About James
It is a pleasure to to introduce myself to you. I am James Cruise and I am the founder of JAMES CRUISE MINISTRIES.
Let me tell you a little bit about me and my ministries. I am a true-life example that all of us have the capacity to overcome and work through devastating life tragedies to a new and renewed life, despite huge obstacles.
My life was changed forever during my 26th birthday party when my father, mother and one of my younger brothers were murdered by my youngest brother. Another of my younger brothers was shot four times in the chest and miraculously survived.
Fourteen years later my life was again changed forever when my wife and all three of my children were involved in a motor vehicle accident. My lovely wife of twelve years died immediately, while my three children, ages 11, 9 and 5 were severely injured.
Thankfully, all of my children survived the accident. I raised a daughter and two sons as a single-parent dad for over fifteen years. I have lived through both the difficult and good times that come with raising active children.
My hope is that both single parents and their children can benefit from the experiences and insights that my children and I have to offer.
During the time that I was solely responsible for the care of my children, I developed an acute, life threatening illness requiring hospitalization. I remained in critical condition for several days before responding to aggressive medical care. During that time I faced the possibility that I might not recover. I once again realized how fragile and fleeting life can be.
My near encounter with death forced me to face a common fear of all single parents - "What will happen to my children if I, the single parent, dies?"
After more than fifteen years as a widower and single parent, my life was once again changed forever. I was given a second chance at love and chose to marry again. My wife, Cindy, and I are pursuing the challenges that step-families face, desiring to live out God's plan for our family .
My story is one of facing death and grief straight in the eye. My story includes how I learned to cope with tragedy and move through these devastating, life altering events.
My prayer is that my story will encourage and inspire others who may have experienced or are experiencing life-altering events in their own lives. I have learned to live by the words of Robert Oppenheimer, "God chooses what we go through. We choose how we go through it."
It is my desire to speak with transparency about the struggles I have faced. I share the lessons I have learned about grieving the loss of loved ones, raising my children as a single dad, facing the reality of my own death, the rewards and challenges of developing a successful step-family, and the art of reinventing myself after each of these life-altering events
Because of my personal tragedies and losses, my near death experiences and other struggles, I feel I must share with others what I have learned:
"Life is fleeting, tomorrow might not come".
"The people we live with and come in contact with are truly
God's gifts to each of us".
About James & Cindy
James and Cindy were attending the same church in Jackson, Mississippi. Having both attended Mississippi College together years earlier they were reconnected through mutual friends at their church. James was a single parent dad for fifteen years after the death of his wife and Cindy was a single parent mom for four years following a divorce. Each have three children. They have fourteen grandchildren between the two families.
James and Cindy are now pursuing the challenges that step-families face, desiring to live out God's plan as our two families blend together.
James or James & Cindy are available for conferences, seminars, church sermons, retreats, rallys, etc. for single parents, married couples, young couples, step-families,singles, touch times, mens and womens.
James is also available for training for church staff and leadership.
Our Mission at JAMES CRUISE MINISTRIES
Our mission is to provide Biblically based, education, inspiration, strengthening and empowerment which gives HOPE to those going through difficult times and to singles, single parents and their families, to stepfamilies and to married families through training and equiping them and their churches.