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Introduction

Over the course of writing articles for the Carroll County Times and meeting new people
along with many of my old friends, requests have come to me through emails, phone
calls, and just person-to-person chats, that I put together a book with all my old articles
submitted to the newspaper. Going just a step further, I would like to tell some of my
upbringing in Baltimore and events in my life that led me to where I am now.

I grew up in Baltimore City in a row house with those white marble steps. My

family, while not overly religious, provided me with a strict Christian
upbringing, even though we did not attend church. The Bible was read at home where
honesty, truthfulness, and respect for each individual was practiced.

My family was also entrepreneurial. I remember from a young age accepting
challenges to raise money for the charitable causes of the day (March of Dimes, Heart
Assoc, etc.) Working for the betterment of the people and their lives I touched gave me
much pleasure, a learned trait practiced by my parents. After raising two wonderful
children, I began obtaining my college degree while working at full time jobs. I’ve
always believed God was leading me along my journey. Two people have greatly
influenced my delving into a more spiritual realm. Robert Schuller’s weekly messages
at the Crystal Cathedral brought me through some hard, disappointing times. When my
mother was ill, Joyce Meyer’s words on the radio, “Do you want to have back bone, or
wish bone.” Woke me out of any passive behavior, clearing my mind and giving me total
trust in my creator. I began attended the United Methodist Church weekly and joined all
of their classes: Steven’s Ministry, Local Pastor School at West River, Prison Ministry,
and was appointed Baltimore West District Lay Leader. My expertise in fund raising
lead to my being appointed to lead many big fund raising events.

As soon as I received my B.S college degree from Lancaster Bible College in
Pennsylvania, to my surprise, I was immediately appointed to my first church as their
pastor. It was during those years, beginning 2005, I began writing a monthly religious
column for the Carroll County Times under my own byline Rev. Ellin M. Dize.

After I retired as minister, God was not through with me. A voice began calling my
name and leading me to a book, “A Course in Miracles”. Reading the book was very
difficult for me and I was lead to a group practicing this spiritual mind-changing system.
As soon as I met this spiritual group and listened to them discuss “A Course in Miracles”,
paragraph by paragraph, I knew these were my people; I had come home. They were:
intelligent, open-minded, honest, caring, sincere, accepting, and inclusive. My
entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and I formed a non profit NRS (501c) and started building
groups in my area so others could hear this miraculous message.