July 2012 Newsletter

In this issue:

Dealing with Uncertainty

The night sky was ink black with only a thin slice of a crescent moon hovering over the horizon. The setting sun had long ago pulled a blanket of stars across the Arizona night. We pushed hard through the cool darkness, pedaling our bikes along the road on a slight incline toward the turn-around point five miles from the house. I rode in the dark, unable to see past my hands on the handlebars of my mountain bike. Jeff and Jackie, my friends in Elfrida, rode slightly ahead of me, setting the pace.

It was the first time I could remember doing a night ride like this. It was pitch black. I rode with the light on my bike turned off and I literally could not see the front wheel of my bike. I didn’t need a light. Jeff led the pack and his light illuminated the path in front of him. I followed closely behind, and though the path immediately in front of me was dark, as long as I followed Jeff I had nothing to worry about.

Occasionally I heard something moving in the darkness in the underbrush beyond the sides of the road and my imagination would go wild. In the dark, it is easy to imagine all kinds of dangerous creatures lurking about. Still, we pedaled on.

Jeff and his wife Jackie are long-term friends of mine. I was staying with them for a few days prior to speaking at Huachuca Oaks Camp last month. They serve as missionaries with New Tribes Missions Aviation at the headquarters in McNeal, Arizona. Jackie has been my administrative assistant for years, taking care of a host of responsibilities behind the scenes. Jeff is a friend, counselor, and board member of the ministry. I trust him completely. The night ride was Jeff’s idea, something he and Jackie had done a number of times. For me, it was a first, and I loved it.

The important thing for me was to stay close to Jeff. As long as I followed him, I didn’t have to worry about a thing. His light was enough to illuminate the path. Even though I could not see what was coming, as long as I kept my eyes on Jeff, everything was fine.

As we rode, my mind drifted away to some of the challenges I have been facing. These are uncertain days in many regards. As a ministry, there have been many changes in the past few months. Individually we deal with uncertainty on a daily basis. One day your job and finances seem secure and the next day everything can be lost. One day you feel healthy and the next day you may discover a lump. All around us are warning signs that difficult days may lie ahead. As a nation, we are facing an uncertain future. The world seems to be teetering on financial collapse. Ironically, the only thing that is certain is uncertainty.

So how do we deal with it? We stay as close as we can to the Light.

When I consider the uncertain days that lie ahead, I find great comfort remembering the faithfulness of God. His faithfulness is a recurring theme in my life. I find the old hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness” running through my mind nearly every day. The cure for uncertainty in our future is to focus on the faithfulness of God in the past.

I am humbled by the faithfulness of God in my own life. I am deeply aware of the number of times I have been unfaithful to Him. Paul wrote to Timothy “If we are faithless, he remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:12, ESV). It is God’s character to be faithful. I rest in that faithfulness to me.

This is so important. Because we do not know what will come, we need to focus on what we do know. God is faithful. He has always been faithful. He will always be faithful. So no matter what challenges lie ahead, He will still be faithful. Somehow, He always takes care of His own.

The problem is I have a tendency to want to get ahead of God. When I do, I am completely in the dark. I panic. In the darkness my imagination goes wild. I fear the unknown. And after a while, the stress of it can wear me out. I have to get back in line behind Him. I need to follow Christ.

This is why relationship with God matters. I trust God because I have a real, personal relationship with Him. My own relationship with God goes back many years. I have a history of seeing His faithfulness to me. I was able to trust my friend Jeff as we rode in the darkness because of my relationship with him. In the same way, I am able to trust God because of my relationship with Him. I don’t have to see the road immediately in front of me. As long as I keep my focus on Him, His light is all I need. It is enough. There is a peace in that place.

Where are you in your relationship with God? Do you have a relationship with Him or is it just a Sunday thing for you? You were created to have a relationship with Him. You have the privilege of talking with Him about the challenges in your life. He really does care and wants that relationship with you even more than you want it yourself. He knows the path that lies ahead. His light illuminates the road before you. He will always be enough.

The key to dealing with uncertainty is to stay close to God. As long as we follow Him, we don’t have to worry about a thing. His light is enough to illuminate the path, and while we may not be able to see what is coming, as long as we keep our eyes on Him, it will be always be enough.

Till next month,

Free Downloads Page on the website

All of the resources we have available as a ministry are available for free downloads through the downloads section of the website. There are copies of several messages Tim has shared at conferences and special meetings, along with three different full length CDs you can download for free. Help yourself! And if you know of anyone who would be blessed by the resources, feel free to share the link with them. Click here to go to the Downloads page.

Connect with Timothy on Facebook

If you would like to keep up with what is going on in Timothy’s life and ministry, he would love to have you as a Facebook friend. This is also the primary means he uses for sharing prayer requests. So if you are interested in supporting the ministry through prayer, this would be a great option for you. Timothy will look forward to connecting with you there. Click here to go to the Facebook page directly.

Upcoming Ministry Events

Come hear Timothy live at one of these upcoming events and mention you heard about it through the newsletter. For details, click here to view Current Schedule.

  • July 15-20 – Weston, Maine
  • July 21 – Gorham, Maine
  • July 22 – S. Waterboro, Maine

Interested In Hosting a Timothy Mark Ministry Event for your Organization?

We are actively scheduling preaching and music ministry events for the next two years. God has blessed abundantly with multiplied opportunities for ministry. If you are interested in hosting Timothy for a conference, concert, or preaching ministry event, please let us know as soon as possible so we can accommodate you. It would be a privilege. As always, all of the ministry events are booked on a simple love offering basis. If the church or organization is able to help with travel expenses it is appreciated but never required. You can use the online booking request form through the link below. Or simply call 941-445-3288 or email today at timothy@timothymark.com.

Click here to go directly to the Booking Request Form.