Unshaken

Over the past week I have had many people ask me how I have remained so positive during the health issues I have been facing.   I sat down tonight and tried to put some thought into that.    Why have I not been fearful?   Why am I not spending time worrying about the outcome?   Let me tell you why.   I BELIEVE God.   Very simple.  I believe His Word and I believe in Him.

Let me tell you, getting to this place in my life has been a long hard road - and it came at some very big expenses and tolls on my marriage and family, but I wouldn't trade it for the world, because this is what I know - God is faithful.   No matter the outcome, He has a plan for you and for me!   So tonight I leave with you two passages of Scripture that are dear to me and I also pray that if you are feeling discouraged or down-trodden, that you turn you eyes upon Jesus.  Call upon Him.  He will answer - I promise.

II Corinthians  4:8 
We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair;  we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed.


Psalm 62: 1-8
¹ My soul finds rest in God alone;
       my salvation comes from him.


 ² He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

 ³ How long will you assault a man?
       Would all of you throw him down—
       this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

 ⁴ They fully intend to topple him
       from his lofty place;
       they take delight in lies.
       With their mouths they bless,
       but in their hearts they curse.
       Selah

 ⁵ Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
       my hope comes from him.

 ⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

 ⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God ^[a] ;
       he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

 ⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people;
       pour out your hearts to him,
       for God is our refuge. 
       Selah

The Day God Whacked Me Over the Head! :)

So, in my usual hurried state, I left work last Friday at 1 p.m. got into my car to head to get some lunch for the kids and then rush home to start work at my second job by 2 p.m.   I got into the car, started it, drove to the edge of the parking lot to pull out onto the main road here in Winchester and BAM - cold sweat drenched my body, I felt like I was going to throw up, and the my left arm went completely tingly and partially numb.   WOW - let me tell you it was a scary feeling.  I immediately called Chris and stayed on the phone with him until I could drive myself to our home.    I went inside, told Abby something was not right and asked her to call her Dad back while I changed into more comfortable clothes and tried to lie down.   Chris in turn called my Dad and he came over and immediately took me to the hospital.  While at the E.R. I felt worse and thought I was going to pass out and also noticed that my left leg then went tingly and numb and that I was having trouble talking.  The left side of my face was drooping.   It was at that point I looked at my Dad and said "Daddy I am scared I might be having a stroke" and he replied with "yes, I think so too, but I didn't want to say anything."    I was monitored and given Ativan (in case it was an anxiety attack), taken for a CT scan and had an EKG - all results were normal, but still things were not right.  I was admitted to the hospital for monitoring overnight and then released the next day on a regimen of aspirin until I can get into a local cardiologist.  It was decided that I had suffered a TIA - even though they are fairly rare at my age and I don't have many of the factors that would predispose me to such an event.   A TIA is sort of a "warning stroke" - many people call them "mini-strokes".   They manifest all symptoms of a stroke, but do not cause any actual tissue damage in the brain - which is a very good thing.  Bad thing is that most people who suffer one, have a very high risk of suffering an actual stroke within the next year - sometimes within the next week.  

Now on a positive note - God has been so faithful to show me many things this past weekend as I have had the time to quietly listen and seek His voice.   I knew I needed to slow down.  Actually I had already withdrawn from most of my volunteer work at church and was looking at ways to minimize my work a little in order to lessen my stress.  With a husband who travels and 3 kids, it is very hard to hold down 2 jobs and manage the children's coming and goings to school and sport activities.   For those of you who know me well, you have probably heard me say over the past 6 months that I have been trying to discern God's will for me right now and where he wants me in ministry.  You have also heard me say many times "I wish he would write in on a big white board in the sky for me so I didn't have to try and figure it out on my own"!   HA!  It occurred to me as I was sitting with a dear friend on my porch yesterday morning, that he did just what I asked Him to do - only He wrote it on the white board and then whacked me over the head with it!  I love it! It made me laugh out loud.  You see, I am a fairly strong willed person and although I had been trying to lower my activity level and slow down in order to figure out where God needs me to serve him, I was only slowing down "just enough" to suit myself and still be able to do the things I wanted to do.   Well, my friends, it seems God has something entirely different in order for my life.   So, as I sit here this morning with time to blog, I ask for your prayers for my physical recovery but most importantly that I will now sit quietly and listen to what God has for me to do and obey His call WHEREVER it may be He is leading me.   He is so faithful and good to us and He knew exactly what it would take for Melissa to stop and listen.    So, I sit quietly before Him this morning and listen and wait upon Him to speak........

That feeling....

Is it only me or does this time of year evoke a feeling of new beginnings?  As the kids start their preparations of going back to school and we get all our supplies in order, I always feel the need to clean, organize and get a calendar together  detailing all our different schedules.    It makes me feel like somehow in control of what the school year brings.  

Control......what a word.    Let's think about control -

God is ultimately in control..........
We can't control other people - nor should we have the desire to.......
We can't control many circumstances, i.e. sickness, death, etc.......

But there is one thing that we are called to control and that is ourselves.   We are to have control over our own bodies and minds.    We are to control our anger, our eating, our drinking, and especially our tongues.   So, as we start this school year off tomorrow, I am making it my goal to to focus on controlling my situations or those around me - my husbands, my kids, etc., but to concentrate on what Christ tells me to concentrate on:   SELF-CONTROL.   Many people are in places of bitterness, resentment, anger or depression because they try to control things that are out of their control.  Wives want to change their husbands.  Moms want to change their kids.   Husbands want to change their wives.   Then, when this doesn't work, people are left wondering why.    The reason is because we are called only to control ourselves.    Today I encourage us all to take a look at our own lives and see what we might to be rein back into control.  Whatever it is, there is one things that remains true - through Christ we can bring our lives back into order and back under control.   His grace is never ending!    Thank you God!

"Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city."

It's That Time of Year

Well my friends, school is getting ready to start back up and I think we are just about prepared here at the Brown House, except for the fact that I have been "itching" to get  more organized!   This is usually where I call in my sister, but this year I think I am going to try and do this thing myself.   I am looking for ideas on how to get my laundry done more efficiently and sorted and distributed to all three kids in a more organized manner.  After it gets to their room, it's their problem!  :)    I am also looking for weekly menu ideas and lunch ideas for the kids to take to school.  If you have any ideas, please share them with me!

On a deeper level, we are in the midst of making some decisions regarding our church and whether or not the Lord may be calling us to another place of worship.  Please be in prayer for our family as this is a very big decision for us and not one that we take lightly.   As we step out in faith regarding the calling God has on our family and how we are to be serving him, I would ask that you be in prayer for us - that we will hear God's voice clearly on this subject.   This I know, my God is faithful and has a wonderful plan for our lives and that is what I am standing on today.     Love - Melissa

Fall Bible Study Announcement

Ladies,

It was decided at last night's meeting that we would continue meeting this Fall on Tuesday nights at my house at 7 p.m.    Below is a link to the book I was talking about - 'Life's Healing Choices'.   This is a book and study guide combination which I can purchase through Amazon for about $23.00 per person.   It is an 8 week study and an 8 week commitment on working towards healing in any area of your life in which you struggle.   This is a great opportunity to invite a friend and also a great opportunity to not only get healing, but also train ourselves how to help others in difficult situations.   

http://books.google.com/books?id=JpvFmietwI0C&dq=life's+healing+choices+by+john+baker&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=6TZQTJChBJHY8gaizsjVAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CFIQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

If you are interested in joining our group this Fall, please email me or call me at 931.307.0760 and let me know for sure that you will be attending so that I can make sure and purchase enough books.   Our first meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 31st!

Feel free to forward this email to anyone you think may be interested in joining our group this Fall.    I will say this, this small group of ladies has truly been a blessing in my life and I pray that you would consider joining us as we press forward in growing to be more like Christ.  

How Are We Supposed to Speak??

What does God say to us about how we speak, yes that means in our homes, to our family, to everyone else around us?    Well, here is a little blerb I found.   And guess what, God means what He says in the Bible.  Sometimes I think one of the biggest sins we deal with his how we speak.    Does your life speak words of life or death?


Speak to edify. In the same Bible verse 8 of Philippians 4, Paul says that we should speak words of virtue. Virtuous words are words of excellence and value, words that produce good fruits, that build up the speaker, listener and everyone else.

Speak words of praise ---- words that praise the great works of God. Talk about His great creation in all of his wonderful glory. Talk about God's Work on earth today ---- the Work that's spreading the good news of the Kingdom of God. Speak words of praise about the good in other people. Encourage others to do their best. Comfort other people when they are discouraged.

In short, use your tongue to bring life ---- not death!

Finally, I have the chance for a quick post!   We have been sick, been doing the summer stuff and just living the crazy life and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!  

I have been mulling over some things as of late, the primary thing being that we MUST start living the Christian life out through LOVE.   It is the number one commandment - to love the Lord with all your heart and soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself.   I find that so many people call themselves Christians and do the "church" thing but aren't truly living out love in their day to day lives.   I am completely guilty of this, so I am not trying to cast condemnation, but come on people, do we really believe what we say we do?   Do we love those who don't look like us, don't have the money we have, might be down and out, might smell bad or offend us?   If not, then we might need to reevaluate whether or not we love Jesus Christ.   This is something I am challenged by daily.  I pray that we will ask the Lord daily to change our hearts, to renew our minds and transform us into His image.   

Here is a great video by Beth Moore from this week.   Hope you enjoy!   Love to all!

The Guarded Heart - Beth Moore

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

Trip 2 to Pine Ridge (2010)

We have arrived!

We are resting up in Hot Springs, SD tonight before heading onto the Reservation tomorrow morning!   Had another good 8 hour day of travel and I must just say - I am SO glad to be out of the car!    Hey, how about the pic of the truck from Estill Springs, TN?  We passed that truck in mid-Nebraska.   I am fine sitting in the hotel room the rest of the night getting my VBS stuff ready.  Chris, of course, wants to drive the 25 miles over to Wyoming to turn around and drive back to the hotel so he can say he has been to the state of Wyoming!  HA!  :)   Here are some pics from the last 24 hours - God has blessed us with great travel! 

Well, Lincoln we have arrived!

We rolled into Lincoln, Nebraska tonight and it is such a pretty city.  And OF COURSE we had to eat at King Kong's and I had the best gyro of my life - no joke!   Love it!  Tomorrow we have about 8.5 more hours of driving tomorrow before we get to South Dakota.   We are so excited to hit the Rez and can't wait to share many photos and stories with you when we return.     Thank you all again for supporting us with your contributions and prayers.   Love,  The Browns