The Reason For The Season

This Kincaid painting of Jesus is really all that we need to see or talk about on this special day-Christmas 2016.  This painting was given to us by our children some years ago so it has special significance for us.  It hangs near our bed so that it is the last thing we see at night and first thing in the morning. The picture isn't what we honor though.  It is the person of the picture that makes a difference in our days. Do we always give Him the honor due Him?  I am afraid not.  The activities planned for the day, the mood we are in, the stresses that we insist on carrying and the giants that overwhelm us take the emphasis off the one Person who could help us thru the day and instead we plod along with the impression we have to do it ourselves.  When you read my book, I've Always Been Rich" I tell how this way of living and thinking can steal our joy and bring chaos into our lives. Recently I read  the 21st Chapter of Second Samuel about how David was faced with the giant Goliath.  It is one of many interesting and provocative stories of the Bible. David knew the odds were stacked against him except for one important and defining difference.  He knew Goliath was a godless person and he knew the God of the Bible was on his side.  He had the assurance of God's presence with him and knew the battle was his because of that presence.  He faced the giant with a sling and 5 stones and took the giant down.  I believe as Christians we frequently fail to recognize the power God gives us.  When we walk with Him and put our confidence in Him we can do what would naturally seem impossible.  In my book I talk about how extremely shy and introverted I was as a child and especially as a teen and young adult. I would get extremely tense, sweaty and nervous if I was only required to say 1 or 2 sentences in a group.  Now it was not a fast change or one I just fell into but God saw my weakness and choose to use it by enabling me to become a pastor.  The amazing part is that He knew I could not take any credit for the ability to speak publically because that was my weakest point.  He had to tweak and  prune and enable for that change to happen.  The picture above of Jesus is hanging crooked.  That reminds me that Jesus lives in a world that needs some straightening out.  The anger and hate in this world is horrendous.  But Jesus is calm in the midst of chaos.  If we look at Him we will be able to have calmness in the midst of the storms of life.  Life with Jesus as your Savior and Lord  and the giants of your life will be overcome when he empowers you with His Spirit.  He loves you and wants you to live a life of  joy.  That is an amazing present for each one of you this Christmas.  He offers it, you must accept. I count each one of you who follow this blog as very special people. It is one of the unexpected blessings that have come as a result of writing  the book.  God likes to surprise us with the unexpected.  My husband and I have had many of those moments.  We praise God that he has us I mind and in His time He calls us to something impossible (to us).  I could say "read the book" but that would be redundant so I will close by wishing you all a Merry Christmas and God's blessings in the New YEAR.
Marilyn Rensink        mjrevmom6@aol.com    Comments via email or Facebook are  appreciated.  Books available at Amazon.com or BarnesandNobles.com  or at your local Christian bookstore.

I've Always Been Rich: Tradition Meets Culture

I've Always Been Rich: Tradition Meets Culture: A few years ago my husband, Wilmer, and I, Marilyn, took a trip to the Holy Lands. It was inspiring to walk the paths that Jesus walked so...

Tradition Meets Culture

A few years ago my husband, Wilmer, and I, Marilyn, took a trip to the Holy Lands. It was inspiring to walk the paths that Jesus walked so long ago.  To see his burial site, to see where He gave the Beatitudes,  to see the Jordan River, the place that held a special attraction in that day, to actually see Jerusalem and many other Bible rich places was awesome.   The scenes of that place of the world made the Bible come alive.  However, the picture above stands in stark contract to the solemn places I mentioned.   Irony. It made us smile  because just before Wilmer got on the camel the camel "handler" was talking on his cell phone.  What irony.  And in a way that is what my book, I've Always Been Rich" tries to bring out,    We start our life out in the same way:  Dependent, fragile, helpless, needy.  But as we grow we develop gradually and become more able to help ourselves.  Still we usually rely on the lessons we learned through our growing up years.  We take from the past but move on to use new ways.  Like the camel man.  He wasn't stuck in the past. He  certainly is using his past cultural experiences but he is also taking advantage of the newer technologies of the present. 
Christmas is this weekend and I am again reminded of how we have enlarged the way we celebrate Christmas.  Some things are  traditional  today but we have more decorations, more presents, more food, etc.    What has not changed is the reason we celebrate Christmas.  The  God of the Bible is the same yesterday, today and forever.  We are reminded of that every year as we celebrate the birth of God's son, Jesus, so many years ago.   The past with such deep roots finds expression in the activities of today.  God sent His son to endure humanity, he was born in the most poverty ridden place possible, there wasn't even a place for his parents to spend the night except in a barn.  How helpless can you be when your birthplace is a stable in a barn?  The Word became flesh among us in the most humble way possible.  We remember his birth as we remember what he did throughout his life as he ministered, healed, comforted and raised people from the dead.  You say, but that was a long time ago.  Right. You see, nothing has changed except our perception of it.   Irony. Now we have the blessing of having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us- in the here and now.  Absolutely!  When we accept Jesus as Lord of our life he sends the Holy Spirit to abide with us forever.  And that is my testimony in the  book I had published . Without the Spirit to call, enable and guide me throughout my life I could not have enjoyed the blessings or the richness of  His grace.  My life, lived in according with His plan, was/is much richer than anything I could have dreamed of or envisioned.  It doesn't get any better!  Have you made that decision?
Marilyn Rensink   mjrevmom6@aol.com
Find my book at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com or your local book store. 

I've Always Been Rich: Richness Is An Option

I've Always Been Rich: Richness Is An Option: I am writing in the first person today so my blog can be more personal.  One  of  the subtitles of my book, "I've Always Been Rich...

Richness Is An Option

I am writing in the first person today so my blog can be more personal.  One  of  the subtitles of my book, "I've Always Been Rich" is Experiencing the Richness of God's Grace.  I have not always experienced abundant wealth, I have not always been debt free nor have I always been able to spend extravagantly.  Still the dictionary defines richness as abundance, affluence, bounty, lavishness and plenty.  Those words certainly define richness in the eyes of the world. My definition starts with a different mindset.  My mind sees richness as having  food on the table, having adequate housing, having friends and, above all, having a family and church who love and nourish my soul.   And I go even further in the book, richness is having a God who loves, protects, guides and calls each one of us to challenges and opportunities which further the work of His kingdom.  Yesterday I heard a quote by Dallas Willard  which said, "We must pray that we don't have so much success that we hinder our character".And that is  the crux of everything that we do. We are not here to elevate ourselves but to glorify God.   My book attempts to give a chronological narrative of God's callings in my life and how I did or didn't follow thru on them.  God's plan!
Anyone who attempts to narrative their life finds hints and obvious facts which show how God worked in their life even though they did not know it.  God calls us to a certain task and we follow.  Little do we know that that step will be left behind but the next step builds on it.  For instance, going to college  later in life was a big and tough decision.  Then being pregnant at the time of graduation seemed like a definite change of direction,  However, the college step calling ended but what developed because I had college was much more than I could have imagined or had planned. And so goes my life, even now, as God unfolds it in His time.
I have reached a lot of people thru this blog.  That is a perk I did not anticipate.  So why am I still amazed about how God works in ways I do not expect?  I would like to hear from more of you personally, especially how the book has influenced you in any way.  As faith based people, we need to build bridges of support in this world which is so full of hate and anger.  The cross is the only way we can do that.  I have many crosses displayed in our house.  And my crosses are all empty crosses,  I do not worship a god who is still on the cross, my Savior died to pay the penalty for my and your sin but he paid the price by His death.  He did this once and for all, no need to hang on the cross any more.  Than He arose from the grave to show that He also conquered death. We, too, shall rise and be with Him eternally in

,,,

glory.  And out of gratefulness we want to accept His love and forgiveness and show our love by living for Him each and every day.  I would encourage you to read my book and then glean from it how God has or will work in your life.  The walk with Him will fill you with richness. You all have a story.  Marilyn Rensink  mjrevmom6@aol.com . Buy books at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com or your local Christian bookstore.

Homemade Fun

Christmas is coming and we turn a lot of our attention on finding gifts to be given to family and friends.  It is fun to pick out just the right present but now days the kids already have  so many toys and are engaged in so many activities it is difficult (for a grandma and great grandma especially) to give a gift  that is appreciated. So often money is given so they can buy their own gift.  Nothing wrong with that approach but it takes some of the joy out of giving a gift.  The picture above is a picture of the author and her brother.  They didn't wonder about which gift they would get because there probably wasn't going to be a gift under their tree.  So, what to do?  On this particular afternoon  they decided that it would be "fun" to take some onion stems, a bottle of water, blow into the onion stems to see which one could make the biggest bubbles. Probably sounds ridiculous to most people but when the few toys they had were becoming mundane they had  to be a little creative. And, yes, we did live in that house for awhile. 
I think that in life we can become  content, or even bored, with the status quo of church going, Bible studies, etc. that we fail to see the opportunities  that lie outside of these  structures. The kids in the picture did not have the privilege of a toy box of things  to play with.  Yes, they had their farm chores and housekeeping duties  but they had to look "outside the box" to provide them with "meaningful" entertainment. Can our Christian life become a religion of going through the motions?  Can it be habit forming but meaningless?  Can it seem right but does not fulfill?  I think we have all been there at some time in our life. I certainly have.  The author's recent book entitled, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN RICH,  tells how she was challenged  many times to listen to the Spirit's calling, get out of her comfort zone and delve into a new area of ministry.  The young girl above does not look much like a risk taker or someone who would find joy in entering a new field of service but her life attests to the fact that she learned in life that the call to follow the Lord was always more exciting than the plans she and her husband had planned. In a class this morning in church we talked about whether Mary, the mother of Jesus, was qualified to assume the role of the mother of our Lord. I don't know the answer to that question.   But I do know  that God seldom calls the qualified.  However, he qualifies the called.  What is he calling you  to now?  Marilyn Rensink  mjrevmom6@aol.com  Books available at Amazon.com, Barnes andNoble.com and your local Christian bookstore.

Transforming Takes Time

Transforming means to make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of a thing or person.  When the author took a recent trip to a National Park she saw many views such as this one.  Without much knowledge of the history of such spectacular scenes of nature she  certainly could still know that such a sculpture took many, many years to develop to the stage it is today.    Some parts of the original rock were soft so rains and other elements of nature wore the soft parts away. The minerals in the rocks made the rocks various colors, etc.  And only God could make it into the shape it is now, and even at that it took hundreds of years. The shapes and colors were preordained, so to speak,  by what materials were in the original rock.  It will change some more yet as the years go by, however, the view can be appreciated and viewed as it is now and it is beautiful. The same is true for you. 

In the book, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN RICH, the author details how God has been transforming her life into what it is now and as He wants it to be in the years to come.  Granted, there are still many rough surfaces, either because of  not yielding to His will or by God's hand in "pruning" away some stuff that didn't belong in her life.  Transforming is not always a pleasant journey to the one being transformed.  It often is unexpected and demands a change in life pattern and a new mindset to be accepted.  It takes work and she would be the first to tell you it takes a lot of faith to believe that the new  path is really the right one. Going to seminary at the age of 60?  "Yes, Lord, but help me take the criticism that I will get because of this, one more, strange venture," the author pleaded.  This journey was unexpected but a blessed transforming journey that took her and her husband on unfamiliar roads, and then, both knew it was the road necessary to get her to God's designated place for her.

Are you afraid of change?  Are the challenges there but seem too huge to navigate?  Been there, done that.  God calls and then He enables.  Believe it. That scenario is played out in her book.  I hope you have the opportunity to read her book so you can sense the skepticism and the fear of following Him but then you will come to understand why she explains it as, experiencing the RICHNESS of God's grace.

Author Marilyn Rensink   mjrevmom6@aol.com  Buy at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com or your local Christian Bookstore Love comments and the many likes the page is getting. It is a story I much tell!

The Legacy of Giving

As we near the Christmas time with all its festivities and present exchanging a youngster might find it hard to appreciate the scripture given in Acts 20::35 which says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." And as adults we may even find that truth hard to assimilate at times. Giving encompasses a wide variety of actions appropriate to a certain time in life.  The picture above captures the activity of teaching a child how to make (and test taste) cookies.  It may mean helping an elderly person do simple housekeeping chores, it may mean helping  a student with homework, etc.  Many more activities could be given where we give of our self to help someone else.  Giving is more than presents and other material things.  And it is a good reminder at this time of the year when giving is centered on all the things we can buy and give.  The overstocked store shelves at this time of year tell me that the merchants are planning on thousands of people "giving".  And there is nothing inherently wrong with that.  However, the legacy the author wants to emphasis today is given briefly in her book, "I've Always Been Rich", that is giving of oneself to help the recipient receive a spiritual blessing.  She is not talking about the need to preach, teach in church, go to church the required number of services to show how religious they are or organize a benefit - even though they are all good and worthwhile endeavors.  The author of the book gives some detail about her work as a chaplain and how she found the meaning of the saying given above.  Her ministry is helping the patient understand the diagnosis just given by  the doctor.  It is encouraging the patient who sees this hospital stay as a major setback to his work schedule. It is working through the process of how the addict can be brought back to a mindset without drugs. It can mean helping the elderly/all patients  be assured of their salvation.  These are major incidents in the patients lives and to minister to them takes an emotional toll on the author.  However, not a one room can be entered without asking God to give words and love and accepting them whatever their race, religion, age, or affliction is.  It is at such times that the author completely forgets about her own needs or problems because the focus is entirely on the patient. The visit always ends by praying for the patients needs.  As Mother Theresa said, "I am a little pencil in the hand of God who is sending a love letter to the world ".  For more information about the author or her book it can be ordered at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com xulonpress.com/bookstore or your local Christian bookstore.  Or get in touch with me and we can arrange how to get a book to you.  God Bless each and every one of you.  mjrevmom6@aol.com

I've Always Been Rich: LIGHT MY CANDLE

I've Always Been Rich: LIGHT MY CANDLE:                 YOUR CANDLE     Recently the author hear a beautiful rendition of the song, Light Your Candle. The idea was not new to h...

LIGHT MY CANDLE

                YOUR CANDLE    

Recently the author hear a beautiful rendition of the song, Light Your Candle. The idea was not new to her but the beauty of it broke open volumes of emotions.  Each one of us have a need to fill the deep emptiness that we feel before we know the Lord.  This emptiness is often filled with things that are not satisfying or healthy for us.  The author found the answer to filling this "cavity" early in life.  The book, I've Always Been Rich, talks about her conversion while listening to a radio broadcast that made a point of asking  the listeners if they knew the Lord and, if not, why are you waiting to open your heart to Him and enjoy the walk with Jesus? She took this took  message seriously and accepted the Lord as her Savior.  That  radio messenger lite my candle so she could go out and light other candles.  Working as a Chaplain is one of the ways she sheds light on those who are unsaved and need their candle lit. Or even sometimes the patients just need a slight breeze on their candle to make the flame a little brighter. The world is in darkness and we as candles are commanded to let our light shine.  A song the author learned as a child was, This Little Light Of Mine, I'm going to let it shine.  So simple but so divine.   Now what do we do with it?  The song mentioned previously goes on to say, Go light the world.  Many people responded to last weeks' blog.  And we even welcomed some from outside of our country. We are excited about their joining us  We all have the same desire to let our light shine.  Matthew 5:15a says, don't hide your light!  Let it shine for all. The light given to us is too good to keep to ourselves.   Share  that light so that the world will come to know our Heavenly Savior. 

 I Promised last week to offer a book bargain, probably it will help with your Christmas gift giving.  The book is offered at $10.00 plus $5.00 shipping and handling per book.   You can certainly contact me and make arrangements directly with me or you can go via pay pal for your order. I think I have that set-up
Christ's love to each and everyone of you as we anticipate the holidays of Thanksgiving for our many blessings and as we once again are transported in mind and heart to the birth of the babe in Bethlehem.

I've Always Been Rich: New Life

I've Always Been Rich: New Life: This is a small glimpse of the beautiful Falls Park in Sioux Falls where the author lives.  It is beautiful but it has not always been tha...

New Life

This is a small glimpse of the beautiful Falls Park in Sioux Falls where the author lives.  It is beautiful but it has not always been that way.  It is short distance from the busyness of the city  of Sioux Falls.  It was a hangout for those who wanted to engage in lifestyles unbefitting the norm of society.  It was filled with trash, it was a "safe" place for the homeless, it was away from the scrutiny of the city people, it was overrun with creatures who were out to scavenge for food.  It was unhealthy and unclean.  Then some people saw the falls as something that could be beautiful.  They saw beyond the unclean elements of the park. They worked diligently to uncover the beauty and pleasure that the park could offer to people.  And it became a beautiful place to behold  the natural beauty of God's  creation.This reminds the author of why she and many others make it a priority of life to reach out to those who do not know Christ.  Recently she had several conversations with an elderly man while working as a Chaplain. He was hostile, he was angry with society in general, he was grieving the loss of his wife, and on and on it went.  I looked at him and thought how much better his last days on this earth would be if he accepted the Love of God.  He was like Falls Park, hidden beauty.  I tried to approach him in that way knowing I could not change his heart as only God can do that.  Still I could encourage him to clear out some of the rubble of his life and make the ground of his heart fertile so it will accept the love of God. We had good conversations and he became more mellow as time went on.  However, as the park people could clean up the park they could not control flowing of the river or alter the rocks that caused the beautiful waterfalls.  I could help the patient with some outer issues but I could not change a heart. It is for such opportunities that I chose the road to ministry.  The author spells this out in more detail in her book, I've Always Been Rich.  The author counts each such encounter as a challenge and she notes that it is only by God's grace that she can have a conversation with patients about their spiritual life.  The book was written to encourage others to take a "risk" with their life, she did not always "do it right" and that is addressed in the book as well.  The books are  for sale at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and XulonPress.com/bookstore as well as many Christian book stores.  As always you can contact me at mjrevmom6@aol.com. Next week I will have a special Christmas price offer of the book.  Watch for it!

God's Grace Experienced

Since I have been writing for a few months without actually explaining  what this blog is all about I will seek to give a brief overview in this blog. I've Always Been Rich, is a story about God working through my life, showing and calling at different times to different experiences and than enjoying the richness of His GRACE.  Grace can be defined as God's Riches at Christ's Expense. This it totally true as we realize that God did go to the cross so that we could be free from the condemnation of our sin.  But how does that look in our present everyday life? To the author it means that everything is seen as a working out of His will. That God calls us to scary jobs or even to everyday challenges in evident in the authors life.  However, God's call is always followed by the enabling and with that in mind it becomes a time when we can rest in God's promise to give us the tools to carry out His mission.  What a peace that brings and what an affirmation of His promises. I recently ran across an article that shows how this was true in Bible days as well.  "Timothy had too many ulcers, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossiper, Martha was a worrier, Thomas was a doubter, Sara was impatient, Elijah was moody, Rahab was a prostitute, Isaiah preached naked for three years, John the Baptist ate bugs and had second thoughts about the very Messiah he baptized".   They all were used in various ways by God.  I could go on with many other examples in the Bible.  If the Bible characters are not familiar to you google one of them and look up the scripture that tells about that particular person and it will be verified that those people were not qualified.  In fact is says, God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called!  The author can personally vouch for the truth of that.  She could not say 10 words when she was in a group of people she knew when she was 20 years old without getting  tongue tied and sweaty.  God called her to ministry and she has spoken to groups across this country and up into Canada and on a one to one basis as a chaplain.  Does she do it perfectly and in her own strength? No, she must totally rely on God giving her the words and blessing what she says.  That is the Richness of God's Grace.
 Remember you can email me at mjrevmom6@aol.com.  Books are for sale on Amazon.com. Barnes and Noble.com and XulonPress.com/bookstore as well as at many Christian bookstores. You can order from me directly also and I will send them out if you let me know how many you want.  Start thinking of your Christmas list and who you think would appreciate a copy of the book.

I've Always Been Rich: Family Values

I've Always Been Rich: Family Values: This is a picture of the authors family a few years ago.  New babies have been added, weddings added more members, some are no longer memb...

Family Values

This is a picture of the authors family a few years ago.  New babies have been added, weddings added more members, some are no longer members of our family,  all have grown considerably and many have become family heads of their own families.  Life is a kaleidoscope of changing roles. challenges and opportunities.  The authors family is not mentioned much in the book, "I've Always Been Rich" and that is because each one can best write their own story.  But that doesn't negate the importance of family to the author.  That is why the role of the authors parents was expressed in great detail. in  the book.  The foundation of faith in God as it was expressed in the actions and teachings of the parents is of utmost importance. It is not an easy task because we like to be friends with our children and we hesitate to lessen  that particular relationship.  The authors parents were not perfect but they trained, scolded, reprimanded, punished, and corrected, when needed.  How does that work?  It works when there is all-inclusive love.  Agape love is the goal. Agape is an interesting word, look it up sometime, it is a loaded word.
I've Never Been Rich is not a story of perfect love, or perfect obedience to God's every call, not a drama of perfect relationships, nor a tale of how to do it right.  No, it is a narrative of one person's listening for the call of God and recognizing, even in retrospect, how God was working out his plan in the life of an ordinary farm girl from a small  farm in Iowa.  You can order the book on line at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or pick one up at your local Christiana Book Store.  A lot of publicity has gone out in Northwest Iowa, if anyone would be willing to pick up on this for their area I would gladly send out a press release or talk to an editor in your area.  I would appreciate it much. 
Email me mjrevmom6@aol.com to get in touch with me. We want the story to go out so it can be of help to those who are interested in such a message.

GRACE

What does it  feel like to be rich?  Have you ever felt rich?  Did it come because of something you bought, or of something you sold for a good price?  Some accomplishment? How long does that feeling last?  The author claims to have been rich all her life.  Is that an exaggeration or is she in denial about the real world?  The answer lies in the subtitle of the book, I've Always Been Rich", which states that she has experienced the richness of God's grace.  God graciously blessed the author with His love in every situation of her life.  No, the blessing wasn't necessarily obvious immediately but God's presence and love was presence in the situation.  This love can only be recognized because of what Christ did in coming to die on  the cross for the sins of His people. That is
GRACE.  God's riches at Christ's expense.  The author did not always have a big checkbook balance or bountiful material resources  but those things would have only brought a rich feeling for a time.  God's riches satisfy eternally.  How rich are you?
God's riches can't be pictured so no  picture today.  God's riches can only be experienced and then lived out in gratitude to Him.
Books can still be ordered from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Zulon Press as well from your neighborhood book store.   Or contact me at mjrevmom6@aol.com. Would enjoy hearing from YOU.

Richness in Diversity

Living in  the country 50 years ago didn't mean that life was boring or uneventful.  The book, I've  Always Been Rich, testifies to  that.  For some years two little boys from Winnebago came to spend holidays with the author's family on their farm.  The boys upbringing could not have been more different than the authors own family.  They were biracial,  They had been deserted by their families.  they were  scared to be with the author's husband (all men really), and they did not experience love.  But the author had a son who was their age and who showed them love, played with them, shared his toys, and the husband shared his love and respect for them as well.  After a few visits the fear left and a good relationship happened.   The picture shows just one activity that resulted in smiles all around.  Yes, blessings go two ways and the experience with these boys expanded the author's family to see the blessing in crossing racial boundaries and learning how less fortunate people live and how we can be a blessing to them in some small way.  I've Always Been Rich  shares many incidents that speak to the idea of making oneself open to new and different experiences and how that expands the learning of every family member.  The lesson learned in this family is that our plans don't always work out or become great but when God shows us the path we are to take then blessings abound and the experience makes us realize the richness of God's grace once again. Books can be ordered from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Zulon Press,com/bookstore.  Join us in making these books a  worthwhile Christmas gift, we would like to bless more people as the books are spread far and wide.

Sharing Stories

The exchange of life stories has become an unexpected blessing of writing the book, I've Always Been Rich.  After reading the book people come up to the author and comment how they can relate to various happenings talked about in the book.  Then they tell her about their life experiences.  That is a joy and fits right in with the authors unique Chaplaincy method.  Two way sharing establishes tight bonds.  That leads to spiritual conversations. And that really is what the book attempts to do.  God works in all of our lives/hearts and leads each one of us to challenges and opportunities.  He then enables those whom He calls which culminates in obedience and blessings. Stepping out in faith, getting out of our comfort zone feels risky, that is where faith comes in. And the author has found obedience leads to many more riches than the path we may have planned and considered the best one. The infinite mind of God knows what is best. Newspaper interviews, consignment at book stores, family and friends sales, and sales within our own church have been exciting. You can use the email address below to order or request speaking or just to share a story.

You can order from ZulonPress.com/bookstore also. 

Teamwork

Always Been Rich goes into some detail about the necessity of teamwork in a family.  When Mom goes to college full time there are adjustments which have to be made.  In the case of the author the changes were made without a lot of rumblings.  Of course, Wilmer, the husband, was so supportive and helpful and that, I think, was an inspiration to the 4 children. As the picture shows ALL helped to make the experience work.  Yes, there was the time when the author prepared an oven dinner (noon) for Wilmer and the men who worked on the

farm.  When they came in at noon the oven had not turned on and the dinner was cold and uncooked.  Not good but forgivable.  Another time a peach pie was left in the oven to bake and was not thought of until 3 in the morning when the pie smell permeated the nighttime air.  The authors good intentions did not always go as planned but with love and grace the family survived the 4 years in good style. Many lessons learned outside the classroom by the whole family.

                                 be   Challenging the status quo!
How do you expect a person to look after a full day of college classes and then

comes home to the duties of a wife, helpmate to a farmer, and mother of 4 kids in elementary school? And then concerns herself with the  hours of study that need to put in before the next morning.  About as weary as this one in the picture probably.  Don't let the physical weariness fool you.  The author attended Northwestern College for 4 years with the duties listed above, though the schedule was intense nothing else could have made as much of a difference in her life as the college experience.  The formal education was interesting and good but  the informal beat it all  hollow.  Being recognized as an individual in her own right and not as just the mother of kids or the wife of a husband was exhilarating. Her home were first priority but the transformation of the "self"  in those 4 years was truly a God send.  Little did she know that God needed her to take that step to prepare her for the challenges He would  place before her in the years ahead.   I've Always Been Rich captures that life changing experience, and many others, in more detail.
Email me at mjrevmom6@aol.com for more information  about ordering or speaking.
I've Always Been Rich can be ordered from www.XulonPress.com/bookstore or Amazon.com.

I've Always Been Rich: For better or for worse. What a commitment. The ...

I've Always Been Rich: For better or for worse.  What a commitment.  The ...: For better or for worse.  What a commitment.  The author entered into this covenant without the faintest doubt but that it would be for li...

For better or for worse.  What a commitment.  The author entered into this covenant without the faintest doubt but that it would be for life.  And at this point in time it has lasted for 62 years so she is positive it was a good commitment.  No one has found a more supportive or encouraging spouse.  Yes, there were those times when the tension ran high - for instance when problems, that are detailed in the book, came and seemed to last forever but a time of stress usually ended up with a closer walk together and more of a realization of how depending on the Lord was extremely important. The book, I've Always Been Rich, explores the feelings and failings of those times. Also, the emotions and frustrations which made for a less than stellar climate in the home.  However, when two strong willed people live together there is bound to come those testing times.  Because two people can't both be right, right?  The author knows that she would not have pursued the many diverse paths of life if she didn't have a husband who would walk/run with her every mile of the way. 
The Book is offered on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, XulonPress.com/bookstore or by contacting me via email at mjrevmom6@aol.com.  I look forward to getting to know you and discussing anything in the book you want more information on.

The author's home for the first 18 years of her life was anything but rich - as far as amenities and aesthetics were concerned.  Plumbing was non-existent and a cook stove served as the meal preparation and heating element.  However, a family needs more than fancy "stuff" to make a house a home.  The underlying foundation of this family was a life lived on the premise that there was a God and that God had a plan for each family member in the house.  However at that point the author could only imagine what  God's plan was. And her imagination was miniscule at that point in time.  However, God,s plan was slowly worked out in a way that was exciting and unexpected, but wonderful.  God has a way of doing just that.  The trip with God is never dull. The author testifies to that.
The order of books has arrived and plans are being made to get God's story in the hands of as many people as possible.  Because of her working with sick and discouraged people the author knows the need to share God's love with  those who do not have a relationship with Him.  The author wants to share this message in a written way with the book or with personal gatherings.
Contact by email: mjrevmom6@aol.com or order books at -

XulonPress.com/bookstore

A picture does not always tell  the whole story.  Several days ago I posted, on Facebook, a new book that had just been published.  The picture was not complete so did not give the "whole story".   I wrote the book and had it published and that is why I shared the picture and some of the details.  The book is a spiritual journey of my life and how God directed it.  I do not call it my book because I see it as a book relating how God worked in my life, he is the main character and he continues that role in my life.  I look forward to sharing insights about the process of writing as well as posting pictures which depict some of  the word pictures found in the book.  The book is being printed, we bought a ton of books so now we will see how God works through this post-publication process.