In new memoir, Ralph Martin shares 'behind the scenes' stories of God's work

Local evangelist, author and professor hopes 'A Life in the Spirit' helps readers redouble their commitment, trust in Jesus

ANN ARBOR — After a lifetime devoted to evangelization, it’s easy for people to think they know everything about Ralph Martin. His decades-long career is marked by nearly two dozen books, a prominent role in the Charismatic renewal both in the United States and Europe, as founder and president of Renewal Ministries, and a longtime professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.

However, Martin's latest book, "A Life in the Spirit: A Memoir," published in September, gives readers the opportunity to learn more about Martin’s 50-year journey of faith, from rediscovering his faith and recommitting his life to Christ in college until the present day.

“I think there is a lot (in the book) that will surprise people because I have never spoken about some of these things,” Martin told Detroit Catholic. “There were a lot of things going on behind the scenes besides the public events.”

Martin said he has reminisced and “marveled” about his college-age conversion and where it led, and in recent years has begun sharing more anecdotes about his life.

It was apologist and theologian Scott Hahn who ultimately encouraged Martin to write his memoir.

“Scott said, 'You really need to write your memoir,'” Martin said. “You’ve seen things happen in the Church. You’ve lived in Rome, you've lived in Belgium, and you’ve seen the charismatic Catholic renewal happen.”

The last time Martin wrote about his life and conversion was in the 1970s; now, in his 80s, he has the benefit of hindsight looking back at the 50 years following the commitment he made to the Lord in his final days of college at the University of Notre Dame.

It was at the end of a retreat Martin attended during his senior year at Notre Dame when the leaders asked him what he had gained.

“I remember what I said: ‘I want to spend the rest of my life knowing and loving the Lord and helping other people know and love him, too,’” Martin recalled. “And honestly, that is the rest of the story; that's the thread that runs throughout. That's why I have done everything that I’ve done, and I have nothing more profound to tell people than Jesus Christ is the Lord, and that contains everything in it.”

Martin said his story contains ups and downs, disappointments, suffering, adventure, and highs and lows. It includes a 50-year marriage to his wife, Anne, and his family life with six children and now 19 grandchildren.

Through it all, Martin said he can see the hand of the Lord guiding and writing his story, and he hopes others see that as well.

“You know the Lord is leading you and guiding, and I hope that people who read the book come away with an increased sense about how the hands of the Lord are on them, leading them, and guiding them and wanting, through the various things in life, to bring them closer to himself and more fully into their vocation and mission,” Martin said. “I hope they take away that you really have got to believe what the Lord says and that what He says really is true and really is important.”

Martin said he ran the memoir's content by his children and wife before publication, which led to interesting discussions and the occasional veto, he said.

In the book, Martin includes a story from when Anne, then his fiancée, was a senior at the University of Michigan while he worked in campus ministry.

“I was living with three guys above Campus Corner Drugstore, and I remember sitting on the floor of our apartment and saying, ‘How is this going to work, Lord? I have a part-time job, and I am getting married,’” Martin said. “And I felt like the Lord gave me a Scripture passage that has really been the foundation of our marriage:

The unbelievers are always worried about what they are going to eat, what they are going to drink, and what they are going to wear, but I say to you, seek first the kingdom of God and his holiness, and the rest will be added as well because your heavenly father knows you need these things (Luke 12).

“This isn’t the prosperity gospel, but this is a solid promise from Jesus that if we put him first in our lives, he’s going to take care of us," Martin said. "He’s going to give us what we need to fulfill the purpose for which he created us.”

Martin said that lesson has stuck with him in the five decades since.

“That’s just been tremendously important and tremendously personal,” Martin continued. “And time and time again in our marriage and family life, we have had to return to that when difficult things were happening and just remember to trust the Lord and believe his promise — His word is true, and His promise is reliable.”

Martin said the process of writing his memoir was less rigorous than that of his usual research-heavy books, but he felt the Lord guiding his hand throughout.

“I don’t consider myself a writer; when the Lord gives me an inspiration and says ‘I want you to do something with this,’ I will do it,” Martin said. “I hope that people who read the book will redouble their commitment to the Lord, redouble their trust and confidence in Him, or redouble their gratitude to Him that they even know Him and He called them to come and follow Him.”