Marie's Story

Marie would be the first one to tell you that life is full of disappointments and not to put your hope in anything other than Christ. Well, Christ’s Father, and hers, the Creator of you and me and the universe, sure has a peculiar way of doing things at times. “He’s like the Wizard of Oz — now you see him now you don’t — pulling the ropes with no rhyme or reason. I sure wouldn’t do things the way He does them,” she would say.  It really didn’t matter much to her what He did or where He took her; she loved Him and faithfully followed Him, calling the journey that He took her on, “Mr. Toad’s wild ride out of hell.”

She had searched for Him for a long time, looking for that which would satisfy the emptiness inside. One day she heard there was a guru in Laguna Beach that had what she was looking for. Little did she know that it was Chuck Smith. He told her that she could talk to Jesus and ask Him into her heart. “You mean I can talk to Him and He’ll hear me?” she asked. After years of searching she’d found Jesus, the only one that made any sense. Her life changed drastically. No more iron on Monday, clean on Tuesday, shop on Wednesday, as she would say. She would set the timer every day for fifteen minutes and read her Bible. She wanted to tell everyone about her newfound love. She’d pick up hitchhikers just so she could tell them about Jesus. Once she loaded up a suitcase of Bibles and headed for Wisconsin. She was disappointed that she didn’t save any souls, but God had much bigger plans for her and He didn’t want her getting stuck in a realm that was passing away.

For a short time, she walked closely with Chuck Smith, who was probably the greatest born of woman in our time. Calvary Chapel started in her living room. It wasn’t long and Marie had outgrown the John the Baptist gospel. She knew there was more. She said often, “God put a carrot in front of my nose, like we used to do with the plow mules, and I just kept chasing that carrot.”

As she faithfully followed the one true God, and continued reading His word, He began to reveal Himself more and more. He gave her revelation that went beyond the written word. The word got out. People, mostly hippies, whom she loved, flocked to her house and would sit for hours as she shared this new fresh gospel of the kingdom. She fed them abundantly, both spiritually and physically. From day one, she gave and gave and gave, not only of her time, but the best of whatever she had, whether it be a piece of jewelry, clothing or the best food. The list is endless. She never held anything back from anyone. Her heart was God’s heart and she gave all that He gave her to others, from the least to the most.

She said that she was a Dick and Jane writer but God told her that He would give her the pen of a ready writer. In obedience to Him she began to write. She wrote volumes. Her Words of Life books go around the world. She’s written poems, songs, editorials and thousands of letters to the prisoners. Once again the list goes on.

She pressed on, never shirking that which God had called her to do, and, He continued to take from her. She asked Him, “Can you add, cuz you sure do know how to subtract!” He took the family business, but out of the ashes Piecemakers was born. She was thrust into the business world. Once again, God’s will, not hers. She would much rather be at home baking her world famous apple pies. She saw the evil powers that ruled over the working class and over this so-called land of the free. She said, “We will never become the ‘land of the free’ without first becoming the ‘home of the brave’." She was beyond brave as time after time, she stood against the government entities that sucked the life blood out of the small businesses. She went to jail for standing against the health department and to this day they do not darken the door.

Her seven days in jail opened her eyes to the corruption in our prisons and the horrible mistreatment of our prisoners. After her release she wrote and received letters from her cellmates. She left Orange County Jail but the Holy Spirit stayed behind and like a mighty rushing wind, blew through the prisons and jails across California and states beyond. She personally answered hundreds of letters a week to those she called her “sweetsie babies”.

Marie’s life was an open epistle for all to read. She was a leader, shepherd, example and friend. The joy of the Lord was her strength. Surely goodness and mercy did follow her all the days of her life — and she shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

---Doug Follette---