Kathie bio

Kathie Marxen

Katherine Jean Young was born in the hills of Pennsylvania, a coal miners’ daughter, if you will. She was the middle of her four siblings and was quite adventurous as a child, she was always looking for the next fun thing to do, swinging on monkey vines that were cut to swing out further, climbing trees as high as possible, or building go carts that had to be pushed to make them go. Her family moved often during her childhood years because her father was an alcoholic and not able to hold a job after he left the coal mines. He was forced to move his family sometimes three or four times a year.

Although Kathie’s mother was a devout Christian, there was no godly structure in her home. It was not until much later that she found out that her father was an alcoholic. When she was in the sixth grade there was sexual misconduct that she hid from her family. This placed mistrust and shame in her that would follow her into her adulthood.

Her family moved again in the middle of her seventh grade year to Elizabethtown, PA. In her junior year, her father became more verbally abusive. Kathie became rebellious and defiant of her fathers’ strict orders and went her own way, the wrong way, down a path that lead to an abusive marriage with two children that were not safe. It was at this time that the Lord showed Himself through the Pastor of the church Kathie and her husband attended. With only one egg in the house and two small children she didn’t know how she was to feed them. The Pastor’s wife worked at a restaurant that served PA Dutch cooking and he brought them a huge container of potpie. Kathie knew she had to leave her husband even though she was terrified. As she was ironing one afternoon she started to sing a song that the Lord put in her heart and she sang her freedom. Two days later her husband was charged with a theft and Kathie, with her children, moved back home with her parents. A few years later Kathie was granted total custody of her two children in which time her husband was found an unfit father.

Kathie became promiscuous over the next several years. She became pregnant to someone with whom she was involved and aborted the baby when he told her he did not want it. The relationship ended in anger, confusion and shame.

Kathie met Tom, her present husband and best friend, while they both worked at the Masonic Homes in Elizabethtown. He worked at the orchard and Kathie in the Grand Dining Hall. Tom was the proverbial “boy next door”. They became regulars at the town bar even though Kathie was having flashes of undeniable pangs of guilt because she knew God was not pleased with her actions. This continued throughout the relationship. Kathie attended church with her parents on very few occasions, although her parents took her children with them on Wednesday nights for children’s activities and on Sundays for church services.

Kathie and her two children moved with Tom when they both decided to leave the Masonic Homes. Kathie and Tom moved to Minnesota in 1985.They lived together in St. Peter for one year. In the year of 1986, Kathie became Mrs. Thomas Marxen. Finding resolution to one problem, not realizing there was still more that needed to be resolved. Kathie worked at the Gustavus Adolfus College in St. Peter as a custodian. Tom found a job in Jordan as an assistant orchard manager where he was to assist in tree and fruit care. At this time there were problems with Kathie’s son and at the age of sixteen he left home for good. Kathie, Tom and her daughter moved to Jordan where Kathie began working for the orchard as an apple packer and fruit grader. In 1991, Kathie found out she was pregnant, although she was happy, she was also afraid because Tom had often-stated,” he wanted no children”. When Tom was told he was to become a father, he was happy but scared. One morning as Kathie was watching TV, she came across a Preacher that she heard teaching like she had never heard before. He was preaching on covenant relationships and how God wanted to actually have a relationship with her! Now this was something entirely new to Kathie and she made a commitment to God that this baby would be raised a child of God’s, no matter what. Her sister introduced them to the church she attended and they became “regulars” and got involved with the church. Two years later Kathie and Tom took on the teaching of the toddlers’ class and Kathie realized she had a natural ability in teaching the little ones. She taught the same group of children for four years and they grew up together. Kathie had asked Jesus in her heart at the age of twelve but now realized there was more to it than just asking Him in. She received the power of the Holy Spirit and the ability to speak in tongues. Kathie continued to seek the Lord and grow.

In the spring of 1996 Kathie and Tom moved to Delano where they now reside. Tom’s job was in peril at the orchard and when God threw out a lifeline Tom took it and the new job that came with it. After much debate the couple found a new church through a friend and realized that God’s appointment was at His Present Glory where they are on the Leadership Team and Tom is a Co-Pastor with Pastor Judy Sky. Kathie is an anointed dancer, flag bearer, tambourine player on the Worship team.
Kathie has launched a Children’s Ministry called Bible Boot Camp, where they learn to ”BE ALL YOU CAN BE...FOREVER!” Although she is using a curriculum now, the goal is to train them to be all they can be using several methods such as a puppet ministry, special events, and children ministering to children. To reach, teach,equip and to send out is the main goal in Kathie’s heart.

Kathie is presently going to the Thursday night meetings to get help dealing with the “Old Stuff” she knows is not her and to let God teach her through Godly counsel to be the woman he intended her to be. She has been successful in letting her counsel help her see herself, as she really is, not what she thought she was. She is no longer a slave to shame, anger, self-hatred or carries a bitter resentful attitude towards anyone. Praise God for those he puts in her face!