Friday, June 25, 2010
Sorry for the delay
It has taken me quite awhile to recover from our trip to Pine Ridge! Exhausted isn't even the word! So, here are some pics and I hope you enjoy. We had a wonderful time serving others as a family and I pray that we get to return next year, as it was very hard to leave the kids (as usual) this year! Love, Melissa
Saturday, June 12, 2010
We have arrived!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Well, Lincoln we have arrived!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
SOUTH DAKOTA BOUND
Well, guys we load up Thursday afternoon, pick Jacob up from Synodic camp at 7 p.m. and head to St. Louis. After sleeping in (hopefully), we will drive to Lincoln, Nebraska for one night then head on out to the Rez. Please keep us in your prayers as we go love on the Lakota Sioux children and bring them some hope, love, joy and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so excited and can't wait to share our experiences with you. I plan to blog along the way, Lord willing. Remember two things - I love you, but most importantly, God loves you.
Melissa B.
Melissa B.
Friday, June 4, 2010
The Brevity
Some of you know my story, some of you don't. But it occurred to me this morning that it is really good for us to look back sometimes at where we have been so that we can reevaluate where we are headed. I also believe it is good cleansing for the soul to share where we have been and the things we have dealt with in life. So, with that said, let me give you some background. I was raised in Chattanooga, TN by my stay-at-home Mom and Army serving Dad. My parents sacrificed a lot so that I would be able to attend Christian schools and I am so fortunate for that. My brother and sister were 12 and 10 years older than me and I was the "baby" of the family. From the time that I can remember, I always felt SO much love in my heart for others. I remember thinking that I wasn't normal because I loved people with such a fierce passion. I was also very insecure, due to many different reasons and this eventually led to my "falling in with the bad crowd" during high school. I was a people pleaser and I loved to make people laugh - I wanted them to like me.
When I was 20 years old my Mother suffered a massive heart attack and died. My world was blown apart. I was devastated. We weren't on the best terms when she passed away and this obviously was a crucial point in my life that defined me.......shaped me. I was angry with God and I walked away from Him completely.
Fast forward 5 years and my first child was born. I don't know why, but it has been my observation through the years that the birth of a child brings many "prodigals" back home to Christ. And that is exactly what happened with me. I wanted Christ again, I wanted Him for my children.
Three years ago, my brother (an alcoholic) suffered a fall that left him quadriplegic. He lived in Chattanooga and at this point we were living here in Winchester and thus started an almost year-long process of driving back and forth to try and make sure he was receiving adequate care, etc. It was excruciating. I loved my brother dearly. He had such a sweet heart, but let his addiction rule his words quite often, but God gave me the eyes to always see his heart and not his actions. In 2008 we received a call that my brother had choked while in the nursing home he had just been moved to. He had to be airlifted from that facility to downtown Chattanooga and as a result was without oxygen for over 20 minutes. We rushed to Chattanooga and our family had to make the decision to take him off of life support. As his caregiver, I had to sign the papers to do so. Once again, life changing......life shaping. I held his hand as he died and as he slipped away I wondered once again - "why God?". So, I decided to seek Christ like I had never sought Him before. If God really did love me like his own child then I wanted to know him more about Him, figure out what I believed and get some healing.
And this is why I share this very brief version of my 40 years here on earth - God is good! He IS faithful. He can heal you heart. He can make you whole. He has done it for me - I am living proof. I am a testimony of His love. Is my life perfect? - well, heck no! Do I still struggle with sin and disbelief? - well, yeah! But I have a peace. A peace and joy that surpasses all understanding. And learning about and getting to know my God has brought me to places I thought I would never be. Like taking seminary classes and doing mission trips. I guarantee you no one thought that was where this girl has headed!
So my question for you is this? Have you given God a try? Have you read His Word and tried him out? If so, why not? What would it hurt? For you see, this life is brief. The brevity of it is overwhelming, trust me I have lived it.
When I was 20 years old my Mother suffered a massive heart attack and died. My world was blown apart. I was devastated. We weren't on the best terms when she passed away and this obviously was a crucial point in my life that defined me.......shaped me. I was angry with God and I walked away from Him completely.
Fast forward 5 years and my first child was born. I don't know why, but it has been my observation through the years that the birth of a child brings many "prodigals" back home to Christ. And that is exactly what happened with me. I wanted Christ again, I wanted Him for my children.
Three years ago, my brother (an alcoholic) suffered a fall that left him quadriplegic. He lived in Chattanooga and at this point we were living here in Winchester and thus started an almost year-long process of driving back and forth to try and make sure he was receiving adequate care, etc. It was excruciating. I loved my brother dearly. He had such a sweet heart, but let his addiction rule his words quite often, but God gave me the eyes to always see his heart and not his actions. In 2008 we received a call that my brother had choked while in the nursing home he had just been moved to. He had to be airlifted from that facility to downtown Chattanooga and as a result was without oxygen for over 20 minutes. We rushed to Chattanooga and our family had to make the decision to take him off of life support. As his caregiver, I had to sign the papers to do so. Once again, life changing......life shaping. I held his hand as he died and as he slipped away I wondered once again - "why God?". So, I decided to seek Christ like I had never sought Him before. If God really did love me like his own child then I wanted to know him more about Him, figure out what I believed and get some healing.
And this is why I share this very brief version of my 40 years here on earth - God is good! He IS faithful. He can heal you heart. He can make you whole. He has done it for me - I am living proof. I am a testimony of His love. Is my life perfect? - well, heck no! Do I still struggle with sin and disbelief? - well, yeah! But I have a peace. A peace and joy that surpasses all understanding. And learning about and getting to know my God has brought me to places I thought I would never be. Like taking seminary classes and doing mission trips. I guarantee you no one thought that was where this girl has headed!
So my question for you is this? Have you given God a try? Have you read His Word and tried him out? If so, why not? What would it hurt? For you see, this life is brief. The brevity of it is overwhelming, trust me I have lived it.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Pruning
I was outside today trimming a HUGE out-of-control ornamental grass that grows in our front yard. Those who drive past our house know exactly what I am talking about. ;)
I forgot to cut it back last year like I do every fall and what the plant had become this Spring is really unexplainable. It was just huge stalks of dead leaves and barely any new growth was able to make it through. I had to cut back the big huge tall dead stalks and then get down to the middle of the plant and rake out all the dead and rotted (from all of the rain) dead grass that had become stuck and tangled up in the plant.
WOW - is this not exactly how God works on us if we allow him? We often forget to run to our Savior for confession and repentance and eventually get covered up in our sin to the point that we are just one big stuck and tangled mess with nothing "living" growing from our lives. So, my experience is that we eventually get bogged down by all the dead growth in our life, which produces nothing and give us no joy, and realize that we must do some personal pruning in order to truly live again - to produce the fruits that God would have us produce. God is so faithful to prune us if we honestly go to Him with a realization of our sin, see the sin for what it is and bring it to His feet, lay it down and ask him "Lord, prune me." Not that this has every been an enjoyable experience in my life - no, in fact, it is painful, but on the other side of it, God brings us joy, peace and is then able to work through us to give us new green growth!
Love to you all and I would ask for your prayers for our upcoming trip to South Dakota in 10 days.
Melissa
I forgot to cut it back last year like I do every fall and what the plant had become this Spring is really unexplainable. It was just huge stalks of dead leaves and barely any new growth was able to make it through. I had to cut back the big huge tall dead stalks and then get down to the middle of the plant and rake out all the dead and rotted (from all of the rain) dead grass that had become stuck and tangled up in the plant.
WOW - is this not exactly how God works on us if we allow him? We often forget to run to our Savior for confession and repentance and eventually get covered up in our sin to the point that we are just one big stuck and tangled mess with nothing "living" growing from our lives. So, my experience is that we eventually get bogged down by all the dead growth in our life, which produces nothing and give us no joy, and realize that we must do some personal pruning in order to truly live again - to produce the fruits that God would have us produce. God is so faithful to prune us if we honestly go to Him with a realization of our sin, see the sin for what it is and bring it to His feet, lay it down and ask him "Lord, prune me." Not that this has every been an enjoyable experience in my life - no, in fact, it is painful, but on the other side of it, God brings us joy, peace and is then able to work through us to give us new green growth!
Love to you all and I would ask for your prayers for our upcoming trip to South Dakota in 10 days.
Melissa
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Can you believe the year is almost halfway over??? Time seems to fly by these days.
Want to wish all a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. We are headed to Nashville for a couple of days to celebrate Hudson's 2nd birthday and to do a little swimming. Bring on the sun!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Greatest Commandment
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12: 28-31
Well, folks, it doesn't get much clearer than that. The greatest commandment of ALL is to love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul. After that, we are to love our neighbors (friends, family, all......). Bottom line - there it is. The greatest commandment from God to his followers.
Here is my question to you - if you have given your life over to Christ and professed belief in him, are you following this commandment? Are you loving the Lord with everything you have? ALL of your heart, mind and soul? My friends, we are commanded to - it is not a suggestion. And guess what? God commands this to us for our own good. For you see, after giving him ALL of ourselves, we are in a position of humility, love and obedience for him to bless us and show His favor to us. I encourage you this day, week, weekend, whenever, to go the Lord and confess any areas where you are not loving Him with everything you have. I know that I need to continually ask the Lord where I can be loving Him more. Then, let's commit to making some steps to spending more time in His Word and in prayer. He will take care of the rest. All we have to do is be willing and He will empower you. Then we can begin living the abundant life He came to give!
Well, folks, it doesn't get much clearer than that. The greatest commandment of ALL is to love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul. After that, we are to love our neighbors (friends, family, all......). Bottom line - there it is. The greatest commandment from God to his followers.
Here is my question to you - if you have given your life over to Christ and professed belief in him, are you following this commandment? Are you loving the Lord with everything you have? ALL of your heart, mind and soul? My friends, we are commanded to - it is not a suggestion. And guess what? God commands this to us for our own good. For you see, after giving him ALL of ourselves, we are in a position of humility, love and obedience for him to bless us and show His favor to us. I encourage you this day, week, weekend, whenever, to go the Lord and confess any areas where you are not loving Him with everything you have. I know that I need to continually ask the Lord where I can be loving Him more. Then, let's commit to making some steps to spending more time in His Word and in prayer. He will take care of the rest. All we have to do is be willing and He will empower you. Then we can begin living the abundant life He came to give!
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