Laying a Foundation “RMI’s History”

RMI's Publishing History 

NRPH has its roots and inspiration that began almost immediately after Erin met her friend Sue and God began to send women to her to encourage them toward restoration, giving them hope. At first, Erin began giving them a list of all the Bible verses He’d shown her until one day she gave the list to a woman who had never opened a Bible and had no idea how to find the verses.

So Erin borrowed her mother’s electronic computer and began typing out verses from memory. Hence, the first books often mingled both NASB and KJV together. Years later, through online Bible sites like Biblegateway, these are continually being updated and corrected. 🙂

Soon after making multiple copies of the typed-out verses a few women didn’t understand what each verse meant in relationship to their broken relationship. So again Erin got on her mother’s typewriter to type out the verses, while in between writing what the Lord had told her.

Then one evening after a homeschool meeting a woman ran after her, a fellow homeschool mother who she’d noticed had recently lost a lot of weight (Erin knew was a forced infidelity diet). The desperate wife and mother asked for “Erin’s book” so she reached in and handed her a fairly thick manila envelope of the photocopied pages she’d typed out and given to everyone. “No, I need your book” is that the mom said, “Yes, this is what you need,” Erin replied.

A few weeks later this same woman showed up outside Erin’s home telling her she wouldn’t leave until Erin agreed to get it published at a local ministry Mt. Zion Publishing. So she agreed, called, and made an appointment to speak to the pastor. When she arrived she was told that the pastor had been rushed to the hospital that morning. This is when Erin said she “knew” and sensed something was about to happen.

The administrator, Mike, sat down to conduct the meeting but it wasn’t until the very end when God began to implement His plan. Mike first had explained that they never publish “contemporary” or current writers—but instead published books by Mueller and Spurgeon, so it appeared, Erin said, that there was no way they would consider publishing her book. So she stood up and thanked him for his time when Mike said, “Is that your manuscript? May I read it?” referring to the manilla envelope she’d given out to dozens of women. “Yes, I guess so” since Erin didn’t consider it a manuscript because she’d never set out to write a book and handed it to him.

They both sat down again while Mike read through the Table of Contents and acted astonished by the chapter Erin had included that very morning “A Contentious Woman”! Mike said he and a few other pastors had been speaking to a woman who needed this chapter, so again they all stood up and Erin felt this must have been the reason the Lord sent her.

Two weeks later she got a call from the pastor who’d been rushed to the hospital, and he said, “We’d like to publish your book.”

The next hurdle in this race Erin didn’t realize she was running was to get it formatted to be ready for print. And in those days, 1998, plates were made to be used in the letterpress. Large runs of books were printed and stored in a warehouse and shipped. The first shipments of the RYM were sent to every prison in North America. Then added to their free books to missionaries sent around the world.

God used Erin’s oldest son, Dallas, who learned how to format the books, which was very intense and complicated before Print on Demand which just about everyone uses now. The first run was published and almost immediately ran out. Larger and larger runs were printed until Mt. Zion said they could no longer keep up with the demand, saying that this was the most requested book and out-sold all their other books combined.

Yet, what is interesting is that this was headed up by a man of God, Pastor Shelton told Erin on several occasions that he’d never seen such “spiritual opposition” as when printing her books (RYM, mRYM, WW, and WM). Each time they printed a run of book pallets, one or more of the presses or bookbinders, or cutters would shut down. Yet, due to the man of God Pastor Shelton was, he would fast and pray through until they began working again.

Just before the Thiele family was led to move from Pensacola, Florida to Hartville, Missouri Pastor Shelton and Mike his administrator told Erin they could not keep up with the demand as more prisoners and missionaries were requesting free copies.

That's when NarrowRoad Publishing House was established, in 2000 after RMI's first publisher, Mt. Zion, was unable to keep up with the demand of printing the RYM and WW books. Mt. Zion suggested trying to get other Christian publishers to publish these two books that were very much in demand, but they refused stating they were too radical even though these are 99% God's Word taken directly from the Bible.

God used this for good and it's when NRPH was established whereby we are free to not have to change or water down because these books were authored by Him as Erin says she witnessed what God had done—and continues to do for her and others, and what is written in each page of the books NRPH has the honor to publish.

Pictured left to right: Erin, Mike, Mrs. Shelton, Pastor Shelton

*Pastor Shelton was Erin’s spiritual father until he passed away in 2003. They would spend hours discussing the beauty of His Word and all the many things each had seen Him do in their own lives and the lives of others. On several occasions, Pastor Shelton told Erin how in awe he was of RYM. He’d read it several times through and said the only book he could compare it with was Pilgrim’s Progress and he said he simply couldn’t understand how she wove the hundreds of scriptures through in just the way she had. 

Erin would always laugh and say, “That’s because *I* didn’t write the book” and that’s why he was so baffled often quoting 1 Corinthians 1:27, "But God has chosen the foolish things [and me Pastor Shelton] of the world to confound the wise [YOU Pastor Shelton], and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong." Yet he’d still sit pondering how she’d done it. :))

We share this only to prove that GOD wants to use YOU—no matter your talents, no matter your strengths or weaknesses. As a matter of fact, if you know Him as your HH then it’s an advantage as we know from 2 Corinthians 12:9-11, "And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.’”

If you try to do anything in your own strength when working with what He is doing in our NRP, then it will never measure up and you will fail. However, if you rely solely on HIM, working with HIM, allowing HIM to lead you—especially through each and every opposition you’ll face when working and more than likely in your personal life—then HE wants to use you and so do we!!

Wise as Serpents

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Matthew 10:16

“Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.” Matthew 10:16 (MSG)

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16 (NKJV)

If you’ve been working for our ministry in any other capacity, then you may be somewhat familiar with the enemy opposition and attacks. HOWEVER, we believe it’s due to books being printed, which makes the enemy turn up the furnace. Remember what it says in the RYM book: 

What was Jesus' answer when Satan was trying to tempt Him? 

“And Jesus answered him, ‘It is written . . . It is written . . . for it is written . . .’” Luke 4:4–10

We warn our translators to wisely save and send what they’ve translated. We share this testimony with them.

TESTIMONY of the Opposition

The Assemblies of God had translated thousands of books into Spanish when they took on translating the Restore Your Marriage book into Spanish. And what normally would have taken them 3 MONTHS, took them 3 YEARS!!! Over the course of their attempts, they "lost" more than 4 translators who had worked for them (some for more than a dozen years) and also 4 computers that crashed (with several books they’d translated) and were never able to be used again!! The treasures within the books, which of course are the Scriptures, are so powerful that the enemy fought harder against our books than any others—they said even more than some Bible versions, which seems unreal.

No matter what the enemy throws at you, give it back to the Lord and ask Him to make a way through it. If your situation gets worse, REJOICE because it means He is doing more behind the scenes, which is why the enemy is going to try to do what he can to stop you. The enemy may begin to hit you personally, expect it and then again, give it to God and be resolute to continue "no matter what" and I promise you not only will you complete the work, just as Nehemiah did, but you will also see that He has your miracle waiting just past the finish line!

In addition to this testimony, we have just as many of our own. Before some books were printed professionally, we often printed short runs at local large printing companies. Almost every time, without exaggeration, they would never be able to have them printed on the promised completion date. We were told that one copier after another broke down.

What He’s calling you to do is powerful, but with GOD on your side, remaining calm and wise by following what you’ve learned throughout the many years to make it through these difficulties, such as Tithing and sending whatever you’ve completed even if it’s not finished, we assure you that the blessings on you and your family will drench you in joy.

“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38