Testimonials

General Testimonials

“Passionate, committed, and determined to make a difference in the lives of married couples everywhere!  Tom and Marcy Renken are waging a fierce battle on the front lines of the war on marriage and families.  Telling their own story to help other couples know they are not alone and calling them to make a difference in their own little worlds and the Church.”

Chuck Neff – former host of The Inner Life on Relevant Radio
Executive Producer, The Salt River Production Group

It is a pleasure to give a heartfelt endorsement to the ministry of Tom and Marcy Renken. Rarely do we see a lay couple taking as much interest in a ministry, but they are a magnificent exception. As with many of us, their motivation emerges from personal pain coupled with a keen recognition of need. As a professional Marriage and Family Therapist working in this field for almost 35 years I can attest to that need and not just for more counselors and therapist who believe and will support the teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage, but for lay people to step up and fill in the gaps. Ironically, we are living in a day and age where we have never before seen so many people in the mental health industry and yet our society remains broken in countless ways, particularly couples trying to live out the sacred calling of marriage. Psychology as a profession has taken some humanistic turns that place it in contrast and often at odds with the Christian faith as we understand it in the historical teachings of the Church. This is why a ministry like Tom and Marcy’s is just the right antidote for such a time as this. The need could not be greater, especially since our mental health professional associations and the government regulatory agencies are doing their best to limit, if not harness altogether, the efforts of integrative therapists to help couples and families. Tom and Marcy are the real thing, modeling how the grace of God can not only bring healing to a marriage, but transform that marriage into a ministry of encouragement for others.

Dr. Timothy Heck

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Indiana and Colorado

A marriage needs three things in order to flourish: the right spiritual vision, the necessary skills to carry that vision out, and the support of the people who love them and believe in them. Marcy and Tom Renken have been offering couples all three of these necessities for a long time now. Through their wonderfully creative Celebrate Marriage! events and materials, they have brought insight and inspiration (and fun!) to all the married couples they can reach. I’m deeply grateful for their work, and I look forward to their having an even wider impact in the future

Dr. Jim Healy
President, Rooted in Love

[In recognition of their ministry to married couples, Marcy and Tom were given the 2018 Family Ministry Award from Region 7 of the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers.]

Celebrate Marriage Conference

“[I enjoyed the] opportunity to focus on [my] spouse [and] address more openly some matters that we had been dancing through. [You] created the environment to be open and honest.”

Thomas, Married 43 years

“[I most enjoyed] spending time with my husband, learning about each other, [and] meeting other couples. This was a great event and I plan to attend other events in the future.”

Nita, Married 13 years

“[We enjoyed the] chance to spend quality time with my spouse answering questions and sharing how we feel about each other.”

Anonymous

“[We appreciated the] opportunity to improve our marriage through dialogue. [We also appreciated] learning about our own language of love and that of our spouse.”

Gene, Married 24 years