About Marilyn

Marilyn Heavilin is a woman with a love for the Word, and God has gifted her with an ability to express what she has learned from the Bible in a practical, entertaining, and common sense fashion. Her obvious love for people is disarming and her teaching style is distinctive. Marilyn has trained her heart to listen to the heart of God. She has the ability to inspire men and women to seek a deeper knowledge of God's Word and to develop an intimate relationship with God.

Marilyn is a popular conference and retreat speaker. She
frequently teaches seminars to train people to become effective speakers and leaders and has also spoken at several writers' conferences. She speaks at churches, Christian conference centers, hospitals and universities across the country. Her topics range from developing a satisfying prayer life, to marriage, to parenting, to helping the hurting. Marilyn is the founder of her ministry, LISTENING HEARTS.

Marilyn's Life

Personal

Marilyn Willet Heavilin was born in Flint, Michigan. After high school graduation, she attended Taylor University in Upland, Indiana for two years. In 1958 she married Glen Heavilin and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana.

In 1964, Marilyn's third child, Jimmy, died of crib death when he was seven weeks old. Twin sons, Nathan and Ethan were born on Christmas Day, 1965. On January 5th, 1966 Ethan died of pneumonia.

Marilyn, her husband Glen, and their three children, Matthew, Mellyn, and Nathan, moved to San Bernardino, California to join the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ. While on staff Marilyn served as secretary to Dr. Bill Bright. The Heavilins left staff in 1971 and Marilyn spent the next several years as a full time wife and mother.

In 1980 she received her BA degree in Liberal Arts from California State University, and has worked on her masters in counselor education at the University of Redlands.

On February 10th, 1983, Glen and Marilyn's son Nathan was killed by a drunk driver. Nathan was 17. The Heavilin's son Matthew is married and the father of three children; their daughter Mellyn is married and the mother of one son.

From 1981 to 1985 Marilyn served as the academic counselor and English teacher at Arrowhead Christian Academy, a private high school in Redlands, California.

Marilyn began to pursue a career in public speaking in 1984 and has pursued that full time since 1986. Her first book, Roses In December, was published in 1987 and since that time she has written and published four other books, December's Song, Becoming a Woman of Honor, When Your Dreams Die, and I'm Listening, Lord. She has recently co-authored Grief Is a Family Affair with her son Matt.

Spiritual

Marilyn received Jesus Christ as her personal savior when she was a small child at a Missionary church in Flint, Michigan and was raised in a Conservative Baptist Church. Her husband and she have attended several Baptist churches, an independent Bible church, and an Evangelical Free church, and are now active members of an independent Congregational church in Redlands, California.

Vocational

Marilyn frequently speaks at women's events and women's retreats from various denominations. She has also been invited to give the Sunday message in churches of many denominations and she has spoken on the topics of prayer, marriage, family, and grief to mixed audiences.

Marilyn frequently speaks for Sandy Cove conference Center in Northeast, Maryland, for women's conferences sponsored by Moody Bible Institute, at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, and for writers, speakers, and leaders conferences around the country.

She often speaks at seminars to help those who are experiencing grief or at conferences to train people who help those who are hurting. In 1994 Marilyn spoke at the first International Gathering of the Compassionate Friends in Birmingham, England, and in 1997 she was a keynote speaker for the international conference of The Compassionate Friends in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1999, Marilyn, her husband Glen, and her son Matt presented the keynote program for the thirtieth anniversary of TCF in Birmingham, England. They also presented this program for the national TCF conference in Chicago in 2000.

References

Christ Centered Teaching

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee" (Isaiah 26:3).

Marilyn received Jesus Christ as her personal Savior when she was a small child. Marilyn has a rich heritage of coming from generations of Christians and having been raised in a Christian home. She has had the privilege of studying under great men and women of the faith and God has taught her how to absorb that teaching, apply it in her own life, and then pass it on to those who cross her path.

Marilyn and her husband Glen enjoy sharing together at conferences for married couples.

Experience

Marilyn joined the Speakers' Bureau for MADD after Nathan's death in 1983 and became one of their most often requested presenters. She has spoken to hundreds of teens, encouraging them not to drink and drive.

Marilyn has been a speaker at nine national conferences of The Compassionate Friends, a presenter at two International Gatherings in Birmingham, England, and a presenter at many TCF regional conferences since 1986.

Marilyn served with CLASS (Christian Leaders, Artists, and Speakers Services) for nine years and helped train people to become effective speakers and leaders.

She is also an active member of PEO and ADEC, and travels every year speaking at Christian women's conferences, leadership training seminars, writers' conferences, and hospitals and bereavement conferences.

Marilyn has been on the speaking circuit since 1984 and has spoken throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the United Kingdom.