My story is nothing like yours but somehow not so different if that makes sense. I can see the impact that the Rettig Corp has on people who follow the path given. I can see a little from some of the bible study calls that folks who aren’t following the syllabus or are fighting the path see much less impact. The Original Blueprint always had my returning to the Lord and serving his Church and using my skills for Ministry. I am currently in a men’s discipleship group where we are writing our testimony. 30-second, 3-minute, and 30-minute drafts. It is much more difficult for me to tell my story, not because I am embarrassed or ashamed but because the change deep down in me has been so Radical and my life has changed so dramatically. People say “I don’t deserve this” I can tell you that I truly do not deserve this new life that I lead. Daily I reflect on the past and wish it wasn’t a part of me anymore or that God would remove it from my head. I have been given new life not just in the figurative sense, but I have been given new life literally. God spared me from a fire.
Just this morning I started reading Daniel and read the story of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, those guys had extreme faith and headed to a furnace happily even stating if we aren’t saved it makes no difference to us, we still won’t worship your false Gods. I not only had little faith prior to my experience but I would argue with people about the existence of a God that loves us. I was the leader of my life, I wasn’t the leader of my family and my business was simply a place I resented and didn’t see it as anything other than a liability or problem in my life. I served myself with EVERYTHING the flesh had to offer, routinely I am reminded of how lucky I am to be alive. My marriage was destroyed in my mind, I told more lies than truth and I didn’t know of any way out. My wife and I decided to repair our marriage and did so but the lies didn’t end the drug use didn’t end. I worked 15-hour days for nothing. Aug 26th, 2021 our house had a major fire and was destroyed, I was working next to the house and ran over and opened the door when I saw the smoke. My dog ran into the house where flames and smoke were the only thing visible. I panicked and ran in after my dog. I don’t know how long I was in the house for, I found my dog just by feeling while crawling around on the floor. I don’t remember any heat or attempting to breathe. When I found my way out of the house the fire dept was already inside and actively fighting the blaze. Both my dog and I ended up spending some time at hospitals for smoke inhalation. ZERO BURNS. The outlet covers were melted and plastic cups on the nightstands melted. The fire completely destroyed the house. We stayed in hotels for a time and I went out to buy an RV that was way outside of our means, ultimately paying the price for such a foolish choice. Still, through all this my choice to follow flesh was overwhelming. Our business was failing and the light at the end of the tunnel dimmed. I told my wife “I am closing our business tomorrow if I can’t find someone willing to help us repair it” This was in January 2022. I called around to dozens of places, most all wanted to consolidate debt. Debt wasn’t the problem, that night I told Heather that I was letting all of our employees know in the morning that I was closing the shop and walking away from the business that took us 10 years to build from nothing. At 10 pm my phone rang and the caller ID said Patrick Rettig, I remember having left a message earlier in the day to a similar name so I answered the call. I spoke with him for about 45 minutes on a Thursday night. He gave me some hope and I discussed most of the call with my wife leaving out the part about the church. Omitting the part where he said “If you go to church on Sunday call me Monday and we see where to go from here” Friday came and went, and Saturday same thing. Sunday morning, I woke up very early and paced around in the barn that we were living in with no bathroom, no shower, one room, and a makeshift kitchen. At 10:15 am I went in and told Heather, hey let’s go to church.. which started in 15 minutes, Heather looked shocked and got ready in record time. So, we went to church. A church that we had gone to many times about 10 years ago. I called Pat on Monday and told him we went to church, and that was where my life began changing. Pat and the pastor of my church began teaching me about prayer, one day I prayed that God would let me help in some way and within 30 minutes one of my prior employees whom I fired about 12 months prior called. He said he was going to kill himself and didn’t know who to call. I was floored, I prayed with him the best I knew how and called Pat who linked me up with Rick. This day was the day my life changed, and I cut ties with the world. Shortly after I had a dream where I watched myself and my dog die inside of the burning home. I understood this as the other outcome that should have happened but didn’t because God had plans for me and knows what he was doing. As I look back at my life it is very evident that God has been protecting me for a very long time. My military service should have been the end of my life on many occasions, yet I am still here. My time deployed in warzones should have been the end of my story but somehow are only there to bolster my testimony.
My name is Benjamin, and I am now responsible. Doing assignments used to be a battle for me, being on the phone for hours on end used to cause strife in my head thinking that I knew better. Now I am plugged into church groups 2 nights during the week and bible study/ teachings during the weekday I am still able to get my tasks done with time to spare. I read daily and lead my family in prayer whenever possible. I am very grateful for the people in my life who have assisted in the changes I’ve undergone. I am responsible for everything and everyone in my life, this task I know is a task that is impossible for me alone and I must rely on God to lead guide, and direct me through all of this. Today our business is holding its own, every day we have more hope. Getting taxes caught up and all the bills paid is not far away anymore. What was a hopeless venture 2 years ago is now hope-filled!
Daniel 2: 24-25 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisors, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, certainly O King. He said “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire unbound and unharmed, the fourth look like a son of the gods.”