Leahaven: August 2012

A Time to Say Goodbye

Having served in the pastorate and as foreign missionaries, we know how draining full-time Christian service can be. In 1987, we returned from the mission field spiritually "beaten up". God provided a place of refuge where we could be restored in the beauty of His creation. In 2007, He granted us the fulfillment of our dream to provide a place that we could share with full-time Christian workers in need of a spiritual retreat. And that is how Leahaven came to be.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."

II Corinthians 1:3-4

In 2020 due to Covid 19, we regretfully suspended our Leahaven ministry. In the past two years the Lord has led us in a new direction, and He has shown us that now is the time to say goodbye. We are grateful for God's many blessings and so many precious memories. Thank you to all who have supported and encouraged Leahaven's ministry. We covet your prayers for the future.

Friday, August 31, 2012

God Is Faithful

I was just writing a thank-you note for a gift to our ministry here at Leahaven and realized I should share with everyone what I shared with this family.

This has been a hard year for us. I had a bad fall last November and have still not fully recovered, and Herb has been carrying much of my load both at home and at Leahaven.

Last year was rather slow as far as people using Leahaven, and I wondered if there really is a need or if we just thought there was because many years ago WE had a need for such a place.

One day when Herb was preparing to go to Leahaven to mow and bush-hog, I asked him if he thought we should sell Leahaven, if it is too much for us? He said no! He loves Leahaven and wants to keep going.

So I asked the Lord that if we are truly filling a need for His people, if HE wants us to keep going, He would show me clearly that it is His will--not ours--for this ministry.

The Lord has answered me so clearly, and I want to share that answer with you, His people. Between July 1st and August 31st, there have been just 13 days where Leahaven was not being used. Eight families with a total of 30 individuals plus one youth group with 13 kids and four adults have been at Leahaven. So many have let us know that they were deeply blessed by their time there.

During one brief period that the house was empty, I received a phone call from a pastor asking if there was by any chance a vacancy for that night. He and his wife had a heart-rending need, and they needed to get away and retreat to God. While my heart was breaking for their grief, I was incredibly thankful that they had called at the only time (up till then) that I could have said "yes" to them. I know that was from God! And it was from Him that the lock-box code I had chosen for this year and told to the pastor's wife was a verse that was dear to her heart! No human force could do such wonders!

By God's grace, most people who come to stay at Leahaven don't have such a heart-rending need, but whatever their need, we are privileged and blessed to be there for them. I praise the Lord for His clear answer to me in my moment of doubt and weakness.

He is faithful!

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.' The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3: 22-26