TI Blog

“…When we experience an event vividly in our imagination it is imprinted as an experience, even though we did not physically do it.” Matt Litton, ”A Call for Christian Imagination”

“Here Mommy!” my son exclaimed as he handed me a beautiful bouquet of handpicked weeds…

I was reflecting recently about the things that have shaped me over the years. I call these ‘marker moments’.

We are thankful for this opportunity to serve the Timothy International community and we promise to do our best to be “Pastors Without Borders” to those serving around the world. 

Inculcation is a term used to prepare for adaptation for the shift from our passport country to our called country…

The ground shook. Dark crumbled soil and decomposing leaves rattled across the forest floor…

I realized then that all the mentoring I was doing with the young people at this ministry was more in line with this title: Destiny Helper. 

There on Sinai Moses sat again, listening for the word of The LORD.
Moses: God’s chosen leader to bring about one of the most miraculous events in history—the great exodus of the Hebrews out of Egypt…

We’re all in our own season with regard to being called as a missionary. Preparing to go, new on the field, several years of experience, and long-term life as a missionary…

A short story by one of our Timothy International Family, Natasha Dosa.
I rolled out the dusty, crinkled and weather-beaten old battle map with a tired snap. Dust exploded in a small gust of tiny granules…

I have a picture on my wall that I often look at and ponder the reality of how our perspective determines what we see. The picture shows two perspectives…

A short story by one of our Timothy International Family, Natasha Dosa. 
The wounds were deep and gushing blood. Agony was beginning to blind the strength of my sight; in my weakness the sword slipped from my sweaty palms…

Value and worth are not the same! We often think of them as having the same meaning. Value can be hammered and battered and assaulted by life. It links arms with pride. Our environment or circumstances identify where it is placed on a measuring stick. But worth can only come from God…

A short story by one of our Timothy International Family, Natasha Dosa.

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.” – psalm 27:13

The iron chains rattled as the heavy links dangled from the gnarled, twisted old oak…

Faith-rest life is supposed to be our norm! It is our inheritance. I can’t experience this faith-rest if I am doubting. I want to know my God so well that I am sure of Who He really is and His thoughts and intentions toward me. Then I will trust His love, His words, His training and His timing.

Have you ever had one of those days when Jesus just drops a thought, word or message into your spirit so significantly that you remember that moment with clarity the rest of your days?  And before you know it, that word or thought changes your life?  I’ve had a few and I treasure them in my heart.

Most of us have never seen these global changes on a daily basis. It can be very upsetting if we focus on the news. Most of the reports I have seen are focused on the panic of the world leaders. The reporters are speaking mostly very doomsday negative predictions and stating them as fact…

In 2010, almost eight years ago while we were on the road preaching, the Lord gave me (Rick) an extremely vivid dream. The short version is that I was at the bedside of Billy Graham and somehow knew he was about to die. Ruth, his wife who had already passed at the time of the dream was there holding his hand. In the dream he had an ephod on (priestly garment).

Somewhere along the way I found out that “faith” is not pulling yourself up by your
bootstraps, gritting your teeth and working hard until you…

Sometimes we are in a place that is secure and wraps around us comfortably.  We are satisfied in that place.  We are growing and blooming and producing fruit.  It seems like nothing will change or that nothing should change.  But then a tiny seed of dissatisfaction pops up.  The place that used to feel so comfortable and right feels a little tight now.  It feels like it’s not quite enough anymore. 

Perspective…10 years!! Have you ever looked at the mountains in the distance? At first it looks like there’s only one lone gigantic mound of rocks and trees. The closer you get the more you realize that there’s a whole bunch more!!! The peaks become too numerous to count. What you thought you were getting into has become an entirely different setting.

Have you ever stopped to think how much fear rules your life???  Most of the time we are afraid of things that haven’t even happened yet.  Fear of getting sick, fear of not being in control, fear of not having enough ____.  The Bible tells us about 90 times to “fear not” or “do not be afraid”.

When I think about how God works the phrase “little by little” comes to mind or to put it in the tongue of Africa the phrase means “slowly by slowly”. When God took Israel into the promised land He said that He would only give them victory in the land a little at a time, otherwise problems would arise and crush their victory. They simply could not handle too much at one time.

Twice in Genesis 1 The Bible tells us that God made us in His image, and then gave us permission to go out and be “fruitful” & “multiply” in the world He had just created.  The Hebrew word ‘fruitful’ means to produce fruit or in other words ‘reproduce’ meaning to have children the fruit of our love and the fruit of a woman’s womb.  The other word ‘multiply’ means to bring in abundance, to enlarge, be in authority over, excel, expand ect.

It’s been a very wet year in Texas!!! That’s putting it mildly as there has been wide spread flooding in the Lone Star state.  I was at my prayer place near a lake by our house early enough to catch the moon going down over the water.  The water appeared to be moving like a river but I knew better, lakes don’t go anywhere, and that’s when God got my attention.

Several times Jesus says “whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says” also “If anyone has ears to hear let them hear” and “My sheep listen to My voice and follow Me”…

I heard an interesting statement the other day that I want to share with you, think about this…

Have you ever noticed how God gives the invitation to “follow” Him but then ony gives the general direction and not the entire map with directions fully explained and highlighted? We all want to be Like Abraham but with more details. As we move forward in our journey we must, as a people of faith, be willing to change (not something most of us enjoy).

Our itinerary page is updated through January, 2012 We will be travelling all over Texas to visit churches and partners. Please join us if we come to one near you. We are so thankful this season for all of those that God has called to partner with us in His adventures. I am amazed daily at the new people He connects us to and the exciting things His people are doing all over the world. This picture is of Rick and Janie meeting with the Village Elder on Buvuma Island with Jennifer the nurse that lives there.

Thank you for looking over our new website. We are still working on it and will be changing it more often than the last one. We have some new features which I hope you will enjoy such as an Itinerary page that will be updated regularly so you will know where we are and how to pray for us. We were introducing Scott, a WGM missionary in Arua, to our friend Bosco, who is a Ugandan missionary with YWAM Arua.