by Rick and Cindy Truesdail
Happy New Year, MI COMers!
We survived 2021! It has been a tough year for many of us, but Praise God, He has seen us through. For some, January 1st is just another day, which is true; but it is a day to pause and remember the past year – good times, bad times, learning from our mistakes and improving in the year ahead. Our hearts go out to everyone who lost a loved one in the past year, knowing that they face 2022 without them. Our prayer is that everyone has peace in their minds, joy in their hearts, and a new zeal to serve the Lord in the year ahead. He is our healer of physical and emotional pain, He is our source of strength, and He is ALWAYS with us!
We are so thankful that God has brought us through so much since August. Rick had knee replacement surgery, Cindy had a blockage and a stent was put in the artery to the heart; Rick soon after had Heart Cath and received his 11th stent to keep the arteries open; and a couple of weeks later, once again Cindy was back in the hospital for a Heart Cath learning the blockage was too close to the heart for a stent. We have had to slow down for a bit, but look forward to continuing the mission God has called us to as we gain strength and each manage our heart disease. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for us through these times. We have felt your love and God’s power working in us. MI COM is a family of believers who lift one another up in their times of needs. We support and encourage each other at all times. We are so thankful for every member of this ministry. We hope you will be involved and work on mission as much as possible in 2022! We hope to see you soon!
Sharing Christ as We Go,
Rick and Cindy
MI COM Ladies Sewing Event
Saturday, January 29, 2022
11:00am - 4:00pm
Heritage Baptist Church
5199 E. Hill Rd.
Grand Blanc, MI
(In the Fellowship Hall)
Bring your sewing machine if you have one. Also cotton and flannel materials. We will have other things you can do if you don't sew. Bring a friend to share this fun day of work and fellowship. We will provide soup. Bring finger foods and desserts.
2022 COM National Rally
June 7-9, 2022
North Florida Fairgrounds
Tallahassee, FL
This will be the Golden 50th Anniversary of Campers on Mission. "Renew in 2022" will be the theme. Mark your calendars, start saving your money for travel, and be ready to register when it's available. More information will follow as we get it over the next few months.
MI COM Christmas Banquet
MI COM Christmas Banquet was great! We enjoyed warm fellowship and a delicious meal. TJ and Helena Witherell sang a few songs for us to enjoy and later led us in Christmas carols. Pastor Tim Shrader, MI Church Planting Catalyst (NAMB), brought an encouraging message that God used lowly shepherds to welcome Christ as a baby and to share that good news wherever they went. MI COMers too are chosen to share Christ as we go. There was laughter – and some confusion – passing an ornament back and forth according to the “Right-Left” story read by Cindy. We are very thankful to Pastor Larry Rednower, New Haven Baptist Church in Burton, for opening their fellowship hall to us. It was unanimously agreed we should have a MI COM Christmas Banquet in 2022.
MI COM Ladies in Action
MI COM Ladies are always excited to sew projects for the foster/refugee children at Bethany Christian Services. And a special thanks to Roy Davis, a friend at Heritage Baptist Church, for donating wooden cars and truck for the children. Thanks again to Maria Hannuksela for delivering an SUV full of these items before Christmas.
Youth pillows - 24
Youth bags - 54
Christmas stockings/bags - 25
Children's throws - 10
School supplies - 2 boxes
Wooden cars and trucks - 2 boxes
Article from our MI COM Member
A New Beginning
by Brandi Dyke
“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”
1 Corinthians 5:2, KJV
Entering a new year can be refreshing and rejuvenating. Our “new year” resolutions set forth ambitious goals to strive for, as well as give us an opportunity to reset our failed attempts and previous unmet expectations. However, as we reflect on our previous year, let us take a moment to celebrate a year of life as a gift from the Lord, and rejoice for the hurdles that we overcame through Christ. While new beginnings give us a chance to reflect and build up excitement for the open possibilities of the future, it is of the greatest importance to understand that we do not need a new year, or even a new day, to spend time with the Lord and examine ourselves before The Father. In our quiet time with Him, we are investing into an everlasting relationship with the Lord, as well as allowing Him to enhance our perspective with His wisdom.
When we are enlightened with the Lord’s righteousness, we are able to judge ourselves and come to a pure state of repentance; thus, allowing us to be set free from our infirmities through Christ and move forward without the “old leaven” in our bread; thus, giving us a new beginning. New beginnings are readily available anywhere and at any time. This is the beautiful gift that Jesus sacrificed His life to give us. Not for selfish freedom, but so that we may come to The Father in purity and build a relationship with Him. Let us take a moment to thank the Lord for His precious gift to us. Let us thank Him for new beginnings that are readily available through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May the Lord bless you all in this new year and season.
“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
1 Corinthians 11:28-32, KJV
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
“In July of 2020, the Lord called our family to sell our home and travel the country in a fifth wheel camper. Not for vacation, but to spread the Gospel and be a vessel for His work. After much prayer and discernment, the Lord gave us several affirmations in this calling and, consequently, we chose to step out in obedience to Him and commit to His will for our lives. This transition was not an instantaneous process and it was exceedingly difficult in our flesh, as we have invested the last seven years into building our home to accommodate our vision and our plans for the future. However, as He calls us to abandon our plans and to adopt His, we chose, and continue to choose, to exchange our plans for His will for our lives.” Check out their blog: movingbyfaith.home.blog
Chaplain's Corner
Time. We are reminded of it all the time (pardon the pun)—but especially around New Years. This morning in my Intercessory Bible Reading I was reminded of this again from Romans 11:36 ...
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever.
For of/from him (past), and through him (present), and to him (future), are all things. Even from eternity past God has planned things; and even now all things are working out through Him to carry out those plans; and in the end all the glory from those plans will go to Him.
Beloved, it’s OK for us to make plans for the coming year, but let’s just make sure even as our hearts plan our way, that it is still the Lord who directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9).
To the Praise of His Glory,
Chaplain Chip
Prayer Requests & Praise Reports
Prayer Requests
As we go forward in 2022, remember to hold your MI COM leaders and members in your prayers. May we do the will of God as we plan and move forward for His glory.
Pray for our government, first responders, and people around the world as Covid continues to affect many people’s lives.
Praise Report
Praise God for all the work MI COM was able to accomplish in 2021! We could not have done it without His leading and protection. We have learned so much and are ready to move forward in 2022!
Rick and Cindy continue to praise God for His presence during a few difficult months of health problems.
“Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.“
Luke 5:15-16 NIV
If you have a prayer request or a praise report, please share it with us and we will post it on the website and include it in our monthly newsletters.
MI COM Tees & Hats
For Sale
We have fun things and essentials for you to let others know you are a MI COMer!!!
We encourage you to wear the tees whenever you are working or on a COM event.
Tees are printed on the front and the back
Patches are iron-on or easy to sew onto your shirts or jackets
Key Chains are plastic on metal holder
Hand-held fan is paper on wooden handle
Hats are gray with embroidered logo, adjustable
Lapel Pins are easily attached to a suit jacket or coat.
Stickers to put on notebooks, computers, etc.
Pens to accent your writing
Contact Cindy for your purchase.
MI COM Officers & Executive Board
Presidents/Project Coordinator: Rick & Cindy Truesdail
Vice-President/Project: Tony Morningstar
Hospitality/Food Coordinator: Kim Norrington & Maria Hannuksela
Sewing Project Coordinator: Cindy Truesdail & Terry Simmons Cleaning & Beautification Coordinator: Sharon Hessling & Ruth Farwell
Secretary: Brandi Dyke Treasurer: Gary Hannuksela Chaplain: Pastor Chip Collins Historian: Cindy Truesdail
Disaster Relief Liaison: Warren Hessling
Networking Center
Keep checking at our online Website and Facebook for announcements!
Website: www.michigancampersonmission.org
Facebook: Michigan Campers on Mission
For more information, contact: Rick & Cindy Truesdail Phone: (810) 869-4716