Dear Friends,
I’m sitting down to write this “missionary update” with the strange sensation that I have never done this before. Indeed, though we have been preparing for this stage for a while, the reality of it actually being upon us is itself a strange sensation.
Looking Back
Last Sunday (January 6th) Cleveland Park Bible Church officially installed our new pastor, Dr. Ken Casillas. I imagine it must be a rare experience to witness the old pastor participating in the installation of the new pastor, but I count it a privilege that will long be remembered. Our 4½ years as pastor and pastor’s wife of Cleveland Park Bible Church were not only an incredible training ground, but gave us friendships and a church family that we will always cherish. The people of CPBC are very dear to us and we are blessed to continue the relationship now as their missionary appointees. One of the specific blessings of our time in Spartanburg was the provision of co-laborers. Michael and Liz Cole (Viviane, too) have become very dear friends and we are excited that we get to take at least one family from the church with us to France!
Looking Forward
We leave this Saturday on our first pre-field ministry trip. We are heading south to Naples, Florida (which is about as far south as you can go before running out of land). Exactly one month later we will be in Scarborough, Maine. Think we’re crazy? You’re not alone. I’m in full agreement. However, rest assured that neither the southern trip nor the New England trip were planned while sitting down at a desk with a map in front of me thinking, “Where would we like to travel next?” Both came about providentially and were instigated by circumstances outside ourselves. We are nevertheless excited: me to experience balmy Florida in January, and Ruth to experience her first snowy winter in New England. We’re also excited about meeting new people, learning from different ministries, and finding individuals and churches with a burden to partner with us by supporting us financially.
Ready or Not, Here We Go
I’m sitting in the beautiful, freshly-renovated parsonage that our church has provided for our use here in Spartanburg, S.C., and trying to soak in the fact that tomorrow at this time we should be driving south on I-85. We have hammered out, fine-tuned (and changed several times) our philosophy of packing. We’ve actually impressed ourselves with all the cool ideas we’ve come up with. However, if you stop by 10 minutes before we leave, you’ll probably witness us reverting back to the tried and true throw-it-in-the-back-and-hope-you-find-it-when-you-get-there method. Organized or not, it will be exciting to be off on our first deputation trip!
Please Pray
Please pray for us that: 1) our van will do what it was designed to do—get us from point A to point B; 2) for our family life and spiritual health as we travel; 3) that we would truly minister to the people and churches we visit; and 4) that God would burden others to support us financially.
With gratitude and love ,
Tim, Ruth, Micaiah & Miriam
TRBixby@HopeforFrance.org
Itinerary
Jan. 13 — Hiram, GA
Jan. 16 — Spring Hill, FL
Jan. 18-20— Naples, FL
Jan. 27 — Bradenton, FL
Feb. 3 — Alamance, NC
Feb. 17 — Rochester, NH (AM); Dover, NH (PM)
Feb. 24 — Scarborough, ME
