As Christians, we are followers of Christ but are our relationships centered around Him as well? Today's guest T. Renee Keys shares her testimony about how her relationship with Christ caused division and strife in her marriage and how that experience helped her learn how to build Christ-centered relationships and start her ministry Encourage Ministry.
T. Renée Keys is the founder of Encourage Ministry. Her marriage was a blessing in the beginning, then life changed. She knew Jesus, but that brought tension in her marriage. Because of her relationship with Christ, it was good and bad. The good part was He gave her strength when the challenges of marriage and life came. The bad part was because I knew and served Jesus I was accused of putting a man (Christ), before my husband. She never viewed Christ as someone to cause division, but no matter how she tried to explain, it was a disagreement. Encourage Ministry was birth from those challenges.
God told her to create Encourage Ministry 2004, she didn’t believe it because was still going through difficulties in her marriage. Twelve years later, she is divorced, has suffered medical conditions, survived Hurricane Harvey, and lost her mom. But God is still a sustainer.
The ministry was officially formed in October 2008 and has grown strong in the community. Currently, they are meeting on Zoom every 2nd Saturday of the month. They have: Ministered at Nursing Home facilities, Prisons, Women Shelters, Organized, and participated in Food/Clothing drives. For the 20/21 school year, they created and passed out face masks, gloves, sanitizer to youth of all ages. Their theme for 2020 was relationships this month. For 2021 the theme is Food for The Soul.
T. Renee Keys is from Liberty, Texas. She moved to Houston in 1985 and has worked in the banking industry for almost 20 years.
Interview Highlights
* Renee defines Christ-centered relationships.
* “We are supposed to be dedicated to Christ in all our ways, five areas: our personal life, our family life, our job, our community, our church life.” – T. Renee Keys
* Renee shares how Christ became a source of tension in her marriage.
* “Somehow in his mind he began to see Jesus as a man.” - T. Renee Keys
* Renee shares how she was inspired to start Encourage Ministry.
* “I’m in hell so what can I tell the next person.” - T. Renee Keys
* Renee shares advice for wives who are experiencing tension in their marriage because of their relationship with Christ.
* “I was so consumed with trying to make things work that I lost who I was in God.” - T. Renee Keys
* “Do what God says because all we can see is the float right in front of you, but He can see the whole parade.” - T. Renee Keys
* Renee shares tips to build Christ-centered relationships with others.
* “Don’t count out the small people.” - T. Renee Keys
* Renee shares more about Encourage Ministry.
* “We’re just here to walk with you as you go through what God has for you.” - T. Renee Keys
Relevant Links & Resources
Connect with Renee at encouragemin09@yahoo.com, encourageministry.org, 281-702-2701 Facebook: @Encourage Ministry
Follow this podcast on Instagram @wearethechurch_podcast.
Learn more about your host Sherry Jones at https://linktr.ee/sherryspeakslife.
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Take care, be safe, be blessed, and remember, the church is not a building. We are the church!
