To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I Timothy 1:2

One of things that surprised me as I was a young missionary, I left my family, that was part of the deal, but I slowly discovered that God was giving me a new family, not to displace my biological one, that was always precious to me, but to build me up and strengthen me for the new task that God was asking me to do.

My Overseer was Orie O Miller, Eastern Mennonite Mission Secretary. As naturally as a handshake I embraced him as a spiritual father.  We had no blood connection at all but I must admit, he was a father to me, without even talking about it. He was of my father’s generation but he entered mine as a sort of combined father and brother. I am newly amazed at that as I am writing.  I knew that he wished the best for me and was always there for me. He was a gift to me, without a doubt. I cannot even imagine how bereft I would have felt without him there to support me.  I am sure that others came into my life at that point to make up my spiritual family, but he was an important one.

Then, not long in Tanzania some people, without my realizing it, became my brothers, uncles and aunts. A few were Americans but most were Africans. One of my closest Tanzanian friends, Zedekiah Kisare, became first a brother in Lord to me and slowly became a beloved and caring father. That still amazes me. Several others in that Tanzanian circle became family to me, bound by the cleansing Blood of Jesus and welded together by the Holy Spirit.

My heart resonates with Paul’s words, “My true son in the faith.” One of the miracles of grace that I have found to be precious beyond telling is the compelling love of the Spirit that enables me to embrace a new family, an eternal one.

I am now old. I am learning that my blood family is more important to me than ever while at the same time my spiritual family, “in the faith,” is more real than the morning sun. That is a surprise, a miracle of God’s amazing grace.