Small Church

“Well, I say take it slow, build a great friendship, and then love will follow.” Living River Ranch, a beacon of love and commitment nurtured by Margaret, Mathew, and their devoted families, has been a haven for countless visitors over the years. Now, as the ranch evolves, it embarks on a purpose-driven expansion, responding to a higher calling to support the burgeoning aspirations of the community's next generation. The ranch's compassionate reach extends to both animals and humans in need, as well as neighboring ranches, embodying a steadfast commitment to rising up whenever there's a...

”Well, he wouldn’t be the first guy that fell in love on the job.” The Living River Ranch has served thousands of visitors throughout its many years of operation through the love and commitment of Margaret, Matthew, and their families. It is time to expand the ranch toward a higher calling, answering the need to support the next generation of youth with many new life challenges. This second ranch is located in Northern Michigan on an abandoned, century-owned farm. The eight-bedroom main farmhouse and barn need significant work to provide a place for healing for many new clients. This ...

“You aren’t a friend of my daughter, but a spy for Living River Ranch,” he groused. “He better be gone before I get back with my shotgun!” Nestled in the hills of the Lake Michigan shoreline, the ranch overlooks open fields and rich oak, maple and beech tree groves. It has been owned by the Katzen family for generations. Once a working ranch producing cattle and milking cows, it has now turned into a therapy ranch for a multitude of special populations. Katherine and Troy are beginning to find adventure in their new friendship. This is not the type of adventure most people would ...

Your girls will love it,” he said in a teasing tone, knowing full well that would be something she couldn’t resist. Torch Lake Lodge is a single-parent paradise, as it boasts activities for children while allowing parents downtime to enjoy life from a different angle. From lakeside activities to sunset dinners, Torch Lake Lodge is the perfect getaway with counselors on hand to watch the kids, and staff to provide engaging activities for every adult guest. The staff have one single purpose in mind…make every guest, young or old, feel like this reprieve from real life, will be one that ...

Will this handsome veteran re-kindle the old flame that still holds his heart, all the while saving a hoarding mother from catastrophe? Nestled in the hills of the Lake Michigan shoreline, the ranch overlooks open fields and rich oak, maple, and beech tree groves. It has been owned by the Katzen family for generations. Once a working ranch producing cattle and milking cows, it has now turned into a therapy ranch for a multitude of special populations. Little Bend is excited to have one of their beloved veterans back in town after a harrowing military career serving our country. This ...

Faye thinks Hattie’s a suspect. Chloe thinks she’s a kindred soul. Only Hattie knows for sure! Best friends Faye Crane and Chloe ‘Mama’ Rossi are deep into another historic building preservation project in the tiny village of Morelville. Money is tight and it gets even tighter when the rare coins one of their prospective donors, Bridget Novak, was going to auction off to benefit the project come up missing. Written out of a hit sitcom when she’s suspected of maliciously using witchcraft to further her career, Althea Dwyer, returns to using her given name, Hattie Novak, and moves ...

The Reverend Olympia Brown is offered free room and board on a small cruise ship in exchange for being a guest lecturer, but the dream-come-true trip turns into a nightmare when she learns an elegant and persuasive male passenger is targeting wealthy, single, gullible ladies for personal and heartbreaking gain. Olympia realizes that despite cruise companies' best efforts, they can't always keep their guests safe and happy because for some of life's miscreants a ship is a self-contained hunting ground where the unsuspecting prey are like fish in a barrel. Luckily for all, Olympia makes it ...

Bill Beckham describes how Jesus used groups of different sizes and relationships (three, twelve, seventy, and one hundred and twenty at Pentecost) to fulfill his global purpose. Beckham demonstrates how we need to relearn Christ's same relational strategy to plant churches and win a lost world for Jesus Christ. Beckham shows how many churches today have allowed an Old Testament theology to dictate their ecclesiology. He then offers practical advice and clear direction to return to the original way to live Church as an expansion movement, like Jesus did. In this book Beckham shows how the ...

God does big things through small groups: He heals, unifies, encourages, and equips. Christ trained his twelve apostles in a small group. Paul and Barnabas were called to international missions while participating in a small group (Acts 13:1-3). Essentially, all believers owe something to those initial small groups, and many of us have experienced great blessing through contemporary ones. God does big things through small groups, and that’s why we participate in them and aim to lead them. In this study, we will look at the WHY of small group leadership. Why should we participate in and ...

Built to Stand: One Man’s Call A Novel Inspired by the True Story of Marvin McKenzie He rode bulls before he could drive. He climbed steel beams hundreds of feet in the air. He stood behind pulpits with fire in his bones. But Micah Carson’s greatest strength wasn’t in his back or his fists—it was in his call from God. Born in a dusty timber town in 1958, Micah’s early life was a storm of broken promises and broken people. When his parents’ marriage collapsed during his grade school years, Micah learned to survive on grit and independence. Then Dan McGraw came along—his rough-...

In peaceful Dulwich Village, a group of elderly residents meet every week for Bridge Club. Green cloths are laid over square tables, the deck is carefully dealt, and every beady eye is on the lookout for cheating. Amateur sleuth Beth Haldane has never understood the rules, but she’s drawn into the drama when her mother’s bridge partner Alfie Poole is found dead. He was last seen heading out for a breath of fresh air after a particularly tricky hand. Beth knows poor Alfie was a sweet old man, but when she learns he was poisoned it’s clear someone wanted him gone.

Beth Haldane is worried. First, her dear friend and fellow single mother Jen suddenly gets married to a new man who seems too perfect to be true, then she moves out of leafy Dulwich Village—and now seems to have disappeared without a trace. Beth knows Jen would never leave her little daughter to handle playground predicaments or her sneaky stepmother alone. Heading to Jen’s new home for answers, Beth’s knocks on the front door go unanswered. Police are convinced the lovebirds are on an extended honeymoon, but Beth suspects Jen’s new husband is up to no good.

He didn’t see love, marriage, and baby carriages anytime soon but wanted to know if that would be a future possibility. Living River Ranch, a beacon of love and commitment nurtured by Margaret, Mathew, and their devoted families, has been a haven for countless visitors over the years. Now, as the ranch evolves, it embarks on a purpose-driven expansion, responding to a higher calling to support the burgeoning aspirations of the community's next generation. The ranch's compassionate reach extends to both animals and humans in need, as well as neighboring ranches, embodying a steadfast ...

Love is messy, hard, and worth every second if it is the right person. The Village at Crossroad Corners is a tight-knit, traditional, community and a snapshot from the time before technology and big commerce became a mainstay in American culture. The community is rocked when the village council makes the shocking decision to allow a developer to build a dual-aged, residential community, that will house both the elderly and college aged students in a connecting network of buildings. It is an ambitious multi-generational plan, where students and retirees will learn to work together for each ...

Maybe it was time to fully let go of the pain and embrace change with an uncertain future. The Living River Ranch has served thousands of visitors throughout its many years of operation through the love and commitment of Margaret, Matthew, and their families. It is time to expand the ranch toward a higher calling, answering the need to support the next generation of youth with many new life challenges. This second ranch is located in Northern Michigan on an abandoned, century-owned farm. The eight-bedroom main farmhouse and barn need significant work to provide a place for healing for many ...

“It’s perfect,” she sighed, and at that moment, she was pretty certain she fell in love with Silas all over again. The City of Laketon, Michigan hosts a car ferry hub that crosses Lake Michigan to the city of Magawakin, Wisconsin each day. The ferry, also known as the Wolverine, crosses with a host of vehicles and passengers for the eight-hour round trip. Travelers enjoy top deck amenities such as a restaurant, movie theater, live entertainment, and fun things for kids, including a play area for children and a gaming room for teens. Silas was trying to act like Eleanor’s leaving ...

"I loved her all these years, but if I don’t believe I can stay put and be happy here…I won’t go down that road.” The Dumont Island Boarding House is located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and is only accessible by car ferry. Most roads on the island are gravel, though the main road that travels down the middle of the island is paved. There are conveniences such as a general store, post office, souvenir shops, café and a post office on the island, as well as a few cottages spaced along the amazing coastline. The boarding house sits on the far side of the island, with limited ...

“You would be amazed at the things I’m learning to love these days,” she finished with a wide grin as she noticed Winston walking in her direction. Torch Lake Lodge is a single-parent paradise, as it boasts activities for children while allowing parents downtime to enjoy life from a different angle. From lakeside activities to sunset dinners, Torch Lake Lodge is the perfect getaway with counselors on hand to watch the kids, and staff to provide engaging activities for every adult guest. The staff have one single purpose in mind…make every guest, young or old, feel like this reprieve...

There seems to be a lot of people that got bit by the love bug this season,” she ribbed him with her elbow. Torch Lake Lodge is a single-parent paradise, as it boasts activities for children while allowing parents downtime to enjoy life from a different angle. From lakeside activities to sunset dinners, Torch Lake Lodge is the perfect getaway with counselors on hand to watch the kids, and staff to provide engaging activities for every adult guest. The staff have one single purpose in mind…make every guest, young or old, feel like this reprieve from real life, will be one that they will ...

In return, she had never met a more attentive, creative, and fun person to push her outside her comfort zone to new adventures around each bend. The Village at Crossroad Corners is a tight-knit, traditional, community and a snapshot from the time before technology and big commerce became a mainstay in American culture. The community is rocked when the village council makes the shocking decision to allow a developer to build a dual-aged, residential community, that will house both the elderly and college aged students in a connecting network of buildings. It is an ambitious multi-...