Kingdom Thoughts

You are the Kingdom encounter this world needs. - Pastor Derek Coy. 

Think about the words above for a few moments. Ponder it. Let it sink in. If you're like me, all the turmoil in the world has probably had you thinking, "What do we do? What's next?" The answer is in those words that our youth pastor shared with us today. As Christians, we need to live our faith bolder and louder than ever before! We need to rise up, get involved, serve more, and take our jobs as Christians more seriously. It's time to BE what we want to SEE in the world around us!


Nearly two years ago, I shared on my fitness blog about hearing testimonies at church. The youth of the church were sharing about how they were "Kingdom workers." It was very inspiring to me! We need to have that attitude; the attitude of servanthood. We need to be happily working to see the Kingdom come and God's Will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). After all, is there anything else that will yield as much fruit as laboring for the Lord? It's like another phrase that came to mind from another sermon I heard several years ago. It was something like, 'you can either build His Kingdom, or you can build your own.' Which makes more sense? Which one lasts? My friend, Karen, once put it this way, "What will weigh more in heaven?"

I'm blogging these thoughts and putting them out there today because I felt very stirred to do so. There was a time where I blogged very regularly. I enjoyed it and felt like God was inspiring and fueling me to write and share with others. My life has drastically changed since those days and I haven't blogged as much for a variety of different reasons. Aside from obvious factors (such as simply not having the kind of downtime that I used to) another big one has slowed me down: self-worth. Even though there have been times where God has had me encouraging and sharing with others that it's never to late to serve and be the kind of person He's called you to be, those very words have been hard for me to embrace for myself. I keep comparing myself to previous versions of who I was. I often reflect on my teen years (where I was growing in the Lord the most) as well as in the years right before my divorce. I think more highly of those Melissas than I do this one; even though I never thought I was good enough THEN either!


Derek's message today strongly emphasized that we need to embrace our identity in Christ and reject any lie that would contradict the truth of who we are in Him. I think the main thing that I deeply need to comprehend is the fact that I am NOT unusable by God! At every age and stage of my life, I felt like I never had the kind of faith or testimony to be the kind of person that I THOUGHT I should be. I have been like Moses; chosen by God but reluctant to be who He says I am because I don't see what He sees (or think that I'm "almost" there, but not quite and therefore can't do it). So many things have been on the back burner of my life for all sorts of reasons, but none of them more than the stupid lie of, "He can't use me anymore. My life isn't what I think it should be, so I'm done."

What I need to focus on now is not in who I was or who I think I should be. The only thing I should EVER be focusing on is who HE is and whatever HE wants to enable me to be! God brought the Luke 19:26 to my mind as I was pondering all the Kingdom thoughts during the service.
 
These words of Jesus have always been a little confusing to me. I have never fully understood the meaning until God showed me today how it directly applied to me. In the five years since my divorce, I have tried to wrap my brain around how God could still love or use me after I've committed my personal "unforgiveable sin" (divorce). To me, it doesn't make sense how he could forgive me when I don't fully forgive myself. Beyond that, how on earth could He be so GOOD to me when I still don't feel deserving? For three years, I was running and drowning in pain and grief until I made faith my foundation again in 2013. In no time, he was accomplishing the impossible for me: He found me the perfect job, a house of my own (right next to my parents), an amazing boyfriend (whom He quickly revealed to me was to be my husband), followed by a wedding, the selling of my new house for a profit, and another new and amazing job!

1st Wedding Anniversary Selfie 

 

 

Everything keeps getting better and better; and that's where that verse comes in! I truly believe that faith and thankfulness is what has brought about the blessings in my life! Just like Job, He didn't "take away" anything from me to punish me or anyone else, but to give me a better life; not because I deserve it, but because He truly loves me! He gave Chris and I to each other because we have content, grateful, and faith filled hearts. We appreciate what He's done and continue to give thanks for what He continues to do in our lives. We strive to pay it forward and bless others as we have been blessed. This is also where the other part of that verse makes sense as well. Chris and I were rescued from lives where His work was hindered by the bad choices and attitudes of the people we were with. They were not content with anything they had (including us) and so they lost the blessings that they never knew they had because it was never enough for them. They thought they had nothing, so that "nothing" was taken from them but has become EVERYTHING to us! Chris is a priceless treasure to me that I feel grateful for every day! It kind of feels like finding something precious or rare that someone else discarded; you just wonder how someone couldn't know what they had when it was theirs! Sometimes, they figure it out later on, but it's usually too late. God will give the blessings to the people who treasure and appreciate them!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope that someone is blessed by reading this because I was certainly blessed today! Remember, be a Kingdom worker because that is the type of person and encounter that this world needs! We will begin seeing changes in our communities and all over the world if we continue to advance the Kingdom of God instead of just trying to build our own castles in the sand. We MUST put our time and energy into the people and things that will weigh the most in heaven! YOU matter to the Kingdom! God can and will use you to bless others and He will bless you right back as well! May your faith fuel and fill your heart with contentment and joy! God bless you!

Why Did This Have to Happen NOW?

"WHY did this have to happen NOW?" That was the question I was asking myself when I injured my back last Saturday. The timing couldn't have been more wrong (not like there is ever a good time or reason to injure your back). It was so stupid! All I was trying to do was get something out of the dishwasher and SNAP.....just like that. I was so dizzy and nauseous that I thought I was going to pass out. I broke out in a sweat as I struggled to straighten up the best I could and go sit down so I wouldn't FALL down. 

The pain was intense; unlike anything I ever felt before. I used ice and pain reliever and everything I could to try and help myself feel better. It just wasn't doing much. I know I didn't help matters any by continuing on with the plan to go to a charity event that I had committed to, but I did it anyways. I rested up on Sunday and finally got to a chiropractor on Monday. Now, it's Tuesday and I'm happily aligned but still rather sore. I still have much to do this week and am doing the best I can to push through it as I still think about that aggravating question in my mind of "why did this have to happen now?" 

I know I'm not the only one that asks that question. I also know that there are those that are asking it that have bigger problems than a hurt back. Those people would be the ones that I NEED the strong will and a strong back for; the women and babies who I WILL be walking and raising money for this Saturday. As of right now, I have raised $135.00 of my $500.00 minimum goal. I have less than three days to raise at least $365.00 more. The money raised will go to help women who are scared and wondering why a pregnancy had to happen to them now and are terrified about what to do next. Your gift of ANY AMOUNT (if all you have is a dollar, we'll take it!) will help provide pregnancy tests, limited obstetrical ultrasound, adoption information as well as parenting support, baby supplies, and so much more! Click here to visit my family's funding page (yep, my husband and children are walking with me too!) and make your donation! Or, contact me with how much you would like to pledge and you will be sent a collection form in the mail to send in your donation to Heartline Pregnancy Center.

If you haven't read the poem that I wrote a few years ago called "Hearing Their Hearts' Cry", take a moment to read it and prayerfully consider your donation amount. Also, you might remember the testimony of a friend of mine, Saundra, who had an abortion. It was a traumatic and regrettable experience for her. Read her short testimony below and let's help ensure that women get the help they need and won't have to go through this alone: 

Memories of a sunny fall day in early October, sitting in a crowded room of young mothers... How do you force a smile on your face and push down the knots forming in your stomach, knowing that very soon you will walk back out into sunlight with an empty womb, childless. It seemed easy enough for several of the young women, but for me personally I knew it was a death sentence I was carrying out.

As my name and several others were called, we shuffled into a room with a projector to watch 'the movie' that showed us the procedure we would be going through. I got so queasy, I had to leave the room, almost passing out in the hallway. Not once did a counselor say anything about options, and I desperately wanted someone, anyone to talk me out of what I was about to do. Undress, put the gown on, lay on the cold metal table... this will only take a few minutes...that was such a surreal feeling, just going through the motions and struggling to not lose it, not to cry. I remember looking into the nurses face while the extraction was going on, and wishing there was something she could have done to make it easier, but death is death, there is nothing easy about it. I wonder now how many babies she saw die before her heart began to harden to what she was seeing...

Afterwards you are sent to the bathroom to clean up, lay down for a while if you need to compose yourself, and then of course there are cookies and juice to help build up your strength from the loss of fluids. Some of the young women bounced around chatting, relieved and ready to get on with life, and others like myself lingered. I didn't want to walk out those doors, didn't want to live. I didn't think I could ever bring myself to look at a mother and her child without feeling tremendous guilt and pain. I did leave eventually, and then I kept the traumatic events to myself for 6 years, until I married. For 3 years in my marriage, I lived under the lie that God was punishing me, and that I would never have another child because I had so carelessly ended the life of my first born. It didn't matter that the pregnancy came from a traumatic incident on a college campus. It didn't matter that the one adult I came to very quickly advised me to just get rid of 'the problem' because I would lose a full scholarship and risk anger and being cut off from my family. In my mind and heart I didn't deserve another chance, and was headed for hell, condemned for life.

I thank God for a group of women, who were powerful intercessors and LOVING pro lifers who chose to hate the sin and love the sinner. Because they cared about the life of the mother as well as the child, I was able to repent and find healing. Isn't that what all pro lifers should be doing? Loving the mother as much as the unborn child? Maybe if you can win the heart of the mother, she will consider other options before she chooses abortion? Maybe we should be praying for the hearts of women who are broken, fallen, all over the world so that maybe they won't have to make these choices? May God bless you all as you endeavor to serve Him with your whole heart!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Please, donate something....anything! Unplanned pregnancies...they are happening RIGHT NOW. The reasons and whys are varied and often very tragic. We may not be able to offer answers, but we can offer help and hope.....NOW! Please, let's protect the innocent and be the reason that a woman chooses life; for herself and for her baby. God bless you!

Kicking Butt in Boy Scouts

"Mom, I hit the man in the BUTT!" This was Casey's triumphant response when I asked him how Boy Scouts was tonight and how he did at dodgeball...not bad for a child who used to to just smile and hug the wall. He was so proud of himself; he hit one of his scout leaders in the butt and got him out lol!

Casey celebrates his victory!! 

I know that most people reading this probably think, "Wow, big deal! I can do that in my sleep!" Well, for a special needs child like Casey, it IS a big deal to him and to us. This is a child who didn't usually like or participate in any kind of sport or very much socialization. Boy Scouts is a HUGE deal to him and it's helping him enjoy himself and feel like he's just like all the other boys out there that don't have to deal with a hearing impairment or autistic hurdles.

If you haven't been following Casey's journey, click here to view the previous posts and catch up. :) We really need all the support we can get and we are not yet close to our ultimate goal, or even our minimum goal. :( Right now, we're STILL at just $200.00 in popcorn sales; which is obviously short of the $600 minimum and the $1600 goal for FREE residence camp. Scouting isn't cheap, so we really need to sell a lot of popcorn so Casey can keep being in Scouts and we don't have to worry about how to pay for all the odds and ends that go with it. So, basically, we need to sell popcorn to about 70 more people. I have TONS of family and friends on Facebook; not to mention whomever may be reading this on the world wide web (so I don't understand why we haven't hit goal already lol. C'mon, folks!).

If you are in any way inspired and touched by my sweet boy who is enjoying the Boy Scouts, anbuy some popcorn from Casey's Dino Raptor Snack Shack (or select the option to gift it to our military if you aren't a popcorn eater). Once again, I know that it's probably one of those things where you look at the goods and the prices and maybe think twice about buying. However, think of what you are investing in. Casey and these kids are the boys that are (and will be) serving their communities in the future. They are the young men that are learning survival skills and character; the kind of good boys that you want dating your daughters or saving your life if an accident happened. When you buy that popcorn, don't think of it as a pricey snack that you're buying. Think of it as a donation to one of this nation's great institutions and the popcorn as a "thank you" gift for doing so. We're buying some too, people lol. I could buy popcorn at any grocery store, but this popcorn is the only popcorn that puts a smile on my son's face, a Scout shirt on his back, and gets him to residence camp where he'll no doubt have a life-changing experience learning new things! I'm happy to be a part of that! Please, join us!
d not letting his own hurdles get him down, then please

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Thank you so much for your support! Please, share this blog and these posts with your friends and on Facebook, Twitter, via my Pinterest posts, etc.! We sure would appreciate it! #caseysdinoraptorsnackshack !! God bless you!