‘Plant Me Where I Will Bloom!’

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Ralph Martin recently received the following letter from a friend of Renewal Ministries. As he said, it is a “great story of a woman’s journey.” We share it with the hope that it will encourage others to ask the Lord that they too would be “planted in the house of the Lord” (Ps 92: 13). Surely this is a prayer He longs to answer!

Dear Ralph,

I am so thankful for your ministry! You probably remember our wonderful Fr. John Randall of Providence, Rhode Island. He was very special to me. As a child, my mother use to put his radio program on in the house everyday (The Spirit and The Word). I do believe that soaking up that truth every day during childhood had an impact on me.

When I was about nineteen years old (I’m thirty-nine now), I started spending a lot of time at the local Adoration chapel. I was longing to get closer and closer to Jesus! I started asking Him to “plant me where I will bloom!” I wasn’t even quite sure where I had gotten that prayer from, but I kept asking!

Shortly after that, my mother mentioned that a nearby parish was having a Life in the Spirit Seminar. I wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but I knew it was a chance to get closer to Jesus, so I went. It was a turning point in my life; God did begin planting me where I would bloom!

I began meeting with a small group of people guided along with Fr. Randall’s Bethany Discipleship points. Fr. Randall was so formative to me from my childhood—how amazing that he also played such a role in my formation as a young adult! Next to my mother, I would say that he is the person who has had the most influence in my life. My husband and I were married by him. I am so thankful to be able to call on him from heaven to pray for me every day!

Now I am busy on my home front; that’s my place for now! I occasionally get out to a prayer meeting with Don and Pat Turbitt (Renewal Ministries’ country coordinators).

I love listening to you and Sister Ann. It reminds me of listening to Fr. Randall—that truth ringing through that seems to cut right through me! Thank you!!