January 2018 Monthly Letter

Dear Reconciler Family,

Pastor, teacher and prolific writer Neil Earle and his wife, Susan, who was my secretary for some time, retired and headed back to Memphis, Tennessee. They both were instrumental in advancing the Ministry of Reconciliation. Susan’s home is Memphis, Tennessee and Neil’s is Newfoundland, Canada. They will be dearly missed! As we parted ways, Neil said, “Curtis, another year without problems such as race relations, police and community, and other issues that people struggle with.” (He was being facetious, of course.)

As we enter the New Year 2018, people throw parties, sing hopeful songs and have a great time eating, drinking and dancing to “bring in the new year on a high note.” And every year they end up with the same old problems, habits, attitudes and feelings about others, wishing they would go away. As I was preparing this letter, I ran across some comments along this line by author Mary Fairchild.

Here are some things she wrote about the New Year: “The start of a new year is an ideal time to reflect on the past, take account of your Christian walk, and consider the direction God may lead you in the coming days. Set aside some time to pause and evaluate your spiritual condition as you seek God’s presence with this prayerful collection of poems (that she wrote) for Christians.”

She went on, “Instead of making a New Year’s Resolution, consider committing to a Biblical solution. Your promises are easily broken. But God’s Word transforms the soul by His Holy Spirit, making you whole. As you spend time alone with Him, He will change you from within.”

I couldn’t resist this quotes by C.S. Lewis: “The more you let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become—because He made us thus. He invented us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own.”

Indeed, we are told in Scripture to take on Christ’s personality and be like Him:

• 1 Corinthians 11:1 – “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”
• Ephesians 5:1-2 – “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”
• Galatians 3:27 – “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
• Romans 8:29 – “For those whom He for knew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that He might be the first born of many brothers.”

What an awesome God we serve and what awesome teachings He has laid out for us through His Word, the Holy Bible! It’s the greatest book that we have! What gems of teaches it carries! It is indeed the greatest book ever written!

A wise woman once said, “Until we start to look at each other as human beings with one God and one creator, understanding that we all came from Adam and Eve, we will have no peace.”

May God continue to bless and keep you as you serve Him. Please continue to join me in another year of helping to reconcile with one another!