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He does not lead me year by year
Nor even day by day,
But step-by-step my path unfolds;
My Lord directs the way. Tomorrow’s plans I do not know,
I only know this minute;
But He will say, “This is the way,
By faith now walk in it.” And I am glad that this is so,
Today’s enough to bear;
And when tomorrow comes, His grace
Shall far exceed its care. What need to worry then, or fret?
The God who gave His Son
Holds all my moments in His hand
And gives them, one by one. Barbara C. Ryberg Greetings in that precious name, What a blessed, super Christmas time. On Christmas Eve, the residents of the program reenacted the nativity scene in the c. 1767 barn. The cattle, pigs, and chickens were all in attendance. After the nativity we celebrated Jesus’ birthday with cakes and candles. The challenge was accumulating enough candles for eternity! Christmas morning followed, where all your generosity was evident in the gifts handed out to the residents and short-term staff. Gretchen Maurer and others prepared fancy bags for each resident to amass their treasures. There were mittens and hats, toiletries and incidentals, gift cards for Wal-Mart and phone cards for the homesick in recovery. You friends are wonderful, and the entire family feels your presence and love. Thank you. On New Year’s Eve the whole family enjoyed an evening of sledding and tubing, a huge bonfire and hot chocolate, and lots of joyful singing. This great night of fun was provided by the Deering Center, nearby. Deering Center is a Christian family camping facility with whom we have developed a wonderful relationship. Well, I’ve been signaling that something big was about to happen, and here it is. For several years we have been talking with colleges and universities about having their substance abuse counselors, and social work, psychology, and pastoral studies majors, fulfill their practicum and in-service hours requirements at His Mansion. The “carrot,” if you will, is to integrate the powerful healing component of “community” into the typical academic content. Learning is at its best when students continue to pursue an academic load, applying the principles and techniques being studied in real-life situations, while material is still fresh. Institutions of higher learning have difficulty locating credible, well-organized and well-run off-campus experiences. Christian environments are even more rare. To this end, we announce the launching of a new “Institute” to provide for this need. There are several motives for making this huge step. First is to begin giving young professionals who are about to enter the healing professions a solid, biblical foundation that has been effectively integrated into their academic preparation. Another is to create an environment where His Mansion can effectively replicate ourselves. It is just not practical to attempt to “franchise” the ministry. The most cost-effective and time-efficient way to do this is by inspiring churches and local ministry groups, and then following up by offering training and experience. We have developed a template and can transfer the basic knowledge, allowing the motivated team to modify our program to suit the unique cultural realities they face. Third, we can expect a more privileged acceptance from the colleges and universities with which we partner, in order to recruit for ongoing staff needs within our own program. Five years down the road we’d like to see His Mansion as a highly regarded, much-sought-after source of research and training within the field of addiction. The main reason we’ve delayed pressing on with the vision is the realization that such an expansion requires having the right man (or woman) to lead and direct. Before academic program directors at colleges and universities can authorize candidates to do practicum/in-serve requirements at an off-sight facility, there must be, resident within the program, a director with the requisite credentials and experience to oversee the required hours. Although we do have two nationally certified therapists on staff, the new institute would need someone with a doctorate. God has provided that person. Dr. Michael Tso and his family have agreed to join our staff in New Hampshire full-time this summer. Michael is a family physician practicing in Portland, Oregon. He earned his Doctor of Medicine at Brown University (1994) and did his residency at Oregon Health and Sciences University (1997). Dr. Tso has also completed one year of graduate studies at Multnomah Biblical Seminary, Portland, Oregon. Dr. Tso is a full partner and medical director at South Tabor Family Physicians in Portland and has served as a volunteer at a local shelter in the same city, was preaching team director, missions team leader (led teams to Chad, Africa and Mexico), and growth group director also at Spring Mountain Bible Church, also in Portland, Oregon. Best of all, Michael is married to Emily, and they are parents to Francesca (11), Viviana (8), Dawson (6), and Garrison (4). Emily is also a graduate of Brown University. Although Dr. Tso is a family physician and not a psychiatrist, he has developed a significant skill and affinity for treating bipolar disorder and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as other mental health disease. This is huge, as many of those ending up in treatment programs for various addictions have a history of one or both of these disorders. Now that a gifted and immanently qualified person is on board, there’s nothing before us that says, “Procrastinate.” We are on the move! We contemplate breaking ground this spring for the new “Institute.” Although not yet named, the subtitle is, “A Training and Research Community Reaching Out to the Least of These.” During the first five years, we hope to have up to fifteen candidates at a time enrolled in the practicum/in-serve portion of the institute. The new facility will house the students, classrooms, conference center, library, and IT kiosks. Those accepted to study here will be fully engaged with the workday of the main recovery program, which remains the core and priority ministry, several days a week. During weekends, they will be housed in the dormitories to give the mentors a break and to gain additional practical experience. Most meals will be taken together with the community, and some of the evening events will be shared. Courses being offered by either the present training effort or at the “Institute” that hold common value, will be offered to all. This important opportunity will significantly impact the Kingdom, for it is vital that Christians take a proactive effort to train and equip men and women to enter the healing professions with a solid biblical perspective. Churches are desperate for members who can help the local church meet the needs within their communities. The estimated cost to erect, furnish and equip the new “Institute” is $1.2 million. Much of the labor will be provided in-house, while a number of technically qualified folks have expressed intentions to help. You are our partners and know from experience that His Mansion is very careful to be good stewards of your gifts. We will manage this project carefully, as well. This is the largest, most ambitious project that His Mansion has undertaken in twenty years. I am convinced that it constitutes a major cost-effective means of making a significant contribution to a crucial national and societal problem. It is my prayer that each one of our partners will pray about making a substantial investment and help us to communicate this opportunity to others. I invite your input and advice. We need the right name. We welcome counsel on how to fund the project. Your skills and personal availability are welcomed. More than anything, your prayer will be essential to see this monumental work completed. We are asking God to allow us to accomplish this project without long-term debt. Please feel free to contact myself or Paul Atkinson (Corporate Administrator), to discuss the project. Email: stan@hismansion.com, or paul@hismansion.com. Telephone: 603-464-5555. His Mansion is able to accommodate supporters via electronic funds transfer (EFT), if that is more convenient for you. The winter Healing in the Context of Community course is in full swing as you read this letter. More than 21 candidates enrolled for a January class speaks to the popularity of this offering. The spring course will be held April 5-11 and should fill up quickly. HCC is designed to equip men and women to serve in their churches and communities, and to apply these skills in their work place. (Perhaps it could be your introduction to serving at His Mansion as a Servant Leader or Mentor!) You may print an application from our website, www.hismansion.com. Mail it in soon to reserve your place in class. A position for a mechanic is available at His Mansion. This is a Long-Term Staff opportunity. Housing and utilities are provided, but support must be raised to provide for any personal needs. Experience with gas, diesel, and heavy equipment is a must. As with all of our staff positions, there are plenty of opportunities to teach, mentor, and counsel residents in recovery. God always encourages us when we are facing challenges. He has done that once again: We are very grateful for the work you and your staff do at His Mansion. God’s work in “J’s” life, through your intervention, has been miraculous, and emotional to watch unfold...You and your staff have an obvious love and devotion to those in your care...Words cannot express how grateful we are that a ministry such as yours exists because we truly believe your ministry was instrumental in saving my brother’s life (physically and spiritually). -- Sincerely... This is in thanksgiving that our son “SC” has almost 8 years sobriety—a miracle if ever there was one. He was a resident of the program 10 years ago and is the father of a 2½ yr. old daughter, who is the light of our family. Thank God for our blessing. -- Mom and Dad. Dear Stan, It is so inspiring to see God’s work being done on The Hill. My daughter, “J,” through God’s love and the love of His Mansion’s staff, is healed. She was recently married...Thanks for all... You participation, by prayer and support, is so important. The testimonies that arrive are as much a tribute to your faithfulness as to the work we do on site. The old year has passed and a new one is here. It has been my joy for many years to be able to share with our partners that we finished the year in the black. All bills are paid and we are free from debt. I realize that this has been a difficult year, despite the “news” suggesting otherwise. Heating and travel costs have skyrocketed. This has put a pinch on the typical supporter of His Mansion, yet you have sacrificed and been exceedingly generous. We recognize this and do not take you for granted. We work diligently to be good stewards of your gifts. Our practice of charging no fees, taking no salaries, and believing that “God owns the cattle on a thousand hills” is unique and places us at His grace and your sensitivity. It is a privilege to trust Him and have this special relationship with you. Thank you. Joyful in His Service,
Stan Farmer
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