My name is Tim Burda and this is my story. I grew up believing in God and I accepted Jesus at an early age, but from the way I lived my life that was probably difficult to see. I was more interested in going to parties, drinking, and chasing women than I was with obeying God.
I struggled to remain sexually pure, and I remember thinking to myself that this is something that will probably never change about me. After I graduated college and got a job in engineering, I remember feeling empty and wanting to recommit my life to the Lord. I started going to church, and changing my lifestyle, and in the midst of all that I began dating a young woman and we eventually got married in 2005.
Our marriage wasn't easy. Within the first three months of the marriage, I confessed to my wife about an incident of watching pornography. My wife struggled to forgive me for that and she became bitter and often accused me of lusting.
Eventually she stopped sleeping in the bedroom and we were not intimate anymore. God was changing my heart, so I was able to remain pure but I started to grow angry towards her treatment of me. Over time, the Lord brought men into my life who would disciple me and exhort me to love my wife like Christ loves the church.
It wasn't easy. I often fell short, and when I did I got back up, and I tried. again and again and again.
Until the man I used to be was being changed into the likeness of Christ. One day I came across some intimate photos of my wife and I learned that she was using dating websites to meet and form relationships with other men. I felt crushed by her betrayal, but I gradually began to realize that God was leading me to forgive her.
I tried to pursue her, and create opportunities for love to grow. There were moments where I thought that my wife's heart would soften towards the Lord, but in the end she chose to pursue other relationships and in December of 2013 we were divorced. About a year after the divorce I began to wrestle with a desire to be in a loving relationship.
I made attempts to date other women, but with each attempt I realized that this was a door God was not opening for me. I felt God leading me to be content with my singleness, and to be honest this was difficult for me. I decided to commit my time to serving at church hoping that doing so would keep my mind off of dating.
Over the years I volunteered in the homeless ministry, kids ministry, I led a small group of men, and I even started to pastor the young adults at my church. I can honestly say that God was satisfying me. One day I was challenged to go on a missions trip.
I had a friend who loves the country of Japan and invited me to go on a conference where I learned that Japan was one of the largest unreached people's group in the world. With less than a 1% Christian population. One thing led to another and I was given a six month opportunity by Send International to understand what life as a missionary would be like in Japan.
When I arrived I was welcomed into their community. They gave me opportunities to serve both Japanese high school and college students. I helped churches teach English to elementary kids, and I also led English outreach programs.
Send believed in engaging the communities around us, so we volunteered at the local daycare centers, interacted with children on their way to school, and attended community activities. God gave me a love for the Japanese people. I've always believed that the most effective ministry we can have in someone's life is first based on a genuine relationship, so I hosted game nights, and planned group dinners, and with each event our community of friends started to grow.
As the friendships grew, I was able to listen to their stories and share about my own past and how God had saved and changed me. I saw so many opportunities to plant seeds and for the need Japan had for missionaries. That's when God started to move in my heart, and I felt that maybe everything that has happened in my life before this missions trip was preparation for what God was calling me to be.
He wasn't going to waste what he had brought me through. When I came back to the states in April of 2020, I retired from my engineering career and joined Send International as a missionary to Japan. I want to be a part of a team that is planting a church in the city of Sendai, and my goal is to be fully supported and sent back out by Fall of 2021.
I can't say I know what the future holds, fear wants to tell me that this was a mistake, but my faith has already affirmed that this is God's calling for me. And I can't help but follow it, and hope to hear someday well done good and faithful servant. .
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