Testimony of Timothy van Ameringen

January/February 2013

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Introduction by Colin

I am greatly encouraged with Timothy and Fiona van Ameringen and their family. Since meeting them in October 2012 they have introduced the family Quiet Times to about 13 other families. They have since become personal friends of ours.

by Timothy van Ameringen

It is with pleasure and gratitude that I put down on paper the blessings my family have experienced fellowshipping with the Pyle family and using the 'Walking with God' programme.

Historically, my wife Fiona is an Occupational Therapist, specialising in Head Injuries, and I was the owner and manager of Mental Health accommodation and rehabilitation facilities under the Auckland DHB umbrella. On several occasions I went to the grounds of The Wilson Trust Home for disabled children in Takapuna (where Fiona was working during our courting years) and was touched by the precious children there and the wonderful gentle work of the Wilson Trust staff with these children.

After 14 years of rehabilitation work, I sold the Mental Health facilities and then needed 7 years of rehabilitation myself from burnout, the best medicine being the love of my wife and our precious five children.

From the time I gave my life to Jesus 23 years ago, God has made the following items clear to me:

• To love and serve the one true God is a command, not a feeling.
  (Thou shall love the Lord thy God .... Deu 11:1)
  (Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul and mind .... Mat 22:37)

• God requires our obedience
  (Now therefore my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee ... Gen 27:8)
  (Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God ... Deu 27:10)

• It is required of us to lead our families and instruct our own children
  (Teach them (scripture) to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up .. Deu 11:19)

• God desires us to love one another
  (over 300 references in the Bible on love)

• God desires us to walk humbly and serve one another - Jesus is the example to follow
  (For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve ... Mar 10:45)

In October 2012, my wife and I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Kathy, Jeremy, Matthew, Isaac and Priscilla Pyle at a camp for the disabled in Totora Springs. We exchanged numbers and again were blessed with a sweet time of fellowship when the Pyle family came to our home and explained the Walking with God programme that God had laid on Colin Pyle's heart to develop some years earlier.

Our family have since incorporated the Walking with God programme into our daily activity and have seen good fruit developing within the life of our family as a result.

The programme:

• Is a simple yet effective dynamic tool that assists a father in his priestly role to gently guide the family in developing a daily God centred focus
• Does not require planning, other than 30 minutes put aside each day to be in God's word and to enjoy hearing the heart of each family member
• Develops ownership of relationship with Jesus by each family member
• Is a great tool to encourage/quicken the development of spiritual growth and maturity within each family member
• Stimulates spiritual discussion within the home (helps to place God first)

Due to Colin's obedience to God and passion/love for his family, a simple tool has been birthed that does not set aside or replace the reading of scripture, but rather encourages the study of scripture and the development of a healthy spiritual foundation within a family environment.

Our prayer as a family is that God will continue to protect and bless the Pyles and the spread of this God focused programme.

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