Olympic Refuge

The sound of rushing water cascading down our steambeds can be heard everywhere at The Refuge. And now new snow sparkling on boughs and hillsides above adds its own beauty. I cannot hear the “poetry” of rushing water without being reminded of God’s faithfulness - His continual provision for our needs, and I cannot see the sparkling snow cover without being amazed at how He makes all things new. This is certainly the case here at The Refuge!

We have just experienced the faithfulness of God in such a miraculous way - the meeting of our goal of $50,000 to match a grant of the same! And this all before Thanksgiving! How we praise God for His faithfulness and the serendipitous surprise of His timing - meeting the goal before Thanksgiving - giving NEW meaning to the word “Thanksgiving” here at The Refuge.

But this could not have happened without many faithful friends (many of you!) who first prayed and then gave - sacrificially! I wish you could have been here as the mail came each day - notes of support accompanied many of the checks. Jim and I are truly encouraged! We know that there will be a great financial challenge ahead, but if this experience is any example, God’s provision will be there as well. (When our faith is “weak,” we will simply listen to the streams and look at the snow!)

We want to thank each and every one of you who helped us reach this “impossible” (from an “earthly” perspective) goal. But then, this should not be surprising. Didn’t Mary, when she was confronted with an impossibility of her own, teach us to have this perspective? “For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)