Rick Renner - Unlikely

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Unlikely
Our Faith-Filled Journey to the Ends of the Earth
ISBN: 978-1-68031-787-9
eBook: 978-1-68031-788-6

Copyright 2021 by Rick Renner
P. O. Box 702040
Tulsa, OK 74170-2040

Published in Partnership:
Harrison House
Shippensburg, PA 17257-2914
www.harrisonhouse.com

Rick Renner Ministries
Tulsa, OK 74170

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Editorial Consultant: Rebecca L. Gilbert
Cover Design: Jennifer Grisham
Text Design: Lisa Simpson, www.SimpsonProductions.net
Photo Layout: Debbie Pullman, Zoe Life Creative Media,
www.ZoeLifeCreative.com

Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the Publisher.

DEDICATION

As I finished writing this autobiography and prayed about to whom I should dedicate it, I felt it was right to dedicate this book to the various kinds of partners who have played influential roles in different seasons over many years of our lives and ministry.

My English dictionary says that a partner is one who is associated with another; a person with whom one shares a relationship; either of two persons who dance together; one of two or more persons who play together in a game against an opposing side; one who is a member of a partnership, especially in a joint venture; one of the heavy timbers that strengthen a ships deck to support a mast; or, simply, one who is a sharer in something with someone else.

In the following paragraphs, you will see that I describe six categories of partners who have been associated with us in some way: those who have shared some level of influential role or relationship with us at different times; who have danced with us closely through some interesting seasons; who have played, worked, and strategized with us against opposing forces of darkness so we could take new territory for Gods Kingdom; who have been real-life members together in our joint venture; who have been like a heavy timber of strong support whose prayers, gifts, and lives have strengthened our spiritual masts so we could keep sailing; and who will share eternally in the fruit that has been reaped over the years by this ministry.

First and foremost, I dedicate this book to my most important partner in life Jesus. It was Jesus who called me before the foundation of the world; who separated me from my mothers womb; who saw to it that I was raised in a godly home and church; who saved me and baptized me in the Holy Spirit; who directed every step of my earlier life; who led me to the right places at the right times; who gave Denise to me as a treasured lifelong partner; who blessed our lives with three godly sons, three godly daughters-in-law, and eight godly grandchildren; who has healed, delivered, and set me free more times than I can remember; and who led our family to the far side of the world to help us swing the harvest sickle for an amazing end-time ingathering.

As Paul said in First Corinthians 3:7, I, too, can say that we have planted with others and have worked very hard but God, our Chief Partner, is the only One who could give the increase. To Him be all the glory.

Second, I dedicate this book to those who influenced me along the way in life. There are so many that I cannot list them all. But Im talking about family, friends, church members, pastors, co-workers, teachers, and the list goes on and on. Each of them made significant contributions that helped fashion who I am today. From those who first held me in the nursery of the church to those who influence and inspire me today, I am so thankful.

Third, I dedicate this book to our parents, to our families, to Denise, and to our sons. Denise and I were both blessed with marvelous and godly parents who taught us many important lessons that prepared us for life and ministry. Like planting seed, they poured themselves and the Word of God into us, and all that we have done over the years is in part due to our parents influential roles in our lives. Our families likewise have always been supportive voices as we have done our best to do what God has called us to do. Their agape love for us is a treasure that we do not take for granted.

Of course, I am eternally thankful to God for my wife Denise, a true lifetime partner, who has stood at my side in every season of life and who has fought every battle alongside me and our sons as we have given our lives for Gods call. And Paul, Philip, and Joel are not only birth sons, but they are our spiritual sons and co-laborers in the vineyard. I am so thankful for the call of God on their own lives and for their willingness to do whatever Jesus has asked them to do in the ministry.

Fourth, I dedicate this book to our partners who have given sacrificially over many years to help us fulfill Gods mandate on our lives and ministry. Denise and I, our sons, and our team were willing to do the work on the front lines, but our faithful partners have sowed their prayers of faith and their finances for this remarkable work to be done. Every line of this story is underscored with the financial gifts of people who generously and consistently gave their hard-earned money as offerings for this ministry to take place. We have literally worked hand in hand with them, and they are partners with us in the truest sense of the word. When we stand before Jesus, our partners will be richly rewarded for the fruit that was produced as a result of their giving.

Fifth, I dedicate this book to the team members who have faithfully served alongside us. For everything that has been accomplished, there has been a team of God-called people who have stood with us also embracing Gods call on our lives. They have been right at our sides to fight every battle we have faced, to charge the enemy when needed, to advance by faith to take new territory, and to stand in faith and prayer with us through every step of this journey. God has enabled us to do a lot, but we have not done anything without them at our sides.

Sixth, I dedicate this book to believers who suffered in years past or who gave their lives in the USSR for the Gospel. In John 4:38, Jesus said, I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. Before our time in the lands of the former USSR, there was a generation of persecuted believers who sowed the first seeds for this move of God with their prayers and, for many, in the giving of their very lives. Those seeds eventually produced the harvest we are experiencing today. As those previous generations lay in prisons and even died, they stood in faith and prayed for a day to come when the Gospel would be freely preached. We are standing in the manifestation of their prayers and faith. In this sense, we have been partners with those heroes from the past who have taken their seats in the grandstands of Heaven.