Tim Timmons: ‘I Can Only Imagine 2’ Captures Stories of Balancing Grief and Gratitude
By Alex Murashko
The movie “I Can Only Imagine 2” is of a rare breed. The sequel continues the story of MercyMe’s Bart Millard (John Michael Finley) and captures the struggles of life so well that it resonates with many who’ve seen the film in advance of its opening February 20.
In “I Can Only Imagine 2,” we are introduced to singer-songwriter Tim Timmons (played by Milo Ventimiglia), who joins the band for their “biggest tour yet.” Bart, as stated in the movie’s media release, “soon discovers that Tim carries hardships—and secrets—of his own, forcing Bart to face his past and repair his relationships, especially the fragile bond with his son, Sam (Sammy Dell) and his wife, Shannon (Sophie Skelton).” MercyMe’s making of the hit single “Even If” is an integral part of the movie’s story as well.
The real Tim Timmons , in an interview with Think Eternity News, summarized the movie this way: “It's a combination of stories in which everyone is trying to understand how to hold the tension between healthy grief and gratitude.”
Tim Timmons (Left) and Milo Ventimiglia. (ICON Media Group)
Timmons said, “In religious circles, we are so quick to wallpaper over pain and sorrow and suffering. We often say, and I've said this a million times: ‘You know what? Life's hard, but God’s good.’ He explained that being so quick to simply offer “God’s good” as a response to hardship doesn’t allow for processing within ourselves and God.
Instead of “life's hard, but God's good” Timmons said he would rather say, “Life is hard and God is at work in all things.”
Prayers Set to Music
Timmons has spent over two decades in ministry, writing songs born from personal experience with pain, cancer, hope, and joy. In 2001, he received a terminal cancer diagnosis with a five-year prognosis—he's now 24 years into that journey. "The gift of cancer is perspective," he shares. "It's really the open door to speak into people's stories."
Since his 2013 debut "Cast My Cares," Timmons has been creating what he calls "prayers set to music," including co-writing MercyMe's Grammy-nominated "Even If." His latest work with Integrity Music explores themes of God's presence through struggle, including singles like "You Never Let Go" and "Roar"—songs that put praise into action even in the midst of hardship. (Source: Tim Timmons Biography provided by ICON Media Group)
When asked about how the movie’s making and release has impacted his life, Timmons said, “What I love about it is that I still have tumors on my liver wearing out my heart. Sam, who's the son of Bart Millard, still has diabetes and still is daily working through that. So. it's not just like everything's great now. Not everything is tied up in a perfect little red bow. The life stories, the narratives of my life story, of the Millards life story, I think both, both speak to that.”
During the making of the movie, Timmons spent a lot of time with actor Milo Ventimiglia who many say does an excellent job of portraying him. Timmons himself says Milo “nails it.”
“He's become a really close friend and we've spent a ton of time together. I knew he was studying me a little bit, but it never felt like it just because we were just becoming really close friends,” he said.
Singer-Songwriter Tim Timmons. (ICON Media Group)
Timmons said he had a busy time making appearances prior to the movie’s release.
“I don't really care if Tim Timmons is famous. I'm too old for that,” he said. “If Jesus wants to somehow use my journey and let me speak more Jesus into people's lives, then I would love that.”
He adds, “As I look at this movie, and as I look at us as the church, and as I travel the country, I get to see the beautiful parts of the church and the stuff that's not as beautiful. But what would it look like if Jesus’ people actually started joining Jesus? What could actually happen? Not just Christian people being Christian and knowing our theology so well but actually living the theology. So, for me, what I get really excited about regarding this movie is that it allows for us to look into what are the practices that we're actually using and putting into our daily lives?”
“I Can Only Imagine 2” is directed by Andrew Erwin and Brent McCorkle. Written by Brent McCorkle. Produced by Kevin Downes, Andrew Erwin, Cindy Bond, Bart Millard, Daryl Lefever, Joshua Walsh. Starring John Michael Finley, Milo Ventimiglia, Sophie Skelton, Arielle Kebbel, Sammy Dell, with Trace Adkins, and Dennis Quaid. Lionsgate presents, a Kingdom Story Company production, in association with Mission Pictures International.
Alex Murashko is a Christ follower, husband, journalist and writing team leader for Think Eternity, a site for powerful faith content to help you live the fulfilled life in Jesus. Murashko is also founder of Media on Mission.
Connect on X: @AlexMurashko.