The rustic vista was familiar to Stu and Robin Phillips, as comforting as an old and faithful friend. But on this particular evening, sadness mingled with joy as the couple watched light fade across the rugged mountaintops of southeast Wyoming.<\/p>\n
They were choosing to say goodbye to the beloved ranch they christened “Moriah,” which means “chosen by God.”<\/p>\n
For a decade, Stu, Robin, and their two sons retreated to the Pinto Valley, immersing themselves in sunshine and adventure on the gently rolling landscape teeming with elk, fish, and countless other wildlife. The Michigan-based Phillips family looked forward to enjoying many years together at their vacation getaway.<\/p>\n
… [God] asked me to surrender something great in order to receive something greater. …—Stu Phillips<\/cite><\/blockquote>\nDuring one visit to Moriah, Stu settled in to re-read Rich Stearns’ best-selling book The Hole in Our Gospel<\/em>. As he contemplated the book’s challenge to reach out to those in need, Stu says, “I heard God speaking to me. He asked me, ‘What possession do you value most?’ I knew the answer instantly.”<\/p>\n