Monday, Jan. 8, 2024

Step away…..

Mondays is the day that Twyla and I do much of our administrative and planning work for Restoration River Ranch.  We decided a while ago that it is best if we go to a coffee shop to meet and work.  For one, it is a sweet time together.  But, we learned it is necessary to step away from the comforts of our home.  Too many distractions.

This morning it was snowy and cold.  I suggested to Twyla that maybe we should just stay home today and work.  After all, we got a Nespresso machine for Christmas so we could have a creamy Stormio, which sounded wonderful. (who have i become??)  We were tempted.  But, after a brief time of worship, Twyla spoke these words, “I’m feeling distracted to step into His presence.”  We decided to stick with the plan and head out to Free Cafe.  What a great decision!  Despite some distractions with construction going on in the background, we immediately locked in with coffee in hand, seated on comfy couches.  Then Twyla, declared, “The sound of occasional hammering and other construction noises, reminds me that God is at work in us too, continuing to create something new.”  How does she always see God in everything?  I love that about her.

Stepping away from the busyness of life, the routines, the comforts of our own place, the to-do lists, and….  I think you get the idea, is sometimes really necessary, especially when we are seeking time to be with God, to experience Him and to hear His voice.  I just read this morning that solitude could mean, “being fully present” in addition to being alone.  A time to escape, even for a short time, to be alone and fully present to God.  Wow, that sounds amazing to me.  I’m just not very good at it….yet!  

On Saturday, Jan. 20, Restoration River Ranch is hosting a Step Away Soul Care Day, at a beautiful mountain home just 45 min. from most Denver locations.  Our desire is to create space for you to step away, for a time to escape the distractions of home, your schedule or to-do list and to just be, to be fully present to experience His presence.  We will have coffee, cinnamon rolls, fruit and yogurt upon arrival, offer a time of Lecto Divina (scripture meditation) and then allow time for you to seek solitude to pray, journal, sketch, water color paint, walk the prayer trail, sit on the deck in the sun (hopefully), sit by the fire, escape to a warm bedroom nook, or whatever you choose.  We will prepare and have a delicious lunch ready for you midday, allowing for a time of fellowship.

How does that sound?  I hope you read this and declare, “That sounds amazing!  I’m in.”

Be still and know that I am God…..  Psalm 46:10a

Sometimes we just need to step away.

Check out our Upcoming Gatherings page for more info.  https://www.restorationriverranch.com/upcoming-gatherings

Link to RRR Photo Gallery: RRR Pictures

Restoration River Ranch Website

Restoration River Ranch  

Caring for the soul with love and kindness; engaging the brokenness within and around us.

September 2023 Newsletter

SO THAT……

Greetings family & friends,

We hope that this letter finds you well and at a place in your journey where you are experiencing the goodness of God as you abide in Him.

First of all, we would love to HOST YOU at one of our upcoming gatherings!!  Please click here to find out more! Upcoming Gatherings

The first 9 months of 2023 have flown by and have included grief, struggle, joy and excitement. The year started with the passing of both of Twyla’s parents, just a month apart. Her mom died in late March after suffering a stroke in January.  Her dad died in late April.  It was a rough start but we really did experience the goodness of our Father in the difficulty of that time and still now in our continued grief. 

Our joy and excitement has come in many ways, including with family, friends and the gatherings we’ve hosted at RRR.  We started our year with a prayer and fasting weekend retreat in February at the Elk Falls home which was a blessed time for all of us.  We were able to sit with all that was going on in our lives in community, as we fasted, prayed, worshiped and celebrated communion before we shared an “end of fast” dinner together.  The goodness of God.  

Since then we have hosted numerous retreats, including one day fly fishing/soul care days and weekend retreats of escaping the busyness of life to take time to seek God’s presence deep within our souls.  The most recent weekend retreat was Sept 22-24 with a group of 8 guys coming from Dallas, including Taylor and Paul, joining Zach and me, for a time of fly fishing and soul care. It was an incredible time.

Finally, our monthly times spent on Saturday mornings bringing breakfast burritos and coffee to those experiencing homelessness on the streets of Englewood has also included grief and sadness, but also joy and delight. One of our closest friends, named Jeff, died one night at the very bus stop we first met him.  We learned of his death weeks after he passed and we were so saddened, especially on the heels of the death of Twyla’s parents.  But, the people we have met, prayed with, laughed with and cried with, have been such a blessing to us.  Engaging the brokenness within and around us comes full circle on these mornings.  We’d love to have you join us.  Please let us know if you are interested.

“Abide in me and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, 

neither can you, unless you abide in me. “ John 15:4  (NKJV)

Why the “So that…” at the beginning of this newsletter?  I’m glad you asked.  Twyla and I have spent much time in the past 3 months going deeper with God, asking Him to help us hone in on the mission of RRR as it supports the vision to see lives healed, redeemed and transformed through union with Christ.  It has been a rich time, both in struggle and growth, but mostly, it has solidified for us the call to step even further into this ministry.  More to come on that soon.

One thing that seems really evident to us is that people are very busy, often really distracted, and find themselves anxious and stressed.  We wonder, how is it that we hear the quiet voice of the One who calls us by name, when we continue to live at this pace?  The invitation to spend time away, to be alone and quiet, just with God, for perhaps hours, may seem, well, difficult, scary or even, I’m afraid to say, unappealing.  

But Jesus models so clearly and so well, the need to spend time alone with His Father.  He often escapes very early in the morning or in late hours of darkness to be alone, to be filled, to be told that He is God’s beloved son….. SO THAT he is able to bear fruit and do the ministry that His Father calls him to.

We believe that this is the place where it all starts. Basking in His presence.  Listening for His still small voice, receiving His love.  We are so quick to jump ahead to the “So that”. So that I can do ministry, so that I can serve in my church, so that I can be a witness to others, so that I can….. You get the idea.  But Jesus says, “Abide in me and I in you”  SO THAT you will bear fruit BECAUSE OF ME flowing through you. ABIDE IN ME!  Are we doing that?

Ezekiel 47:1-12 is a beautiful vision that Ezekiel has of the river of living water flowing from the temple doors, getting deeper as it flows away.  Ahh, the presence of God, flowing deeper and deeper, so deep that wading is no longer an option, only swimming. Then Ezekiel is asked to look back and he sees that the trees along the banks are bearing fruit and fish are flourishing. I encourage you to read this passage and ask yourself, “When have I last taken time to step “into the river”, to bask and swim in the river of living water, HIs presence?”   

We want to provide you with the opportunity to do just that.  Do you need to come away to one of our retreats to do that?  Absolutely not.  However, we do know that it is really difficult to escape the busyness of life, to quiet the noise, the distractions, the other voices that are not the Voice we are seeking to hear.  Sometimes, stepping away for a time, in a beautiful and peaceful setting, is a great way to “care for your soul with kindness and love.”  Will you consider joining us…… So That….

Blessings to you all and thanks for loving and supporting us and RRR.  We are so grateful.

Russ & Twyla

Link to RRR Photo Gallery: RRR Pictures

Restoration River Ranch Website

Life Lessons at Lost Coffee

Lost Coffee.  That was the meeting place.  It’s a cool coffee shop in the downtown area of Castle Rock, about a 30 minute drive from our house.  It was a beautiful morning.  We sat outside and were serenaded at times by loud trucks.  Delightful.

Sometimes you think that as you get older, you have wisdom to share with the younger friends you have in your life.  That’s when “the wheels start falling off the bus” as they say. Reminder to self: Do go into a time with a friend thinking you have any wisdom to offer.  Just listen.  Hopefully I’ll learn.  I believe old dogs can learn new tricks.  This dog needs to.

Thank you Father for putting courageous young people in our lives.  25+ years younger he is, and I am so inspired by him, his wife and them together as spouses and parents.  Bold steps of faith are always so encouraging.  Vulnerability and authenticity are gifts.  Their journey right now is similar to ours in many ways, and yet very different.  Obviously we are at different stages in life.  Them being parents of 3 young kids 6 years old and under.  Us being empty nest grandparents with grandkids 6 years old and under.  But the desire for something more,the desire to step fully into trusting our TRUSTWORTHY Father.  Quieting the voices that bring us back to a scarcity mindset, or fearful doubting.

NO!  God you are trustworthy.  You do call us to “Follow you”.  You have placed dreams deep in our hearts.  You place others in our lives to encourage us to pursue those dreams. Thanks friend.  We press on in pursuit.  Trusting.  Continue to do the same!

The Raft

I bought a raft that I found on Craigslist.  I wasn’t in the market for a raft…until I found this one.  The price was right and suddenly, this became a need.  I approached Twyla with confidence in my reason why we needed a raft.  Her response didn’t disappoint.  “Why are you looking at rafts? We don’t need a raft?”  But we did and here is the reason I gave her.  “If we are going to step into RRR, this is a first step of faith!  This green 3-person fly fishing pontoon raft was perfect for creating experiences on the river for our guests….and if we get a property on a river, this raft would be a perfect compliment.”  She reluctantly conceded as she could tell my mind was racing and that I was about to come up with more reasons.

I told my son Zach about it and worked to get him excited too!  That was pretty easy.  We went to look at it and we knew it was meant to be.  After a bit of negotiating, we were soon packing up the parts onto the truck. The float trip world was out there waiting and we were now ready, almost.

You learn a lot after you buy a raft.  You learn that oars and the oar components are expensive.  I suddenly realized why it might have been a good deal.  However, we needed to get this thing on the water.  I had an idea, a temporary solution until we could find reasonably priced oars. LET’S MAKE OARS!  While Zach wasn’t convinced this was a good idea, my spontaneity and optimism won out.  PVC pipe, with reducers to make the smaller PVC handles manageable, would work for the shafts… Hmmm, but what about the oar blades.  The brilliant idea of 20’ 2x6 boards cut in the shape of oar blades and inserted into the shafts would work great…remember, spontaneity and optimism sometimes cloud judgment.

Daylight hours were burning and we needed a third person for our first float so we convinced my nephew Keaton this was an adventure he wouldn’t want to miss.  Twyla offered to drive the truck to the pick up location but in her wisdom, decided against the maiden voyage.  We headed to the closest floatable river, the South Platte.  Our drop in location would be at the C-470 parking lot.  The river was much higher than usual as they were releasing water from Chatfield.  This seemed perfect for the float although it might impact the fishing.  Yes, we actually believed we might catch a trout. We had to assemble the raft riverside, including inflating the pontoons. A park ranger arrived and seemed a bit concerned about our judgment.  He told us the park closed at dusk.  I confidently said, “OK, we’ll be off the river by dusk.”  He drove away.  Twyla watched us as we set off.  Was that fear in her eyes or just delight?  I went with delight.  The laughter began.

You see, it actually takes some skills and practice to be good on the “sticks” also known as oars to the beginner.  It was a bit trickier than we thought to keep the raft floating straight.  The current seemed to want to be in control.  No problem, just row harder.  Unfortunately, homemade oars made of PVC and 2x6s weren’t up for the task.  One broke, but we recovered all parts.  Reassembly on the fly didn’t work and we headed for our first pretty serious rapid.  Did I mention the river was much higher than usual?

From about 30 yards out, I had us going straight into the rapid.  I was a master with one oar. Things can change rapidly in 30 yards, we found out. Against all farting safety guidelines, we headed into the first rapid, sideways.  We were all laughing, and maybe trying not to pee in our pants.  Much to all of our surprise, the raft handled it beautifully.  Our confidence was on the rise.

We each took a turn on the oars.  Eventually they both broke.  But we made it.  No fish, but lots of laughs.  Honestly it was the most fun that I had on that raft. Why? Because of the many unknowns.  It was risky and didn’t feel safe.  We had to trust each other and we had to trust the raft.  With broken oars, we proudly drifted to the pick up location where Twyla greeted us with a huge smile and we all laughed.  The maiden voyage was a great success.

I ended up buying expensive oars and while it still took some practice, these oars worked great.  I even ended up getting a trailer, no longer needing to assemble and disassemble the raft riverside. We would now look legit and it would be easier. Things felt a bit safer each time and well, it even became comfortable.  We even had life jackets on the raft, even though we never used them.  Each trip was fun and we got better on the oars each time, but when I reflect back, the most rewarding and memorable float was the first one down the South Platte through town.

I sold the raft this spring.  I actually made money on it.  Probably could’ve made more. But now I’m wondering if I should have just sold the oars.  I still have the homemade ones in my garage rafters although I’m not sure why.  Probably because they reminded me of that first float.

What is it about life?  It seems for me this raft story mirrors my life in some ways.  I’m eager to get comfortable and desire safety and security.  But that’s not what Jesus calls me to.  He says, “Come follow me” and I’m quite certain, following Him looks a lot more like the maiden voyage of the green pontoon raft down the South Platte, than any of the other floats.  Don’t get me wrong, each float was fun because of who I was with, but I felt more and more comfortable each time.  It became harder to find people to go with me and I lost interest.  The raft is now just a memory.  I wonder if I would still have it…. if each trip was like the first.

Jesus, don’t let me get comfortable, feeling safe and secure. Don’t let me be concerned about looking legit and about seeking the easiest way. I accept your invitation to follow you and to float on high water rivers with broken oars.

Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."   - John 4:10

April 29, 2022

Springtime greetings to you!

I wonder….   

I wonder what it would be like to really feel and experience God’s love for me.  I wonder if God really is ok with my brokenness and if He really does delight in me. I wonder why I hold so deeply the desire to please God that it brings me to a place of striving and performing……and failing.  I wonder why I care so much about how others perceive me.  I wonder why I try so hard to get other people to like me.   I wonder who I really am. 

The list of things I wonder about is extensive.

These last months have been a rich and difficult time of deep reflection and ongoing transformation for both of us.  I recently wrote in a reflection paper that transformation is a beautiful thing, but it doesn’t always feel beautiful.  Yet I find myself so incredibly grateful that God is at work, deconstructing significant beliefs that I’ve held on to and rebuilding something new and beautiful.  I no longer wonder about some of the things I mentioned above.

A few of the things I’ve learned are:

*God loves every part of me and meets me with kindness in the depth of my brokenness.

*The enemy’s greatest tool is shame.

*Vulnerability met with love brings healing.

Spending time alone with God and having a deep desire for more intimacy with him, has been where I have experienced, like never before, His love and kindness. Here's where I transition into why all of what I’ve written might have significance to you.  You may wonder some of the same things that I wonder about.  You may be at a place in life where you feel unloved, undesired…unseen.  You may feel beat down, exhausted and empty. You may have struggles that feel overwhelmingly burdensome. Or you may be experiencing deep love and great joy, and want more of what God is offering.  Regardless, there is only one place for us to go, and that is to the feet of Jesus…. to receive the Father’s love and to hear His voice.

Twyla and I want to invite you to join us at one of our RRR gatherings in the next few months.  Our desire is to create sacred space for you to step away and experience God’s kindness and unfailing love for you.  Please check out our website: https://www.restorationriverranch.com/home .  We've added a few new pages and we have updated the Upcoming Gatherings page to include some Soul Care days.  These will be opportunities for you to step away and spend time with Jesus however you choose, knowing that we will have options and resources to support you in your time of caring for your soul.

I find myself, even in writing this update, with the desire to convince you to believe in what we are currently doing at RRR.  But I don’t need to do that, rather just to extend the invitation.

We are so incredibly grateful to all of you for your love, prayers, encouragement and support.  Please let us know how we can pray for you.  We believe that community is essential as we journey, and we are thankful that you are part of our community.

We hope that your Holy week/Easter celebration was a meaningful time as you reflected on Jesus’ passionate love for you.  This is such a wonderful season, and a reminder of new life and the beauty of transformation.

May our loving and kind Heavenly Father shower you with rich blessings.

Love,

Russ & Twyla

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https://www.restorationriverranch.com/