March/April Prayer Update

Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,

I’m sitting here in Stoughton, Massachusetts, looking at snow outside the window and reflecting on all we have seen and experienced in the last two months. Since last writing we have traveled through 13 states, covered more than 4,500 miles and presented our ministry in 14 churches. We’ve enjoyed sunny, 83-degree days in Florida and a 10-inch snow storm in Maine with a wind chill of below 0. It is somewhat of an irony that we will move to France knowing a whole lot more of the United States than we would have ever known had we chosen never to move away. Traveling is also a special delight to a guy who as a child (and yes, I admit, even now) loved to pour over maps and daydream about traveling to far away places.

South to Florida

We were blessed to begin our travels accompanied by our future co-workers, Michael and Liz Cole. After services in Georgia and northern Florida, our travels together culminated in a very special missions conference in Naples, Florida. The friends we made are too numerous to list, but perhaps you can get an idea of the pleasures we all experienced by what Micaiah said when he realized that we were on the last leg of our journey home: “But I want to go to other churches and play with more children.” After a short visit at home and a weekend in North Carolina, we packed our bags again for this five-week trek through New England.

North to Maine

So far, our winter New England trip has given us new friends in New Hampshire and Maine. The weather has been an extreme contrast to Florida, but we’ve experienced the same warm fellowship. Miriam celebrated her third birthday in the cold country, and Micaiah would play in the snow until he were blue in the face if only we’d let him. Ruth and I have been inspired by faithful individuals, families and churches seeking first God’s Kingdom in their own local contexts.

Thinking globally

While we are all physically limited to our present context, the Gospel is at work saving souls and changing lives all around the world. For the last five years my context has been mostly limited to Spartanburg, South Carolina. I’ve been blessed, challenged and gratified by what God was doing there. But recently I’ve experienced first-hand God’s working in cities across Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Maine. I find it both encouraging and humbling to remind myself that my God-assigned row in the vineyard is but one small portion of what God is doing in the earth. Speaking to saints in North America about God’s work in Europe has, I hope, been used by God to enlarge people’s vision and burden for the global scope of God’s redemptive plan in Christ. While we must all act locally, foreign missions provides a way for God’s people to celebrate and participate in God’s work globally.

Please Pray

Please continue to pray for safety in our travels, that God would fill our schedule for 2008 and that He would provide our support in a way that would magnify His provision. Pray that God will help us to minister and to be ministered to along the journey. Pray also that God would help me complete my doctrinal statement for my upcoming ordination scheduled for June.

Gratefully yours in the service of our Lord,

Tim for the family

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Itinerary

March 2 — Newton, MA (AM);

Salem, NH (PM)

March 5 — Hampden, ME

March 9— Manomet, MA (AM);

Westport, MA (PM)

March 12 — Brockton, MA

March 16 — Fitchburg, MA

March 19 — Berwick, PA

April 2-6—Raleigh, NC

April 9—Clearwater, FL

April 16—Ledyard, CT

April 20—Grafton, MA

April 23-27—Burlington, MA

April 27—Warwick, RI (PM)