In 2001, Tim Timmons was told he had five years to live. Twenty-four years later, the singer-songwriter still wakes up each morning, draws an X on his wrist, and whispers a simple prayer of gratitude for another day. That daily act of surrender has become the heartbeat of a life and ministry forged in the tension between terminal illness and contagious joy. Now, Tim's extraordinary true story is stepping onto the big screen as a central thread in the highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster hit I Can Only Imagine. Portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia in I CAN ONLY IMAGINE 2 (in theaters February 20, 2026), Tim's unlikely friendship with MercyMe's Bart Millard-and his role in the creation of the Grammy---nominated anthem "Even If"---reveals what faith looks like when healing doesn't come, prayers stretch across decades, and hope refuses to die.
Q: You've shared that in 2001 doctors gave you five years to live, and every morning since then you've marked an X on your wrist as a reminder that you woke up. How has that daily ritual shaped the way you see God, purpose and gratitude over these 25 years?
When you're given a diagnosis - or when sorrow, calamity and grief enter your life - there's a potential gift of sobriety. And I don't just mean sobriety from alcohol or drugs. I mean sobriety from the things that distract us, the things that pull us down.
For me, the gift of cancer has been perspective. Every morning I write an X on my wrist and say, "Jesus, thank You for waking me up again." It's a practice of gratitude. Then I pray, "Jesus, help me join You all day long. Where are You at work? How can I join what You're already doing and love the people You're wanting me to love today?"
Those practices are easy on good days. They're much harder after a rough cancer appointment or during conflict with my kids, my wife, or someone else. But that's when they matter most.
The X shapes my attention. Who has my attention today? If I see that I've drifted into worry, greed, the news, or my own desires, I look at that X and remember: life is not about me or for me. It's about joining Jesus. People ask why I don't just tattoo it. But we get good at what we practice. Writing it daily keeps it intentional.
Q: The film highlights the moment you walked up to Bart Millard and said, "I've been told we're supposed to be friends." What did you sense in that moment, and how did that introduction grow into a friendship that shaped both your stories?
When I met Bart on the Rock and Worship Roadshow, I didn't want to be the guy trying to hang with the popular kid. One of the practices I was leaning into on that tour was loving whoever was right in front of me, not being enthralled with famous people. The way of Jesus is giving dignity to whoever is in front of you.
A mutual friend told me Bart and I had the same sense of humor and would really enjoy each other. So I walked up to him and joked, "Our friend thinks we're supposed to be friends." The rest is history.
As we grew closer, I met his wife Shannon and thought, "My wife Hillary and Shannon would be fast friends." I was right. Our families have done life together - raising kids, laughing, crying, walking through hard things side by side.
Q: "Even If" came out of one of the darkest seasons in both your life and the Millard family's. Can you take us back to writing that song and what it means to sing it after praying that prayer for more than two decades?
"Even If" started years ago with my friend Crystal Lewis after a really hard cancer appointment. I wanted to write a prayer about God being able. What I get to do for a living is write prayers in song form - not songs to make God happy, but honest prayers I need to survive the day.
When we wrote the chorus, I was moved to tears. I took it to my label and they didn't think it was that great. So I just kept it as a personal prayer - something I'd pray in the middle of the night when worry showed up.
About a year later, I felt like the song was for Bart. But I didn't want to push it on him. I told God, "If this is from You, make it happen." Months later, Bart sat in my studio crying about his son Sam's medical appointment and quoted the chorus almost verbatim - a chorus he'd never heard. We finished writing it together. The rest is history.
Q: You became a mentor to Bart's son Sam during his struggle with chronic illness. What helped him see his condition not just as a limitation, but as a place where God could meet him?
I wish I could say I was strategic. Mostly, I try to join Jesus in whatever conversation He puts in front of me.
With Sam, it was about listening. Not throwing Bible verses at him. Not offering Christian clichés. Just hearing him. Letting him see me try to hold the tension between healthy grief and healthy gratitude.
I remember Sam recording his first song here in my studio for a school project. Being able to encourage him in that was such an honor. I'm a big fan of Sam and his wife Chloe. Walking with him has been a gift to me.
Q: You often talk about the 10,000 minutes we live outside of church compared to the 80 minutes inside. What has your cancer journey taught you about real discipleship in everyday life?
There are 10,080 minutes in a week. We spend about 80 of them gathered at church - and we've built entire systems around those 80 minutes. But the other 10,000 minutes are where life actually happens. That's where things get hard.
Cancer has given me perspective. Many things that feel urgent or important really aren't. What matters is joining Jesus all week long.
I used to pray, "God, would You come do this?" Now I realize He's already here. So my prayer has shifted from inviting God into my kingdom to asking how I can seek His kingdom first. How can I join what He's already doing?
Q: What would you say to people facing unanswered prayers and hoping for healing that hasn't come?
First, I'm so sorry for whatever you're walking through. I understand.
I don't have God figured out. But I've experienced that He walks with us in the fire. You are not alone.
I hope this story encourages you to develop your own practice - something that reminds you daily to pray, "Jesus, thank You for waking me up again. Help me join You today."
Imagine if we all prayed that prayer and lived it in the middle of our struggles.
Q: Do you have any upcoming projects you'd like to share?
I'm excited for you to hear new songs and prayers coming in this next season.
I'm also thrilled about a new book my wife Hillary and I wrote called Waking Up Again: A Journey Through Grief and Gratitude. It's full of stories that will make you laugh and cry - and offers practical ways to join Jesus in both joy and sorrow.
You can also visit 10thousandminutes.com for podcasts and resources that encourage practicing the way of Jesus all day long.
And come say hi on Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to be your friend.
