Closer to Reality

Log Cabin Democrat, Friday, March 12, 2010

Home Depot Gives Large Donation

Community: Foundation supports Renewal Ranch with large donation

Planned addiction-recovery program given $20,000 gift card for supplies

By Carol Rolf

Thursday, March 11, 2010

RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Although all the I’s have not been dotted, nor the T’s all crossed as far as land acquisition goes, work continues daily on Renewal Ranch, which organizers plan to build in Perry County near the Toad Suck community.

Modeled after the John 3:16 Ministry in Batesville, Renewal Ranch, with the motto “Restoring Broken Lives Through Christ,” is a faith-based, longterm rehabilitation program for adult men who struggle with addiction.

James Loy of Houston in Perry County, formerly of Conway and Batesville, is director of Renewal Ranch. He is a graduate of the John 3:16 rehabilitation program. His wife, Laura Loy, serves with him.

Donations continue to pour in for Renewal Ranch, and a recent donation from the Home Depot Foundation is one of the largest. Through its community grant program, the Home Depot Foundation has awarded $20,000 in the form of a gift card to Renewal Ranch.

The donation will be used to build a six-man bunkhouse lodge.

“We needed building materials to complete the first six-man bunkhouse lodge at Renewal Ranch,” James said. “We were delighted to receive a $20,000 gift card from theHome Depot Foundation – our volunteers were so happy to get the supplies they needed.”

Laura also commented on the donation.

“We are so excited and feel so blessed that (the Home Depot Foundation has) so much faith in us. This will really get us going,” she said.

The Home Depot Foundation’s community grant program supports the work that local nonprofit organizations, public schools and other community organizations are doing to improve the physical health of their neighborhoods.

“We are delighted to support local projects aimed at creating healthier, more stable communities where families can thrive,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president of the Home Depot Foundation. “Renewal Ranch deserves enormous credit for the work it is doing, and we are glad to be part of their efforts.”

James is an employee of the Home Depot in Conway.

“I’m a key-carrying manager,” he said with a grin. “I’m the department supervisor over kitchen, bath, appliances and plumbing.”

He formerly worked at the Home Depot in Batesville and transferred to the Conway store when he accepted the directorship of Renewal Ranch in August 2009.

James met with several dignitaries from the Home Depot on Feb. 22 for the check presentation.

On hand for the ceremony were Gary Metheny of Conway, district manager for central Arkansas; Derek Gilpin of Conway, store manager, Conway store; Bessie Giesler of Cabot, operations manager, Conway store; Sean Nelson of North Little Rock, assistant manager, Conway store;Michael Wood of Greenbrier, assistant manager, Conway store; Calvin Washington of Sherwood, human resource manager, central Arkansas district; Joseph Wood of Little Rock, human resource manager, central Arkansas district; and Kelly Ivey of Cabot, manager, Cabot store, and district Team Depot captain.

“We are thrilled to be able to help an organization thatincorporates some of our core values like community and giving back,” Metheny said. “We want to be able to help people mend their broken lives.

“We’ve supported the John 3:16 Ministry for the past several years, and when the opportunity arose to bring such a program to Conway, we signed on with it.” – crolf@ arkansasonline.com

River Valley Ozark, Pages 64 on 03/11/2010

Arkansas Democrat Gazette, River Valley & Ozark Edition, March 11, 2010

Pursuing a Dream To Help Others

At Renewal Ranch – Pursuing a dream to help others
by Renee Hunter

The 100-acre farm near the Stoney Point Community in Perry County is a perfect setting on which to locate James Loy’s dream – Renewal Ranch.

The dream grew out of James’ roller-coaster life. He lost his father to cancer when he was 8, and his mother when he was 18. His mother’s agonizing four-year struggle with cancer caused James to question God and her death caused him to turn away.

“Satan used my questions to distort my view of who God really is,” he said. “At that time, I made a conscious decision to walk away from the Lord.”

James drank his first beer while a senior at Conway High School. He moved from alcohol to marijuana to the hard stuff while attending the University of Central Arkansas to earn a marketing degree. He finally settled on cocaine as his drug of choice.

“It eventually became my master,” he said.

After graduation, he held a good job despite his addiction, purchased two homes and became engaged. He went into rehab the first time to save his relationship with his fiancée. It didn’t work. Shortly after leaving rehab, he began using again and she regretfully left him.

As his life unraveled, he blamed God instead of himself. His life became a spiral of rehab and use. None of the secular rehabilitation centers worked for him. Eventually, he lost his insurance, and they wouldn’t accept him.

Then in 2005 he was steered toward John 3:16 Ministries near Batesville, “a spiritual boot camp for men with addictions.”
When James asked John 3:16 founder Bryan Tuggle about cost, Bryan replied: “It won’t cost you anything; Jesus Christ has already paid the price.”

Two weeks into the boot camp, James gave his life to Christ and “a tremendous weight was lifted off me.” Six months later, he was addiction free, and has remained so. He knew immediately that he wanted to provide a similar ministry to Central Arkansas.

James met his wife, Laura, at a Batesville church. She too had led a roller-coaster life – three failed marriages, including one to an abuser. When she and James met, Laura had reached the place where she realized the only relationship she needed was with God. She had no intention of remarrying, but James wore her down. They married in January 2007, moved to Conway, rented a house in Perry County, and began the process of turning dream into reality. James was ordained to the ministry in August.

Renewal Ranch, a ministry for men with addiction, has as its goal “restoring broken lives through Christ.” The program will be modeled on that of John 3:16 Ministries at no cost to residents. Applicants will be required to complete an application and undergo an interview, and residents will be chosen after prayer, consideration and discernment.

Residents must remain a minimum of six months, and won’t be allowed contact with the outside during the first 30 days.

After that, family visits will be allowed on Sunday and during special events. The curriculum will include Bible study, experiencing God, community service, financial classes and studies led by guest pastors. The men will grow most of their own food.

Eventually, Loy would like the ministry to partner with local institutions of higher learning to provide free education or skill training. He would also like to provide a halfway house where graduates can reconnect with the community.

So far, however, the dream is still a dream, albeit a dream shared with a 10-person board. James and Laura were, at this writing, still negotiating for the land in Perry County. But they are confident that, if not there, then somewhere.

“All in God’s time,” Laura said.

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