Chapter 2: Samut Songkhram

After a night of traveling, we made it from Phuket to Samut Songkhram. I stepped out of the van after my team, and while taking a look around, I accidentally swung my backpack and knocked a flower pot over, shattering it. Me, thinking about first impressions, started to think about how this would affect the relationship we had with our contact. But, we instead saw the hospitality and grace of God in the pastor and his family. 

A warm, older man came out, and dismissed the problem, insisting on showing us where we would be staying. All of the beds had bug-nets, the girls had air-conditioning, there were western toilets (hey, the small blessings count too), free coffee, were just a few of the ways the contact there blessed us.

Chapter 1: Phuket

After a few days in Bangkok, getting oriented to living in Thailand, we got onto a bus, and rode off to Phuket. It was exciting, riding through the night, finally about to get started with ministry. There we got connected to Pastor Joe and his church. We got the opportunity to serve the church through a number of different ways. One of the big ministry opportunities was to minister to a Burmese labor camp. Many people from Burma come to Thailand, being promised good pay, labor conditions, and other benefits. Often times, however, the pay is not as good as they were promised, and the conditions are terrible, in some cases the workers are not even allowed to leave the camp other than for work.

So, our team partnered with the church to worship, perform a skit about the

Prelude: Arrival

So, the last three months in Thailand started the way most overseas missions starts... In an airport. Eleven of us boarded the plane wiping away tearful goodbyes, and stifling the early morning yawns. Our minds distracted by all the things going on, none of us (except for God) could anticipate the late-night sobbing, the truly inexplicable laughter, nor the joy-filled love that crosses even the stiffest language barriers.

As we sat on the plane, trying to get sleep, and ready ourselves for incoming culture-shock, God continued His work preparing us for what He wanted to do, and still wants to do: win hearts with love.

So my goal with this is to not only to share about what we did, but to share some of the things I've learned. We went to four different locations, so I figured I would split the time there into four different chapters based on that.

I'm going to be real with all of you, finances are a hefty weight right now, so I'd ask each and every one of you to please prayerfully consider supporting me, or the YWAM Maui base. For more information on financial or prayer needs, comment with your email address to be added to my monthly newsletter list, or just message me directly. God bless you all friends!

For now we see in the mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. -1 Corinthians 13:12

Literally in the airport

Thanks so much for all the support and love! I'll do my best to have an update midway, but don't hold your breath. I wrote this the other morning, hopefully it sums up some big things I learned well, I'm too tired to tell right now

I was sitting in our weekly staff meeting. I put my hands on my head in disbelief as I looked at the calendar detailing the rest of the quarter.

Only 10 days?

I sat there, thinking to myself that in ten days I would be solely responsible for the well-being of nine students and my co-leader. The excitement and stress began to rise as the reality of outreach slowly began to sink in.

My mind (in typical Tim fashion) found a tangent to go down, specifically what I was learning this quarter.

I thought back to one of prayers earlier in the quarter: greater humility. Was I humbled this quarter? Whew, absolutely, and then some. When you don't make a whole lot of "wrong decisions", it's easy to think that you're a pretty good person. But God showed me this quarter (and honestly the couple of months prior as well) that instead of making bad decisions, I simply didn't make any decision at all.

God really showed me the depths of my sinful nature, and I saw my desperate need for a savior. And then He proceeded to humble me even more, by showing me another facet of my sinful nature. Ugh, not fun, but entirely necessary.

I thought back to my team, as the meeting continued in the background of my thoughts. Well, if I'm responsible for this team's physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, then we're in serious trouble.

Emmanuel, God with us, Matthew 28:20, and so on promise that God is, well... With us. Including me. Including my co-leader. Including my team. Including you. And including me.

The reality of outreach continued to sink in, but the stress was lifted off of me. My responsibility is to look after, and disciple the students, as well as to support my co-leader. But above that, my responsibility is to be obedient to God, and walk with Him.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." -Psalms 119:105 (ESV)

DTS stands for Dancing Tim Song (it actually doesn't, but I have your attention now, right?)

It's been a wild almost two months since my journey as staff with YWAM has started! I can hardly believe that my calling for this part of my life is to solely invest in and serve people, it's such a privilege and honor to be here.

So now that the school has officially kicked off and all of the team info is out there, I can give you the reader all of the details with what's been on the up and up. Loads has happened, so get comfortable, grab some hot cocoa (or ice-cold lemonade depending on the temperature), and maybe a snack too.

Alright, got your provisions? Here we go!

A New Leadership Perspective

It's been a very odd two weeks, but so the same I'll do my best to sum it up. For the first week and a half, I felt like I was back on the east coast, that Sadler was just around the corner (College of W&M reference). But the past couple of days have been incredibly strange. It's felt as if I've been here a long time, and have spent several months getting to know people. Feels almost as if I've never left. I guess that's what happens when you live in community and see people ten times as often as compared to in college.

Anyways (trying to do my best to stay on "topic"), I've learned so much in this short time already, but I think I've learned the most about leadership.

Changing (plans) with God

Just a week ago I was convinced that I would be returning to Williamsburg, living with some friends and navigating the "real world" (some might say, I would be 'starting at the bottom'). I had no reason to believe, or even consider otherwise.

But then, last Wednesday, I got a message.

It was from YWAM, inviting me to staff. Now, when I finished up the secondary school at the end of 2014 and getting ready to return to school, I thought that the YWAM chapter of my life had come to a close. Some people asked me if I thought about returning, and I usually responded with something like, "Anything's possible", but not seriously considering it.

Another day, another chapter

Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 
          -1 Timothy 6:6-8

It's with a heavy heart, that I let y'all know that I've been academically suspended from the College of William and Mary, and that I've decided to not appeal the decision. Which means that I won't be attending the College of William and Mary this fall, and probably not again for awhile, if ever. Although I am saddened that this has happened, I don't have any (major) regrets.

It's been pretty scary, knowing that I'm about to be thrust into the "real world". I don't know what the

Thankful

I was sitting in my Epidemiology class, just jotting down notes, minding my own business. The professor started telling a story (for reasons that escape me) about her first job after college. The first place she ended up working at was at a mental hospital, where she worked with severely autistic children. Her description of them was that they needed to wear helmets because they would bang their heads against the wall.

Story time: When I was a kid (think ages one, or two), I used to bang my head against things. And people around my mom told her to get me tested for autism. She said  that she wasn't willing to pay such a large amount of money to find out if I had a disease that couldn't even be cured.

Guns, guns, guns

The tragedy at Oregon was tough. Some people might view it as the beginning of the persecution of Christianity. The end of a 'golden age' for America, and the inception of its impending doom. I view it as another incident of a problem that has gone on too long without a solution- school shootings.

Each time we see these events hit the news, there's a lot of talk (a LOT), but I rarely see much action taking place. It's always the same debate, mental health vs gun control. The fight is so vicious on both sides, that little ends up happening.

I'm really not one for politics. I can't really say I'm Republican, nor Democrat. Both sides fight for some of the right stuff, and both sides are egregiously wrong on other stuff.

I hope this goes over well...

Wow. I realize I started my previous post with the same word, but still... wow. I honestly am having a hard time believing that all of that just happened. All I did was write a blog post about the crazy dream, and wasn't even the first person to social-mediafy it. A few weeks before this event, the Google Doc barely had any sign-ups. But then, just a week ago or so, I looked again at the Google Doc, and was shocked to find only five or so slots not signed up for.

A few of my closing thoughts...

-Act/pray with the expectation that God will act. In Acts 3, we see Peter tell a lame beggar to walk.

God is so faithful

Wow. College life has been crazy in the past week and a half, but I'm already seeing just how amazing God is. As September approaches, so does the 100 Hours of Prayer. Alone, this is impossible. But God's plans are good, and immutable, and will ALWAYS come to fruition.

When I first wrote that post, I didn't even share it on Facebook or anything, and barely even published the post itself. It's such a crazy dream, that is impossible by all human standards. But then a friend shared the post, and it started to get a lot of support.

Eventually I made a Facebook event in order to try to gauge interest. Steadily more and more people responded. Just last week I checked who was going and was amazed to see that there were people on the list who I had NO MUTUAL FRIENDS. This might seem weird, but to me it was a clear sign that this was growing way bigger than me, and anything I could have possibly imagined.

And then, just yesterday I met with a couple of people. That's it.

No, I'm kidding, it was about 100 Hours of Prayer, and they continued to give shape to this vision. More details came together, and now there's a specific plan moving forward on how to bring this dream together.

Small things (and large things... you know what, let me start this sentence over). Things like this really amaze me, and really point out the fact that this is God's plan. My timidity, laziness, forgetfulness, and whatnot cannot frustrate God's plans.

And that's what's so amazing. Despite how incredibly far I fall short of a glimpse of the radiance of a speck of the glory of God, God still chooses to invite us to be a part of His plan for redemption. Because He only invites us, we CANNOT mess up God's plans. I mean, how small would God's plans have to be for us to mess them up? I mean, we're talking about GOD.

I was planning on attempting to describe Him, but I think that this video does a much better job. That's all. See you soon. Perhaps.

Your Love Never Fails...

At a church service recently, we sang this song, and it made me really think about the phrase, "Your love never fails, it never gives up, never runs out on me". And during that, I really got a deeper revelation of God's grace.

God's love never fails. God will never stop loving you, nor stop chasing you, no matter the circumstances.

At the same time, I realized that this love is not just for me, but is also applicable to anyone, and everyone. I know this might all sound like a sermon of sorts, or the rantings of a Jesus freak (well, this just might be that), but it holds such a deeper meaning when you take time to dwell on it.

Too many times over the last couple of months I've heard about "people like that". There's no hope for "people like that", nothing can be done. I can't continue this person, because this person is one of those kinds of people.

Each time, I wonder "What does that mean?" If we truly believe that God's love NEVER fails, then there is no lost cause, no hopeless situations.

Over the past number of months, my heart has really been breaking for one of my friends back home. Apathy, hatred, and lies dictate his lifestyle. But he's been one of my oldest friends, and he's been like a brother to me. My heart yearns so deeply, so painfully for him to know Jesus, but I have no idea what he would look like as a Christian. A couple of months ago, I wondered if he could even become a Christian. I mean, it almost seems like hating God is a part of him.

But now, I know that I CANNOT GIVE UP. God's love sure doesn't, so who am I to say that I know better? A couple of months ago, I blogged a bit about a vision I had about the final days, and God's glory being so evident that every knee would bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. The face that popped up in that vision, the first person I saw proclaiming the glory of God was this friend.

And I knew that he'd be PISSED if I didn't try harder, didn't pray more, didn't reach out to him more. This might sound a bit like striving, but I know that the outcome isn't in my hands. It's in God's hands. But I am so desperate for my friend to know God, that I bring it to Him in prayer each day.

God's love has, and will never give up on me. It also sure won't give up on my friend, and I guarantee you that there is no one that God's love will give up on. So keep praying, and wait expectantly for God to move.

It's the Final... part to the challenge!

It's the final part to the challenge! BTW, I thought of a solution to the fact that I don't know enough bloggers to nominate three bloggers a day (thanks Brianna Meeks of A Cool Glass of Lemonade)- if you're reading this, and blog, then CONSIDER YOURSELF CHALLENGED. DO IT.

Anyways, this quote if from Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline

"The moment we feel we can succeed and attain victory over sin by the strength of our will alone is the moment we are worshiping the will"

-Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

Titles are hard

Day 2 of the Challenge! (Thanks again Brianna Meeks, blogger of A Cool Glass of Lemonade)

This time it comes from a book I've been reading recently, Desiring God, by John Piper.

The evil Satan causes is only by the permission of God. Therefore, Job is not wrong to see it as ultimately from the hand of God. It would be unbiblical and irreverent to attribute to Satan (or to sinful man) the power to frustrate the designs of God.

-John Piper, Desiring God

[Insert (unique) title here]

My very first challenge! well, not my "first" challenge, I've faced many challenges before, but this is the first blog challenge. I've been nominated (or my blog has been nominated, whatever) to the "Three Days, Three Quotes" challenge by Brianna Meeks of A Cool Glass of Lemonade.

The rules of the challenge are quite simple:

1. Thank the person who nominated you (Thanks Brianna {again})
2. Post quotes for three consecutive days (one a day, keeps the doctor away. or something like that)
3. Nominate three new bloggers each day (I don't know that many bloggers, so, uh, gonna skip this step. Does this mean I failed the challenge? Meh, I'll just bend the rules, WHATEVS)

So, it's been many an eon since I've read a book that does not belong to the "Christian"/"religious"/"apologetics" genre, and I have a tough time remembering... well just stuff in general, so I'm gonna be slamming you with good ol' theological quotes that I've been running into that have challenged me.

[Insert (clever) title here]

So, a couple weeks ago, there was a certain Supreme Court ruling.

I proceeded to write an awesome post about it.

Blogger didn't save that post when I tried to publish it.

I don't really remember what I wrote down.



...awkward....

Update

Ah, the summer is upon us. It's been a while since I've done anything, I think the last post I did was in regards to the dream for 100 hours of prayer. It's amazing to witness the response, and to know that there are so many people who long for William and Mary to be revived. No worries, the dream is still alive (very much so), but I'm still praying for direction in regards to how it will take shape. I really wanted it to take place in a single place, but it seems like that might not happen. MIGHT. I'm not entirely sure, there's still a lot of time for details to come together, but I've been praying about it recently, and I'll be putting something out in order to get the process started. So keep your eyes open for that.

Anyways, I was thinking about it, and another challenge of a sort popped into my head. Incidentally it also was time-based. What came to my mind was 24 hours of Glorifying God. This isn't exactly a communal effort (well it could be), but instead a personal one. 

Dreaming...

First, thank you all again for reading. It really helps to further process thoughts by talking to all of you. If I might not seem so excited/thankful, it's probably because I'm not good at showing appreciation for words of affirmation. However, I appreciate it deeply nonetheless.

Anyways, earlier in the past week (incidentally when I was trying to study), God reminded me of the Moravain movement. I don't think I can do the story complete justice here, so if you aren't familiar with it, look it up for sure, it's an incredible story. But, the general gist goes like this. During the 18th century, a group of refugees (later known as the Moravians) came together and were baptized by the fire of the Holy Spirit.Desiring to keep the fire going, they started a non-stop prayer vigil that lasted

Most randomly good day... Ever.

I'm still somewhat reeling from the events of today, and I will most certainly be processing them as I go. It all started around 9:58 last night, when my friend messaged me, asking if I wanted to attend a sunrise worship event the following day. I saw 'sunrise' and 'worship' so I was totally on board. Next morning, I got into a different friend's (honestly, more like an acquaintance at the time) car, not knowing what to expect, and not really knowing where I was going either. Let it be noted, I am NOT recommending getting in a car with a friend of a friend, and not knowing where you're going. It may not always end well. But anyways, we get to a beach where there are a few more people waiting for us.

We all stood on the beach, and watched the sun rise. It was a beautiful sky, not many things around to obstruct our view, so we could see what felt like almost the whole sky. Not a single cloud anywhere to be seen. Just... Amazing. It was all so simple, and that was the beauty in it. We started worshipping as the sun continued to rise, and it was great. After that, the man who lead us in worship brought out two rolls of paper. One of them was an old map of the College of William and Mary, and the other was a copy of the charter.