Voice from the past

I was riding with a friend a couple months ago and a cd was playing. The cd was on the last track and it then the artists of the album came on and told the listener if they felt led to get saved, this was how. I thought it was, honestly, kind of weird. To have the last track of a cd, whose artists probably recorded months ago, in a sound studio, in some big city, relaying what is probably the most important message ever to someone out there.

Seemed almost impersonal.

So I looked over to her and asked her if she thinks anyone ever has accepted God because of a cd...let alone this cd.

She looked and me, and with a smile, she said "I accepted God through a radio station broadcast."

Fast forward to last weekend.

I am driving back to my mom's. A nice little 2 hour drive. Occasionally I will pop in a cd or listen to a podcast of a sermon. So I put in a cd with a sermon, the only one's I had were from a weekend event at UNI back from 2001 called Main Event - Stand in Awe. The speaker was Louie Giglio.

Let me set up the significance and how I was associated with this event with me not being a practicing Christian during it.

Rewind back to November 2001.

This was my junior year of college. This was at a really crappy time in my life. I had made the commitment to move in with my girlfriend at the time...which I knew was a bad idea at the time, but it was either that or move home with my mom. I had just had a great year being a R.A. and that was all gone now. Well the girlfriend and I had broke up, I moved home, I was severed from my friends and thrown back into a town that I was not a huge fan of, at all.

So this is how I stood. A non-practicing Christian, with all these people "on fire" for this God and I have to video tape it so the people who couldn't fit inside the main area were able to see it on the t.v.'s outside. I wasn't bitter toward the Christians or my boss, in fact I knew of the religion and even "tried" it out. I grew up going to church, knew the stories, just didn't see it latch on to it or understand it really. I just thought it was all a bit strange...or, well, they were.

It was the Saturday night "session" (1 or 4) and Louie was speaking about how we are already in heaven, because Christ is in us, and Christ is already seated at the right hand side of God in heaven. I only remember that, because I have listened to the cd since then. What I do remember is the calling at the end. He said anyone felt led tonight to come forward and we want to talk to you.

Let me say this right now, I shouldn't of been there, no one wanted to do it where I worked and neither did I. I took it because it kept me from going there and I didn't want to go home.

I had never heard of God placing people somewhere He wanted them to be at the precise time they needed it because that time was now. Luckily there were two of us taping that evening, because I was on the floor weeping. Weeping because I knew then, why I hurt so bad and what I had longed for for so long.

That evening I made a choice.

Back to last weekend.

So I listened to the cd again, maybe for the first time since then, I don't remember listening to it for a long time though. This is what I got that stirred inside of me...

Christ never asked us to live the Christian life. He wants us to live the Christian life in us. He didn't didn't just die for our sins, but He also rose from the grave to live that Christian life that we couldn't and can't do on our own. Look through the new testament, only one person can live that life and they named a religion after Him. And He wants to do it through ME and you and He wants to do amazing things with us. Awesome is a understatement.

This is kind of funny but cool to me. You may have live recording cds of things you have been at and you tell people you were there. Like, "During this song, you can hear someone scream, that was me!" Well during the sermon, when I rededicated my life to God, the speaker said something along the lines of "Cameraman make sure you get a close up of this." That was me.

I know it's weird, but it reminds me of the message that was spoke to all of us there but more specifically how it fell on my heart. The significance of remembering now when and where it happened and more importantly how it felt.

This is what I got from that message, recorded on a cd almost 7 years ago, a week ago, driving in a car, to the town I used to not be able to stand, nearly in tears again.

But I heard it now, possibly for the first time.

Stirring my heart like something fierce now, forging me further out of this horrific storm.

I need your support!

As some of you know, I have been given a great opportunity to travel to Rast, Romania with my church to help out over there on May 10th for 8 days. We are adding a addition to the church there for the children of the town and working with the children of Rast too.

I am to raise support for this trip (in the amount of $2000) and, as importantly, I'm looking for prayer and encouragment for the trip. I have never been on a missions trip before but I know this will be amazing! I know this is kind of a impersonal way of communicating but I know many of you folks check your email more then your normal mail, plus I don't have most (maybe all) of you addresses. Anything and everything will help!

If you do want me to send you all the info, I can definitely do that, just send me your address and I will get it out as soon as I can. If you don't need anything, here is the address to send your donations to:

Harvest Bible Chapel
Attn: Romania Trip
3800 E. 53rd Street
Davenport, IA 52807
In support of Tim Miller

Please make checks out to Harvest Bible Chapel with 'Tim Miller support' in the subject line. Make all prayers out to God in regards to Me and all encouragement payable directly to me.

I will keep everyone updated and you can count on pictures (and video if I can find my video camera). Thank you soooo much in advance everyone for any and all support! Attached to the bottom of this post is the body of the letter with a little more info I would send out.

tim

************

Dear Family and Friends,

The Lord has been doing a great work in my life, and I have been blessed with an opportunity to be a part of a short-term ministry team to Rast, Romania from May 10th-19th. I am so excited about being a part of Harvest Bible Chapel and what God is doing in and around the Quad Cities, but am especially humbled by the opportunity to serve on this mission trip!

Specifically, our team will be assisting Adi and Monica Gaspar, Pastor and wife, in the construction of a children's ministry addition to their church and ministering to those children. In April 2006, this village in southern Romania was flooded by the Danube River. As a result, the entire village moved inland. The church was only built last summer, yet already they are ministering to over 60 children and need more room to do so!

You are receiving this letter because you are important to me, and I want to share this experience with you. I am excited to serve, learn and grow, and would love for you to join with me in being a part of the helping hand reaching out in Rast, Romania. Here's how:

Pray for me as I prepare to leave for Romania on May 10th, and as I work and minister in the church and village.

Partner with me financially by prayerfully considering a tax deductible donation to help cover the cost of the trip. The cost is $2000/per person and includes the cost of materials we will use to build the children's addition. If you would like to be a part of sending me out in this way, please mail a check payable to “Harvest Bible Chapel” in the enclosed envelope (please do not write my name on the check).

Encourage me in the excitement and anticipation of all I will learn and do as I step out in faith in this way. I will keep you updated, especially on the outcome of our trip.

Please use the enclosed response card to share with me the ways you would like to join in helping our brothers and sisters in Romania. I trust God will do great things with this time for me, as well as for the people I will meet there.

Blessings,

tim

A wise investment

In a time right now where the word recession is thrown around and how things, as far as our economy is, may get worse before they get better.

There is something that is everywhere and is in need now...and may not cost you a penny to do something but can change the world.

People.

A friend of mine said everyone is hurting in their own ways. Look around, turn on the T.V, read the newspaper, ask a friend. Even in the Bible speaks of our Holy Savior, Christ feels as though the all mighty and loving God had forsaken Him.

It is no wonder we are a hurting world.

I guarantee...

Let me say that again,

I guarantee there is someone you know, that could even be very close to you that is hurting, sad, depressed, missing something and you might not even know it. Or you may know something is wrong and figure that things will get better or someone else will take care of it or it's not even your problem or place to say/do anything.

I don't know, only you do.

I'm not saying run in there and fix them. We aren't called to do that. I'm suggesting make that call, ask the questions (and mean it), be there for them, listen, encourage, pray, follow-up, love, the list goes on. It could be as simple as a "I'm thinking about you," type of contact or "How are you". But be ready for a response if they give you one and if you know there is something wrong...ask and mean it. Contact them, because they probably feel as thought no one cares or they have tried speaking up and are tired of it.

We are here to serve. We are to 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Invest in people, a wise investment for a troubled time, who knows you could make someone's day or change a life.

To those that are hurting, those that feel lost, those that feels as though they are at the end (if you are reading this)...

I have been there. Things will get better even if it feels as though it won't. God will use this struggle to refine you, to better you for you and for Him. He will never give you more then you can handle, though I know it feels as it's too much already. His voice will be heard through the mess, chaos, garbage. He is there, even when He is very quiet. People care for you and love you even though it doesn't feel like anyone cares at all. God loves you. There is Hope. Don't stop caring. Contact someone...someone will listen.

Be strong.

May God bless you.

And whatever you do, don't give up.

This video is why I know I shouldn't stop doing it all together.





And these kids are where I know I see God moving.

Where I find hope and joy.

I can never thank you kids enough for what you give me.

And you are right, He made it for us and sometimes we get caught up in the everyday stuff to realize the gift, the grace, He gave us.

*********

Along the same lines of creation, a friend sent me a link to this movie that is coming out this spring. Looks really interesting, check it out if you get a chance.

You ever have those times where you actually felt led to do something, you know you need to, but then you just blow it off for whatever reason?

Then with the thought still very fresh in your mind you are once again "reminded" what you should do it?

So you do it and then finally live what you preach...a side of you still questioning why you did it...

But realizing now that you had too and you feel at ease for it.

It's pretty cool, you should try it out. It could be life changing, you never know.