Merry Bulgarian Christmas (we sang in front of church today)

Because of God’s tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.
Luke 1:78-79 (NLT)

Truly we were once sitting in darkness, beneath the shadow of death; but just as truly, Jesus Christ came into this world to show us the way to life. This season we celebrate the birth of Christ – not simply the birth of a cute baby, but even more so, the birth of the God of the universe born in human flesh. He lived with us. He ate with us. He celebrated with us. He cried with and for us. He loved us, no matter who we were.

Where once we were dying in our inability to follow the commandments of God, Christ came to fulfill these commandments on our behalf. And because of this perfect life Jesus came and lived, he was able to offer himself as the sacrifice (pure and spotless) that was acceptable to God. He took the complete punishment for our sins on the cross. Three days later he rose from the dead, an open display of his authority over all things, even death itself. Through his victory of death, we can know life.

This is why Jesus came into our world, and this is why we can find reason to celebrate this season, no matter where we may find ourselves.

We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us – one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

John 1:16-17 (NLT)

(we are currently residing on the fifth floor of this building)

I write to you now from the fifth story of a Bulgarian apartment block. It has been quite the chain of events to arrive here (overnight bus, overnight train) but we are being fully cared for by both new and old friends here in Pazardjik. We are being constantly blessed by the hospitality of the couple that is allowing us to live with them during this time.

Bulgaria is cold. As we got of the train at 3AM to cross the border from Turkey to Bulgaria, I really felt like I was in a Cold-War era Russian movie. Rock hard bits of snow mixed with garbage on the railroad tracks. Thick fog hiding most all of our surroundings from our view. Train conductors that didn’t understand any of my English questions. It was a fun experience.

It has been really cool to see that friends from my last visit here are still growing and hungry in their relationship with Christ. So many people in their generation have become caught up in the mindset of the world (materialism, pop stars, etc.) but it is a blessing to spend time with young people who are wanting to invest in God where he has placed them.

(krassi: busdriver extraordinaire)

(victor: gypsy dance extraordinaire)

Also with me here from the track are John Paul and Aaron. We’ll be spending this week here in Pazardjik, and Saturday we will begin making our way down to Athens to catch our flight to Cairo, Egypt where we will begin our next phase of studies on January 3rd.

I pray that this Christmas finds all of you well, and that you are experiencing the life that is gifted to us in Jesus Christ.

turkish photo exhibition and a wild christmas ahead.

(a local cobbler)

Even though it’s just been a week, it seems like so much has transpired since the last blog entry. It has been a really enjoyable week as far as the projects we’ve been working on for our class and for the exhibition, as well as just meeting different people around town.

In class this week, as we are still learning about design, we worked on making mini magazines. For these, we had to find and issue of injustice in the world, and show what the bible has to say about that specific issue of injustice. We were divided into groups of three, and after praying, our group felt that we should make a small book about poverty. It is obviously a very broad and often times complex issue, but we attempted to display God’s heart for this in as simple a way as possible. There are surely a lot of statistics out there on the state of poverty in our world, but we wanted to focus more on God’s heart that longs to care for the poor (physically or spiritually). It was definitely a challenging experience, working with three different personalities, styles, and opinions and to make a document that flowed together in one style, theme, and message. In the end though, it was really cool to see a finished product come out the time and energy that we put into it, and I look forward to using these skills in any future publications we may be creating as a school.

We also spent some time this week preparing for the exhibition that we were able to do this last Friday in the city center of Selçuk. As a school, we decided on the theme of “Exposing Beauty” in Selçuk. Each of us displayed one or two pictures, and for each picture, we chose a word (which had to be translated into Turkish) that reflected the beauty that was shown in each specific picture. With our pictures we wanted to show how each part of the community comes together to make the whole of the community. As I talked about in last week’s entry, it was difficult to do this without simply saying things are beautiful the way they are. So many of the qualities in the people are beautiful, but are not yet being used for God’s purposes. I really feel that so much more of the beauty will be evident when they have revelation of all that God has created them for. He hasn’t made them for a set of do’s and don’ts; rather, he has made them to live and delight in relationship with himself.

(the exhibit in the city center)

(aramak is turkish for seeking. this was the photo I used for the exhibit)


(prayer time at the central mosque in selcuk)

(Nurettine, my new kadesh)

I am brothers with a 64-year-old Turkish man. One day this week, as I was sitting outside the mosque on a bench, I suddenly found my eyes covered by a pair of unfamiliar weathered hands. I continued to be blinded by these hands for a few seconds, until I was finally released from the grasp of the unknown trickster. As I got up, I saw it was a man by the name of Nurettine, who I had met last week at the washing area. Nurettine doesn’t speak a bit of English, but I was able to understand that he wanted to take me to have tea with him. So, I followed him to his regular hangout spot, a large smoke-filled tea house with various other old men, playing rummicube, reading newspapers, and watching the National Geographic channel. Nurettine introduced me to some of his friends and bought me a couple cups of Turkish çay (tea). We sat for a while, sometimes just sitting, other times attempting to communicate without the use of a common language. It probably would have seemed to be a little weird, awkward, bizarre, etc. to anyone who was watching, but I really found it to be quite enjoyable. One thing I was able to understand from the conversation is that he said we were Kadesh (I don’t know if this is the correct spelling, but it’s the way it sounds), which is Turkish for brother.

I loved spending the afternoon with Nurettine, but it was hard to not feel as though I could portray in my words the life I’ve found in relationship with Jesus. I don’t necessarily know how I can do this, but I hope my interaction with Nurettine has helped him to see the infinite value that he holds in God’s eyes. It’s in instances like this that I have to believe that God has the ability to reveal himself in much more deep and personal ways that I can ever do for him.

(nurettine, watching the national geographic channel)

(nurretine, taking a picture of me on his cellular telephone camera)

So, this has been our last full week here in Turkey. This Wednesday we will be taking our Mid-Term exam for the SBS portion of our trip, reviewing the study in the bible we have done over the last couple months. After this, we will have a couple weeks free for Christmas break, until we begin our studies again in the beginning of January. As some of you know, a couple years ago I was able to spend a few weeks working with a church in Bulgaria. During this Christmas break, God has put it on my heart to return to Bulgaria to see these friends and spend time with them and their families. We are also hoping that there will be some possibility of going to some of the gypsy villages with the pastor of the church while we’re there.

I really feel like my friends from the church there can use some encouragement in their faith, as much of the Christianity in Bulgaria is still seen as dry, stale, and inapplicable. My friends in Bulgaria have certainly expressed the great importance of Jesus in their lives, but it seems as though it may be difficult to find people their age who are similar minded. When I left Bulgaria two years ago, I didn’t know if I would ever see any of those friends again – I am so excited that God has provided a time where this looks to be possible.

(krassimir, myself, danail and blago in bulgaria)

I really believe that your prayers have been and will continue to be effective in the different ministries God has been putting in my path. Some ways you can continue to pray:

• That God would be revealing himself in the hearts of the people here in Selçuk, specifically Nurettine and those in similar situations as him.

• That God would bring smoothness to all the details of travel over this Christmas break, both for those in our school who are headed home for the break and for those of us who are traveling elsewhere.

• That the break, and the time in Bulgaria would be fruitful, whether we’re spending time with friends, or going to the gypsy villages.

• Health. They tell me it is very cold and snowy in Bulgaria right now.

I look forward to the next update I’ll be sending your way. I’m not sure exactly when it will be, but there is a good chance I may be writing the next blog to you from a snowy Bulgaria. This will most certainly be a very interesting Christmas season, and I hope you will find encouragement this time of the year as you remember Jesus’ coming into our world to bring us life, in all it’s fullness.

Timothy

(photogenx students and staff - photo: john paul vicory)

i never knew I would make so many visits to the mosque in one week

(the central mosque in selçuk)

…The truth is, you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and he will grant your request because you use my name. John 16:23 (New Living Translation)

This last week has been a little bit of a transition into learning more about the design aspect of Photography. Stephen Bryde, from the YWAM Townsville Base on the northeast coast of Australia, has come to run us through some of the basics of some of the software we may be using in producing a publication. It has been eye-opening to learn about all the different aspects that go into making a good publication.

While our school has been here in Selçuk, we’ve been blessed to have contact with some of the community and provincial leaders in the area. This week we’ve found out that we will have the opportunity to put on a photography exhibition in the city center next Friday afternoon. After praying for more direction, we have felt that we should focus on the many different people and activities around Selçuk, showing the beauty that can be found in each area as they come together to form the greater body of the community as a whole.

The National Newspaper came in this week to do an article about our school and our exhibit in Selcuk. It’s written in Turkish, but you can see it here:

http://www.efestenhaberler.com/index.asp?gorev=haberdetay&id=3353


God put it on my heart to be in a group focused on taking pictures of the Mosques in the area, as well as the people who are involved with the various activities around the Mosque. This may seem interesting, considering the focus of our exhibit is to portray the beauty of the different aspects of the community. And surely, I will agree that it is not beautiful that these people are lost in a commitment to a religion that is taking them nowhere closer to the God they are seeking. This has challenged me in the photos I am taking. I have seen that I am not just supposed to be taking pictures of the people at the Mosque and saying they’re beautiful for the sake of beauty. I have found however that there are certain things about the faith of these people that could have value if they were used in the right direction.

Here’s a small list:
They are seeking.
They are committed.
They are friendly.
They are loving.
They are reverent.
They are welcoming.
They are hospitable.

(muslim prayer beads)

And surely there are also things among them that aren’t perfect, but this could also be said of us as followers of Christ. What I seek to say is that by seeing the good things among them before they even know the God who loves them, how much more could these good qualities be redeemed if they were to come into relationship with the God who loved them before they even existed?

This is something I pray to show with the pictures I have been taking – to show the qualities that are beautiful, but also to show how these beautiful qualities have still yet to be fully redeemed.

(mustafa, one of the local imams)

(inside the mosque where mustafa prays. it was built in the 14th century, and is in the process of restoration.)

(ali)

A lot of times, due to the language barrier with many of the people, it is hard to know how to portray to them a relationship with a God that loves them. We met one man this week by the name of Ali. Christina, one of the girls also taking pictures at the mosque, had seen Ali the previous weekend at the market in a nearby village. He knew very little English, but after the afternoon prayer, we gathered that he wanted to take us out for tea. So, Christina, Ellie and myself all went with Ali for tea, a few games of crazy eight’s, and then a few games of a Turkish card game we somehow learned to play. Ali told us he was in Selçuk to go to the hospital, because of problems he had been having with is stomach, as we also noticed by his touching his stomach throughout our time with him. So, before he left for the hospital, we were able to pray for him. We weren’t even sure if he understood we were asking to pray for him, but we prayed a short prayer. Not elaborate. Not long. Just a small prayer, being sure to mention the name of Jesus multiple times to he knew who we were praying to. I am believing that God can use this to work healing in his body, not because of some fancy prayer I was able to pray, but because of the authority that resides in the mention of Jesus’ name. Your prayers for Ali would also be much appreciated.

(before reading the koran, everyone must wash their feet, hands, and face.)

(afternoon prayer time - the mosque was a little full this day)

(sunset reflection at the washing area)

As a school, we have just received the cost for the next quarter of tuition for this trip. In January, we will begin our travels through Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Ethiopia. We will begin the next quarter in Cairo, Egypt on January 3rd. When we arrive, we are responsible for paying $3,330, which will pay for the expenses of food, lodging, and other travel expenses and course fees through March 27th. I try to bring such matters up as little as possible, but I feel I should be clear in communicating that I am still in need of financial assistance at this point. I have been blessed to have already received a portion of this money, but I am still in need of help for the remainder of these funds. I request that you take this to God in prayer, and if you feel he has put it on your heart to contribute towards this, please feel free to contact me for further information.

Thank you all for your continued support in my travels thus far. It has most certainly been an amazing blessing to be learning how I can be using the skill of photography and communication in a way that honors God. I am excited to see what God will do with the places we've yet to go, and the people we've yet to meet. I look forward to keeping you updated on all the ways that God will continue to work.

...And I hope you're enjoying the snow (for those of you who have access to it).

corinth to athens to chios to izmir to selcuk

(corinthian temple to apollo, greek god of the moon)

The last couple weeks have been full of travel.

Upon arriving in Corinth, we settled into our hotel for a couple days, and were able to go on a couple excursions to some of the ruins of ancient Corinth. Learning about the culture of the time, it became more clear as to why Paul wrote the things he did to the believers in Corinth. In the early first century, Corinthians were known everywhere for their drunkenness, debauchery, and general lifestyles of immorality. They were also known for their worship of Aphrodite – the Greek goddess of love. To worship this goddess, the people would go to the temple area at the top of the hill above Corinth and spend time with any of the 10,000 sacred priestesses, who could more realistically have been identified as prostitutes. In this way they thought, they were worshipping the goddess of love.

(Paul stood here before Gallio in Acts 18)


(acro-corinth, where the temple to aphrodite would have been located)

In I Corinthians 13, Paul writes one of the most well known definitions of love in all of history:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, it is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Keeping in mind that this was written to the people of Corinth, these words take on a whole new meeting. It is no longer an overused verse used only for weddings; but rather, it is a radical, new declaration of love to a people who have always had a counterfeit form of love.

After Corinth, we traveled to Athens, then boarded a ferry that would take us to the Greek Island of Kios, where we stayed last Saturday night. Paul stopped briefly on the island during his third missionary journey (Acts 20:15). We mainly just saw the port of Kios, but I enjoyed seeing a little bit of the Greek fishing culture while we were there.

(boats docked in chios)

From Kios last Sunday, our class boarded a smaller ship to make the quick trip over to Turkey, where we then took a couple hour bus ride to where we are now staying in Selcuk. Selcuk is very near the ancient city of Ephesus, where the apostle Paul spent much of his time in ministry. On Wednesday, our class got to go on an excursion to see some of the sites where Paul was while he was in the city. Paul stayed there for more than two years on his last missionary Journey, and wrote many of his epistles from the city of Ephesus. It was amazing to be able to see with my own eyes the exact same places where Paul himself spoke to people about the life that is found in Jesus.

(ephesian amphitheatre, where the ephesians rioted for two hours in Acts 19)

(more ruins in ephesus)

I am challenged by the heart of Paul in a place that was so engulfed in the worship of their goddess, Artemis. It was probably very overwhelming for Paul to begin ministering in such a place, and it probably took a while to see progress. However, because Paul was so devoted to ministry in Ephesus, a great many people came to know Jesus.

…people throughout the province of Asia – both Jews and Greeks – heard the Lord’s message.
Acts 19:10

The Turkish people are so friendly, and we are frequently blessed by their hospitality as we are often invited in to have the oh so delightful apple tea (basically instant apple cider) that they drink here.

(turkish carpet, found everywhere in selcuk)

72.6 million people live in Turkey,
99% of these are Muslim
(75% of which belong to the Sunni sect).

(market day in selcuk)

It may seem overwhelming, as Ephesus surely did to Paul, but it is evident that there is much room for God to move here. There is so much about this culture that our God desires to redeem. These people are beautiful, but they have yet had a personal revelation of the love of Jesus in their lives. Please pray that we would make the most of the times we get to spend with people while we are out in the community - that God would bring us into contact with people who are ready for an encounter with his perfect love.

a happy thanksgiving eve from porto rafti

(sunet in porto rafti)

Today is our last day here in Porto Rafti. Today our school will be packing up from the conference center where we’ve been staying for the last four weeks, and leaving tomorrow by bus to travel to Corinth, where we will be until Saturday when we leave for Turkey. God has blessed us in our time here in Porto Rafti. Our schedule has been full, but it is apparent that he is bringing us to a deeper understanding of his character through the Bible.

Last week we spent in the book of Luke. It now makes sense why people consider it to be one of the most beautiful books ever written. I loved seeing the interaction of Jesus with those God put in his path, as he was a savior who associated closely with all people in all walks of life. Jesus himself said:

I have come to call sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think they are already good enough. Luke 5:32 (New Living Translation)

Jesus was not afraid to spend most of his time with the people that others thought to be sinners. He went into the places where the sinners (as the Pharisees and religious leaders called them) associated. He did not conform to their ways, but rather, he showed them a love that allowed them to transform their lives according to his grace. If we are to truly be preaching the gospel, it will be necessary to go into places that people may look down on; we will need to be intentional about ministering to the areas where “the sinners” associate. God isn’t looking for us to be clean-shaven and put together when we come to him; as Luke seemed to show, he is looking for those whose hearts are willing to take up their cross and follow him (9:23). We must acknowledge the fact that we are all sinners who are saved by God’s grace. When we understand this we will see that we are in no place to withhold that same grace from anyone, no matter what their background.

This week our speaker is David Hamilton, the Vice President of YWAM’s University of the Nations. He is taking us through the book of Acts this week. For this week, Dan Shannon and Andrew York who have been working with YWAM, and more recently Awaken Ministries in Northern India are also here to give us some added insight into the book of Acts. While we’re here in Greece, we’ve been going over the scriptures where the Apostle Paul was in Athens, which are found in Acts Chapter 17. Being in a place where the gospel had never before been preached, Paul found himself in a seemingly impossible situation. He didn’t know anyone, he had no connections, but God gave him the opportunity to debate with the Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers of the time. In those days, we’ve learned that Athens was the center for Philosophy and the Arts and Entertainment. All the latest ideas in thought and religion were sure to be floating around. Paul though, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit was able to come before these very lofty-minded people, and bring them the message of Christ in a relevant way. Paul said to these philosophers:

He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands cant serve his needs – for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need there is. From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth… (Acts 17:24-26, New Living Translation)

Some philosophers laughed and scoffed at the idea of a resurrection, thinking Paul to be a babbler, but there were some that day who put their faith in Jesus.

(at the parthenon)

Yesterday our class went into Athens to view these places where the Apostle Paul went when he was here almost 2,000 years ago. We visited Mars Hill, the small, rocky hill where he debated with the Philosophers. We were also able to see the ruins of the Pantheon and the other temples that were devoted to the Greek Goddess of Athena. Though these were amazing works of engineering, it is interesting to see the ways in which the philosophies and beliefs behind those temples have not stood the test of time. The ideas have passed away, as has the work of mens’ hands in the buildings that have crumbled. Studying over just these last few weeks, I am so encouraged by the truth found in the Bible. Not only was God’s message applicable during the time of Paul; but it has also stood the test of time, persecution and controversy throughout the course of history, and continues to be applicable today.

(a view of the acropolis from mars hill)

(the parthenon)

(the agorra - the marketplace in the time of paul)

(the roman amphitheatre)

So it is true, Saturday we leave from Corinth and travel by boat to Izmir, Turkey. I am very excited to see a new side of God in a new country. As of right now, I don’t know how available the internet will be, but I will do my best to keep you all informed and updated when it becomes possible. Your prayers for safety and efficiency in travel are much appreciated. I don’t know what type of boat we will be taking, but please pray that myself and the team will be able to keep our stomachs settled for the duration of our Marine Quest for the land that is Turkey. Oh, and speaking of Turkey, I would like to wish you all a Pleasant Turkey Day, wherever you may be.

Tim.

New Wine for New Wineskins

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins. Mark 2:22

Spending the last week in Mark’s gospel, one of the ideas that impacted me the most was the idea of the new wineskins that Jesus talks about in chapter two. In the past, this has always seemed a bizarre verse to me, and I would often brush over it as something to leave for later. Here, Jesus is discussing with the disciples of the Pharisees and John the Baptist about the practice of fasting. Beyond just the idea of fasting, God brought to my mind a revelation of how the idea of pouring new wine into new wineskins can apply to the world in which we live, and the way that we go about sharing the message of Christ.

I am not an expert in theology, and I am not claiming to be. One of the things that is emphasized in this Bible course is that as followers of Christ, He has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is faithful to bring the very insight of God to our human hearts. With this, even if we aren’t biblical scholars, as we seek God, he will be faithful to reveal himself to us in ways that we understand. So, I am not trying to state these ideas as something to quote in a research paper, but I simply desire to share with you all what God has revealed to my heart in these scriptures.

As a body of believers, we must be making attempts to bring the gospel to the spheres of society around us, in a way that is specifically relevant to those spheres of society. For each group we go into, we must bring the gospel in a way that will be most applicable to each group. Thankfully, we don’t have to figure this out on our own, as Christ already knows what will appeal to any group we are reaching. In Colossians it talks about Christ, “…in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (2:3). Because all wisdom and knowledge are in Christ, he knows what is relevant to each sub-culture, scene, social atmosphere, generation, etc. and he will be faithful to reveal those truths to us through his Holy Spirit. God knows the type of wine that needs to be poured into each different wineskin. The gospel is a gospel of relevance. It is not old, it is not stagnant, and we must not portray it as such. The gospel is just as applicable to the life of a New York Stock Broker as it is to the homeless person they walk past on their way to work everyday. In each new area (the wineskin) to which we bring the message of Jesus, we must be sure to use the right wine to fill it, so to speak. The key is going to God to understand the proper approach.
...

Porto Rafti has been an enjoyable place to study these scriptures, as it is very peaceful. It is definitely a huge blessing to be able to be away from the bustle and tourism in Athens, where Starbucks (a three story one at that) and McDonald’s (also three stories) are readily available. The weather has been getting a bit more extreme than when we first arrived here. It has been getting colder, very windy, and we’ve been having quite a bit of rain as well. Apparently this is the down-season for this area, as it the weather is getting colder and unsettled. Most of our weekdays are spent here at the conference center, with lectures in the morning, and then time for studying in the afternoons and into the night. In the next couple weeks, we will be going on excursions to Athens to have teaching on site at the Acropolis and Mars Hill, as well as in Corinth, so it will be nice to get to see a bit more of Greece.

This week we’ll be going through Luke. John Childers and his wife will be teaching us here again this week. It is such an amazing opportunity to be learning from people who have had so much different experiences in life, travel, and their ministry around the world. Looking at their lives, which have both been very impacted by the word of God, I am excited to think of the ways that these studies will bear fruit wherever I go or whatever I do. Thank you all for your prayers over the last week, they have been a huge help.

In Christ, Tim

Porto Rafti = Bibleville, USA

(The Mediterranean from Porto Rafti)

Hello everyone,

It has been a good week here in Porto Rafti. It now feels more like a home, at least a temporary home. This week we’ve begun our School of Biblical Studies (SBS) portion of the PhotogenX Track. Over the next three months, our school will be going through the core courses of the normal YWAM SBS, which usually lasts nine months. In these courses, we will be studying the bible, and we will even be studying on location in some of the places where parts of the bible were written here in Greece, and also later on the track when we go to Turkey, Egypt, and Israel. As a school, we desire to be taking photographs that be relevant in regards to issues that are taking place in our world. By studying scripture in depth, we believe that God will impart to us what his heart is for the things that are going on in our world, and this can then make its way into whatever photographs we may produce.

This last week, our class went through the book of Philippians. It was a lot of work, and a lot of writing journal observations, but I now feel so much closer with the ideas and heart that was put into this letter that the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi almost 2,000 years ago. A large theme in the book was unity, and Paul encouraged the church to “be of one mind” ( Philippians 2:1). I love the example he uses to portray how the church should go about promoting unity in their midst.

“5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV)

A lot of times we look at Jesus, and it is very easy to think that he was a very lofty leader who never associated with those of a lower class. But when we look at the scriptures, we see quite the opposite idea. He ate dinner with the tax collectors and other notorious sinners, he went fishing with the fishermen, and he washed the disciples feet. I find it interesting that Jesus, himself being the God of the universe, chose to reveal himself to us as one who served those around him. If the God of the universe has humbled himself to associate with us, how much more should we, created humans, choose to serve and be involved with the people and issues that surround us on a daily basis.

John Childers, the father of our school leader, Paul Childers, is here with us, and he will be giving us teaching as we go through the Gospels for the next two weeks. This week, we will be studying through the book of Mark. Over this next season of bible studying, I would greatly appreciate your prayers. I have been looking forward to learning more about the Bible, but even just going through the small book of Philippians, I was struck by how much work needs to go into studying God’s word. So, as we move onto studying bigger books, which will require even more reading and writing to process, please pray that I would be doing this by the strength that God provides me, and not on my own, weak, human strength. I know there are so many treasures in God’s word, and I want to be in a position where I allow myself to be affected by all of those treasures. Thank you for continuing to be a part of my life. I hope that I am able to pass on even part of what I see God doing in all these places.

Loving Jesus, Tim

(The Acropolis in Athens)