busy...

I've been VERY busy lately traveling to and fro but thought I might direct you to The Berean Ways blog so that you might hear more about the ministry that we are going to be working with. Jeff is currently in India making plans for our next trip this fall... he has GREAT pictures and stories!

Blessings!
Tim

good perspective...

I saw this clip on Desiring God blog page... it is worth taking a look at!

PRAY!

Acts 4:29

Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

I was wondering if you might be able to find a moment today to pray for my good friend (and brother) Sam. I got an email from him this am saying that he had just gotten out of jail. Sam the Indian and an evangelist/teacher who I have mentioned on this blog before. He is married and has 1 son. Him and 7 others were arrested for preaching the gospel. Though they have been released on bail there is a group of people trying to get them arrested again and they have had to be "evacuated".

Please be praying for:
- favor from the officials
- protection from false accusations
- courage for Sam and his wife

Pray also that the peace and comfort of Jesus would be with all of them.

Mighty God who hears all things and knows the plans of men's hearts - I pray first that Your name would be shown to be great among all people and all nations of this earth through Your children. Guide Sam this morning with all wisdom. Give him courage and love from Your Spirit. Protect him, his family and his friends. Grant him favor with the officials AND with the people around him... turn his enemies into brothers. Make Your name great in this situation and guard Your servant from evil. We love you Lord. Amen.

and blood...

oh the power of what could be

in hearts enraptured Lord by Thee

and moved by love for You our God

hands and feet and mouth and blood...

timothy mark mcdonald

In His eyes...

Matthew 6:22

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.

In His eyes...

His battered brow to early seen the evil of this darkened dream

It's in his eyes...

Innocence and painted lips in gruesome love they co-exist

It's in her eyes...

Shattered bones and broken hearts, loves embrace too soon departs

It's in their eyes...

It's in their eyes that He can see the possibilities of what could be

It's in His eyes...

timothy mark mcdonald

India takeaways sitting in Café Nero LHR… 2

James 1:2-4

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Second, I see the balance of suffering and faith fleshing itself out in these men and women’s lives much more vividly. The loss of an infant child amidst the new life of the Gospel call. Persecution and strife alongside new awakenings and miracles. Lack of belief and usury alongside complete submission and self-emptiness. It is so beautifully complex and visible here in India – you can almost taste it in the air – life and death side by side. Everything is so much more real in India… so much more tangible. Idols are idols… demons are demons… cows are holy and people are worthless. There is no were to hide from reality here. Their faith is a faith intermingled with suffering on an almost daily basis and it produces an amazing amount of courageous resolve.

The testing of their faith has produced steadfastness. And they have let steadfastness have its full effect, making them perfect and complete, lacking in nothing... Lord, make me more like that I pray.

India takeaways sitting in Café Nero LHR… 1

Hebrews 11:1&6

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen...And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

I find myself pondering a few personal takeaways from this trip.

First, I am again struck by the level of faith I see being lived out in the lives of Apollos Sam, Sam Charles, their families and Solomon. Theirs is a faith that is lived out with their lives AND with their mouths. Faith in evangelism. Faith in Money. And resources. Faith in obedience. Faith in word and deed. Even when it is so hard they trust and obey (even in the midst of their struggles). Their faith even stands out head and shoulders above the other leaders and pastors in India… they are special people. They are radical and steady all at the same time. They are faith filled and faithful to Him who has called.

They must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him... Lord, make me more like that I pray.

Touched...

Matthew 8:14-15

And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him.

I was struck today by how many times Matthew makes a point of saying that Jesus touched people AND where people wanted to touch Him. I counted at least 10 different blatant occurrences and a bunch more subtly suggested. The blind man’s eyes, the women who had chronic bleeding, the little children… This got me curious so I did a search on all the occurrences in the Gospels… 30 occurrences of the word “touch” in the ESV and there are many more occurrences that don’t use the actual word "touch". It made me wonder how often Jesus touched and healed people’s hearts as he touched their bodies? Touch is such a powerful thing… it brings all sorts of healing on the outside AND the inside.

In addition, there are specific times when Matthew makes a point of mentioning it when there doesn’t seem to be a reason. In one such moment Jesus touches the hand of Peter’s mother-in-law and she gets up and serves them. Why the hand? Does it relate to her subsequent act of service for Him? Hmm?

Yesterday the Doctors told us that all the tests that Britany had done in September had come back clear. Clear of MS, clear of Lupus, clear of cancer, etc. Wow, thank You God! In Britany’s words:

Tim and I are so thankful and thrilled that so many things have been ruled out. The Neurologist does have one more set of test he would like to do in January so he can say he ruled everything out that he could… God has been so good to us over this season and I can't tell you the peace Tim and I had going into today. Our hope in all this is that you all would see the invaluable role you have played. The prayers that have been sent up on our behalf is nothing short of AMAZING! Thank you for walking this long and never ending journey with us. God is and has already used today for His kingdom. It truly is wonderful how he leads us on His path in life and does not let us get distracted by other trails. Oh what a few years this has been and honestly Tim and I would not trade it for anything. Our hearts and minds have much to rejoice about as we will look at this coming miracle of the birth of our Savior differently… Take time to be thankful for the lives He has given you, we are!

God has touched Britany (for this moment) and it is a powerful thing… His touch found it’s way to us through the hundreds of encouragements, prayers and hugs… and it has brought all sorts of healing on the outside AND the inside. I am left wondering what purposes lay in my wife’s future and how this relates to her future acts of service for Him? God truly is good. And He is truly in control. He will not waste a tear.

I praise You Lord for this moment. No matter what comes next we look to You… we trust You… we love You. Amen.

mourning...

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Today a little baby boy died in India... he was only 12 days old. He died of a rare birth defect. I know that he probably wasn't the only baby who died in India today but the difference was I know his parents. They are servants of God who have committed their lives to reaching their nation with the love of Jesus Christ. Active evangelisticly, in training, teaching, discipling and most recently with a vision of a home for abandoned baby girls... the are hero's of the faith. Living simple lives, doing a difficult work with significant opposition... they press on.

And in the midst of all of this... today they lost their little one.

Tonight as I was praying with my boys, Duncan turned and looked at me and obviously perplexed said, "babies aren't supposed to die." Hmm. It's true. They aren't supposed to. As we prayed together for this family I was struck by Duncans words. This isn't the way it's supposed to be. It isn't the way it is supposed to be for all the thousands upon thousands of children that die every day, week, month, and year. Babies aren't supposed to die.

Would you join me as I pray for this grieving family? Intercede on behalf of their hearts and their minds. Praying for faith and hope. Asking for the right people to be surrounding them in the right moments with the right expressions of love. Pray for their only son. Pray for their marriage. Groan with them in their mourning.

My prayer for you Sam, Suzannah and Johannah is that you would know God's strength and love and in the dark places you would experience His light.

Brotherhood

1 Peter 5:5-10

...Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you

I’m not sure how long I was unconscious… 5-10 seconds maybe. All I remember is that I was vomiting over the edge of the fence one moment and dreaming about sleeping in my own bed the next. I think it was then that I remembered that I was in India… that only moments ago I had been standing… conscious.

We had been there to have a fun-day with a handful of orphaned kids (dieing of AIDS) but, within moments of our arrival, I was the one being ministered to by Solomon, the “man with many children”. I was heartbroken, embarrassed and humbled. He just cracked a big white smile and said that this happened to the children all the time… he had lots of experience.

Humility is an interesting thing… hard to produce; it seems to be something you need to “fall” into. Often it is difficult for us to embrace knowingly – to actually set about “clothing” ourselves. When we do, it often feels fake or feigned. I wonder if that is because, often, humility walks so closely with suffering… and suffering is a traveling partner that we are so afraid of in our western world. Yet, when I sat with one of the little ones on my lap… and imagined Solomon fanning them after they had passed out… my heart broke for him… for them. Suffering was not a stranger to these children.

In these pictures are many who I would consider my brother… Wade, my brother in Christ through the last couple of years. Jeff, my ACTUAL brother (in-law) who I have had the joy of serving beside many times. My Dad, both a father and a brother, who has been a great source of encouragement for me as I have pursued God. Solomon, a man whose passion for Christ has produced a compassion for the abandoned children of India… and still had some to spare for a bewildered foreigner/brother in Christ. But perhaps the most humbling and perspective giving brother is the little boy whose sheepish smile said, “yeah, I’ve been there before. You’ll be ok… but you sure look funny on the ground!”

Thank you my little friend.

Lord God, do the impossible today… in this moment… and heal him from the disease that ravishes his body. And may we meet again… in this age or the next. Amen.