Vision Update (The Transition)

     Looking back on 2022, we still can’t believe what God had in mind. There was so much change that He was preparing us for, and we had no clue what was coming. Change can be hard and God often leads us down paths we might not choose for ourselves. Yet, He remains good and we have no where else to turn but His firm promises that never change. “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9). If you check out our update from just this past summer (HERE), you’ll see that in spite of difficulties we were excited to move forward serving Jesus in Chihuahua. We definitely couldn’t imagine leaving Mexico before the year ended. But God was so faithful in how He did things and in His provision. Below you’ll find photos, videos and more telling the story of how things unfolded and where God is leading us moving forward. Thanks for walking with us and praying with us that Jesus will be glorified in Chihuahua!

-Tim

(Make sure to turn ON closed captioning!)

December Update--Filled with Thankfulness in This Final IvesMissions Update

Hello everyone,

December is here as the year draws to a close. In many ways we're still in shock regarding all that God had in store for our family in 2022. In January, I would have never guessed that our family would be living in the U.S. by the end of the year. So many thoughts and emotions flood my mind as I think about it. We still haven't fully processed it all.

Yet, one of the most prominent feelings we definitely have is one of immense gratitude. We are confident and at peace with what God is doing in our lives and in our family. We know He's in control and we know that He's called us here for such a time as this. We are so incredibly thankful for how God has worked all things out over the last few months. He truly prepared the way for us to be able to follow His leading back to the U.S. He opened door after door and set things up in such perfect ways--far beyond things that we could have thought up. He took care of us with the church, our cars, our furniture, our dogs, the house in Mexico, the move, storage units, a house to live in here in the U.S., financial provision throughout--I could go on and on with stories of how good God has been to us during this process. We are so thankful and we're praising Him for answering our prayers and walking with us.

One of the biggest answers to prayer was in regards to the transition service a few weeks ago. God took care of all the logistics and all of us were able to arrive the day before the service. What God did that Sunday morning was so incredible. It was a great way for us to close out our time in Chihuahua and pass the torch to Jose and Keyla as leaders of Roca Norte. My father-in-law Miguel preached the Word and then led us in a sweet time of prayer. They prayed over Priscilla and I. Then, we all prayed over Jose and Keyla. After that many in the church came forward for prayer one by one. Jose and I (along with Keyla and Priscilla) were able to pray over them, everyone united in one Spirit. It was one of the most beautiful things I've had the privilege of being a part of. (You'll find some of the pictures of it below).

As Priscilla and I watched the sun rise over Chihuahua the next morning, tears flowing down our cheeks, we praised God for the privilege to be able to serve Him in Chihuahua over these past 6 years. It wasn't always what we thought it would be and it definitely didn't end when or how we thought it would. Yet, He still did exceeding, abundantly above all that we could ask or think, according to the power that worked in us. And He will continue to do so moving forward. We pray that all glory has gone to Him in the church by Christ Jesus. We pray that He will continue to receive glory in our lives and through Roca Norte (Eph. 3:20-21).

I know this is getting long, but one thing I have to do is say THANK YOU to each of you! The countless prayers that have been offered up on our behalf brings me to tears. The time that you have spent reading our updates and encouraging us through emails, conversations, phone calls, etc has been used immensely by the Lord over these years. The amount of financial support that we have received--support that has truly blessed our family and blessed the beginnings of Roca Norte is more appreciated than I can articulate. We are so thankful for you!

Although this season of serving Jesus physically in Mexico has come to an end for our family, our hearts still yearn to support what God is doing there. Maybe God will allow us to return some day. :) For now Roca Norte, under the leadership of Pastor Jose, will continue seeking to reach Chihuahuenses with the Gospel and make them disciples of Jesus. The church is still new and still needs the support of brothers and sisters in the U.S.. I have been working with Pastor Jose on organizing the details of what this new season in the church will look like and how I can play a role in supporting Roca Norte. Keep your eyes open for an email next month with details of what things will look like moving forward. I believe Roca Norte's best days are ahead and that God is going to do great things through it. Please continue praying for the work and I hope that you will remain involved in what God is doing in Chihuahua. God bless you!

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby
Eph. 3:20-21

Praise Reports
-The Lord continues to touch and heal our family members.
-My mom (Susan) had her last chemo treatment today!
-My grandma (Bonnie) is nearing the end of her chemo treatments and has been feeling much better.
-My mother-in-law (Aleyda) has been doing much better physically and is back home.
-My grandma (Marty) is feeling much better and is back at the house.
-The Lord answered all of the prayers for traveling mercies for the transition service with Priscilla and I crossing the border and Jose and Keyla traveling through Mexico.
-The transition service was amazing!
-The Lord has provided incredibly for us throughout the transition back to the States.
-We are able to be with our family and help support them in many different ways.

Prayer Requests
-Continued prayers for health and healing for our family members. (That my mom and grandma would be cancer-free by Christmas!)
-For the Lord to open doors and guide us for jobs here in Colorado.
-For our finances as we try to get established and situated with our jobs.
-For the continued financial provision for Roca Norte and Pastor Jose and his family.
-That the Lord would guide our family to the church here that He wants us to join.
-That God would provide all of us with friends and genuine fellowship.
-For wisdom and open doors as far as getting the kids involved in activities to meet other kids and make friends.

November Update--The Transition is Here

Hello everyone,

The last few months have been a whirlwind as we've prepared for our family's transition back to the U.S. and for Roca Norte's transition into a new season with new leadership. All of it has been leading up to these days. Last week, our family said goodbye to our house in Chihuahua and headed for the border. God had been so good to us by working out many of the details involved in the move--from calling a new pastor to serve in the church to selling our vehicles to finding homes for our dogs to many other things large and small. God is so good! After arriving to El Paso, we loaded up the U-haul and the van and headed for Colorado. We arrived exhausted but thankful for all that God has done. We spent the last week very busy as we unpacked and began getting situated in our new home.

But before we could get too comfortable, we hit the road again today. I'm currently writing this from a hotel room, back in El Paso again. Tomorrow morning, we plan to cross the border, heading back to Chihuahua for the weekend. To help with the transition of the church and to praise the Lord for all He's done and all He has in store, we're having a special transition service. Pastor Jose and his family weren't able to arrive to Chihuahua until this week, so we waited to do the service until now. It will be his first service as pastor of Roca Norte. My father-in-law, Miguel, (who also knows Pastor Jose and his wife Keyla well), will preach the sermon and pray over both of our families. It will be a special and emotional service.

Please join us in praising the Lord for His goodness to us and to the church throughout this transition process. Please also pray with us for the requests below as there are still very important needs that we are depending on God for (traveling details tomorrow, more health problems in the family and provision). Seriously, please check out the prayer requests and pray with us if you have a free minute or two. Thanks again for walking with us through all of this. We appreciate you so much.

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby
Eph. 3:20-21

Praise Reports
-God provided a pastor for Roca Norte--pastor Jose, his wife Keyla and their two sons Lemuel and Samuel arrive in Chihuahua this week!
-God helped us with the move to Colorado!
-God helped us sell both of our Mexican vehicles and provided us with an American van!
-God helped us find great homes for both of our dogs! -God has sent many people to help us and encourage us throughout this process!

Prayer Requests
-Continued prayer for the health situations of our family members--my mom Susan (cancer), my grandma Bonnie (cancer) and Priscilla's mom Aleyda (recovery from diabetic ketoacidosis).
-ALSO, we need to add another name to the list. My other grandma, Marty, is also experiencing major health problems. This week she didn't feel good so I took her to the Urgent Care. After finding problems with her EKG, they told her to go immediately to the ER. After spending the last few days in the hospital, they've found that she has A-fib in her heart. She also had to receive a blood transfusion and they believe she may have internal bleeding. Please pray for healing for my grandma and for wisdom for the doctors.
-For God's favor as we cross the border tomorrow. We need a visa for our new U.S. van and I need to get it using a temporary U.S. driver's license (the permanent one will arrive in the mail in a few weeks). We have everything we need legally but it all depends on the agent we encounter and how understanding they are. Pray we'd have wisdom with what to say and how to get the visa.
-For Jose and his family as they are also currently traveling through Mexico toward Chihuahua. Today they had a flat tire in the morning and car troubles in the afternoon. They only made it about half the way they were hoping due to the setbacks. Pray for traveling mercies, protection and that they would be able to arrive to Chihuahua tomorrow.
-For the transition of Roca Norte--that they would welcome Jose and his family with open arms and that the church would thrive moving forward.
-For God's provision for our family. Moving costs as well as other costs associated with the transition have been way more than we had hoped.
-For wisdom and guidance as far as the jobs Priscilla and I will have in Colorado.
-That our family would be able get back into a routine soon with the kids' school, work, bed-times, family-time, etc.

October Update--Seeing God's Footprints As We Follow Step by Step

Hello everyone,

I can't believe it's only been a month since our last update. So much is happening so quickly as we prepare to leave Chihuahua and move back to the U.S.. If you missed that post, you may want to pause and read it before continuing on. (YOU CAN FIND IT HERE). There are so many mixed emotions as I'm sure is common with transitions like this. On one hand, we are excited to be with our families and to spend more time with the ladies in our families that are sick (see more about them below). On the other hand, it is hard for us to give up our dream and make such a drastic change so quickly.

Often times, following God involves just taking one step at at a time while surrounded by darkness. He gives us just enough light to see the step right in front of us. I think of God's promise that His Word "is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Ps. 119:105). He doesn't give us light to see ten steps in front of us. He often gives us just enough for our feet to take the next step of faith on the path. I'm not sure that truth has ever felt more real to me than it does now. So much of what lies before our family is hidden in the darkness of uncertainty. We know that we are planning to leave Chihuahua the last week of October. Beyond that, much is unknown.

But as we follow God step-by-step through the darkness, something so beautiful is strengthening our faith and giving us courage. We see His footprints before us each step of the way. They reassure us that He is truly leading us and preparing the way before us. For instance, we see His footprint of providing the finances we have needed to travel over the last few months. We see His footprint of providing a place for us to stay once we arrive in Colorado. He has provided a way for us to move our large furniture across the border to El Paso, TX. He has provided a way for us to sell many of our large items of furniture without even having to move them out of the house! We have consistently seen His footprints before us as we've followed Him.

One major prayer request involves another footprint that may be developing. I won't share all the details yet, but it seems that the Lord may have been preparing the way this whole time for the perfect person to take over Roca Norte. This person is visiting Chihuahua this weekend and is going to preach at the church. We are praying that if it truly is from the Lord, there will be clear confirmation among he/his wife and all of the leaders of the church. Please join us in praying for that.

We have lots of important prayer requests below. Thanks so much for your support and prayer. Even though you are far away physically, your prayer and encouragement is so near to us and such a help. We'll update you soon with what God continues to do. God bless you!

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby
Eph. 3:20-21

Praise Reports
-God is so faithful and we see Him opening the way before us as we move forward with this transition.
-Priscilla and I celebrated 13 years of being married last month!
-Josiah turned 12 a few days ago!

Prayer Requests
-Please continue praying for the health of the ladies in our family:
Susan (my mom): She continues battling stage 4 cancer. She just had her 3rd chemo treatment of this round. She has been feeling a little weaker and sicker this time around.
Bonnie (my grandma): She continues battling her cancer with chemo treatments as well. She was feeling better after the most recent treatment.
Aleyda (Priscilla's mom): Praise the Lord she was released to return home a few days ago! She still hasn't returned to 100% physically or mentally but she was stable enough to leave the assisted care facility. Please pray for continued improvement and for wisdom with at-home care and caregiver decisions for the long-term.
-For the pastor and his wife that are coming to Chihuahua this weekend. That God would make His will obvious to everyone by giving confirmation to the hearts of all involved.
-For our emotional well-being and unity as a family during this time of great transition.
-That Roca Norte would continue forward and thrive even without our family being physically here. That God would guide us as far as my role with Roca Norte (from a distance) moving forward.
-That God would guide us to the perfect people to sell both of our cars and to find a good home for our dogs.
-That God would provide a job for me in the U.S. and a car for us as well.

September Update--Major News As We Follow a Great God into the Unknown

Hello everyone,

Many of you know that our time back in the U.S. this summer was full of difficult and unexpected surprises. We feel as though our lives have been turned upside down. A lot of you have been praying with and for us. Many of you have encouraged us more than I can express. I'm tearing up right now just thinking about how blessed we've been with your support. THANK YOU SO MUCH. It really does mean so much to us. If you missed out on what's been happening, you can reference last month's update HERE. We're back in Chihuahua now and have had more time to see how the situations with our families are unfolding and to spend more time in prayer.

I've struggled all day with how to say this, so I'll just go ahead and say it directly--we feel that the Lord is calling us to leave Mexico and move back to the U.S. within the next two months. Those of you that know me well or have walked with us for awhile know that those words are really hard for me to type. The Lord has made our calling clear for many years now and we thought we were going to be here in Chihuahua for the long-term. Even as recently as one month ago as we were in California, we were excited to return home to Chihuahua for the work the Lord was calling us to.

Then in the last three weeks, we've seen the health situations of Priscilla's mom (Aleyda), my mom (Susan) and my grandma (Bonnie) all worsen in one way or another. (I'll include more specific prayer requests for each of them below, thank you for joining us in prayer for them). We see that our families need us during this time. They need us there to encourage them and point them to Jesus as the only true source of peace and hope. I was struggling through this decision a couple weeks ago when the Lord brought me to 1 Timothy 5:4 which says, "But if [a widow] has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God." None of the three women in our families are widows, but we feel that God is calling us to first show our Christianity at home--ministering to them and the rest of our family members. We want our kids to spend lots of time with their grandmas and to enjoy the time we have with them. We are praying that God fully heals each of them but no matter what we want to be with them during this process. We don't know all of the details about what's to come, but we see God's hand in a combination of factors that have brought us to this point.

Please continue to pray with us and for us. Our moms and my grandma need the prayer. Our family here needs the prayer as we struggle with the emotions and logistics of such a big life-change. Roca Norte needs the prayer as we seek to identify who God is calling to become the next pastor. I'll include more in-depth prayer requests below. We really do appreciate your prayer so much. We'll keep you updated with how things move forward over the next month or two. God bless you.

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby
Eph. 3:20-21


Praise Reports
-God is still on the throne and worthy of our praise no matter how we feel or what's going on around us.
-The Lord took care of us during the long summer away from Chihuahua and gave us sweet time with our families.
-God provided for us amazingly during the summer! On top of providing enough money for us to travel a lot during these unique times, He also provided new tires and breaks for our van, sound/music equipment for the church, 6 months rent for the church and more financial donations for the church!

Prayer Requests
-Priscilla's mom (Aleyda). After being rushed to the ER again a couple weeks ago, she improved to the point where last week they moved her to an assisted-care facility. She is doing better physically although she still can't walk or do other things on her own. Mentally she has improved to the point of having conversations but she is still often confused, disoriented and hostile toward the nurses.
-My mom (Susan). Her cancer is now stage 4 as it has moved to her liver and a lung. She begins new chemo treatments and other medications this week.
-My grandma (Bonnie). She has lymphoma cancer and is in the process of chemo treatments. She had to go to the hospital a couple times in the last month for dehydration and a kidney stone.
-For our extended families as they struggle with these situations. That they would look to Jesus. That those that aren't yet Christians would turn to Jesus through all of this.
-For our family (Priscilla, the kids and I) emotionally. We are sad and having a hard time as we think about leaving Chihuahua.
-For the church (Roca Norte). We just announced it to them this past Sunday and many of them are having a tough time with the news. Please pray that God provides a great pastor that will love, lead and teach the sheep well. Please pray that God would guide us as far as my relationship with the church moving forward (I would love to maintain a connection with the church somehow if the Lord wants that).
-For the logistics of the move (finances, packing, selling things, the cars, the dogs, moving across the border, a trailer, jobs when we get to the U.S.--I'm sure there's even more we'll encounter soon).

August Update--Prayer Update and New Request

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for joining us in prayer for Priscilla's mom Aleyda over the past few weeks. If you missed the previous updates, you can find them here and here. We have seen the Lord answer prayer! Aleyda's health has greatly improved. In fact, she was able to leave the ICU about a week ago and then was transferred out of the hospital to an assisted care facility a couple days ago. We have also seen the Lord moving throughout the family as He gives us peace and draws us to Himself. We are praying that God uses these events to bring unsaved family members to salvation. Although Aleyda has greatly improved physically, there is still a long road ahead before she gets back to normal mentally. She can communicate a little bit with limited words, but she is still confused and disoriented at times. She's still not able to have full, coherent conversations. We really appreciate your continued prayer for her.

Priscilla, the kids and I left California on Sunday and arrived in Colorado the next day. We were rushing to get here before my mom (Susan's) surgery. If you didn't know, she was diagnosed with cancer last fall, finished chemo and radiation treatments and was set for what they hoped would be the surgery to remove the remaining cancerous tumor. However, in the final preop scans that they did last Friday, they discovered new cancer lesions that had spread to her liver and lung. The cancer is now officially stage 4. They cancelled the surgery and are going to begin new treatments involving chemo and other medications in the following weeks. Needless to say, it was quite the discouraging surprise for my mom and the family. After starting the week hopeful and prayerful that she could be cancer-free following the surgery, now she is entering back into chemo treatments and we know the cancer has continued spreading.

Please pray for my mom's continued health and that she and the rest of the family would cling to Jesus during this time. Pray that Priscilla and I would have wisdom with how to handle these major trials in our families and how we can best love and minister to our moms (and our entire families). Thanks so much for praying with us and for us. We love you all.

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby

Eph. 3:20-21

Vision Update (Summer '22)

It’s been a while since we’ve updated the vision section of our website. To get an idea of where we’ve been, it might be helpful for you to review our pre-move updates HERE and HERE as well as our vision update after the launch of Roca Norte HERE. Also, if you’re interested in pictures/information about the church, you can check out the Facebook page HERE.

What’s Happened?

It will be six years this summer since we first arrived in Chihuahua. It hasn’t always been easy, but we have seen God’s faithfulness each step of the way. We’ve grown as a family, both in depth and in number. Priscilla and I have grown in our marriage. We’ve seen our oldest two kids (Josiah and Hannah) grow up and mature. We’ve added to our family with the birth of Abby. We’ve moved a few times. We’ve met lots of people. We’ve served God at Capilla Calvario Chihuahua and at the university campus of UACH. We’ve launched the church (Roca Norte). We’ve gotten through a pandemic and all the difficulties that entailed with the lockdowns and struggles with the church and kids’ schools. We didn’t know how God would do things.  He has definitely chosen a more difficult path that we would not have chosen for ourselves. But we can give testament to the words of Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3:3, “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”

What’s Happening Now?

As those that have walked with us know, this past year coming out of the pandemic has been our most challenging by far. Like never before, we have felt the stings of loneliness away from family, discouragement in the ministry and frustrations living in a foreign country. We know that God is using all of these things for our good. He is always faithful to do that (Rom. 8:28, 2 Cor. 4:7-18 & Gen. 50:20). He has used these difficult times to loosen our ties to everything else so that we may cling more deeply to Him. That is a painful process, but oh so worth it. We are now better at holding his blessings, including our calling as missionaries, with hands and hearts that are open to anything God wants to do. We don’t know what exactly He has in store. We’ve learned that although His ways are always good, they are truly much higher than anything we could ever come up with ourselves (Is. 55:8-9).

What’s Next?

We continue forward, praying that He use us to play our part in leading a church that brings Him glory. A church that faithfully teaches His Word and shines the Gospel of grace in the midst of dead, works-based religion. A church that multiplies by raising up leaders that are sent out to lead other churches. A church that shines the light of Jesus by reaching Chihuahuenses with the Gospel and making them disciples. The cry of our heart has been and continues to be Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

June Update--When Faith Becomes Real

Hello everyone,

I don't know about you but sometimes life just doesn't work out like I expected or would prefer. Things are difficult. I feel discouraged and disappointed. Sometimes, I don't see God clearly working. He feels distant and I'm tempted to wonder if He's really answering prayers and moving on my behalf. I've felt like that more in the last year than at any other point in my life. I'm being brutally honest (even more so than normal). But I do it because I don't think I'm the only one. David, Job, Elijah, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul and many others in the Bible felt the same way at times. I'm willing to bet that you've felt that way before as well. Maybe even right now.

But I've been thinking about something recently. Maybe that is precisely the time when faith actually becomes something more than just a feeling, a cliché, an empty platitude or a nice thought. Maybe that's when faith becomes real. When we continue counting on His goodness and His promises, even when we don't see them--that is real faith. When we continue walking with Him and seeking to obey Him, even when we're discouraged and don't feel like it--that is real faith. When we continue to rest in Him, even as the storm around us rages--that is real faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith allows us to continue on, with our eyes on Jesus, rejoicing in His grace and resting in His faithfulness no matter what's happening around us or within us. May you be encouraged today to place your faith in Jesus because He is worthy of it.

We are planning trips to California and Colorado this summer. We hope to be able to rest and recharge but also to visit our supporting churches to share what God has been doing. If you'd like to meet to hear about God's faithfulness in and through us and the plans we have moving forward, let us know. We'd love to connect.

Below we have some praise reports and prayer requests that include more details about what's been going on in our family and in the church here in Chihuahua. Thanks for praying with us and for all of your support. We appreciate you so much!

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby
Eph. 3:20-21

Praise Reports
-We got good news about my mom's cancer! She has finished her chemo treatments and the doctors say she is ready for radiation. After a week of radiation treatments and some rest, they are thinking about doing surgery at the end of the summer or the beginning of the fall.
-The Lord provided in an incredible way for us to be able to visit Colorado this summer and spend time with my mom and the rest of the family! We didn't think we would be able to go because of the financial cost but the Lord provided through some wonderful friends. God's goodness through that act brought me to tears.
-The kids are about to finish their first year in a Mexican, bilingual school! It has required lots of hard work and perseverance, so we are very proud of them!
-God has been doing a beautiful (albeit painful) work in the hearts of Priscilla and I as He calls us deeper in our relationships with Him.
-There has been steady growth in the church (Roca Norte) as we've had more first-time guests recently and more people stepping up to volunteer.
-As a church, we've been going through a Bible study called "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality" that has been a challenge but a great blessing to all of those involved.
-At the end of this month we celebrate 1 year in our new church building!

Prayer Requests
-Continued prayer for my mom's health with the cancer treatments and the surgery to come. That she would have peace and rest in Jesus and that God would remove all of the cancer.
-For the emotional and spiritual health of everyone in our family. It has been a really hard year with lots of lows and more doubts than ever regarding our direction, vision and plans as a family. Pray that we would cling to Jesus more than ever and move forward in unity resting in His perfect plan.
-The trips to California and Colorado this summer. Please pray that God would continue to provide the finances we need for all of the traveling. Pray that our family would be refreshed and renewed in the details of His calling for us. Pray for the opportunities we'll have to share about what God is doing in Chihuahua, that we would glorify Him and encourage those we speak with.
-Starting July 1st, Roca Norte will need to be self-sufficient to pay the rent, bills and other operating costs. We are still a small church so it will be difficult to gather enough through our normal tithes and offerings. Please pray that God would move in the hearts of those in the church to give sacrificially and that God would show Himself strong on our behalf by providing for all of those needs.
-For a sign for the front of the church building. We've only had a banner up until now but we are praying that we would be able to gather enough money to buy a sign to capture the attention of the many non-Christians that pass by the church every day on the busy street.
-That God would raise up and/or bring leaders to Roca Norte to take on heavier ministry roles and help relieve some of the burden that falls on our shoulders.
-For U.S. churches that are praying about bringing short-term teams to Chihuahua to serve the Lord with us at Roca Norte.
-For God to be glorified through all we do as a family and as a church.

March Update--Holding God's Blessings with Open Hands

Hello friends and family!

I definitely cannot believe that we are already into March, but here we are and it's a little past due for an update. As many of you know, these past 8 months or so have been some of the most difficult we've experienced as a family since moving to Chihuahua. We are praising the Lord as it seems as though we may be coming out of that difficult season. However, we're not praising Him just because things are getting easier. We're praising Him because of His faithfulness IN the difficulties and what He has been teaching us THROUGH the difficulties. He is so good! One of the biggest lessons He has taught me personally is not to hold on too tightly to His blessings. I've spent a lot of time thinking about the story where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen. 22). God has been trying to teach me the same type of lesson through this season. A blessing from God that we cling to for dear life becomes an idol that hinders our relationship with Him. All we really need is Him. Everything else can fall away, but if we have Him we have everything we need. So my prayer has been that I would hold onto God's blessings with open hands, a grateful heart, correct priorities and an openness to anything the Lord has next. May the same be true in your life as well!

As usual, we're staying busy with family life and with all that God is doing at the church. The Lord is moving in Roca Norte and we're really starting to see some beautiful fruit in the people. People are coming to know Jesus. Others are growing in their relationships with Him as they seek Him like never before. Still others are growing in maturity as they begin serving in the church and shifting their focus from being merely consumers to being channels of God's love toward others. Thank you for your continued prayer and support for our young family and our young church. Your prayer and support is vital in both areas and is having a HUGE impact. As a family we are so blessed by all of you. We love you guys and hope that we can talk individually with each of you soon. God bless you!

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby
Eph. 3:20-21

Praise Reports
-Our Christmas trip to Colorado was a huge blessing. We really enjoyed spending time with the whole family and resting a little bit.
-I had tests done while in Colorado to make sure everything is ok with me physically (you may remember that I passed out and banged up my face in December). The test results showed that there are no major problems. We've adjusted our diets the last couple months and I've been feeling great!
-Abby turned 1 in January!
-We just finished a study at the church called Pasos Esenciales (Essential Steps) that was geared toward new Christians. We averaged around 10-12 per study with all of them being people that have joined the church in the last year (many in just the last few months). I felt like the Lord really used the study to solidify their faith and connect them more to the church!

Prayer Requests
-Please continue praying for my mom (Susan). She has cancer and is in the middle of chemo treatments. She has felt very weak and things have been hard but she's such an example for us all as she's been keeping her eyes on Jesus.
-For our family in relation to my mom being sick. It's really hard not being able to be there with her during this time and we really miss her and the rest of the family.
-For our kids' continued growth spiritually, emotionally, socially and academically. Praise the Lord, things have been going much better for them at school! (Thanks for praying)! They've returned to doing 50% of their classes in person which has really helped. They're also growing a lot with their Spanish and feeling more comfortable with their classes.
-That the Lord would continue ministering to our family and refreshing/refining our vision, calling and priorities as missionaries.
-For the church (Roca Norte), that God would use us to reach non-Christians and other new people that have started coming and give us wisdom as to how to best disciple the people in the church.
-That God would give us wisdom and creativity for some of the plans we have as a church for April (Baptisms, English Conversation Club Outreach, Easter Service).
-That the Lord would raise up strong leadership in the church.

December Update--Merry Christmas from the Ives!

Hello everyone,

Merry Christmas! I can't believe it's already the end of the year! This year has been filled with lots of ups and downs for our family. We welcomed Abby into the family at the beginning of the year and it's been so fun watching her grow and learn. At the church, we were able to enter a new building and have seen God working powerfully through that tool that He's given us. Thank you so much to many of you who prayed and gave to help make that a possibility!!!

This has also been a really difficult year for us. As a family, we've struggled a lot with loneliness and missing family. The kids have had a really hard transition into their new school. That's not only been hard for them but it's hard to watch as parents as well. Personally, I've never dealt with discouragement and depression like I have in the last few months. In the midst of it all, I'm sure that Jesus is pulling us closer to Himself. Sometimes He brings us into the darkness so that we can experience a deeper and more profound intimacy with Him. He's stripping away all of our idols and bringing us to a place where He is the only place we put our hope. He's so good and we look forward to what He has in store for 2022-----no matter what it may be.

You can see a bit of a summary of things that have been happening with us in the praise reports, prayer requests and photos below. God bless you and may you have a wonderful, Chrsit-centered Christmas and a Happy New Year!

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby
Eph. 3:20-21

Praise Reports
-Josiah just turned 11, Hannah is turning 8 in a few days and Abby turns 1 in 3 weeks!
-As a church, we did an outreach in our city where we gave blankets and bags with personal hygiene items to those in need. God has really used the event among those in our church to increase generosity and a focus on the lost.
-A young man named Iram got saved through the outreach!
-The Lord has been blessing the church. More people are coming, people are getting connected in more significant roles and we have been able to minister to some people that have needed to receive the love of Jesus.
-We are able to go to Colorado in a few days to spend time with my side of the family. We haven't been able to spend Christmas with them in almost 10 years, so we are very excited to be with them during Christmas.

Prayer Request
-We found out last month that my mom (Susan) has cancer. We're still waiting on the results to know all the details but she will begin chemo treatments soon and need to have surgery in the next few months.
-Last week I passed out in the bathroom, fell and landed on my face on a sharp corner of our shower. I cut it up pretty bad and may have had a mild concussion. Praise the Lord, it wasn't worse and I didn't land directly on my eye or on other parts of my head. It was a blessing because our worship leader is a doctor, so he came over right away and helped to close up the wounds and get me situated. I have tests scheduled for when we're in Colorado to try and figure out why I passed out.
-The kids are still struggling with their school and especially with the social aspect. We're really praying they make some friends and start to thrive socially in the school.
-As a family, we've had a tough last few months emotionally with missing family and feeling lonely. Please pray for the Lord's comfort and continued refreshment in the vision and calling He has on our family.
-That the Lord would raise up leadership in the church.

September Update--Sometimes Growth is Painful

Hello friends and family,

We just celebrated Mexican Independence Day here, so I had to include a photo of our girls celebrating. :)

Truth be told, this season has been full of mixed emotions for our family. It seems clear that God is at work and growth is happening. The kids are growing physically (THEY'RE GETTING SO BIG!!!!) but I also see them growing in other ways as well. Priscilla and I are growing both individually and in our marriage. The church is growing numerically and good things are happening.

However, growth is often painful. So in all of those areas we've faced difficulties and really hard days recently. Josiah and Hannah have had a difficult transition into their new school with the differences in language, culture and schedule. Priscilla and I have had ups and downs in regards to balancing the new family schedule and supporting the kids in the midst of discouragement on days they attend in-person and confusion on the days they connect virtually. I'm personally just starting to come out of a season of discouragement (hopefully) that I would probably even call depression. There are difficulties and struggles at the church as we seek to follow closely after Jesus into what He's calling us to do. In our personal lives, in our family and in the church, there are days where rejoicing is easy as we see God's hand in it all. But there are also days where things look bleak and it all seems to be in vain. I suppose that's how it is for all of us though. So I'm sure you can relate. May we all just keep our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. It's all for Him and He makes it worth it all.

Thanks for praying with us and for all of your continued support and encouragement. You are such a blessing to us.

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby
Eph. 3:20-21

Praise Reports
-We were blessed to have family visit a few times during the summer.
-The teachers and administrators in the kids' new school have been really supportive in helping our kids adjust and grow.
-The church has been growing!
-A teen named Aleyvan gave her life to Jesus after church service a couple weeks ago (on her 15th birthday)!
-God has continued providing little by little for renovations on the church building.

Prayer Request
-That God would continue to give strength, favor and understanding to the kids as they transition to the new school.
-That God would help us as a family to find a good rhythm with our new schedule.
-That God would continue blessing a new ministry that Priscilla and a friend created called God's Girls where they pour into young girls in the community and teach them about their identity in Christ.
-That God would continue to bless the church and use us to reach Chihuahuenses with the Gospel and make them disciples of Jesus. That He would help us raise up leaders in the church.
-That God would continue to provide for the renovations of the church.
-That God would provide for and bless our upcoming trip to California at the end of October.

July Update--A Beacon of Light to Chihuahua

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since we've sent out an update via email and I want to apologize for that. We've sent some updates on Facebook but I've been thinking lately about those of you that might not use Facebook. Well, we're into the summer and in full swing with family life and church life. There is so much I could say, but I'll just include some of the main things here. Below, you'll find praise reports and prayer requests that include a quick summary of more things going on.

The kids are finishing up their final assignments of the year for homeschool and are excited to rest a little during summer break before starting at their new school at the end of August. We had the first parent meeting for their new school a few days ago and the kids are really excited to finally be able to get out of the house more and meet more kids their age! :) Abby just turned 6 months old a few days ago (time is flying!) and we're having so much fun with her as her personality develops and she's constantly learning new things. She's always smiling and loves to be around people. We joke that Sunday mornings at church is her favorite time of the week because she gets to be with so many people and everyone at church wants to hold her. :)

As far as the church, things have been going great! If you haven't seen the updates on Facebook, God continues to provide for us in such amazing ways and we now have a building! We've prayed a lot for the building----that it would be a beacon of light to Chihuahua and tool that we as a church can use to better make disciples and reach the lost with the Gospel. Here are the links for two videos that I filmed recently as we were praying for and found the building that we now call home:

Video #1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9LpNQsUn04

Video #2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2va4Uk1efI

We still have lots of work to do for renovations, but we have been meeting there for the last few weeks (we've had 4 services there now) and it's coming together little by little. We have already used the money that God has provided thus far, so please pray that He will provide more so that we can finish the renovations. I'll include some pictures of what's going on down below. A couple weeks ago we had our first baptisms as a church and 3 people were baptized! It was an especially big blessing for me because two of them were my kids---Josiah and Hannah! It was something that we spent a lot of time talking and teaching about and encouraged them to only do if they were sure they were ready. I can't put into words what an honor it was to baptize them---I even teared up a little while doing it. :)

Just to keep this from getting too long, I'll include bullet points of praise reports and prayer requests below in a summary style. Please know that we are SO THANKFUL for all of your prayer and support. Honestly, God has provided amazingly for our family and for the building through many of you as individuals and through many of the churches you attend. THANK YOU! We have seen God's hand in everything over the last few months and we are excited to continue seeing what He has in store. God bless you and have a great summer!

-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah, Hannah & Abby

Eph. 3:20-21

Praise Reports
-After a tough year of homeschool, the kids are finishing up things for their final few classes!

-A few family members have been able to visit us over the last few months and that has really been an encouragement for the kids!

-We at Roca Norte held our first baptisms a couple weeks ago and 3 people were baptized (including Josiah and Hannah)!

-God provided all we needed as a church to get into a building (plus an amazing price on the building itself)! He has also provided money for some renovations that we've been able to get started on!

Prayer Request
-For a good transition for the kids into their new school next month.

-That God would guide us and provide for us as a family to be able to take a trip to California in the next couple months.

-There have been some seemingly minor health and dental issues with our family in the last few weeks. Please pray that God takes care us and provides for us.

-That God would help us to be able to renew the passports of the two oldest kids. It's been hard with everything with Covid.

-That God would continue providing for the renovations of the church building. There is still a lot to do in the building and we don't have the money for it right now. We are trusting that God will provide so that we can make it a place that will help us welcome people with the love of Christ. Please join us in praying for His provision.

-Please pray for wisdom for me in regards to my classes at UACH. I need to make a decision on whether or not to teach classes next semester (or in what capacity I can be involved at the university) and it's an important but difficult decision.

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