Basin resident shares how he found peace

WORLAND - After going on what some would call a turbulent journey, Jim Rannells of Basin found true peace.

In his first book, "A Peace That Passes All Understanding," Rannells' takes the reader through his journey that began with the death of his son, Larry, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

His son's death and Rannells journey to find peace began in 1995. While the journey continues, Rannells began the process of writing his first book in November 2016. "It took me a full year to finish it, get it edited" and published, Rannells said. He selected Westbow Press, who handles Christian authors and book exclusively.

"I have established a peace but it wanes at times. The trials of life will wane that peace, but I found the answer of how to find my way back, immediately, or whenever I get over my temper tantrum. I have found a way to preserve that peace," Rannells said.

Why a book, 21 years after his son's death?

"I had had this idea, not necessarily a book. I used to journal a lot, and I still do somewhat. There was a story somewhat coming together. I do believe God led me to it. 'OK you're ready for a book," Rannells said. "That was not something I ever envisioned prior [to his retirement]."

When he started the book, it led him back to the horrid memories, not only of his son's death, but also his wife's death from an illness, and through the period in his life where he describes himself as a selfish "jerk."

"God brought me through that. He caused me to remember what it felt like that at that moment that my son died. Working forward it was simpler to bring up those old memories. What I felt like the day after, the day after, the day after, the day after that. It all came together as a message," he said.

WRITING THE BOOK

Rannells said he never pictured himself as an author after retiring from MI SWACO but he enjoyed the process that he wants to learn more about the "art of authoring."

When he started "A Peace That Passes All Understanding," he set a goal of about 1,500 words a week. "I kept to that goal, some weeks I made more, some weeks I made less."

He said he had trouble at the beginning getting a theme, working on three or four before ending up with the theme that started each chapter with a verse and expounding on that. "I started some other approaches but that approach seemed to work the best and that's what I followed through with.," Rannells said. "Explaining the verse in my understanding and my beliefs and what it brought to me. Because I do believe the Bible has a lot of promises. A lot of pastors talk about promises of the Bible and each one of those verses that I start a chapter is a promise basically."

Chapter 1, "Hitting the very bottom of my life," begins with 2 Corinthians 5:17 in The Living Bible translation, "When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand-new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!."

The final chapter, chapter 15, "Trusting in the sovereignty of God," begins with Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."

He said he wasn't sure he had a message when he first began writing but then came to the realization, "I guess this applies to everybody. It can apply, or people can relate."

He said he realizes some people have probably gone through worse things than he did but "I have this peace that I'm wanting to tell people about. I think that my side note to tell people is always journal, because you don't know where you are until you look at where you've been."

Throughout the book Rannells notes instances when God was there for him during his struggles and tragedies, but he admits he didn't necessarily see God in those instances at the time, but rather saw it when reflecting upon his life.

He said people like to categorize a lot of things to chance and don't always recognize God's miracles but if you take the time you can see the good in things if you look for it.

"I was suffering from loss, a huge loss, but God said 'look at this," Rannells said before relating the story in his book about a 2-year-old boy who attended his son's funeral and was going down the aisles wiping people's tears away.

"I thought there is God, showing up in His little ways. Everybody at the funeral, it was at the Basin gym, everyone at the funeral had to smile. For a moment the sadness was lost. You cannot let a tragedy hold your mind. You've got to look for the good in things."

Rannells, as he did in chapter 5, cited Romans 5:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose."

He said, "I do believe you can really see God in so much if you look hard enough."

Rannells said his family has been supportive of his writing journey, noting his wife Marti, and his daughter have been his biggest supporters. His daughter Dawn, he noted, went through the same tragedies of losing a brother and her mother.

The peace, he said comes in putting your faith in God, even when you don't have all the answers.

He said he realized "with Christ" he has realized why God allowed the tragedies in his life.

"It goes back to 'all things work together for good,'" Rannells said.

PRAYER IS NEXT

Writing "is such an interesting field," Rannells said, adding that he has about 5,000 words written on his next novel about prayer.

As for his next book, Rannells said it doesn't follow the same exact theme of developing upon a verse at the start of each chapter.

He said at the age of 66, "I'm learning something new."

But writing is something that's not really new to Rannells, who prefers to write hand-written letters. He said for many years he wrote his daughter a letter a week, or two weeks. In addition to writing his daughter, he also writes to about 20 people on a regular basis.

Another new thing is painting, as Rannells is also painting the cover for the new book, a painting of the traditional praying hands.

No matter what's next for Rannells in his life, he knows there is peace.