Greetings to all from the Great Smoky Mountains! Edith & I have been running hard this spring taking care of family, clearing pasture, planting gardens (3), building a chicken coop, landscaping, mowing, and getting the retreat center up & running. John Denver sang, “Life on the farm is kinda laid back…” He must have had somebody else running his farm! Here’s a brief rundown on what we’ve been up to & are looking toward.

So far this year we’ve hosted a family group of 20 from Raleigh, NC and 34 middle schoolers & teachers from Melbourne, FL. Unfortunately, all my children were sick when the family group was here, so we had limited contact with them in an effort to not share the love we had going through our house at the time. The “crud” left our house by the time the middle school group arrived, so I had the pleasure to share the Word with them & lead them on a couple of Icthus adventures. The Lord blessed us all with his presence. Everyone came away with a greater understanding of what Jesus accomplished on the cross for us.

I had the opportunity to travel down to Summerville, SC on three occasions to be with my Dad who is in the latter stages of Alzheimer’s. We had some very sweet times as well as the typical challenges that come with that disease. Please pray for Dad to have comfort & peace, and for my siblings as they care for him during this time. Daddy is 89.

In April I spent two weeks camping in TN helping out Educational Talent Search with their 20^th outdoor classroom with middle school students. We led them in rock climbing, rappelling, mountain biking, canoeing, and caving activities. Then we encouraged the students to apply the skills they used in the activities in the classroom, i.e. perseverance, trust, practice, cooperation, etc. I am always grateful for the divine appointments God brings during these outings!

The rec. field at the Haven is getting lots of use from our local neighbors. Two little league baseball teams and a girl’s softball team are using the field for practices, and many individuals come out to hit a ball, play soccer, volleyball or shoot some hoops. A few families have used the pavilion for cookouts. We even hosted two Easter egg hunts. Now that we’re living on the Haven it’s been fun to see & interact in a greater measure with the folks that are enjoying the Lord’s place. Almost every day someone is stopping by to enjoy the facilities. We are looking forward to the day that the new lodge is built on site and we can move everything to the Haven. Please join us in praying to the Lord to provide funds & resources that the construction would begin soon. Speaking of construction…

We are planning on closing down August 21 through September 30 to totally renovate the boy’s dorm. When it’s done there will be a new bathroom, roof, walls… new dorm! The plumbing will finally be run inside the building and it will be easier/cheaper to heat. All these improvements will give us the option to host winter groups. If you’d like to help, here are some specific ways:

1. Pray- especially for favor with the inspectors, protection, & provision.

2. Funds- sometimes we think that if we don’t have a large amount to give it really isn’t worth it. A little boy once brought five small loaves and two small fish to Jesus & he fed 5,000 men plus women & children with it AND had extra! Write “Icthus” on a jar, box, envelope, dump truck, whatever, and put it in a place where you see it often. Periodically put in the amount the Lord is saying & send it when He says. Like the loaves & fish none will be wasted.

3. Come work- the work is plentiful, the laborers are two. We need cooks, wrecking crews, construction crews, salvage crews, etc. Everyone will be housed in the girl’s dorm (22 beds) and the overflow/staff area (8 beds) so it is possible to have workers of both sexes at the same time. Roy Bonifus has agreed to be the job foreman for three weeks starting September 1. Call 828-488-0553 or e-mail dingle.bill@gmail.com if you’re interested in helping.

Sunday, May 29 begins our summer season. Bethany Cochran will be back on staff for her third summer with us. We will be hosting a youth group almost everyday until August 20 (15 total groups) . Some groups will be leaving in the morning and the next group arriving the same afternoon. Sometimes we will have a day or two between groups to catch our breath (& fix stuff). We will also be hosting folks in the ministry house and taking care of our five children, ages 1,3,5,8,&9, throughout this time; then we go right into the renovation project. Pray for strength & sensitivity. Pray that every person leaves here with a greater love for Jesus!

If you want to help this summer we need:

1. Mechanical work- tractor/dozer repair, brakes, equipment serviced, lawn mowers & weed eaters repaired
2. weed eating
3. pasture clearing
4. wood cutting/splitting
5. help revamping our web site
6. air conditioner/duct work cleaning/repair

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Let us know how we can pray for you! Blessings!

Trusting JESUS,

Bill (for Edith & family)
Proverbs 3:5-6 [show] Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your support of Icthus Ministries in 2010. We experienced wonderful ministry through the presence of our Lord over the spring, summer & fall. It’s hard to believe, but September marked my twentieth and Edith’s sixteenth year at Icthus. We still find ourselves poking one another and asking, “can you believe that God lets us live here and do this?” Time flies when you’re having fun. Here are a few of the highlights:

• We hosted 24 groups from NC, SC, FL, & AL (546 people/ 102 days)
• We hosted our first JV Football team
• We hosted two international groups with students from China, Hong Kong, England, and the Netherlands
• We know of at lease 30 that prayed to receive Christ as Lord & Savior
• Our guests ranged in age from a few weeks to eighty + years old
• We had 3 collage aged students volunteer to serve with us this summer
• We moved into a new, furnished 4 bedroom/2 bath mobile home on the Haven
• We hosted around 80 ministers & their family members in the Red House
• Our youngest daughter began K-5 & our youngest son began walking

In addition to our retreats and summer camps, we also hosted our eleventh annual Praise Festival. Over five hundred and fifty people came out for free fun, food, & fellowship as we continue to offer a safe, life affirming, Christian alternative on Halloween night to the people in our community. This year we invited three bluegrass gospel bands to share their talents as the children participated in games, hayrides, face painting, and a bon fire. We also gave away 200 t-shirts with the night’s theme, “SonLight” printed on the front and a summary of Eph. 5:8-17 [show] for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (ESV) printed on the back: “For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light… wake up, O sleeper and Christ will shine on you…” Throughout the year we get many positive comments from local parents and grandparents regarding the Praise Festival. They are grateful for a safe, positive place to bring their children year after year.

We are experiencing more and more use of our recreation area at the Haven. Whether it is local youths dropping by for a pick up game of basketball/football, a dad pitching baseball for his son, a family having a cookout at the pavilion, one of the softball, baseball, or soccer teams having a practice, or one of our visiting groups using the facility, the Lord knew what He was doing when He directed us to convert an old hay field into a quality rec. area! The icing on the cake is that when people thank us for the use of the field, we get to tell them that it really belongs to Jesus and how He brought it all about!

We believe that we need to be accountable, personally and corporately, to anyone that contributes to our ministry. If we are not good stewards of our personal finances, how can we be trusted with corporate finances. We have found that most people are only interested in the big picture, so the following is a big picture summary, however, if you’d like a more detailed account, we’ll gladly send one on request.

Personal:  Our income was $10,924. Most of this came in the form of designated gifts through Icthus ($5,585) and personal gifts ($2724). The remainder came through raft guiding, Ski patrol, mowing, and our “Country Store” where Edith sells jams, relishes, honey, CD’s, etc. Total Outflow was $14,128. Food is our biggest expense ($6,228) followed by Home & Auto ($2735, then Gifts & Offerings ($2,455). The shortfall was made up by a $6,312 tax refund so we were able to finish the year with no outstanding debt.

Ministry:  Total income was $62,685. Camper fees were $30,492; Contributions were $29,123; and Sales (t-shirts, etc.) were $3,070. Total Outflow was $60,7112. The biggest expense was Bills & Utilities ($28,490) followed by Fees & Loans ($10,966), Insurance ($8,150), Maintenance ($7,157), Designated Gifts ($2,470), and Praise Festival ($1,062).

Currently we are debt free, both personally and ministry. Last winter (2010), at the direction of the Board of Directors, Icthus borrowed $10,000 on a five year loan for operating expenses. At the end of the summer we paid off the remainder of the loan. It was the first interest bearing loan that we’ve had since 1994, Glory to God!!!

We had forty-five financial partners in 2010. Four are churches, Two are businesses, the rest are families/individuals. Some visit several times a year, some have never been here. Some gave materials, some money. Some gave a lot, some little. Regardless, we are grateful for each one. “The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much and he who gathered little did not have too little . Ex. 16:17-18 [show] And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. (ESV) Thank you for entrusting us with some of your wealth so that lives can be changed as we proclaim the Kingdom of God. We welcome all gifts of prayer, help, finances, materials, etc., as long as you are doing what you’re told by the Lord.

Finally, please pray that I would be an especially good husband to Edith and an especially good daddy to Emma (9 years old), Reah (7), Lydia (5), David (3) and Elijah (1). Pray that my family life would be a reflection of Christ’s love for His bride, the church. Pray for God’s presence in us and on His property here. Pray for God’s protection, spirit, soul, and body. Pray for God’s provision (staff, materials, finances) and His direction.

We consider it a privilege to pray for you. Please let us know how we can serve you. We are grateful for opportunities to share the love of Christ where ever they might be. Blessings!!!!!!

Trusting JESUS,

Bill Dingle

Proverbs 3:5-6 [show] Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year to you & yours! I’m looking out over a beautiful winter wonderland as I write on this last day of fall. I can’t help but be reminded of how Jesus, our Lord & King, whose birth we celebrate during this season, covered our sin as pure, white snow. We’ve received about 8-10 inches of snow over the last three days but only about 6 inches stuck as temperatures were above freezing until last night. The children have to “enjoy” from the confines of the house since all are battling colds at the moment, but we are hopeful that we will be well enough to travel to Summerville/Charleston, SC and Phenix City/Webb, AL for the holidays.

Here are some of the highlights of our fall:

The biggest highlight of the fall was the birth of our son, Elijah John Dingle on Sept. 16! We are so blessed to be entrusted to train up our three daughters & two sons in the fear & admonition of the Lord. It is our greatest ministry.

We hosted six groups at the retreat center this fall. Two were first timers, St Andrews the Apostle Catholic (Jr/Sr High) from Apex, NC & Eastside Community Church (Men) from Charlotte, NC.  We also had the singles  (age 35+) from Seacoast Church in Mt Pleasant, SC come up for their 15^th or so annual retreat, as well as Campus Rock Ministry from Western Carolina University. The other two groups were Mtn. Road Baptist (Jr/Sr High) from Statesville, NC and Auburn Hts. Baptist Mission team from Phenix City, AL. Each week the Lord met people where they were and ministered to them as only HE can. Many folks were changed & encouraged by their time away with Him!

Auburn Hts. Baptist has been a great partner to us over the last nineteen years. Almost every year they put together a work crew to come up and help with projects and this fall was no exception.  We were able to build a 28’ X 60’ X 16’ high maintenance shed in a weekend! Two dear brothers came up early and did the ground work so when the rest of the crew arrived on the weekend we were ready to set trusses, deck, sheeting, tin, AND sides! They also worked on a walk in cooler, trimmed shrubs, and cleaned for us. Since we like to pack as much as possible in a week, we also had Elijah in the midst of all the going ons!

Not only did we host groups at the retreat center, we also hosted 23 ministers & family members at our ministry house (the Redemption House) over a 45 day period; Two camp out groups and a wedding at the Haven; And our 10^th annual Praise Festival on Halloween night. But wait! That’s not all!!! We’ve purchased a 2000 sq. foot, four bedroom, two bath, doublewide home that we’re in the process of setting up at the Haven. The Lord gave Edith & I a word 8-10 years ago that He would establish our family there. He opened a door for us to purchase this new home at cost, fully furnished, right off the lot. We hope to be in by the end of January 2010! Most of the excavation is done, sewer & water are run, electricity should be in soon.

As I reflect over the past year it is amazing to see all that the Lord has done at Icthus this year:

1. Major renovation/repair on the retreat center (due to burst pipes/flooding)
2. Outstanding staff (Ed, Eva, John, & Bethany)
3. Many lives changed by Jesus through healing, salvation, deliverance
4. The birth of our son (Elijah John)
5. Construction of the maintenance shed (dried in, not finished yet)
6. Received a small dump truck, lumber for the shed, & carpentry tools
7. Finances to advance the Kingdom

I am constantly reminded in this unstable economy based on the dollar, that His economy is based on the truth. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Where He is, there is no lack! I hope you are encouraged greatly in these un certain times by the great gift of God’s only Son… Emanuel, God with us! Many, many thanks to those of you that stand with us and support us through prayers, provision, and presence. Blessings!!!!!!

Trusting JESUS,
Bill
Prov.3:5-6