Calling All Godly Gals

I can not even begin to tell you just how amazing this series has been on Godly Gals. I've been blown away at the incredible women that have written and shared their stories.

They've touched our hearts,
shared private moments,
inspired,
encouraged,
challenged, and
have been authentic to who they are.

I LOVE THAT!!!

It has been my goal with this series to showcase two things;
1) God
2) Real Women taking their everyday, ordinary lives and placing them as an offering to Him.

It's just that simple.

The cool part is that we have only just begun (did you start singing the Karen Carpenter song too?). There are so many amazing women who are making a difference each and every day.

Here's where you come in...

If you have already written and shared something with us for the Godly Gals series, thank you. Ask some of your friends who haven't shared to consider being a part of this series.

If you haven't already written and shared something, then...what are you waiting for?

That's the beauty of "Taking your everyday, ordinary life and placing it as an offering to God". Each and every one of us is different and has a unique story to share with each other. Email me at melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com for a copy of the Submission Guidelines.

Take a minute today to pray about it, would you please?

I'm excited about the Godly Gals who are lined up to share with us in February and can't wait to see what some of you are called to share as well.

Thanks for being on this journey with me!

Seeking JOY on the Journey,

Wordless Wednesday ~ Rain, Rain, Go Away

We now have Lakefront property...no, not really...but after it rained for almost 24 hrs straight this is what it looked like behind our house.

I'm thinking about buying a canoe to get around, what do you think?

For more Wordless Wednesday pics head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom!

Seeking JOY on the Journey,

How cool is that?

I don't even know where to begin, and if you ask anyone who knows me I almost always have something to say (which isn't always a good thing mind you).

When I received an email from Kim Avery over at Life Coaching for Christian Women I had to read it a good three or four times before I could even process what she was saying.

Here's what she wrote...
Congratulations! Blog readers have chosen Mel’s Word with Melissa Mashburn to be on the list of Top Ten Blogs for Christian Women in 2009.

Here at Life Coaching for Christian Women our vision is to equip and encourage Christian women to daily live Christ-saturated lives. Thankfully, we do not stand alone. In 2009 hundreds of faithful bloggers, like you, have enriched our Christian community with your wit, wisdom, thoughts, musing, and prayers.

So that even more readers can be blessed by your contributions, this Top Ten List will be posted on our Living in Love with Jesus blog on January 25^th.

Here is the Top 10 list from Living in Love with Jesus;

1. To Love, Honor and Vacuum
2. Mud Pies for Mom
3. Beauty in the Storm
4. In the Heart of my Home
5. Holy Experience
6. Mom Unplugged
7. Mel's World with Melissa Mashburn
8. Hooking Stitches
9. Take Root and Write
10. Heart Choices

I am totally and completely honored to be on this list, especially with some of the amazing women on it, and am so thankful to be on this journey with each of you.

There are so many incredible women out there making a difference each and every day and I am absolutely sure they need to be seen and heard from...so, here's your chance...

Take a minute to share with all of us your favorite Christian Women's Blog/Website. The Internet is so big and it would be wonderful to be able to connect with other like-minded women on the web!

Go ahead...share some of your fav's today!

Seeking JOY on the Journey,

Meet the Ya-Ya's

These are my Ya-Ya's...they know pretty much everything about me and love me anyway. It has been an incredible journey for each of us these last 5-10 years and I'm so thankful to have each of them in my life.

Over the years I always thought that everyone had to *like* me. As a people-pleaser it is so easy to get lost in the hype of being everything to everybody. As you might imagine it is exhausting and just not possible to make everyone happy.

I absolutely LOVE people and love caring for His people, it is a gift to be able to talk so freely to pretty much anyone I meet (yep, I can talk to the wall and have a great conversation...ha!).

But there also comes a time when I need to pull back, think, read, dream, and let my hair down a little, and when I do it is almost always with these girls.

I've been blessed by some incredible friendships over the years...some have lasted, some have not. The beauty of it is now that I am gaining wisdom (with my age...eek!) I am learning to appreciate those friendships that come with the "Reasons, Seasons, and Lifetimes".

It's a beautiful thing to be free to be who God has called you to be, to be loved, accepted, and appreciated as you are;

without makeup
without your hair all perty
without matching outfits
without a pedicure
without the fluff and stuff

Just who you are.
In Him.

Friend to Friend.

Being Real,
Being Transparent,
Being Authentic,
Speaking the truth in love.

If you have been blessed with some incredible friends take some time today to give them a call, send them a note, or take them out for coffee...these friendships are way too special to be taken for granted!

PS - I have some amazing friends who aren't pictured here, but I wanted to take a minute TODAY to celebrate the Gift of GREAT Girlfriends!

It's your turn...
* Who are some of your Ya-Ya's?
* What are you going to do to show them how special they are to you?

Seeking JOY on the Journey,