A letter from Tracy: New Every Morning
This week I celebrate 45 years of a relationship with Christ. He saved me in 1977 in the house I grew up. Alone, at nineteen, I knew God called out my name. Now 45 years later, He still calls something new out each morning. I awake eagerly every day to spend time with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. My relationship with Him is much more than the title he holds in my life. We have a relationship, and He is my Father. He called out my name 45 years ago and still calls out my name every morning. Great is his faithfulness through life’s journey and with the family of God.
I love my biological family deeply. In 1986, my mother passed away at 50 years old. This year my younger brother Curtiss passed away. The year before, my dad passed away, and a few years before that, my oldest brother passed. My sister and I remain, but for the last 45 years, God has increased my family into the second and third generations. We now have our immediate family and five grandkids, our joy and blessing to love. I hope you have a great time with your family as we near the holidays and spend time with our families.
Sometimes the holidays can be challenging for various reasons – small families, loved ones who’ve passed away, increased loneliness or sadness due to holiday expectations, family dysfunction, and many other reasons. Wherever you are this holiday season, we want you to know that God is with you. God’s word says, “he sets the lonely in families.” You may not experience that precisely as you want to this holiday season, but you are a part of the CSM family. We hope you are part of the Kingdom family and have a place to love, be loved, and belong.
Forty-five years ago, I began the journey with a Kingdom family. This family grew and multiplied. My Kingdom family is eternal, and I will spend forever with each one in Heaven. The Kingdom’s relational connections grow, expand, and never end because of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. I love, serve, walk, and spend time with Jesus daily, and I’ve been in ministry for 40 years. I’ve been amazed at how God has used his people to encourage and bless me in word and deeds. His word does not return void, so at CSM, God allows us to bless thousands and encourage hundreds in their walks with Christ.
This time of year makes most of us reflect on our lives and investments. After 45 years with my Father, our relationship is still new every morning. He calls out my name. My Father gives me his Presence daily in his word as I read and meditate. He shows his will and teaches me as I listen to the Holy Spirit. I have a little talk with Jesus; my Father knows me and loves me today and forever. As we go into this year of 2023, my prayer for my family is that Jesus and the Father are new every morning. I pray you spend time today and every day seeking his newness and oneness.
CSM is here to share the love of the Father with a lost and dying world that needs a savior. Christian Service Mission is here to help build relationships that will impact and transform communities and people for Christ. CSM is here to use every resource we have to advance the gospel and introduce people to our Father. CSM is here is say our relationship with Jesus is new every morning. Great is his faithfulness this year and into the next. Thank you for partnering in our family journey to know and be known by the Father.
– Tracy
Previous letters from 2022:
- God is the Source of Compassion (Oct/Nov)
- The Source of our Vision and Dreams (September)
- The Source of our Resources (August)
- Shalom, Shalom! (June)
- Knowing Peace (May)
- Peacemaking in War Times (April)
- Training in Peacemaking (March)
- Blessed is the Peacemaker (February)
- 2022 – The Year of the Peacemaker (January)
