God has been up to amazing things with Encounter. This is truly a movement that is much bigger than us. God is putting together dreams and visions that are going to transform hearts and families for years to come. We are partnering with a dear brother of ours, Allen Russell, to help develop a place (a Ranch) to minister. You can check out The Ranch and Allen's dream at http://www.rockingrranch.net/ and click on "The Ranch". One of the primary projects we have been working on is an old farmhouse. Mark Hinson, a dear friend, is helping to make this project happen along with several men from our community in Birmingham . We are doing a lot of rennovating to this place so that it can be used for retreat, getaways, etc. I can honestly say that this piece of land is just beautiful (around 24oo+ acres). And this farmhouse/cabin is going to be a great place for setting hearts free.
Last week, 3 friends from North Carolina...John, Mike, and Jesse came down on a mission trip. Their primary project was to help work on the farmhouse. But they ended up doing a lot more than just painting, hammering, etc. These men shared their stories and brought a lot of strength to our community here. I am so thankful that they came to serve. But I am more thankful for the relationships that were built and the dreams that are being realized. Here are a few pics from their time here...
basic view of the farmhouse
John (aka Vanna) shows off the exterior work
the deck we are reworking
when clearing out the house, we found our Ranch mascot...Chuckie. kind of freaky, huh?
