Hello everyone,
"For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."--2 Cor. 16:9
The truth found in this verse is that often times great ministry opportunities are inevitably accompanied by great personal challenges. Priscilla and I are realizing that God does this on purpose. It allows Him to do great things to reach the world with the Gospel while helping keep us humble as we plainly see our own weakness and sinfulness. The result--He receives the glory. Our last month or so has been an illustration of these truths.
Many things have been going really well. Our kids have continued doing great with school, friends and the other activities they're a part of. (I've got pictures down below to prove it)! We also saw God answer a huge prayer request that we all can't stop smiling about (especially Priscilla and the kids). We had made the decision as a family that we weren't going to be able to spend this Christmas with family in the States. This was really hard for Priscilla and the kids because we haven't been able to spend Christmas with family since we moved to Chihuahua. Hannah has been saying for months that the only thing she wants for her birthday is to see her cousins (her birthday is Dec. 19th). However, we didn't have the finances to make it happen this year, so we just decided we would have to wait another year. However, God met us right where we were at and ended up providing for the entire trip through a collaboration of our family members! We are all very excited to see our family and friends in CA next month!
We have also seen God moving with the college ministry at UACH. This month, as I prayed for my classes and how I could be used by God to reach the students, He gave me an idea. I know it was all Him. I obviously can't preach the Gospel in my English classes but I am often talking with the students about how there are much bigger things for them to learn while in the university than just mere information--whether it be English, accounting or whatever. So, I decided to start sharing some of these truths in a more intentional manner. I'm calling them Life Lessons. Each week, I am giving the students a nugget of good advice that they can use to have greater success in life--whether it be with family, their future plans or their jobs. I don't announce it, but these Life Lesson are really just Bible verses and sermon quotes--repackaged to be more easily understood and sound less Christianese. If they write them all down and turn them into me at the end of the semester, they will receive extra credit. I've already seen it having a profound impact on the students. They're more engaged and thinking more about the important things of life. I've also had more opportunities to talk with some of them about Jesus. A couple weeks ago, a student named Victor broke down crying as we spoke after class. He is really struggling with family issues with his parents. Later in the day, we sat down to talk more and I was able to walk him through the truth of the Gospel using the Four Spiritual Laws tract from CRU. He isn't ready to accept Christ yet, but I know God is moving in His heart.
Along with the open doors and answers to prayer, there have also been some really difficult times in our family. We have battled through times of depression, doubts and disunity. One of the main struggles we are having now is one that I'm hesitant to share. However, I don't feel like I would be honestly updating what is going on if I didn't share one of the things that has been at the forefront of our minds and in our prayers. It involves our finances. Everyone that knows me well, knows I hate talking about money in regards to missions because I hate guilt-trip-giving and used-car-salesman fundraising spiels. However, I think this will give you a glimpse into how the life of a missionary can be. Last month, we saw our financial support drop drastically. Then, this month, we saw it drop even further. God has graciously provided us with side-jobs that have kept us afloat over the last couple years. However, when you see your finances drop so much that the math just doesn't add up anymore, it's hard not to panic. I don't know about you, but my trust in Jesus is so fickle. One day I can be rejoicing and trusting in the Lord's provision despite all the evidence before me and the next day I can be angry at God and freaking out because we just don't have enough to get by. I know these three things are true (intellectually at least, even if my faith lags behind at times): #1.) God has called us to Chihuahua. #2.) God isn't broke. #3.) If God wants us here, He will provide for us to stay here. Based upon all of that, this is our request to each of you--please pray. Pray first for our hearts--that we would trust God to provide and not try to force our own solutions to get away from depending on Him. Secondly, please pray that God would provide for us--in whatever form that may take. We believe that God accomplishes His will through human vessels--so please pray that He would do that and unite us with people that want to financially support God's work here in Chihuahua. Again, if I haven't been clear enough, this wasn't some round-about attempt to slyly guilt-trip you into giving. This is a plea to join us in prayer that God may provide in a marvelous way where He gets all the glory.
If you've continued reading up to this point, thank you so much! We appreciate having you by our side as we continue on this adventure. It's an exciting journey with many high highs and low lows along the way. Knowing that we're not traversing it alone makes all the difference. Jesus and you all are right there with us and that brings us so much comfort. May He receive all the glory.
-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah and Hannah
Eph. 3:20-21
Praise Reports
- God provided for us to spend Christmas in CA with our family and friends!
- Hannah is doing great in dance! She is preparing for her Beauty and Beast play in April where she is excited to be a spoon!
- Josiah received his orange belt in karate this month!
- God answered prayer with guidance for ministering to my students through the Life Lessons that I share with them each week.
Prayer Request
- That God would provide for all of our financial needs and that we would continue to rest and trust in Him while we wait for His provision.
- For the end of the semester celebrations where I have the chance to talk more with the students about Jesus.
- That God would continue to speak to my student Victor (and other students that I've been able to talk to) and that they would give their lives to Jesus.
- That God would help us to start a consistent CRU Bible study at the university where students from every part of the university attend.
- That God would continue to use us to raise up leaders for the home groups in our church.