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!