October 2008 Newsletter

VOLUME  65

   Welcome to the October issue our ministry newsletter.  Great to connect with you today and catch you up on some of the awesome works God has been up to through our ministry.  We've been witness to miracles, to restored families, re-ignited pastors and lost souls coming to Christ in the past 30 days.  Regardless of the stock market, the elections, or the price of fuel, God is still focused and intentionally passionate about reaching lost people, even though the news and the world would have us think our retirement and the financial future are the most important issues in the world today.  Let's hold fast, friends, and not waiver from our confidence and faith in the hands that hold our future.  They are not housed in Washington, nor in the White House, nor in the hills of Pakistan threatening to undo God's plan.  Let's be people who react to the state of the world differently.  Let's be sources of peace and confidence over worry and panic.  Here's our chance to demonstrate before the world what true, reliable confidence in God really looks like.  Psalm 78:52  assures us, "But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the desert.
   Spend a moment below to refocus your worries and concerns back on just how God is passionately working through the lives of people searching and seeking him.  It's amazing to experience every weekend how God remains in the miracle, life-saving business of pursuing the hearts of people.  As you can see below, October was a full, rich, fulfilling month for our ministry.

   Todd Braschler Ministries is supported by so many people through prayer, financial support monthly, and through volunteering here locally.  One of those people serves our ministry as a volunteer who works closely with Todd to follow up on retreat weekends, and help in internet marketing to new churches.  Mrs. Linda Goetz not only has served our ministry alongside Todd for almost 2 years, she is soon to become the mother-in-law to the Braschler's oldest son Nicholas.  Nick will be married in Wichita on Sunday, December 28 at Westlink Christian Church.  How exciting to see Christian families unite through marriage in this way.  It truly is an answer to prayer for both families. 
   If you are a new subscriber to this publication, or recently registered to be a Tile Mover, praying for our ministry weekends, most likely Linda was the person who corresponded with you and did the paperwork to ensure you were connected and communicated with.  Our thanks to Linda, her husband Brad, and all those who support this ministry, both with their time and financial support.  We are quickly approaching our 8th year anniversary as a result of our dedicated Board of Directors and those across the country who support and pray for God's anointing and blessing toward our ministry and those God places before us. 

ANNOUNCING

   New for 2009 through our ministry is a new men's retreat entitled A MAN FULLY ALIVE, calling men to bring greater glory to God through a life fully lived.  Inspired by a quote from Saint Iraneaus,

"The Glory of God is man fully alive",

                                                       this 4 session retreat challenges men in the following four areas:

1. A man fully alive in Christ is a man FULLY AWARE.

2. A man fully alive in Christ is a man FULLY ENGAGED.

3. A man fully alive in Christ is a man FULLY SURRENDERED.

4. A man fully alive in Christ is a man FULLY EQUIPPED.  

Click on BROCHURE for a detailed description of this retreat that comes to your church or retreat venue.

To inquire about a weekend in near future, simply click on Scheduling Information Form to receive specific information. 

Men's Retreat
in
Prescott, AZ
for the
United Methodist Men of the Desert Southwest
Friday - Sunday
October 3-5,  2008

   As an answer to many of our Tile Mover's prayers, Todd was invited to meet with the Pastor Larry Malone, Director for the United Methodist Men's Ministries nationally with headquarters in Nashville, TN.  As a result of that meeting and the prayers of our Tile Movers, over 500 strong, Todd has been invited to be a conference speaker for the 10th Annual Gathering of the United Methodist Men event (click photo to the left for details) next July 10-11, 2009.  Some 4000 men attend this annual event, and it will be a great honor for Todd to speak for one of the sessions offered that weekend.
   One of the UMM districts represented at this annual event is the Desert Southwest United Methodist Men's District led by Pastor Cliff Asay.  For Todd's first ever visit to Arizona, he led a men's retreat entitled FIGHT LIKE A MAN for the Desert Southwest Men's ministry at the beautiful United Christian Youth Camp just outside of Prescott, AZ.  The drive from Phoenix, through Sedona to Prescott was breathtaking.

Through a recommendation by another colleague, Pastor Cliff called Todd a few months ago, without ever having met him.  What happened next, you may just not believe.  Perhaps there is a common understanding with our readers of just how Satan detests ministry like this.  When we see men making remarks and commitments and comments like the following, it sickens the enemy: 

After this retreat, I feel…

1.        Like I’m burning to share the Word and this experience with others.

2.        Extraordinary.  I entered an ordinary person.  I am leaving extraordinarily changed.

I learned the most today about…

1.        How my life is not in alignment with God.

2.        How to overcome Satan’s temptations.

3.        How to reach people I have never met before.

The portion of the day having the greatest impact on me was…

1.        Fight for God’s passion  - moving tiles.  Help me to move them.

2.        That I am a “lethal weapon” for God.

3.        Ken Riedl’s story and Rick Braschler’s story.

4.        Todd’s obvious love for people.

5.        My one-on-one talk with Todd regarding my past and how to align my life and gain vision.

My significant “ah ha” was…

1.        “You’ll never understand that I’m all you need until I’m all you have.”

2.        I want to talk to my wife and decide what non-negotiables and directions we want to take our family.

3.        “To live outside of God’s will puts us in danger.  But to live in his will makes us dangerous.”

4.        “If Satan can’t make me fail, he’ll just make me busy.”

5.        That my life as a good person as I am, was messed up.

6.        The best years of my life are not necessarily behind me.

This retreat was different from others for me in that…

1.        Knowing that we had Tile Movers praying for us.

2.        This retreat changed me.  I am a different person.

Click on Responses for a complete listing of evaluation responses from this retreat.

Of the 35 guys present, at least 11 men accepted Christ for the first time as a result of the power of the Holy Spirit and your prayers. Many, many tears were shed throughout the weekend as men stood to acknowledge that they may in fact be missing the purpose God has for them due to a deep desire to seek their father’s approval more than God’s.  Powerful stuff!!!   Upon his return home to his home church, one participant named Bill sent Todd this note:

At  a meeting of our men's group at the Prescott church this morning, I made a presentation of your retreat and how it has changed my life.  Many of the men were sorry they missed the retreat and the opportunity to meet you.   God bless you in your service to men.  Bill P.

Todd, on the other hand, ended up in the emergency room on Saturday evening following a bizarre set of circumstances and physical struggles.  Somehow, his body reacted to some of the pain medicine he was taking for his shoulder on Friday evening of the retreat, and he began experiencing uncontrollable hiccups.  Yeah, it sounds so ridiculous.  But think just how difficult it was to speak with this strange and uncontrollable condition.  Ironically, these hiccups only attacked when he wasn’t speaking.  The moment he stood to share in a session, they subsided.  Then, within 10 minutes of finishing a session, they were right back.  This condition became so painful and out of control, the hosts took Todd into Prescott to the emergency room on Saturday to try and find some relief.  Nothing worked.  While they did prescribe a sedative, the hiccups remained.  The last session on Sunday morning, Todd spoke with hiccups all the way through the Tile Mover talk, until the 3^rd point.  Then, they suddenly went away.   

It continued through Sunday, being stranded in Denver during the flight home, and finally, at 1:30am Monday morning, he found his way to a hotel and all-night drug store, purchased some medication per a physicians recommendation, and the hiccups stopped.  WHEW!  Talk about a weird few days.  There was no doubt about it.  Just the sense felt arriving at the retreat venue, the spirit in the place, and the incredible presence of new age mysticism surrounding this part of the world, he knew exactly what was happening.  How powerful it was to sense the  prayers of our TILE MOVERS as Todd stood each of the 5 sessions, only to feel the condition completely subside just as he stood each time to talk.  No kidding. 

Pastor Cliff was so gracious throughout this weekend, and responded with this kind note:

Todd,
I don't know what your evaluations will tell you but the unanimous feeling after you left was that this was best retreat they could remember.   And they were serious about inviting you to return.

Once again, thank you -- The modest amount of "share with your neighbor" time was non-threatening (which has been an issue in the past). We even had one person who admitted to me his poor reading and writing skills, which could have made the booklet something that could have embarrassed him -- but the manner in which you used it and presented it and invited participation made him feel very comfortable about his "disability" (his word).

I couldn't have designed a better weekend if I could.  So thank you again.

Pastor Cliff Asay

Thank you to Pastor Cliff, a new Tile Mover, and to the guys in the Desert Southwest for a powerful, anointed weekend.

Men's Retreat
in
Salina, KS
for the
First Church of the Nazarene
Friday - Saturday
October 10-11,  2008
HOST:  Pastor Jon Fillipi

   It's just amazing how God connects people for ministry.  Through just a knock on the church door over 5 years ago, Todd has been given opportunity to lead now 3 retreats, 2 concerts and speak twice for the First Church of the Nazarene in Salina, KS.  Pastor Brian Fischer, the Business Administrator who also leads worship on occasion is one of Todd's friends and hunting buddies who has kept in contact with Todd all these years.  Through his influence and the connection with Pastor Jon Fillipi, Todd was invited to return for his 3rd retreat to lead the men of First Nazarene to FIGHT LIKE A MAN.  Click on the video below to hear a few responses from the weekend.  This experience is always so

Video Responses (2:46 Minutes)

powerfully received as we watch men, some for the very first time, totally come to terms with their walk with Christ and the relationship with other people they've created.  This retreat encourages men to fight for the foundational elements of their life that must be in alignment if God is to bless a man, his family, and his career.  WOW!  This was a powerful retreat.  These responses from the staff of First Nazarene offer a glimpse into the power of the Holy Spirit through this retreat.

One young father offered this response to this men's event:     "I learned something that opened my eyes.  This is the most encouraging and fulfilling retreat ever."  To see a full list of responses from the guys who attended this retreat, click on Evaluation Responses to read more of their comments.  As you can see by the testimonies on the video and the photos below, God is not finished with the business of building strong, dependable, courageous Godly men.  It was a tremendous privilege to be a part of this experience.

   Men's Retreat
in
Hesston, KS
for the
West Haysville Baptist Church
HOST:  Pastor David Vetter
Friday - Sunday
October 24-26,  2008
at the
Crosswinds Retreat Center
Hesston, KS

 

One year ago to the day, The Pawnee Avenue Church of God in Wichita hosted Todd for a men's retreat at the Crosswinds Retreat Center in Hesston, KS.  Mike Russell was an attendee that weekend as a guest of one of the guys from Pawnee.  Todd had an opportunity to personally challenge Mike that weekend in some very personal and profound areas of his life.  As a result, Mike recommended our ministry to Pastor David Vetter, senior pastor of the West Haysville Baptist Church in Haysville, KS just south of Wichita.  Pastor David followed up on the recommendation, and one year later, on the very same weekend, West Haysville hosted their own retreat.  A full room of guys, teenagers to grandpas gathered together for the challenge to align their life with the heart and passion of Christ in four major areas:

1. Fight like a Godly man for God's PURPOSE for your life.

2. Fight like a Godly man for God's POWER to overcome the enemy.

3. Fight like a Godly man for God's PRIORITY - the true value he places on other people in your life.

4. Fight like a Godly man for God's PASSION  - to see another person's life come to Christ as a result of the way you live yours.

Click on MEN'S RETREAT BROCHURE to see more about what has turned out to be one of our most popular retreat experiences to date.  The following responses bring such a fulfillment to our ministry to see how God utilized this retreat to impact these men.

Video
Responses (5:04 Minutes)

Once again, our thanks to Mike Russell and so many who recommend our ministry to pastors and churches you may know.  Countless ministry opportunities have been facilitated and made available as a result.  If you would like to be a connection between our ministry and a pastor or church you know, simply click on the RECOMMENDATION FORM and we'll be sure to send it on to someone you know. 
 

 

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