"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:9, 10).

Dear Friends and Family,

What is true for the individual will be true for a community or nation. The principles that govern are the same. Brazen idolatry, whether individual or corporate, has only one end, and that is destruction. Surely we have many problems in this large, young country of ours, but an economy in a recession that is bordering on depression is not at the top of the list. I believe that our economic woes are merely a symptom of a country and a people that have lost their way and are trying to find the "promised land" through earthly riches instead of obedience and submission to God. A sprinkling of Christian rhetoric by government officials has only proven that, as Jonathan Edwards once said, "true faith includes more than a mere belief."

We as Americans strive for a prosperous condition, and yet a prosperous condition is rarely safe for the child of God. Ironic, isn't it? As we go through life, haven't we seen that people usually do better in adversity than in prosperity? Smooth roads make for slippery footings. It is true that prosperity is much more pleasing to our flesh, but there are "worms" that breed and propagate in prosperity that we must be mindful of, lest they find rich, fertile soil in our lives. Let's quickly look at just three worms that crawl into the life of a believer through earthly prosperity.

The first worm of prosperity is pride. Often as prosperity increases, so does the sin of independence. Success can cause us to think, unconsciously or not, that we are the source of our own increase. Either through our education, our work ethic, our savvy, or some moral excellence of our own, we begin to take credit for the good gifts that were entrusted to us for the purpose of stewardship and for the glory of God. Earthly prosperity can breed a carnal and false self-impression. C.H. Spurgeon writes, "A large, full sail often overturns the ship, and a full cup is difficult to carry without spilling." Our God says, "I spoke unto you in your prosperity, but you said 'I will not listen'" (Jeremiah 22:21).

The second worm that crawls in to live and breed in our lives through prosperity is the worm of lust, idolatry and covetousness. "But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death" (James 1:14, 15). This worm is an especially pervasive one, difficult to discern in our own lives and difficult to dig out for two reasons. The first is because, as John Calvin said, "Every one of us, even from his mother's womb, is a master craftsman of idols." From the very beginning our hearts are bent towards the lust and covetousness of idolatry and away from God. This is our practice and our nature. Secondly, as John Owen remarks, "The custom of sinning takes away the sense of it, and the course of this world takes away the shame of it." Our minds become easily numbed to the sin of idolatry and covetousness through its repetition in our lives and its acceptance within the world. Prosperity often deafens the ear, dulls the senses, and hardens the heart towards God. If we lack the rich provisions of the world, so we will also lack the particular temptations that accompany them. After all, it shouldn't be a fancy cage that makes the bird sing, but rather the faithful provision of his daily bread. "And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content" (1 Timothy 6:8).

Lastly, the third worm of prosperity is the worm of idleness. "And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:19-21). With the fields of this world "white for harvest," what in the world does the Christian have to do with idleness? Absolutely nothing! Sure, there is an appropriate time for rejuvenation, but our time on earth is so short that we need to be about the Master's business, not our own. As Thomas Watson said, "There is great danger in earthly prosperity. The spreading of a full table may be the spreading of a snare. Many have been sunk to hell with golden weights."

So, we admonish you this month with the Truth of God's Word: "Keep your lives free from the love of money" (Hebrews 13:5). Do not pursue earthly wealth and financial independence as though they were "the chief end of man." They are not. Do your best to use every penny, every minute, and every breath in service to Christ and for the glory of God. "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48b). Strong faith is a prerequisite to obedience. Eternity awaits!

The Father's Ranch continues forward in its God-given responsibilities, knowing that the days are short and evil. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the transformative agent that brings Light into darkness and Life from death. Therefore, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is our therapy, our treatment, and our strong medicine for the spiritually dead and emotionally wounded whom the Lord leads to our door. We believe in the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures (God's Word) to change a life from the inside out.

We have had ample opportunity to wield this Sword as women come to us from all over the U.S. and, more recently, from our own community. We have been engaged in marriage and family counseling and crisis-intervention counseling as a no-cost service to our neighbors here in Okanogan County. While we do not charge money for our time and counseling services, we do have requirements if we are to spend our time, resources, and energy with our counselees. First, they must be committed to the counseling process including arriving at appointments on time, every time, and the completion of all assigned homework. Also, they must consistently attend a healthy, local Christian church. This is a great opportunity to serve and evangelize our local community as they come to us for help.

The women (students and staff) at The Father's Ranch continue to serve our local community in various ways as well. One way they have been able to do this recently is by singing our National Anthem at local sporting events. TFR's women have quite a reputation for beautiful singing, and they have been able to put together an absolutely fantastic rendition of the National Anthem. They also continue to visit the elderly in our community on Thursday nights. Most of the folks they visit are widows and widowers. They enjoy a great time of food, fun, and fellowship together, and our gals come away extremely blessed by their time with these Saints.

We believe that solid, biblical training is vitally important within the counseling arena. Therefore, all staff members here at TFR are either fully certified or engaged in the certification process through NANC (The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors). This certification process is theologically and practically rigorous, but has served us well for training up well-qualified, biblical counselors who know how to "correctly handle the Word of Truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). If the term "nouthetic counseling" is new to you, check out this certifying organization out at www.nanc.org for more info.

Our women had the opportunity in January to break up some of the monotony of a long winter by attending the Northwest Women's Conference. This was an inexpensive yet biblically rich time of teaching and learning from God's Word. Elyse Fitzpatrick was the guest speaker, and she was very appreciated for her insight and her application of God's Word.

Now, on to some of the business items of the ranch: Through God's gracious provision, our mortgage debt has been reduced to only $45,000! In addition to this, the value of our facility has increased over the years from $300,000 to over $1,000,000 in net worth. We are currently operating in the seventh year of our existence, and we are hopeful that this will be our "Year of Jubilee" as we seek to abolish the remainder of this debt. We know that times are very hard economically, but we serve a big God who is faithful and gracious to meet all of our needs and more.

Speaking of needs, I would like to pass on a current need that TFR has. This past year, we lost the use of our forty-year-old tractor. This machine was donated to us by the property's previous owners who didn't expect it to last another six months. Well, it lasted for almost seven years and has now gone "the way of the world." We relied heavily on our tractor, especially for tilling our gardens. Will you please pray that a replacement will be provided that can continue to meet this need? Spring is right around the corner, and a tractor is a necessary component when you are gardening close to an acre of land. If you would like more details regarding this need, please give us a ring or send an e-mail.

When July of this year comes around, I will be relinquishing my role as Program Director here at TFR and handing it off to a very qualified and competent woman named Hannah Ketcham. Hannah will be NANC certified and more than ready, with the Lord's enablement, to raise the bar of this program to a higher level than I ever could have. She will be responsible for the application and intake procedures, the counseling program as a whole, and the day-to-day activities of this program. We are thrilled to have her on board in this role. I will be retaining my duties as the Executive Director of TFR.

Dorothy Leidig continues to serve in the role of Facility Operations Manager and has shown herself to be an extremely competent servant in this area. Responsible for all of the livestock and horticultural activities of The Father's Ranch, Dorothy draws on her lifelong experience in rural Kansas to benefit TFR with her knowledge and expertise. She has been a major blessing in this area and has saved many an animal from the inexperience and incompetence of folks born and raised in the neighborhoods of south Seattle!

Dawn Nogales has been serving as the Executive Assistant and all-around office manager of TFR for almost one year now. She draws on her extensive experience in the corporate world to be a huge blessing to The Father's Ranch. Dawn's organizational skills are second to none, and she has taken a major workload off of my shoulders and onto her own. She runs a tight ship with lots of grace and mercy for those of us (me) who test her patience. If you give TFR a call during normal business hours, Dawn's is the voice you will hear on the other end. Drop her a line at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Katie McNamara will be joining the ranks of TFR as a full-time intern when July rolls around. Katie's joyful disposition and gracious temperament will go a long way as she serves the wounded and brokenhearted students whom she will supervise on a daily basis. Welcome aboard TFR's internship, Katie!

Jen Park, who came initially to TFR as a student and went on to be an intern and then a staff member, has now left TFR to begin her dream of becoming an RN through the Wenatchee Valley College nursing program. In addition, she is also working a part-time job. We would ask you to join us in praying for her and the Lord's continued direction in her life.

Bethany Estermyer is one busy gal these days! Along with faithfully serving at the ranch, she is also working part-time at a local pizza parlor. We know that she is a great worker, and many local supporters of TFR enjoy seeing her in the thriving metropolis of Tonasket! The weight of her college debt was heavy and something that she wanted to deal with sooner rather than later!

If you or a group from your church is interested in coming to TFR for a time of service, learning, and fun, now is the time to make arrangements. Available dates throughout the spring, summer, and fall months of 2009 are filling up fast. For more information on a potential short-term missions experience at TFR, please drop us a communiqué.

Last week, a brand new baby Black Angus calf was born in our barns. Lord willing, another will soon follow, with baby goats, sheep and rabbits following suit this spring. For me, all of this new life is another good reminder that life is a gift from God to the creature and should never be taken for granted. It is given by God, sustained by God, and eventually taken by God in His perfect timing. "The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). I believe that the wise will seriously consider the frail and temporal position he finds himself in here on this earth, and will learn to live life accordingly, making the most of the days given to him. The very logical subsequent question then is, "How do I make the most of my days?" For the unregenerate one who does not love or care for the things of Christ, his lot will be to eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow he dies...doubly! (Luke 12:19, 1 Cor 15:32). For the one who has been given eternal life through Jesus Christ, purpose in life is rich, meaningful, and lofty. It is to glorify and enjoy the One who gave us this life, knowing that the Day of His appearing is near. May we all be thoroughly ready.

We are privileged to have you partnering with us in this work of the Lord. We value you as our fellow laborers and the ordained means through which our gracious Heavenly Father bestows many of His blessings.

Thank you all again. We love you.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Craig Lofthus