would love to include you, and meet you.
Here's a peek at one new ministry area we are planning, and hope to get on the main site before too many more weeks: Many have asked "How can we meet ladies who would be interested in joining our families" (And some ladies have asked "How can we meet normal, God-fearing families, that we'd actually LIKE to join".) We've said before, we really dislike Internet classifieds, it seems like there too much "strangeness" out there, and not enough "protection". So we have an mind more of an Introductions service. Everything will be free, nothing will be posted online. Families (and single men), and ladies can tell us what they are looking for (age, location, church background, doctrinal similarities, etc). We will encourage them to get "known" via forums, phone calls, email, and especially retreats. When we are comfortable with a family, we will introduce those who seem like they may be interested in talking to each other, and we are willing to have our families serve as something of a "covering" in the courtship process for those ladies who no longer have their fathers to serve in that role, and would like the added protection. Look for more on this soon, and feel free to send us your feedback: staff@biblicalfamilies.org
The Power of Perseverance - 'Doc' Burkhart
One of the most neglected, but also most powerful tools that believers have in their spiritual toolbox is the power of perseverance. In a world of quick fixes, drive-thru breakfast, microwave dinners, no-fault divorces, and cookie-cutter churches, we have become accustomed to having easy answers delivered to us quickly. Most answers, however, do not come easy.
The story is told that Andrew Jackson's boyhood friends just couldn't understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson's friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now." Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn't they usually say three times and out?" "Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat -- he would never stay 'throwed.' Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and be the winner." Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are 'throwed,' but whether you are willing to stay 'throwed'." We may face setbacks, but we must take courage and go forward in faith. Then, through the Holy Spirit's power we can be the eventual victor over sin and the world. The battle is the Lord's, so there is no excuse for us to stay "throwed"!
There is true power in persistence; persistence in prayer, persistence in faithful living, persistence in resting in His promises for our life. It is through our persistence of faith that His power for our lives can be made manifest.
Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous Polish composer-pianist, was once scheduled to perform at a great American concert hall for a high-society extravaganza. In the audience was a mother with her fidgety nine-year-old son. Weary of waiting, the boy slipped away from her side, strangely drawn to the Steinway on the stage. Without much notice from the audience, he sat down at the stool and began playing 'chopsticks." The roar of the crowd turned to shouts as hundreds yelled, 'Get that boy away from there!" When Paderewski heard the uproar backstage, he grabbed his coat and rushed over behind the boy. Reaching around him from behind, the master began to improvise a countermelody to 'Chopsticks." As the two of them played together, Paderewski kept whispering in the boy's ear, 'Keep going. Don't quit, son...don't stop...don't stop." God is whispering the same thing in our ears, “Keep going. Don’t quit….don’t stop…don’t stop….” As we continue in our persistence, He creates the melody of life around us.
Have you felt like giving up, like throwing in the towel? Just hang on…because your victory is just around the corner!
Many experts are predicting that as we go into 2009, our nation is faced with the prospect of a recession in the least, and perhaps a depression. As believers, now more than ever, we need to be shining examples of God’s faithfulness to us. We also need to maintain our faithful persistence of our walk in Christ, not only as a witness to the world, but for our own survival as well!
The following inspirational poem helps remind us of our journey.
When Things Go Wrong
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but can only sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but never, never, never quit!
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out
;So don't give up, though the pace seems slow,
For you may succeed with another blow!
Often the goal is nearer than ,
It seems to a fain and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown!
Success is failure, turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit!
May the Lord bless you and keep you, and as always, let us know how we can serve you, just write us at: staff@biblicalfamilies.org
Biblical Families.org Staff
Time doesn't just fly, it accelerates. No, I'm not dusting off a master's thesis on General Relativity: If you are under, say, 35 years of age, you may not have realized it yet, but our time on this Earth is very short (for those who would like a harmless debate, take this to the forums: is it too short, or not short enough?) It's hard to believe that it's been 2 months since we did a BF newsletter, after the Texas retreat - time has definitely gotten away from us. But we haven't been idle in those months! In this newsletter you'll find out details on our two upcoming Spring retreats, and more.
Biblical Families Retreat News:
We look forward to meeting many more of you this coming year! We know the economy is shaky for many, but gas prices are down, and hopefully will stay that way for awhile, making a "road trip" much more reasonable. Come and join us - were sure you will blessed, and so will we, by your presence!
North Carolina mountain retreat: March 27th-29th, 2009
We have meeting and kitchen facilities reserved at a great campground-style location! You can rent a (really nice) cabin, share a larger one with another family, camp (tent or RV sites), or stay in a nearby hotel. The Campground is just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, less than an hour northeast of Asheville. We have people all over the East Coast, and this gives a central location for those families to attend without having to drive to Florida.
We will plan on doing cooking in a common kitchen, making for a more community-type event, rather than eating out (though there is some food not too far away). This will be a great way to get to know each other, in a more relaxed environment, and for the kids to have a safe place to play - indoors and outdoors (temps in late March should be 60s during the day, chilly at night).
Reservations can (and should) be made for cabins or camp sites NOW! Some of us have already. If you are interested in attending, just let us know: nathan@biblicalfamilies.org, and we'll send you Campground info right away. (Note that it's likely that Pastor Randy will not be attending this event.)
Orlando, FL: May 22nd-25th, 2009 (Memorial Day)
We are considering this our "signature" retreat for 2009. Pastor Randy and his family plan to be present and sharing. This will be our 4th Memorial Day retreat in a row - a "root" from which Biblical Families grew. The location is set in stone (10 miles west of Orlando, 6 miles north of Disney), and local hotel information is available now, write us if you'd like it or any other information. email: nathan@biblicalfamilies.org
The 2nd half of the year is still tentative, we are still waiting your input and suggestions:
West Coast
Perhaps mid-to-late September 2009 in Northern California (drivable from San Diego to Seattle), let us know what would work for you .
Open to feedback on location and date.
Dallas, Texas
Perhaps January 2010 - Open to input on exact date, we will try for a non-hotel location next year, and settle on a date by mid-year.
Other news:
Besides retreat planning, Biblical Families has been growing behind the scenes, and we are ministering, via phone, email, and personal visits, with a number of families each month. We have started some (small, but hopeful!) home-group-style meetings in the Orlando area - let us know if you are ever visiting this area, and we would love to include you, and meet you.
Here's a peek at one new ministry area we are planning, and hope to get on the main site before too many more weeks: Many have asked "How can we meet ladies who would be interested in joining our families" (And some ladies have asked "How can we meet normal, God-fearing families, that we'd actually LIKE to join".) We've said before, we really dislike Internet classifieds, it seems like there too much "strangeness" out there, and not enough "protection". So we have an mind more of an Introductions service. Everything will be free, nothing will be posted online. Families (and single men), and ladies can tell us what they are looking for (age, location, church background, doctrinal similarities, etc). We will encourage them to get "known" via forums, phone calls, email, and especially retreats. When we are comfortable with a family, we will introduce those who seem like they may be interested in talking to each other, and we are willing to have our families serve as something of a "covering" in the courtship process for those ladies who no longer have their fathers to serve in that role, and would like the added protection. Look for more on this soon, and feel free to send us your feedback: staff@biblicalfamilies.org
The Power of Perseverance - 'Doc' Burkhart
One of the most neglected, but also most powerful tools that believers have in their spiritual toolbox is the power of perseverance. In a world of quick fixes, drive-thru breakfast, microwave dinners, no-fault divorces, and cookie-cutter churches, we have become accustomed to having easy answers delivered to us quickly. Most answers, however, do not come easy.
The story is told that Andrew Jackson's boyhood friends just couldn't understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson's friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now." Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn't they usually say three times and out?" "Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat -- he would never stay 'throwed.' Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and be the winner." Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are 'throwed,' but whether you are willing to stay 'throwed'." We may face setbacks, but we must take courage and go forward in faith. Then, through the Holy Spirit's power we can be the eventual victor over sin and the world. The battle is the Lord's, so there is no excuse for us to stay "throwed"!
There is true power in persistence; persistence in prayer, persistence in faithful living, persistence in resting in His promises for our life. It is through our persistence of faith that His power for our lives can be made manifest.
Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous Polish composer-pianist, was once scheduled to perform at a great American concert hall for a high-society extravaganza. In the audience was a mother with her fidgety nine-year-old son. Weary of waiting, the boy slipped away from her side, strangely drawn to the Steinway on the stage. Without much notice from the audience, he sat down at the stool and began playing 'chopsticks." The roar of the crowd turned to shouts as hundreds yelled, 'Get that boy away from there!" When Paderewski heard the uproar backstage, he grabbed his coat and rushed over behind the boy. Reaching around him from behind, the master began to improvise a countermelody to 'Chopsticks." As the two of them played together, Paderewski kept whispering in the boy's ear, 'Keep going. Don't quit, son...don't stop...don't stop." God is whispering the same thing in our ears, “Keep going. Don’t quit….don’t stop…don’t stop….” As we continue in our persistence, He creates the melody of life around us.
Have you felt like giving up, like throwing in the towel? Just hang on…because your victory is just around the corner!
Many experts are predicting that as we go into 2009, our nation is faced with the prospect of a recession in the least, and perhaps a depression. As believers, now more than ever, we need to be shining examples of God’s faithfulness to us. We also need to maintain our faithful persistence of our walk in Christ, not only as a witness to the world, but for our own survival as well!
The following inspirational poem helps remind us of our journey.
When Things Go Wrong
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but can only sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but never, never, never quit!
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out
;So don't give up, though the pace seems slow,
For you may succeed with another blow!
Often the goal is nearer than ,
It seems to a fain and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown!
Success is failure, turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit!
May the Lord bless you and keep you, and as always, let us know how we can serve you, just write us at: staff@biblicalfamilies.org
Biblical Families.org Staff