Mile 6,562.

Well first off, this is Josh, and we have not updated this in a looong time. And that is due to the fact that we haven't had internet access for about the past week...so here we go:

We are having such a great time on the road. We have seen so many people and are so excited to see y’all again. We went to Indiana for another FCC camp. What an amazing week. The Spirit of God has been released in such a powerful way. There has been such a mighty power in all the camps this summer.

But I have a story to tell. This is a story near and dear to my heart. I have become very passionate about this. So there I was, walking through the cafeteria with my food, going to find a place to sit and enjoy my lovely meal. Yes, it was a normal day. There were a few girls screaming, demanding that I come and sit at their table. So of course I just went right over and sat right down.

This is the point I knew something was about to happen. This is where it all began.

“Hey, we want to show you a trick…it’s fun,” said the girls. So there I was, this is the point that I wish I could get back: that one moment in your life you would do all over again if you had the opportunity. I said, “Sure lets do this.” I will not give you the formula for disaster because I wish this upon no human being, ever. It was awful, fowl. But basically they poured salt all over my wrist and then pressed two pieces of ice down really hard over the salt, onto my arm. So silly me for just thinking, “OOO my hand is going numb, ha ha very funny.”

Well the ice was like gone, it melted away. I looked at my wrist and saw it was flush white. I was like wow that actually is kind of cool. Then I was amazed because it then turned flush red, just the spot where the ice was on it. People, it looked like I had been in the desert for a week with just that little part of my wrist exposed to the sun. It was awful. So I was like, “Well is it going to go away?” Well, ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you that a week later it is peeling. It looks so nasty. Kids, if you know this formula, do not try this. I don’t know where you learn these awful things.

This is what I’m left to remember about the great time in Indiana.

But it was cool because the next day was The International Day of Fun. And, it just so happened to be my birthday. I must say, that birthday was amazing. Some of the cheerleaders got a glorious fun filled balloon hat, it was amazing. This same day I also had to wear an extremely too-small-middle-school-cheerleading uniform. This had to of been one of the most, you know, I can’t even come up with the word to describe it. It was just crazy.
So that was my great story that I will never ever forget as long as I live. I will have the scar to show you all when I see you. Don’t worry its not going anywhere.
Despite all this drama that is going on, we have 219,151 miles on the Accord. That is just insane. But it runs so well, it’s going to be hard to get rid of her. We are running out of T-shirts, so if you don’t have the current M.Fillmore shirt, there is still time to get one, we have three colors. Get them while supplies last.
Hope this catches you up with the M.Fillmore news, stay tuned while there will be more from Columbus and Ohio. Love, Josh.

Nothing is too great...

Meet our new friend, Ryan. What makes Ryan special is not the shirt that he is wearing, but it's what he is not wearing. Ryan came into camp wearing two sturdy knee braces to support his knees that he's been having some trouble with. Three weeks prior to this picture, he had surgery on one of them. He was able to walk and move, but with a pretty bad limp in his step. On the second day of camp, he completely blew out his left knee to the point where he wasn't able to walk on his own.

During that night's worship time, Josh went over and gathered around Ryan, with a few other people, and they layed hands on Ryan and prayed healing over his legs. They prayed that the Holy Spirit would come down and completely heal him.

Then, during the very next night's worship time, Ryan was praying with a few other people towards the end of the night. He got up and walked away when they were finished. About half way out of the room, he stopped, turned, and noticed that he was not limping a single bit. His knees were fine.

So the next morning, I walk in the room and see Ryan without any knee braces, without any limp. God had healed him. Let me tell you, it was so amazing to watch this unfold before our eyes.

Jesus said in John 14:12-14: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

Updation. It's a new word.

We really need to update this thing. And we will....VERY SOOOONN!!!!! I think it's 1:43am. I need to be sleeping. Thanks to everyone who supports M.Fillmore. You guys are amazing.

Mom and Dad, I miss you guys and will be home soon! Jamie and Aaron, I miss you guys too.

Love,
Tim

Mile 4474 continued...

Listen, I am clearly not a good golfer. But I can have some fun with it, so Josh and I decided to hit up the driving range since we had some down-time...

So I'm hitting some golf balls, just doing the best I could. I'm getting pretty excited about hitting some balls about 150 yards with a 7-iron. But then this guy, probably early 70's, walks up and stands about 10 feet behind me. And he watches me.

He's still there, now glaring at me.

As Josh usually does, he strikes up a conversation with this man after a while. As I continue swinging the club, I overhear the man say, "So this tall kid is your brother?"

Josh answers, "No, he's my buddy...we are in a band together, and we've been traveling a bit and we decided..."

"Well, does he know that he looks like an idiot swinging that golf club?!" the man interrupts.

My ears perk up as I take another wack, as if I couldn't hear this guy ridiculing my golf game.

"He obviously doesn't know a thing about golf"

That's when I chime in, "Yeah, you know, this is like my third time swinging a club in my life."

"Well, how about you let me teach you a few things so you don't embarrass me, eh?"

So for the next 45 minutes, I receive a completely free golf lesson from a 70 year-old-man named Mr. Gail.

Mile 4474.

Ahhhhh…..so I feel like I can take a breath and chill out for a bit, which is kind of nice. Not that I am complaining at all, but it feels good to take some time to digest what’s been going on so far this summer. Thus, this will be a nice and long catch-you-up-to-date blog. So here is the odometer update:

Well, let’s see, how about I start going backwards.

Right now, we are up in beautiful Middleburg, Virginia, about a half hour west of D.C. We are staying at Carlyn’s (Josh’s GF) house, which is on an amazing piece of property far away from the glow of city lights. This is all a little foreign to me. Having grown up in Suburbia California, I feel a little out of place with my long hair, board-shorts, and flip-flops. But everyone is just so nice around these parts. I mean, you go to the grocery store, and people actually make eye contact with you, in fact, they usually talk to you! I need to bring this home to California.(The funny thing was asking someone to take this picture...)

Before this, we were in Bald Head, North Carolina. (See the previous blog post). We seriously had an amazing time! Carlyn and her parents have been so good to us and taking such great care of us. Once again, the Lord has placed some amazingly generous people in the life of M.Fillmore, and we couldn’t be more thankful for them. Here's a few pics from Bald Head, the first of which is Josh and his lady friend, Carlyn. Before that, we were in Palm Beach, Florida. God really did some cool things down there through that camp. He bound together a lot of the squads in ways that they have never been unified. He impacted people in ways that they have never been touched. He healed those who were desperate for his healing Hand. And He freed those who have been held down from one thing or another. I can say this all with confidence because of the countless e-mails we have since received that have been a testimony to what God did during that time. I am just so grateful to have played such a tiny part in that. M.Fillmore is completely honored and humbled. Here's a picture from Palm Beach, it's a little dark, but you get the point...
In reflection on the first half of the summer tour, all I can say is that I am completely fortunate and blessed to have this opportunity to travel and play music. I am blessed to be doing ministry alongside my best friend. I am blessed to have hands to play the guitar and vocal chords to sing to the Lord. We are blessed to have been protected every single mile of the journey thus far. And if God told us that this was as far as M.Fillmore would go, then I will be content knowing that the Will of God is perfect and just. The Will of God is not always safe, but it is always perfect.

Please keep in your prayers our good friend Blake, who is in Thailand right now. He and a friend are over there trying to get into Burma (which borders Thailand) to help with the rescue efforts from the cyclone that hit in May. The problem is that American’s are not allowed in Burma. May the Lord provide a way…