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  Church On The Rock
- Palmetto, Fl |
"Joe and Tracey are people of excellent character and
integrity. They would be a blessing to you and your congregation. Their
ministry is professional, tasteful and uniquely anointed.
I have no hesitation or reservation in recommending Joe and Tracey Cruz
to you and your congregation."
Pastor Tad Mathews, Sr.
Freedom Center
Church - Sarasota Fl
"Joe and
Tracey Cruz are true worshippers of Jesus Christ. They have a very
unique and uncommon combination of passion for the presence of God, the
ability to flow in the anointing, and incredible God-given
talent. Joe and Tracey minister with their two younger daughters,
who have pure desire to worship. The Cruz family has ministered
to our congregation, The Freedom Center, igniting the flame of
spirit-led worship.
I encourage you to have the Cruz Family come and minister live worship
in your church!"
Pastor
Jesse DiMartino
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Life is a Highway - The Journey Christian
Newspaper * September 16, 2009
For the Cruz family, the road of life
isn't always "smooth crusin", but there is joy in the journey.
They know their calling, and though they may not say they always know
where God is leading
them, they know, without doubt, that He is their Guide.
He guided them to western North Carolina, after all. While visiting the
mountains during spring break a little over three years ago, the Cruz
family attended a Wednesday evening service at Life Church in Hazelwood.
"The Lord directed us here," says Tracey, wife to Joe
and mother to their daughters, Briley Jo and Gabriella. "Two months
later, Pastor Paul Hensley called and asked if we would prayerfully
consider coming to be the worship leaders at Life, and so began our
journey in the mountains of Haywood County."
Today, Joe’s and Tracey’s hearts are in one accord,
desiring to be used solely for "His purposes and for His glory", but
this godly vision and holy passion were not always so. Both have been
singing, performing and songwriting individually for most of their
lives in the secular world. In 1993, however, God brought them together.
Says Tracey, "Our first writing session [together] was
flooded with all these beautiful, spiritual songs, and we had no idea
there even was a ‘Christian’ music market, had no idea what we were
supposed to do. God slowly began His work in us, teaching us a
different walk, a different life with Jesus Christ."
In 1997, God called them, fueling them with passion
and giving them their kindred vision for music ministry.
"It became very clear He was calling us out of ‘the
world’ and into ‘His world’. We jumped in!" Tracey recalls.
Both Joe and Tracey agree, saying, "It has been an
amazing journey filled with many wilderness experiences, as well as
incredible miracles."
Their twelve and a half year journey of full time
Christian music ministry – as both writers and worship leaders – is
itself a miracle. Tracey explains, "He sings over us. We have the pen
in our hands and the instruments at our fingertips. We want the Lord to
accomplish all He wants with the songs and gifts He has blessed our
family with. Listening and obeying is our focus."
Joe and Tracey have a catalog of music that is praise
and worship in style, as well as contemporary, scripture and
story-based. Many of their songs tell of their personal experiences as
they’ve walked by faith and found Michael Card’s lyrics to be true,
"There is a joy in the journey. There’s a light we can love on the way.
There is a wonder and wildness to life, and freedom for those who
obey…" (JOY IN THE JOURNEY: 10 YEARS OF GREATEST HITS, Michael Card,
1994)
Among their works are several musicals. One in particular is a
Christmas musical entitled, "The Brightest Light in London", which has
been performed at Haywood Community College the last two years.
When asked what their hopes are, Tracey responds, "This is all God’s –
everything we have and who we are. It’s all the Lord’s. We want His
will… to be His will and to hear Him say, ‘Well done, good and faithful
servant.’ That’s what we long to hear from our Master."
The Cruz family is
available to minister at churches, conferences, youth rallies, as well
as for concerts.
They can be reached at ,
or visit their websites - .
By Maureen Miller
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