My name is Rena Marconi, and I am taking online Biblical classes at Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). I grew up in a small country town in western Pennsylvania. I grew up in a loving, close-knit family. A large extended family was the core of our lives. My mother was Japanese, and my dad was an American soldier. I was not raised in a Christian home. However, my family had strong moral standards and love for one another. My mother dropped us off at church every Sunday when we were little. I enjoyed it a lot. In my teen years, I strayed and looked to find something to “fill the void” I experienced. I started partying and experimenting with drugs. However, none of these gave me any fulfillment.
Meeting My Husband and God
I met my husband when I was 22. We joined a church in our small town. The pastor taught the word of God to a level where it was so relatable. For the first time, I started to understand what God was saying. We both had a hunger for the Word and attended regularly. A year later, in 1984, the pastor married us. Then another church called our pastor to minister in another town. We searched for the same teaching in other churches and could not find it.
In 1988, my husband took a new job, and we moved to Florida. In 1990, we joined Amway – a multi-level marketing business started by Rich DeVos and Jay VanAndel. We became involved with a devoted “on fire” for the Lord up line. It was at an Amway weekend convention that I gave my life to the Lord. I finally had the “void” in my life filled! We found a great church that we plugged into.
Our Family
Years later, we adopted two beautiful children! The Lord placed it on our hearts to homeschool. Again, God was so faithful to provide us with an umbrella school. Over 100 other Christian home-schooled families, pastors, and missionaries helped us teach and raise our children. It was quite the journey. Both children graduated, our daughter is working as a carpenter with her dad, and our son earned a degree in multi-cultural studies and Biblical theology to serve in missionary work.
Online Biblical Classes at CLI
We have found a Bible-teaching church that continues to grow us in areas we never knew. I started a ladies’ Bible study several years back and have been blessed by the relationships that have come from it. Seeing how God is working in all our lives has encouraged me to dig deeper into the Word of God.
Since then, I started the online Biblical classes at Christian Leaders Institute, wanting to get a firmer foundation in truth and faith. I searched and prayed for solid Biblical yet affordable classes to continue my studies. CLI online is just that. I am excited to get deeper into the studies and continue to grow and learn. I desire to help others who have the “void” that only God’s love and a relationship with Jesus can fill.
