Interview With Tracy Patterson

Hello my name is Tracy Patterson. I am a pastor’s wife, mother of three, and Sweet T to three grands. You can find me at “KnittheGospelintoyourheart” on Instagram.

Hi Tracy. We are thrilled you are stopping by today and letting us look into your ministry for a few minutes. Let’s get started on those questions!

Tracy, can you share some of you testimony?

I didn’t grow in in church but God saw fit to surround me with godly women to encourage me in going to church as a child and into my teen years. I was saved at the age of 13 while attending Vacation Bible school with my best friend. I remember immediately going back to my home church where I was baptized. I still have my first bible the church gave me. I was so excited.

My life didn’t change a lot then because as much as I wanted to know God more, I was fighting against the world through high school and into my early twenties. I rebelled and honestly ran from God. God never let me go and continued to pursue me. I married my husband at 19 and God called him to the ministry five years into our marriage. Life changed for both of us and after many years of running from God’s calling I began living my life on purpose serving with my husband in our church. I volunteered in our nursery and taught children’s classes over the years. Our three children were the first generation of both our families who attended church as a family. God’s faithfulness in my life is so evident as I look back at the rebellious and lost girl I once was and today He uses me to share His Word to encourage other women to walk in Him,

Today my husband and I have been serving the local church for over twenty years in full time ministry. We are also fostering our two grand girls and God continues to teach me how He loves His children.

Tell us a little about your ministry.

My focus is to encourage Christian women in knitting the Gospel into their hearts. This primarily looks like learning who God is intimately through the Word and encouraging women to live the Gospel out in their daily lives. I also host Bible studies throughout the year in my private study group where I lead women inductively through books of the Bible.

It first began five years ago when I primarily made custom hand stamped and hand knit bracelets. I was a mother struggling in the thick of raising teenagers. I needed Christ in the midst of my dark days of parenting and His encouragement in front of me all the time. So, wearing scripture was a way for me to do just that. As my bracelet business grew, I started sharing the Gospel with other moms who needed the same encouragement in the Lord. “Trust me,” were the first words I made into a bracelet. It was those two words that was the balm to my weary soul. God knew I was trying to control my situation, but He said “stop and trust Me.” It wasn’t my job to control everything. He is in control. During those years of creating and knitting custom cuffs I heard God whisper, “you are knitting the Gospel into your heart.” I was studying His Word ferociously in those days.

It was where I had solid footing when my life felt so shaky. Then I was led to start hosting Bible studies online. This was the beginning of Knit the Gospel into Your Heart. My hope is that I encourage other women to know God deeply so they will share the Gospel with one another as we walk this Christian life together.

What is your favorite Bible verse and why?

My favorite Bible verse is:

“Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth.” Psalms 115:1 CBS

This verse has stuck with me since my husband served as a youth minister very early in our marriage. We attended a conference together as chaperones and I remember hearing this verse in song form. The words of Psalm 115:1 forever changed my perspective in how I wanted to live. I knew God was calling me to live differently and it is all for His glory. The way I am to love, to serve and teach others. I want to live and serve as unto the Lord. It’s all for His glory.

What would your advice be to other seasoned women on ways to stay active in ministry?

I believe as I get older, I see myself continuing to renew my love for the Lord by staying in His Word. I want to be filled so I can continue to pour into the next generation.

Have you ever felt too old to be used by God? What made you decide God could still use you?

I can’t say I have felt too old to be used by God, but I have felt shame and guilt around my past which made me believe I couldn’t be used by God. It took me a long time to realize the enemy had a stronghold over my mind. I believed I was forgiven from my sins, yet my mind kept me in a state of shame from my past sin that God couldn’t use me to teach or encourage women because of my past. It was an aha moment with God when I learned my identity should be based on what He says not my feelings or what the enemy was telling me. Those emotions and feelings of guilt and shame from my past didn’t have a hold on me any longer and it was then I became who God was calling me to be.

What seasoned woman in the Bible is an inspiration to you?

I relate to the woman at the well because Jesus revealed himself to her regardless of her past and she was excited to share the gospel after she encountered Him at the well. I can remember when I encountered God, and I knew this relationship I had with Jesus couldn’t be kept to myself. This was the beginning to my calling to lead women to knit the Gospel into their heart through Bible study.

Tracy, thank you so much for stopping by Bloom in Your Winter Season and sharing some of your testimony with us. May God continue to bless your ministry.