I returned from Colorado this week. Mike Steele, Ken Stade and I traveled over 1400 miles looking at ranch properties in four days. The Pictures are of the property that met the criteria that Laurie and our team had gathered over the years. I think the following journal entry captures a bit of the vision and dream that Laurie had for the Ranch. Thank you all for your faithful prayers. The more time that passes without her presence the harder it gets. Yet there is still hope because the same Father that held Laurie is holding me and the kids...
After touring the 291 acre ranch outside of Woodland Park Colorado, Mike Steele asked me, “How would Laurie have responded if she were here today visiting this spectacular property?” I said, “ It would take her three days to come down to earth because she would have seen the possibilities of changed lives; people rescued and brought to wholeness by the Holy Spirit.” She dreamt of families learning to share and communicate well in the context of discovery and adventure. She would see people of wealthy and poor backgrounds alike experience the joy of fishing, hunting, survival trips, cooking and exquisite lodging. The five-star guides and facilities would beckon them to return year after year. She envisioned the staff, especially those from challenged backgrounds, being mentored via interaction with the team. It was her desire that God would teach healthy ways to communicate and love through these relationships.
She would see equestrian lessons, both English and Western styles, enjoyed in the beauty of the 10 acre wood-fenced pasture and on the wild mountain trails. She would have led many of the 6:00 AM trail rides that culminated with a cowboy style breakfast over the open campfire consisting of eggs, bacon and pancakes.
In her mind, the two dojos could be perfectly utilized to express the various performing arts, such as dance, music, pottery, painting etc. - art in all its forms and mediums. It would be an ideal place to showcase any projects to staff and guests.
Personally, Laura would have spent a great deal of time in the “Writers Cabin,” perched on a high mountain precipice. Her hearts desire was to write about the love and reality of the Trinity – how the God of creation wants to moment by moment commune with and speak to us.
Winter sports on and off the property would have been her seasonal joy! She would have been a regular at cross country skiing, snow shoeing, and snowmobiling while on the ranch. She would travel with groups who wanted to ski or snowboard to nearby resorts, just 1.5 hours away are Breckenridge, Keystone, and A-Basin.
Laurie loved white water rafting. We first fell in love in
Hiking, camping, and climbing the 14K peaks just 50 minutes away in the Collegiate Mountain Range would have greatly captured her attention. She would take these adventure trips in small groups of 6-8 people. More importantly than the grandeur of the mountains, Laurie would have known her purpose was to get to know each person and love them deeply. In the process, God would give her discernment and knowledge of how He was speaking directly to their hearts.
This would have been her dream manifested. She would have been overflowing with excitement and nonstop creative ideas, of which we would have processed together. We would have joyfully communicated each phase of the journey, in turn providing us with the added benefit of hours of rich conversation. That’s why it would take at least three days for Laurie to return from this dream land of adventure and freedom for the people she so dearly loved.
Yes, Laurie was a true visionary not because of a massive ministry opportunity, but because she saw into the souls of people. She lived with the conviction that each person genuinely mattered. There were no rejects, no one without extreme value, and no one that was too messed up. They all were worthy of her time and love. Laurie knew how to love. She knew how to ask good questions. She knew how to listen to the Holy Spirit, specifically for the benefit of others. She knew how to give her life away – and she did. Laurie was compelled by compassion, because of the deep freeing love she had experienced from her Heavenly Father. Laurie manifested Jesus and people who encountered Laurie encountered Jesus. By God’s transformative power she lived out the reality of this verse –“Christ in you the Hope of Glory.”
Those who have learned from her life understand and have experienced and are experiencing similar growth and transformation will be the core of the facilitating team.
As you might imagine the rate to purchase such a place or for straight investing or invest for tax donations is significant. The ranch is going for 20% of what it cost to develop the facilities. If you know of any potential investors or have knowledge on investments please feel free to contact me. I only ask that you respond as the Lord might prompt you.
