Mel's World

Book Review ~ I Used To Be So Organized by Glynnis Whitwer

2012-01-31T08:00:00.001-05:00

Combining spiritual encouragement and practical application I Used to Be So Organized presents a balanced approach to finding order and peace for today s overwhelmed woman.

I Used to Be So Organized addresses the frustrations many women feel when they can't get a handle on their lives. They know, deep in their hearts, they should be able to manage things. After all, they used to be organized . . . ten or twenty years ago. But now, life seems to hand them one distraction and challenge after another, and ''helpful technology'' that just seem to add to the problem. Just when they think they have ''caught up,'' something else changes, and there s more to be done.

In this book, Glynnis Whitwer addresses the issue of organization based in this new reality of information overload, overwhelming choices, increased expectations and technology advances that won t slow down. This book contains twenty-three chapters, each short enough for a busy woman to read during a lunch break. Every aspect of life comes together in this one easy-to-read guide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Me;

Ok, if I am being straight up honest with you, since you are my friends and all, I got this book because I am completely disorganized.

As a matter of fact, when my husband saw the book on my desk I am pretty sure he chuckled...for a few minutes even...I love that man!

But it's a New Year and I want to try to be more organized...so this looked like a great place to start! What I didn't expect that this book would be packed, like cover to cover, with tons of very practical applications that I could do right that very minute.

You know, it's not a buy a ton of these fancy crates, get your label maker ready, pray, then get started...it was more like, "let's start right where you are, look around your room and let's get to work".

I.love.that!

Glynnis puts feet to the ideas and throughout the book you are inspired to get your home back in control...not for control reasons and not because it's pure craziness, but because when your home is organized there is order and peace.

I.need.that...don't you?

In the book she says,

"the goal of organization isn't to have a pristine home, it's to free you to live the life you want and to obey God's calling for you and your family."

Room by room, closet by closet, pile to pile you are able to walk through your home with fresh eyes to see how your stuff can so easily distract you from the peaceful, loving, and relaxing home that you hope to have for your family.

With a "let's roll up our sleeves and get this done together" approach you actually feel like you have a partner in this great adventure in reclaiming order and peace in your home.

My copy is full of highlights, notes and dog-eared pages so that I can go back (over and over again) as I pursue a more organized home for my family!

If you are not as organized as you used to be...or um...even as you would like to be (that's me!), then this book is just what you need!

Glynnis Whitwer is on staff with Proverbs 31 Ministries as the Senior Editor of the P31 Woman magazine. She is one of the writers of Encouragement for Today, the Proverbs 31 e-mail devotions, with over 500,000 daily readers. Her newest book, I Used to be So Organized, has just been released. Glynnis, her husband Tod, and their five children live in Glendale, Arizona. Visit www.GlynnisWhitwer.com or www.HerOrganizedLife.com to learn more.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book free from Leafwood Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. Some of the links in this post are affiliated links. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Cards, Cards & More Cards...I Love Sending Cards!

2012-01-30T19:00:00.004-05:00

I
LOVE
CARDS!

There, I said it!

I love sending them and I love receiving them.

I even have a "stash" of cards in my desk at home...
and
at work...I can't help it...I love cards!

There's just something special about finding that "right" card to send to your friends, family and loved ones.

You know...the card that says everything that you ever wanted to say and sometimes even the stuff you just don't have the nerve to say.

So when DaySpring had the opportunity to get this bundle of cards for a review I jumped all.over.it!

As soon as they came in I started to fill them out and put them in the mail box. I had to stop myself long enough to take that picture above...but sure enough almost all of them are gone now.

When they arrive at the home that I sent them to it's my hope that the person that receives them knows just how special they are to me! That's what I love about cards...they sprinkle little bits of sunshine wherever they go!

DaySpring’s mission is to help you share your heart and God’s love and we are so excited to partner with you and do just that. What better way to start off the new year than by sending a card to a friend, just because?

If you, like myself, are a card sender, then you should check out the Heart Connection Card Club. You’ll receive 10 best-selling cards each month for $12.99, there’s no long term commitment and you can skip a month at any time. You also receive a free card pack just for joining. If you are interested, learn more about it here: http://cards.dayspring.com/

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these cards free from DaySpring as part of their blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

An Update on Life, Cruises & Other Crazy Stuff in Mel's World

2012-01-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

This New Year has already started off with a bang and oh my gracious...so.much.has been going on! I have SO MUCH to tell you I can hardly stand it!

I am going to try to be short and sweet, since we are all on the go, but I also wanted to get you caught up a bit on the crazy world I live in. Welcome back to Mel's World!

Why is there a picture of a cruise ship on my post?

Well...two weeks ago today I was on that cruise ship with my dear friend and ministry partner Sue Cramer, from Praise and Coffee, and about 350 other girls for the Girls Get Away Cruise to Cozumel, Mexico.

Girls...if you ever get a chance to do something this you have to go...it.was.so.much.fun! It was totally unexpected and unplanned, which made the trip even more exciting.

We went to workshops, worship, shows and so much more...
we even made a few new friends.

Oh wait...we also met cupcakes!!! Lots of cupcakes (and coffee)...but also new friends,

...and even some friends that we've been chatting with online for years! Running into our online friends on a cruise ship...only God could do that!

How crazy awesome is that?

I was so blessed by Lysa TerKeurst, she was a gracious hostess for the cruise and was so generous in sharing her heart for making ministry count...she sprinkled her encouragement all over us on that trip...I love that about her!

(note to self, don't bring a video camera for pictures,
for some reason it just didn't work out)

We also laughed until our throats hurt...have you ever done that?

That is a lot of laughing...and we have 321 Improv to thank for that...by the way, Sue's son, Matt, is on the 321 Improv team, he's the one in the middle of this picture.

If you get a chance you HAVE to check them out, they are simply hysterical!

After a long day of workshops, classes and stuff we came back to the room every night to some fun little "creation" made out of towels in our room.

I also got a chance to meet with two incredible publishers and talk about a book idea that I've been working on for some time now...that was exciting and scary and awesome all at the same time.

There's certainly much to celebrate, no, not a book deal yet...but...you never know, right?

Oh my, I have never wanted to sit down with a cup of coffee and chat with each of you face to face more that I do right now. I want to hear all about what God is doing in your life, your victories, celebrations and prayers.

I hope that's what we can accomplish together...Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith in action...that's us...Godly Gals, that's us!

So, it's your turn. What great and exciting things are going on in YOUR LIFE?

I can't wait to hear all about it... ~ Melissa

Godly Gals ~ In the Travel Van by: Diane Bailey

2012-01-12T08:00:00.006-05:00

In the Travel Van
By: Diane Bailey

Back when my daughter, Catherine, was eight we had a travel van. It was state of the art, with an overhead TV and VCR player, a CB radio, leather interior and wall-to-wall carpet. It was nice and roomy and top of the line in those days.

On this day I pick Catherine up from school. Catherine is the third of four children in our family with a strong opinion that she is not afraid to express. Though I call Catherine my daughter, she is really my stepdaughter. From the beginning this child challenged me with every word I said, direction I drove, clothes I wore and food I cooked, and today she challenged the “put on your safety belt” rule.

Today she had made up her mind that she would not be told what to do. As she took her seat in the very back of the van, I reminded her to fasten her seat belt.

She nodded, yes, and then wrapped her arms around her waist so that no one could see the belt, or lack of belt.

Not long into the trip we needed to make a fast stop. As I hit the break, I heard a “swoosh” sound. Turning around I see that Catherine has involuntarily slid out of the chair and is sitting in the middle of the floor. I guess I forgot to mention that I had put Armor-all on the seats that day.

“Are you all right? I thought you were wearing your safety belt.”

She is unharmed, but her big blue eyes were twice their normal size.

Desperately trying to contain the laughter at the surprise we were both feeling, I turned quickly to face the front, and suggested that she make sure her safety belt is pushed in all the way.

The challenge of caring for a difficult child or stepchild may seem at times more that we can survive. I lined up my scriptures, and prayed not just for her, but also for the family. The next few years until Catherine went to college were very difficult.

We all have seasons of doing more than we think is possible – think about a new mother without an older woman to encourage her, new mothers with twins, single mothers with teens, or working mothers with children to raise and elderly parents to care for. Then add in to the mix a woman who has all of this going on while struggling to keep a marriage together.

Can you identify with any of this?

There have been times in my life when I prayed until I was blue in the face, unable to breath and used up all the Kleenex in the box. Where was God? He said He would never leave or forsake me, but I am looking and I am not seeing Him!

I have heard it said that God would not give us more than we can handle. I cannot find this precept in scripture. What I have found, is God calling ordinary people to step out of their own ability and do extraordinary things – things that could only happen when the living God is working through someone who is open.

Opening ourselves allows Christ to stand in the spot of “I can’t do this any more” and “It is finished.” It is in this place between the sorrows of the problem and the answer from God that we see God’s glory in ways that could not be seen any other way.

Stepping into that for which we seem ill-equipped also strengthens our faith when we see God opening doors that we could not open for ourselves.

God has frequently placed me in situations where I had no choice but to cling to Him with all my might and trust Him. In return, He took me to places in Him, and in this world, where I could never venture on my own. It is in the area between our own limitations and God’s mighty answers that we see our ideas of Christ change and where we begin to grow in our faith and in our likeness to Christ.

There have been many times when I cried out to God and said, “Stop the planet, I have had enough and I’m getting off, now!” But, that is playing right into the enemy’s hand.

Our enemy, Satan, would love for us to quit praying and stop fighting for our families, friends, country, and churches. He would love for us to give up. That would make his job a lot easier.

He comes in and whispers things like, “Why do you believe?” “Did God really promise that to you?” “You are going to look like a fool in front of everyone when it never happens”, or “You need to do something else and quit looking for God to handle everything.”

The truth is that we should get up and try our best, leaning on God to work through our weak, frail state and let Him accomplish His miracles through us. When we are weak, we are less likely to try to “help” Him. Remember 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Last week Catherine who is in her twenties now, called from school, finals were going on and things with a young man that she was seeing were not working out as she had hoped.

“Diane, I’m so stressed out! Would you please pray?”

Before hanging up, she says, “Bye, I love you.”

Staring at the phone, speechless by the gift of love, I hear the Lord whisper to my heart, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Diane Bailey is the mother of two adult children, the step-mother of two college children, and the Grand-mother of three children. She and her husband live in the Deep South with their black lab, Charlie and cat, Lil Girl. She is the author of String Of Pearls, a book that speaks to women about taking their sorrows to Christ, and allowing Him to change our tears into pearls of the testimony of Christ, and by the end of our lives, we have a String of Pearls. String of Pearls can be ordered from Amazon and you can follow Diane on her blog, Life Images at dianewbailey.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh Diane, I just love your sweet spirit...your words shine a heart that beats for Jesus and your beautiful gift of sharing your words is like drinking a perfectly chilled sweet iced tea on a hot summers day.

Thank you for sharing a little bit of you, your story and your world with us today! I am truly looking forward to getting to know you, reading your new book, String of Pearls, and hopefully...maybe, meeting you this year somewhere in the back woods of Alabama!

We're off to an incredible year in the series and this is just the beginning. We're going to be going back to visit some of the Godly Gals ~ Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith that have been here the last couple of years and catch up with them and see what's been happening since we last heard from them...as well as getting to meet brand new friends through this series as well.

If you'd like to be a part of this series, then send me an email to melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll send you a copy of the submission guidelines.

I'm looking for REAL women to share their REAL life stories of REAL faith in action...and chances are that's YOU!

Book Review ~ When Sparrows Fall by Meg Moseley

2012-01-09T21:00:00.002-05:00

When Sparrows Fall
By: Meg Moseley

From the Back of the Book:

Freedom. Safety. Love. Miranda vows to reclaim them--for herself, and for her children.

A widow and mother of six, Miranda Hanford leads a quiet, private life. When the pastor of her close-knit church announces his plans to move the entire congregation to another state, Miranda jumps at the opportunity to dissolve ties with Mason Chandler and his controlling brand of “shepherding.” But then Mason threatens to unearth secrets only he knows, and Miranda feels trapped, terrified she’ll be unable to protect her children.

Professor Jack Hanford is more than surprised when he gets a call from his estranged sister-in-law’s oldest son, Timothy, informing him that Miranda has taken a serious fall and he has been named legal guardian of her children while she recovers. Quickly charmed by Miranda’s children, Jack brings some much-needed life into the sheltered household. But his constant challenging of the family’s conservative lifestyle makes the recovering mother uneasy and defensive—despite Jack’s unnerving appeal.

As Jack tries to make sense of the mysterious Miranda and the secrets she holds so tightly, Mason’s pressure on her increases. With her emotions stirring and freedom calling, can Miranda find a way to unshackle her family without losing everything?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Me:

I have to admit, I wasn't sure that I would like this book at first. You see, being married to a Pastor I am always "sensitive" to how others perceive Pastors or the church. Believe me, I am not blind to the neglect, abuse and church hurt in the world...but being that we are both in full time ministry I was...let's see, leery when I first picked it up. Meg beautifully touched on the points without ever making it the focal point of the story.

What I quickly learned was that the pages would be filled with intrigue, drama, tenderness, chivalry and so much more...all packed into one great story! The kind of love story that simply sweeps you off your feet...hopeless romantics everywhere will enjoy this book!

I truly enjoyed Meg Moseley's debut novel and can not wait to see what other stories she has hidden in her heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meg Moseley is a Californian at heart although she’s lived more than half her life in other states.

She formerly wrote human-interest columns for a suburban section of the Atlanta Journal- Constitution, and home schooled for over twenty years.

Meg enjoys books, travel, gardening, her three grown children, and motorcycle rides with her husband Jon. They make their home in
northern Georgia.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of the book free from Multnomah Books as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Godly Gals ~ Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith ~ Stephanie Shott

2012-01-05T07:45:00.001-05:00

Weeds in Our Souls
By: Stephanie Shott

Before we went to the mission field, my husband owned a landscape company. He was known for his designer landscape plans and meticulously manicured lawns.

Designing, planting, pruning, mowing, blowing, edging and hedging. He did it all and he did it well. But no matter how detailed or diligent he was, he could not eradicate the weeds. Even when it was time to re-sod and he rooted up all the dirt and sprayed the bare soil like crazy with weed killer, he still had to wage war with the weeds later on that year.

He relentlessly fought to keep those weeds at bay, but the roots were virtually indestructible and so he had to consistently and diligently deal with those pesky weeds.

As I was praying about what to share as a guest on Godly Gals, I noticed Melissa’s Romans 12:1-2 mantra and immediately knew I needed to share this parallel principle in light of such a profound passage of Scripture.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

The phrases, present your bodies, do not be conformed and be transformed are all calls to constant surrender. No magic bullet here. Each command comes with a call to consistency. All are intentional instructions for an incessant killing of the weeds in our souls.

On the surface, all may be beautiful, but down deep, weeds grow. They grow in our sod and they grow in our souls. The weeds of sin, sorrow, temptation and bitterness tenaciously tuck themselves in the depths of our hearts and begin to spring up without warning.

At times we unknowingly feed them when we allow the thoughts of our painful pasts to consume our hearts and minds. We feed them when we endorse unhealthy emotions or give ear to the enemy’s lies. We feed them when we wear our hearts on our sleeves and insulting words on our tongues.

Like the weeds buried deep beneath the soil, the weeds in our souls need perennial picking if we are going to be a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable unto God. We present our bodies as a living sacrifice each time we lay our lives on the altar...weeds and all.

We consistently choose not to be conformed to this world when we are willing to wage war with the weeds that seem to shove their way to the surface. We intentionally decide to be transformed by renewing our minds when we desire to sift through the seeds of doubt, fear and failure that seem to hide in our hearts.

I’ve definitely got my share of weeds in my soul. Weeds of doubt, fear, impatience and a past that can wreak havoc on my heart. They may stay dormant for a while, but if I don’t stand ready to wage war, they will spring forth and bring a harvest of hideous and obvious growth. A weed infested mess in need of complete re-sodding.

I don’t want my life to look like that. So, if I want Romans 12:1-2 to be my mantra too, I must diligently deal with my weeds.

What weeds do you need to consistently deal with in your life?
How do you keep the weeds of your soul at bay?
Which weeds need to be burnt on the altar of sacrifice?

Stephanie Shott is a popular, practical and passionate speaker who travels internationally to share hope for the hurting, peace for the weary and truth for all. She is also the author of Understanding What Matters Most (a Bible study on Ecclesiastes).

You can contact Stephanie here:
Website: www.stephanieshott.com or via email: stephanieshott@me.com

You can find Stephanie here as well:
Stephanie is a Speaker Chick: www.speakerchicks.com
Stephanie writes for Scripture Dig: www.scripturedig.com

Stephanie is also working on a new project:
The M.O.M. Initiative will give Christian mothers an easy, hands on approach to passionately pursue a mentor relationship with younger mothers and mothers-to-be and ultimately impact the next generation for Christ.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stephanie, you have no idea how happy it makes me to see your bright smiling face here for the Godly Gals series! What a sweet gift your friendship is and I look forward to the day (this year!) that we can sit down face to face over a cup of coffee and celebrate this amazing journey God has had us on!

Thank you for sharing so beautifully today for the first Godly Gals post in 2012...I love it!

The Godly Gals series is was started over two years ago as a way to show "Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith" in action and we have been so blessed over that time to have some truly remarkable women come hang out with us.

The whole concept behind this series is to show each of us that we can take our everyday, ordinary lives and place it as our offering to Him. The women that have shared and the women that will share this next year are just real women living out their real life with a big ole dose of real faith!

I hope you take some time to pray about joining us...If you'd like more information about sending something in for the series, then email me at melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll send you the guideline.

I look forward to hearing from you!
~ Melissa

My "One Word Three Sixty Five" 2012

2012-01-02T11:45:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year Friends!

It's a brand new year, fresh with exciting new possibilities and adventures!

I'm not one for making New Year's resolutions...been there, done that and it almost never worked out for me, but last year I jumped in on something that was completely profound to me. Instead of focusing on a list of resolutions I would switch my thinking to narrow my focus down to ONE WORD.

My friend and former Godly Gal, Alece Ronzino from Grit and Glory, opened my eyes to this concept last year and I am so glad she did!

I spent a day last year wrestling with what that ONE WORD would be for 2011 and settled on a really tough one...SURRENDER. It was so refreshing (and difficult at times) to filter my life through the lens of surrender.

It brought about so much more intentionality to everything I did in 2011 and really helped me to keep that front and center in my life for a whole year.

Now here we are smack dab at the beginning of 2012 and it's time to settle on that
ONE WORD for 2012.

Again, I made a list of words that God had been laying on my heart;
Grace
Worship
Shine
Submit
Real
Bold(ly)
Renewed
Humble
...and so much more

After spending time in the Word this morning I began to narrow down the list to three that really resonated within my heart;

Shine - Daniel 12:3
Bold(ly) - Numbers 13:20
Stronger - Daniel 10:19

As I searched through my Bible one word just kept my heart racing and I knew that this had to be my ONE WORD for 2012
...SHINE!

* Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. Daniel 12:3 NLT

* In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:16 NLT

* For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! Ephesians 5:8 NLT

That's what I intend to do in 2012...SHINE...not because of anything that I have done, but quite simply because of everything He has done for me!

Make sure you head over to One Word 365 to find out more about finding your One Word for 2012.

I'm looking forward to hearing what your ONE WORD is for this new year!

Leave me a comment and let me know if you have chosen One Word for your year too!

Reflections: Travel, Weddings, Christmas Trees, & Life

2011-12-06T07:50:00.001-05:00

Good Morning Sweet Friends!

I hope you have eased into December with more ease than I have. I'm not entirely sure why things have been so all over the place lately, but I am pretty sure it is just the way life goes in ministry this time of year. Either way...it's real and it's my life.

I love it but if I am also completely honest I'd have to say that I would love for it to slow down just a tad. Not because it can't get all done, but because I want to be fully present at every part of it. I'm not sure if it is because I turned 40 this year or simply because my oldest is a Senior in high school and we're looking at colleges now...either way, the reality is that it does go by too fast.

This Thanksgiving we traveled back up to the homeland...teehee...that's what we call our trip to Alabama. Hey, we're two southerners stuck in South Florida...there are times when we just need to be around "southerners" for a little bit.

While in Alabama we spent the week with family doing tons of things we don't get to do in South Florida; hunting, golfing, football on Thanksgiving day with all the boys in the family. Needless to say the men in my family were quite happy (and tired) by the end of the week.

It was a great trip, but what made this year's trip even more special was that my hubby's granny fell in love and was getting married the day after Thanksgiving. Yes, my friends, even at 88 years old you can fall in love again. Granny & her guy got hitched. My husband and his cousin (both Pastors) did the ceremony. Needless to say it was quite special..not because it was anything fancy but because of the sweet simplicity of the whole day.

(Here's a pic of my youngest, granny, her husband, and my oldest right after the ceremony.)

Now we're smack dab at the beginning of December and even though I would love to say I am done with all my shopping, wrapping and decorating...I'm not. I'm not going to let it stress me out but simply take it one day at a time, one decoration at a time and one gift at a time. It'll all get done, it always does.

Until then I'm choosing to make myself be fully present this Christmas season...in the parties, gift exchanges, events, dinners, family events, etc. I don't want to miss one single thing. Time goes by way too fast to always be looking ahead. This is one year that my focus is going to be on the gifts (of people, time, celebrations) right in front of me.

Life is short and we aren't guaranteed a tomorrow...so today and every day the choice is ours...worry about tomorrow or focus on today.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 NIV

I'm looking forward to today and all the great & exciting things it will hold!

These Kids Need a Sponsor...is it YOU?

2011-11-14T08:00:00.003-05:00

(photo credit: Sheila Englund)

This week I have been talking a lot about missions. This is not a regular thing for me, but here lately it has been something that has been on the forefront of my mind. On Monday I shared a little bit about how "He Created in Me a Heart for Missions". I also talked a little bit about the family in my neck of the woods who is selling all their belongings and heading to Burkina Faso to minister to widows & orphans (I'll be sharing more of their adventures soon). Then on Thursday I had my friend Ann Dunagan from Harvest Ministry, talking about "Seeking God's Kingdom, not Selfishness!"

Yesterday I shared a little with you about our experience as a sponsor through Compassion. I talked about the trip my husband and youngest son, Bailey, took this summer and shared pictures and stories from the last few years as a Compassion sponsor.

I also mentioned that I was going to shoot straight from the heart...so here goes; God has been rocking my world lately. I mean grab me by my head and my feet and shaking me up...straight to the core of who I am. I've really been trying to make sense of it all, but one thing I know for sure. I can no longer sit around and pretend that one person can make a difference, when I KNOW that one person can.

This last trip to Guatemala this summer has opened the door for forty (40) more kids to be a part of the Compassion program in the 414 area of Guatemala (GU). Forty kids who have been living below poverty level in a very rural area of Guatemala now have an opportunity to be a part of the Compassion program.

Our church has already sponsored twenty (20) out of the forty (40)...and that's great!!! But...I would really (really) love to see the other twenty (20) get sponsored as well. ...and this is where you come in.

We've decided as a church (and a family) that we are specifically partnering with GU414 and will be taking more trips to Guatemala through Compassion for many years to come.

What a great way to pour into the hearts of those in need while opening the door to a possibility of going to meet them just as we have. How awesome would that be?

I know it might not be a step that you are ready to take right now. I'd just like to ask you to pray about it. I'm going to post the pictures and info cards for the remaining twenty (20) kids that need to be sponsored.

Look over their pictures.
Pray over them.
Talk to your family about sponsoring one or more of them.
Look for Kids the same age as your kids.
Look for birthdays that have a significance to your life.
Sponsor them.
Write letters to them.
Connect with them.

This decision is one that can make a difference in the life of a child from now until forever...if you want more information about Compassion International and what they do, then just go to the Compassion website and find out anything you'd like to know.

Your tax-deductible contribution of just $38 a month connects your child with a loving, church-based Child Sponsorship Program that provides:

* Food and clean water
* Medical care
* Educational opportunities
* Important life-skills training
* Most important of all, your sponsored child will hear about Jesus Christ and be encouraged to develop a lifelong relationship with God.

(this information is straight from the Compassion website)

If you decide to sponsor...please please please...write down the child number for one of these twenty (20) children below. Their child number starts with GU 414....

You can email me and I can put you in contact with the Compassion Advocate in my area that is helping these twenty (20) kids to get sponsored. Thanks so much for your prayers! ~ Melissa

Looking into the World of Child Sponsorship from Our Eyes

2011-11-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

Buckle up sweet friends, I am shooting straight from the heart today. I'm coming to you today and I'm asking for you to prayerfully consider sponsoring one or more of these precious children from Guatemala through Compassion.

Let me back up a quick minute...we have been sponsor's with Compassion since May 17, 2009. On that day we had a "Compassion Sunday" at our church. We knew that we wanted to sponsor a little girl since we have two teenage boys (you know, the little girl we never had and all that good stuff) and we knew that our church was going to be taking a trip to Guatemala that summer...so it seemed like the perfect time for us.

What we didn't know when we sponsored her was that my husband was able to meet our new Compassion child (now affectionately called our daughter) that summer. My husband was able to meet Erika and her family, see her school, visit her church, go to the Compassion field office, and even take her family to an amusement park in Guatemala City for the day. It was absolutely one of the MOST memorable trips of his life. When he left for the trip we packed a back pack full of goodies for Erika and a photo album full of pictures of our family.

Over the last two years we have received over a dozen letters & drawings from Erika and we have faithfully written her a letter every month (thanks to scheduling it in our family calendar). We've watched her grow, prayed for her daily and when a letter comes in the mail from Compassion the entire family stops what we are doing to see what's going on in her world.

Well, this summer my husband went back to Guatemala with Compassion and this time he took our youngest son, Bailey, with him. While they were there they were able to reconnect with Erika and her family as well as spend the week building new classrooms for a Compassion project out in the rural area of Guatemala.

While they were in Guatemala Bailey decided that he wanted to sponsor a child on his own, so he started his sponsorship of Luis. Bailey was able to meet with Luis' parents, see his home and talk to his mother about some health issues that Luis deals with on a regular basis...which, as God would have it, is something Bailey's brother deals with as well. Bailey was able to talk to Luis' mom and encourage her and let her know that we understood exactly about his illness.

Here's a picture of Bailey and Luis at the children's museum in Guatemala City.

They were also able to reconnect with Erika and her family. There was a mix up and the family pulled her out of the Compassion program, so we weren't even sure they would be able to see her. They told us that our sponsorship was canceled and that we would need to pick another child. Well...we're a little stubborn and could not imagine not being a part of Erika's life, so when they arrived in Guatemala the Compassion team told them that they would be able to visit with Erika and her family. After talking to her mom they found out that they moved and didn't realize they could stay in the program...long story short...Erika is BACK IN the program and we are her sponsors again...woohoo! :)

Here's a picture of Erika and her brother Mario Enrique (we're trying to get him in the program so we can sponsor him too!).

Oh my gracious, there is so much more to tell; like how while they were there they helped to build classrooms, had a quince for one of the girls on the missions team, went to church with the local kids, went on home visits and so much more.

Come back tomorrow to find out what happened after those two classrooms were completed.

Godly Gals ~ Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith, Ann Dunagan, Seeking God's Kingdom, not Selfishness!

2011-11-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Seeking God's Kingdom, not Selfishness!
By Ann Dunagan

Often, parents and teachers ask their children, "What do YOU want to be when you grow up?" In a world that is increasingly self-seeking, self-centered, and self-absorbed, the answers are consistently more egocentric-"a movie star," "a rock star," "a dance star." Even within the church, this present generation is fixated on obtaining fame, wealth, and pleasure. But shouldn't we be encouraging our children's willingness to surrender to God's plans for their futures?

Shouldn't our question instead be, "Oh, I wonder what awesome plans God has for your life! When you grow up, will you do whatever GOD wants you to do?"

In The Mission-Minded Family: Releasing Your Family to God's Destiny (Biblica), parents are encouraged to combat the influence of the "Me Generation" with tools to revolutionize their families into ones dedicated to fulfilling God's will and potential, instead of their own. In the first chapter, international minister and author David Shibley is quoted, as he clearly addresses the current crisis within the church.

"We whine, ‘I just want to know my purpose; I've got to reach my destiny." We race all over the country to attend ‘destiny conferences,' and we devour tapes and books on ‘reaching your full potential . . . ‘ Even cloaking our self-centeredness in Christian garb and jargon cannot cover the nakedness of this cult of self that has infested much of the church . . . How can we ever hope to discover our purpose in the earth with little or no interest in His purpose?"

The vision of The Mission-Minded Family is to equip today's godly parents to train our next generation to make a powerful impact for Jesus Christ by directing their focus outward:

"Every day, approximately 150,000 people die; the majority of these people are not saved, and far too many have never even heard God's Good News of salvation. How can we sit back and hear the Gospel again and again, while many are still waiting to hear it for the first time? [adapted from a mission quote by Oswald J. Smith]. Today's Christian families desperately need to remember that our purpose in this world involves so much more than what we can attain for ourselves. We're here to reach the lost."

The Mission-Minded Family includes suggested activities for families to participate in missions together, as well as resources to help families develop the desire to become more missions-focused. The book discusses the need for families to balance and prioritize their everyday lives and delves into what a family's finances would look like if they were focused on missions. Families who read and practice principles from this book will receive a rekindled closeness as they participate in ministry together.

In a mission-minded family, there's a God-infused energy. There's a focus on God's worldwide purpose and a passion for the lost. There's a spiritual depth and hunger that reaches beyond the maintenance mode of cultural Christianity.

Packed with motivating missions stories, hymns, and quotes, The Mission-Minded Family is a quick resource tool with examples of missionary family heroes, ministry ideas, exciting prayer projects, and even practical tips for international travel. Filled with passionate inspiration, The Mission-Minded Family will be picked up again and again, read aloud, and used as a reference for years to come.

Ann Dunagan is a homeschooling mother of 7 "kids" (currently ages 11 to 25), an international minister/speaker alongside her husband, Jon Dunagan, with Harvest Ministry, and an author of several books including The Mission-Minded Family. With passion for the Lord and the lost, Ann and her family are focused on winning souls, loving orphans, serving village churches, and motivating families for world missions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
What an incredible gift it has been to connect with Ann. Sweet sisters, in the short time that I've known Ann she has blessed me, encouraged me and has been living out what she's passionate about. Right this very minute her and her husband Jon are in Uganda for a few weeks doing some missions work and training.

As God has been creating in me a heart for missions, He continues to surround me with beautiful women of God who are already fully surrendered to making a difference in their lives through missions.

I don't know where you are on that journey...whether just getting started or a seasoned veteran, I do know this...we are just beginning to see what He has in store.

Thank you so much Ann for sharing a little piece of your heart here in Mel's World. I look forward to your new adventures with your daughter (Daring Daughters) and can't wait to see what God does with this new friendship.

Girls, I know this is not our typical "Godly Gals" type post, but this is Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith in action. Each of us has our own race to run and I'd love to hear what God's been showing you in your own life.

If you'd like to send something in or find out more about the Godly Gals series, then send me an email to melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Come back in the next day or two for some exciting information about getting involved in missions right from the comfort of your home!

He Created in Me a Heart for Missions

2011-11-07T15:30:00.000-05:00

The Tree of Life in Mirebalais, Haiti

James 1:27 NLT says, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”

Let's just set the record straight…I am not a “low maintenance” kinda girl, I may be simple, but not low maintenance. I like hair dryers, make up, and girl stuff. I don’t like to camp, I don’t like to rough it and my idea of a mission trip is one that I took almost seven years ago when a group of fifty women got on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. We went to the Bahamas for the weekend to do a little mission work at an orphanage in the area. That, sweet sisters, is my kinda mission trip.

So why it that I am all of the sudden is is it that missions are right in front of my face. Oh I have a heart for missions, I really do. I love it, know the difference in makes in people’s lives, and have seen the impact first hand. My husband has been to Cuba twice, to Guatemala twice and to Haiti six times. Over the last year, my oldest son (he is 17) has been to Haiti twice and my youngest (he is 15) has been to Guatemala. We are a family that has a heart for missions…but would I ever pack up my life and move into the mission field? That it another whole story.

Over the last few years, my husband has thrown this idea out to me and every time I shoot it straight down. Ok, I try to be nice about it, but I just cannot see myself (at this point in my life) living in the mission field, I'm just being straight up honest with you.

Then, as God would have it, yesterday we went to lunch with a family right here in our little world of South Florida that is getting ready to do that very thing. They are regular, everyday people who have felt the call to live on the mission field. The family of four is in the process of selling everything they own and after Thanksgiving they will be moving to Burkina Faso with their two teenage daughters.

I sat in awe of them as we ate lunch together. I asked question after question and sat in stunned silence for a minute while I processed it all.

How?
Why?
When did they know?
Did they always know?

Then I started to think about what that would look like for my family. Could God really be calling us to the mission field? I honestly do not know. I know that we have a heart for missions, but is that to tell the world about the importance of getting involved in missions (we partner with a few local and foreign missions at our church and as a family) or is to actually physically go there ourselves.

I wish there was a cut and dry answer to that…but for right now though I know that if it is His will for our family, then He’s going to make that very clear to us…in His time.

One thing He has been showing me is that for now my part is to be a voice for missions and to tell the world about the importance of getting involved. As of right this very moment this is where I am…I’m sharing the stories from the trips my family has been on and processing through their stories to pick out the lessons that God has been showing us through them.

In my work at our church, I lead the Kids and Womens Ministries. Part of this “being a voice about missions” is also to talk about local missions (those in our backyard) and foreign missions (through our partnerships with Compassion and GCA) to those He brings into my world.

Teaching families how they can get involved right this very minute. Doing projects with the kids to send to the kids in Guatemala and Haiti and through that, He opens the door for more people to see and hear about the work that needs to be done all over the world.

Does that mean I may end up in the mission field? I have no idea, but it does scare the beejeebers out of me to even think about.

Until then I’m going to keep doing my part. It is crazy to think that a girl from small town Kentucky would marry a boy from small town Alabama and that they would live in South Florida and have an opportunity to go to Cuba, Haiti and Guatemala on missions trips. On top of that, that their kids would have a heart for missions...well, that is just about the craziest, most incredible thing. Put all that together and then to watch what God does with it all is quite an adventure.

I don’t know where you are right now, but I do know this… One person can make a difference...who knows, He may even create in YOU a heart for missions too!

Godly Gals ~ Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith ~ Karen Hossink "I Just Want to be With You"

2011-11-03T08:00:00.005-04:00

I Just Want to be With You
By: Karen Hossink

As the deer pants for streams of water, so mu soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Psalm 42:1-2

It was an ordinary afternoon, and I was doing ordinary things, when God put an extraordinary desire in my heart.

Matthew had come into the house with his head hanging low. He had gotten into trouble and he knew discipline was to follow. We talked about the situation for a moment and I told him to go take a time out. While Matthew does not typically skip and whistle on his way to the couch for time out, he does usually go. But not on this day.

Instead, he stood at my feet crying, his arms raised up toward me. With some combination of crying and yelling, Matthew said over and over, “I just want to be with you! I just want to be with you!” The desperation in his voice rather took me by surprise.

He had just been outside playing and having a good time with his friends. It would make sense to me if he begged to go back out and play. I understood he was not wild about being sent to the couch for time out, but why the intensity of desire to be with me? Surely I am not as interesting as other kids, bugs or bikes are. But Matthew kept repeating, “I just want to be with you!”

As I observed my little boy that afternoon, the desperation in his voice made me wish to have the same kind of longing for God. I wished to have a hunger in my heart which cries out to God, “I just want to be with You!”

O, for my greatest desire to be His presence. I want to come to the point in my life when nothing here on earth is as alluring to me as the presence of God. It seems crazy but sometimes I desire the stuff of earth so much, I lose sight of God. Sometimes I forget how amazing it is to be with Him.

On occasion I have been places where the presence of God is undeniable. While attending various women’s conferences, Christian concerts, and Sunday morning worship services, I have known without a doubt the Spirit of God was among us. Those moments were glorious, and I wished they would never end. I would like to think I had a little taste of heaven.

It is easy to long for God in those circumstances, but I know He is just as present in the ordinary circumstances of everyday life. God is with me and He is powerful when I am doing laundry. He is present when I am strolling down the aisles of the grocery store, and when I am picking my kids up at school. Even when I am scrubbing the bath tub and cleaning the toilet, God is close to me and I can enjoy His presence.

Before I sent him off to the couch, I bent down to pick up Matthew. He was comforted in my embrace. Standing there with my little boy’s arms wrapped tightly around my neck, I thought about having such an intense desire for God. I longed to yearn for Him desperately. As I held Matthew and thanked God for giving him to me, I marveled at the lesson He had just taught me. Then I thanked Him that He loves for me to just want to be with Him.

Your Turn: Do you have an overwhelming desire to be in God’s presence? Can you imagine yourself as a child calling out to Him, “I just want to be with You!” Read Psalm 42:1-2 and visualize a thirsty deer panting for water.

Is that picture an accurate depiction of your desire for God? If so, spend quiet time simply resting in and enjoying His presence right now. If not, pray and ask Him to build that desire in you.

Write down Psalm 42:1-2 on a piece of paper and carry it in your pocket today. He wants you to desire Him desperately and I believe He will answer your sincere prayer.

Karen Hossink is a wife, mother, speaker and author. She blogs at Surviving Motherhood about the struggles, joys and hilarity of motherhood – and the goodness and faithfulness of God, who carries her through each moment.

As for other resources, here's a link to the book page on Karen’s website:
http://irritablemother.com/books_for_moms.htm
and to Karen’s blog: http://surviving-motherhood.blogspot.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Karen, what a beautiful picture of God teaching, leading, guiding and loving on us even in the everyday, ordinary tasks of life. Yes, to have that deep desire for Him and only Him...what a great thing to wish and hope for.

Thank you so much girl for sharing a little piece of your heart today. It was such a sweet pleasure getting to meet you a few weeks ago...I can't wait to see what God does with our new friendship!

Each week we hear from "Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith" in action...now it's your turn.

Have you been thinking about sending something in for this series?

Send me an email at melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll send you a copy of the submission guidelines. It's just a first step...take it and let's see what God does with it!

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Praise & Coffee the Magazine - Fall 2011 Issue

2011-11-01T09:00:00.002-04:00

Praise & Coffee the Magazine
Fall 2011

Have you had a chance to read it yet?

What are you waiting for?

The entire issue is about CHANGE!

It is 68 pages packed full of articles, book reviews, interviews, fashion, recipes, Praise & Coffee Nights info, and so.much.more.

Here's a little bit of what's inside...

Praise & Coffee Talks
- Leader Interviews
- Ideas For Praise & Coffee Nights
- Praise & Coffee Runs

Features
- Seasons Change
- The story behind {w}hole by Lisa Whittle
- God Never Wastes Our Pain
- What You Might Not Know About Halloween
- Walking Through Honduras
- A Forgiveness Story
- Invited In-Finding Contentment

In Every Issue
- From the Editor
- Fashion Cafe with Big Mama
- Things We Love!
- Praise & Coffee Cooks
- Encouragement for Today with Ronel
- For Caffeinated Moms Like You
- Lessons From Lauren

You can also find out more on our Praise & Coffee the Magazine page on Facebook.

Connect with some of the ladies writing the articles, ask questions, and find out more about sending something in yourself.

Book Review ~ Love on the Line, by Deeanne Gist

2011-10-31T15:55:00.006-04:00

Love on the Line

Deeanne Gist

This was my very first time reading a book by Deeanne Gist and I have to tell you that it will not be the last time. I can not wait to get my hands on some of her other books...but first, let me tell you why I fell head over heels for "Love on the Line".

It is absolutely beautifully written, the characters, their stories, the details surrounding them are so rich and deep that you begin to feel like you are sitting right there with them. You can hear them speak, see all the little details of their appearance and at times even smell what it must have been like for the character at that very moment. Deeanne has an incredible gift of gently guiding the reader to come right in to the pages of the book with her.

The story takes you on a journey with the characters that when the last thirty pages are in sight you want to slow down so that the story doesn't end. On the journey you dig in for not just a typical love story but an adventure of whit, wisdom, faith, and good old fashioned fun.

I'm heading over to Deeanne Gist's website right now to see what book I am going to add to my collection next.

See what others are saying about "Love on the Line".

From the back of the book:

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

Deeanne Gist--known to her family, friends, and fans as Dee--has rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere with her very original, very fun historical & contemporary romances. Add to this three RITA nominations, two consecutive Christy Awards, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you've got one recipe for success.

She has a very active online community on her website at IWantHerBook.com and at Facebook.com/Deesfriends.

Love on the Live iPad2 Giveaway and Facebook Party!

Deeanne is thrilled to introduce Georgie and Luke to the word in her latest novel. To celebrate Deeanne's publisher, Bethany House, is hosting the Love on the Line iPad2 giveaway and an Author Chat on Facebook! Enter today and follow the link below to RSVP for Deeanne's rip-roarin' Facebook Party!

One fortunate winner will receive:

* A Brand New iPad2
* An Autographed Hardback Copy of Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 7th. Winner will be announced at Deeanne's Author Chat Facebook Party. Deeanne will be wrapping up the Love on the Line celebration by chatting with friends new and old! So grab your copy of Love on the Line (it's okay if you don't have one yet- you might could win one!) and join Deeanne on the evening of November 8th for a rip roaring book chat, a little trivia and lots of giveaways (books, and Amazon, iTunes & Starbucks gift certificates)!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends. Hope to see you on the 8th!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book, Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist, free from Litfuse Publicity Group as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Godly Gals ~ Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith - What's Coming Next

2011-10-27T07:46:00.009-04:00

Godly Gals ~ Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith
Based off Romans 12:1-2

Over the last two years I have sat back in awe of what God is doing in and through this series. These last few months God has really pressed on my heart that this is just the beginning of this great adventure called the "Godly Gals" series.

I'm going to be going back to visit with some of the Godly Gals we've been blessed to hear from and get updates from them on their lives and ministries since we last heard from them.

I'll be doing an interview series with these Godly Gals so that we can get to know their real lives beyond their post here in Mel's World.

I'm really looking forward to getting back in touch with these Godly Gals...there are so many amazing things happening in their lives, I can't wait for you to hear all about it!

I am also going to continue to move forward with weekly stories of "Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith" in action from new friends and Godly Gals.

What does that look like?

Well, right now I am looking for more women who want to send in something for the series. It can be about your ministry, your life, a story of hope, or whatever God has been showing you lately.

The one thing it must be is REAL! We want to hear from REAL women living out their REAL life with REAL faith.

If you are interested in sending something in, then email me for a copy of the submission guidelines.

You don't have to be an author, writer, speaker to have a story to share...yes, those are great additions to the series, but it really is about Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith...and you, sweet sister, are a Real Woman!

Go ahead...we'd love to hear your stories.

There's more too...but I'm going to leave it at that for now. If you haven't had a chance lately to sit down and visit with some of these Godly Gals, then take a look at some of the previous Godly Gals posts to get to know some truly special women.

I look forward to hearing from you...
remember, send me an email to get a copy of the submission guidelines for yourself.

Thanks for joining me on this amazing adventure...here's to many more years of Godly Gals!

Romans 12:1-2 The Message says, "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

Book Review ~ Hermie & Friends Series from Max Lucado

2011-10-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

Max Lucado has done it again...I have fallen in love all over again with my good friend Hermie the Caterpillar and I think you will too! The two board books are a perfect addition to any nursery, with words that cut straight to the heart of the matter...simple, easy, colorful these board books are sure to be a hit with any precious little one in your life.

Now the exciting part...Hermie is now part of an early readers book series. This mama would have loved to have books like these available when my boys were little. It was all I could do to keep books in the house, we made weekly trips to the library to check out books because the boys were just so excited to read on their own that they pretty much read everything in sight.

To have early reader books with a Christian message about how special they are, how God created them each individually unique...well, what more could a mom ask for. Oh yeah, they are from Max Lucado...a trusted name in families everywhere.

I can't wait to add these books to the Kids Ministry library at my church...the little ones on Sunday morning are going to love these!

Meet Little Hermie–the cutest baby caterpillar in the garden! Little Hermie's thankful heart shows toddlers how to be thankful for God's blessings.

Little Hermie is thankful for everything God has given him. He goes through his day by thanking God for his many blessings in this adorable board book with flocking on the cover!

Little Hermie and the baby bug garden friends teach little ones about God’s love for them.

God loves all of His creatures. Little Hermie explores all of the ways God loves him and his friends in this sweet board book with glitter on the cover.

With over 5.5 million brands units sold, the new Little Hermie books open the wonderful world of the Hermie & Friends garden to an entirely new audience.

This Max Lucado’s Hermie & Friends ® best-selling story now available in easy-to-read format!

Hermie and his friend Wormie have always felt common. They don’t have stripes or dots, they aren’t very strong, and they can’t find anything special about themselves. But every time they pray, God tells them that He loves them all the time just as they are and that He isn’t finished with them yet. When Hermie becomes a beautiful butterfly, he realizes just how special God’s plan is for him!

This classic story has been revised for kids to read and enjoy on their own as a Lever 2 Reader. With fresh new art and a story kids can read themselves, plus a new, low price—this classic story will find a whole new generation of kids who love Hermie and his garden friends

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received copies of these books free from Thomas Nelson Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Godly Gals, His Hands by Jennifer Travis

2011-09-29T15:00:00.002-04:00

His Hands

By: Jennifer Travis

We humans are such a weak race. Yet we convince ourselves that we’re in control and that we’re strong enough to do it all alone-- all while we spend most of our time cleaning off our cuts and scrapes from daily trips and falls leaving us face-first on the ground. We convince ourselves that our ways are upright, even though it’s been proven otherwise over and over. Our sinful stubbornness limits us by keeping us from admitting that our ways do not work-- for far too long.

But then He touches us. It’s a new kind of touch. We start to see more clearly. Our backward ways, little by little, become more obvious and it gets harder to deny. In turn we slowly give up parts of ourselves- craving more of His touch.

His strong, warm and loving hands are always on us, even when we don’t feel them. He’s always working in our lives, shaping our circumstances into His plan. He touches every piece of clay, without missing any detail. His hand is in every aspect of our lives long before He saves us, shaping and molding for something more beautiful than we can imagine. He see’s the finished piece long before He has begun His work.

His level of love is so far above any human definition that we can’t fully wrap our minds around just how great He is. His hands touch every single thing on this earth—every person and everything aspect of nature. The beauty of the things He’s made reflect a level of love that no human can fathom. We’re so fortunate that He didn’t just make us and step aside. He’s always there, always touching something in our lives, or in us. His loving hands are never idle.

He stands, both hands extended toward us, waiting for each of us to ask. He wants us to seek Him, to reach out and take His hand. And when we do, we experience miracles that change us forever-- leaving us thirsting for more of Him.

I encourage you to seek Him, ask Him to light your path daily. Ask Him to touch your heart. Not only can He handle all of our circumstances and needs, but He wants to. His hands are strong enough, and He’s willing. Just ask.

Jennifer Travis is married to her best friend, Chris. They have three children—Kearney (12), Isaiah (3) and Juliette (1). Jennifer and her family live in Louisiana, where she works as a curriculum designer. She enjoys knitting, reading, making memories with her family and of course, writing for her blog http://travisinbloom.blogspot.com.

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What a beautiful picture of how much He loves us...thank you so much Jennifer for these wonderful words today. It is such a sweet gift to get to know you and have you join us on this Godly Gals adventure!

Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith is what this series is all about...have you ever wondered if you might be a good fit for this Godly Gals series?

Then what are you waiting for?

Shoot me an email to melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll send you a copy of the submission guidelines. I can't wait to see what God lays on your heart to share with us!

Humbled and In Awe

2011-09-28T22:30:00.001-04:00

For weeks now I have been working with an extremely dedicated and passionate team to get things ready for the upcoming South Florida Praise & Coffee Night. Tomorrow night is almost here...and yet I am smack dab in the face of something deeply moving.

I am completely humbled and in awe.

No, nothing super amazing or anything like that happened today.

Just simply sitting here tonight.

Listening to "epic soundtracks" on Pandora, because for some reason it really helps me to focus when I write and create, it hit me...again.

I am nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Without the saving grace of my Savior.

This message tomorrow night is going to be 100% real.

Raw.

Emotionally vulnerable for me,

and I just have to tell you that it scares the bee-jeezus out of me.

The message I am going to share tomorrow night is not going to be incredibly profound,

but simply bits and pieces of the journey that He has had me on, and if I am even more real with you...because He is flat out making me share it.

My word for 2011 is SURRENDER.

So...here I go...

laying it all out on the line tomorrow night,

trusting,

believing,

knowing...

that the time is now.

Yes.

I am humbled and in awe that He would take a cracked pot like me and use me for anything in ministry still astounds me.

I'm putting feet where my mouth is and going to "take my everyday, ordinary life and placing it as my offering to Him".

Thankfully in the end, His is really the only opinion that matters most to me.

Just shooting straight from the heart...Melissa

Book Review ~ Gabby God's Little Angel by Sheila Walsh, Plus a Give Away Copy

2011-09-26T20:00:00.007-04:00

Gabby, God’s Little Angel

What a sweet little treasure to any home, church or library. Sheila Walsh has started a new series precious books for young girls from 3-7 years old. With colorful pictures, easy words, and the adorable and lovable little angel Gabby what is not to love.

Little girls everywhere are going to fall in love with Gabby, God's Little Angel and when they do, moms, dads, teachers and grandparents alike will fall in love with her too. Today our little ones need to hear how much God loves them over and over again. We can gently guide them to that truth each and every time we sit down to read about Gabby and all her great adventures.

"He has put his angels in charge of you. They will watch over you wherever you go." Psalm 91:11

I can't wait to share this precious book with the little ones in the Kids Ministry at my church and even with one of YOU!

I was blessed to receive an extra copy of the book to share with one of my friends here in Mel's World.

Leave a comment below and let me know who you would share this book with.

I will draw a random winner this Friday, September 30th at 5pm EST. The winner will be contacted via email, so please make sure you leave your email in the comments.

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This first book in a delightful new series offers a comforting message for young readers-God loves you very much and is always watching over you!

What little girl wouldn't love her very own guardian angel? Parents and children alike will be won over by this humorous tale of Gabby, a guardian angel in training who has much to learn about taking care of God's little ones. Her new assignment is to protect a young girl named Sophie, but Gabby soon realizes that watching after Sophie is a bigger challenge than she had expected! After a close call while riding her pony, Sophie learns what the Bible says about guardian angels: "He will put his angels in charge of you. They will watch over you wherever you go" (Psalm 91:11 ICB).

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About Sheila: Sheila Walsh is the creator of the award-winning Gigi, God's Little Princess® brand which has sold over 1.5 million units. Sheila is a Bible teacher, speaker, singer, and best-selling author with more than 4 million books sold. As a featured speaker with Women of Faith®, Sheila has reached more than 3.5 million women by artistically combining honesty, vulnerability, and humor with God's Word.

Author of the best-selling memoir Honestly and the Gold Medallion nominee for The Heartache No One Sees, Sheila's most recent release The Shelter of God's Promises has also been turned into a DVD curriculum and in-depth Bible study. Sheila's first series for girls, The Gigi, God's Little Princess book and video series, won the National Retailer's Choice Award twice and is the most popular Christian brand for young girls in the United States.

Sheila co-hosted The 700 Club and her own show Heart to Heart with Sheila Walsh. She is currently completing her Master's in Theology. www.sheilawalsh.com

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Meet Gabby for yourself here. Help Sheila introduce Gabby - be sure to check out her video trailer promotion here!

In Gabby, God’s Little Angel, Gigi fans will fall in love with Gabby and learn about God’s love and provision and a little about His invisible creation, the angels.

Read what people are saying here.

Enter today - Sheila and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, have put together an “Angel” prize package worth over $150.00!

One lucky winner will receive:

A brand new KINDLE with Wi-Fi
Gabby, God’s Little Angel

But wait! There’s more …

On October 4th join Sheila at her Author Page on FB for the Gabby, God’s Little Angel Party! She will announce the winner of the KINDLE, host a chat and give away a ton of fun products from the Gigi and Gabby line! RSVP today and then be sure to stop by on October 4th at 5:00 PM PST (6 PM MST, 7 PM CST, & 8 PM EST).

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book, Gabby God's Little Angel, free from Litfuse Group as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Godly Gals ~ What Happened to Your Leg, by Mandy Young

2011-09-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

What Happened to Your Leg?

By: Mandy Young

“What happened to your leg?” is a question I’m asked weekly, if not daily. I became an amputee two weeks before my 9th birthday and even after 21 years of being asked this question, it’s still a hard one for me to answer. Not because I am struggling with what happened, but because the questioner wants a short answer like cancer, a car wreck or I was just born that way. However, my story is so much more than just me losing my leg.

I was born a healthy baby, with two arms, two legs, ten fingers and ten toes. Soon after that is when my life became about doctors, hospitals and illness. By the age of 4 I had already battled spinal meningitis three times, a stroke, seizures, scarlet fever, tubes put in my ears 11 times, had my mastoid bone removed, had an abscess the size of a softball in the lymph nodes of my stomach and that’s just to name a few.

My body continued to develop these horrible, life threatening infections and no one could figure out why. We traveled the country looking for a doctor or hospital, but we kept being turned away. We were told repeatedly that my body was further advanced than medicine.

A couple of years went by, the infections seemed to be coming less, and it started to appear that I was somewhat healthy. Two weeks before my 9th birthday I found myself back in the hospital fighting for my life once again. Doctors told my parents that I had two massive and rare infections (gas gangrene and colostrum septicemia) that were spreading throughout my body.

This is when my parents were forced to make a decision. Either they could let me die or doctors could try to amputate the leg but still only giving me less than a 3% chance to live. This was the ninth time that my parents had been told I would not live through the next hour. For my parents, there was no decision; the surgeon amputated my left leg and hip in an effort to try to stop the spreading infection. After two very intense weeks of ICU, I finally woke up out of my coma. I had survived!

During my 2 months of being hospitalized, our search for finding a doctor became our top priority. There had to be someone, somewhere willing to try to figure out why I continued to get these life threatening infections. After what seemed like an eternity, Dr. John Gallin decided he would take a chance on my rare case. My family traveled back and fourth to Maryland for 14 years to see Dr. Gallin and his team. During those years, I underwent hundreds of medical tests.

Over the span of those 14 years, it didn’t seem like we were getting any closer to a diagnosis; until one day, the phone rang. It was Dr. Gallin and he said, “We know the basis of Amanda’s problem”.

IRAK 4…is my genetic mutation. We had been waiting 22 years for this diagnosis. Think about that. It wasn’t a few days, a week, or even a few weeks. We waited 22 years!

Basically, we discovered is when my body is exposed to an infection, my white blood cells don’t receive the signal to fight it off. And because I don’t show normal symptoms to illness, like running a fever, by the time, my body does recognize the illness, I can already be critically ill. It is caused by a gene defect (actually two separate defects) that each of my parents carry.

You might be wondering, what are the chances of this happening? Well my doctors say that I have won the medical lottery! Especially since, I’m the only person in the world with my exact genetic mutation. Pretty crazy huh? The odds of my parents, who have these defective genes meeting, marrying and having children, were one in a million. The odds of me having the IRAK-4 gene mutation were astronomical.

After reading a little about my life you might understand two things; 1. My diagnosis is pretty fitting, since my whole life is kinda crazy! 2. Why it’s so hard for me to simply answer the “what happened to your leg?” question.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11

This is my life verse. The verse that helps my life make sense. Only God knew what life lay before me. He knew His plans for me. He made me and knew I could endure whatever obstacle he put before me and He knew He would only give me what I could handle. Never in my life have I ever thought that God was trying to harm me or do what was wrong for me. I always trusted and knew whatever He had me going through was going to make me a stronger person.

Not until recently did I figure out it wasn’t only making me stronger it was also bringing me closer and making me more faithful to Him. I can’t do anything without Him but as Philippians 4:13 says, I can do all things with him! He chose ME! He has given me a huge job to handle for Him.

Therefore, to repay Him I live for Him, telling others the story, He has given me to tell and even though I’m a sinner, I try my best to live like the greatest example He ever gave us, Jesus.

My medical journey is not over. It has now been 21 years since I became a part of the NIH family. There is no treatment or cure for IRAK 4, so I’m still being studied. Plus from what they are learning from my research, they are learning more about other diseases like lupus, heart disease, arthritis and certain types of cancer. Because of my research, other diseases that millions of others suffer from are being better understood, and I’m so blessed to be a part of it. So I will continue to donate my living body to science. This body is just a vessel for this vapor life and we are supposed to help our brothers.

I will continue to live the life God has planned for me and even though it gets tough sometimes, I remind myself my life isn’t about me, it’s about Him and what HE has planned for me. And as long as I’m where He wants me to be then I can’t go wrong.

"What happened to your leg?" is a question that Mandy Young is asked everyday, but there is no easy answer to that question. She has lived a life that most would not choose to live. She's a southern social butterfly; who loves her family, friends, sweet tea, the color pink and most of all the Lord! She believes she's one of the cheesiest people you'll know and that the simple things in life are the best. With her contagious spirit, warm smile and Jesus loving heart, she began sharing her testimony in hopes of helping others overcome obstacles they may be facing.

Her story has been featured in newspaper articles like USA Today, in Good Housekeeping Magazine and on T.V. shows like Extra, Montel Williams, NBC Nightly News and international programming like CNN’s Medical Mysteries. She has been honored to be the spokesperson for several organizations and the "Face of Hope" for the new Undiagnosed Diseases Program at the National Institutes of Health.

To find out more about Mandy Young and her ministry, stop by her Facebook page, Mandy Young.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Mandy, you have no idea how thankful I am that you are being obedient to the call He has on your life by sharing your story with so many. Your heart for Jesus shines brightly through everything you do. You are a ray of sunshine and a joy to know. I absolutely adore your heart and can't wait to give you a great big hug one day! Thank you so much for being a part of the Godly Gals series.

Each week we are blessed to hear from "Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith" and I pray that you are encouraged and inspired by their authentic faith.

If you'd like to be a part of the Godly Gals series, then send me an email to melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll send you a copy of the submission guidelines.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you today!

~ Melissa

South Florida Praise & Coffee Night, Coming Next Week, 9/29/11

2011-09-21T12:00:00.004-04:00

Thursday, September 29th

7-9pm

Blue Moon Diner

10076 Griffin Rd, Cooper City, FL

* Come hungry...Dinner, Dessert & Coffee is available for purchase from Blue Moon Diner.

Come out and join us for a night of Praise & Coffee as we

"Connect, Encourage, and Inspire" the ladies of South Florida.

We have lots of great things planned that night;
* worship,
* friends,
* prizes/giveaways,
* info on Women of Faith conference 10/28-10-29,
* a word of encouragement and sharing,
* coffee (can be purchased at Blue Moon),
* dinner/dessert (can be purchased at Blue Moon).

You can RSVP on our event page on Facebook or leave a comment and let us know you are coming!

Mark your calendars now,

schedule your babysitter,

call a few friends,

then come on out and join us...

We can't wait to see you there!

♥ Melissa ~ Mel's World

Casting a Vision for Your Ministry

2011-09-20T12:00:00.005-04:00

@ the Ministry Counter at Internet Cafe Devotions

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. Proverbs 29:18 ESV

It is the beginning of ministry season again; kids are getting back in school, families are starting to get in the swing of the routine after the summer and ministries gear up for events and activities to meet the needs of the people at their church and in their community. You have carefully planned your ministry plan and now it is go time.

The excitement is brewing not just with you but also in your church and now is the perfect time to cast a vision for your ministry. Whether you are starting a brand new ministry or running the same one you have for years, it is always good to take time to share with the church and your ministry team the vision for your ministry.

According to Dictionary.com, a vision is “the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be: prophetic vision; the vision of an entrepreneur.”

Let’s take a few minutes to go over the “Who, What, When, Where, Why” of casting a vision for your ministry...

<-- To finish reading the "who, what, when, where, & why" of casting a vision for your ministry head on over to the Internet Cafe Devotions website.

"A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more." ~ Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Book Review ~ Always True, by James MacDonald

2011-09-19T18:30:00.000-04:00

Always True, by James MacDonald

What a rich and timely resource for anyone who is struggling under the weight of the hard stuff that life brings our way. Let's face it...life is not easy, but God is good and in this book James MacDonald unpacks "God's 5 promises when life is hard."

I'll be straight up honest with you and say...you don't have to be in the middle of storm to appreciate this book because the reality is that you either just got out of a storm, are in the middle of a storm or just found yourself walking into one. When the storms come it is comforting to find peace in these 5 promises.

Promise #1: God Is Always With Me (I Will Not Fear)

Promise #2: God Is Always In Control (I Will Not Doubt)

Promise #3: God Is Always Good (I Will Not Despair)

Promise #4: God Is Always Watching (I Will Not Falter)

Promise #5: God Is Always Victorious (I Will Not Fail)

Each promise is backed by Scripture and makes for a fantastic resource to put together a Scripture Booklet to help you as you study and soak up the truth found in these promises. I love the spiral index cards (like at Walgreen's or CVS), I use these all the time to keep God's Word and His promises close to my heart. It helps to have them handy...in my car, in my purse or even my computer bag, when I have a few extra minutes I can always whip them out and start reflecting on His promises and His Word.

This book is a terrific resource for anyone to have in their library and also to share with a friend. I've already shared a copy with a friend of mine as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

God keeps His Word – every time.

Sometimes in life we are going along, doing all right; managing the ups and downs of our routines, when out of nowhere a boulder drops from the sky and crash lands on our lives. It might be a serious illness, a job loss, or something that just wasn't in the plan...But the weight is often sudden and crushing. We're desperate for help to come or we might not make it.

That’s the place in my life where the message of this book was born.

First, I sat down and gleaned the lessons from Scripture about life's trials that eventually became the book, When Life is Hard. But when life was hardest, I needed more than just lessons - I needed life support. I needed God’s promises.

This book contains five promises God makes over and over, to every person of faith, in every generation. When you make these truths your own, they'll become intensely personal, incredibly practical, and profoundly reliable.

Dig deep with me into God's Word. And receive His promises.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

James MacDonald (D. Min. Phoenix Seminary) is married to his high school sweetheart, Kathy, and both are from Ontario, Canada. He is the father of three grown children, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, and four amazing grandsons. James’ ministry focuses on the unapologetic proclamation of God’s Word. In 1988, along with a small group of ministry partners, James and Kathy planted Harvest Bible Chapel (HarvestBibleChapel.org) which has grown to 13,000 people each weekend, meeting in six locations.

Godly Gals ~ Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith, Secret Sin, by Amy Riordan

2011-09-15T07:15:00.000-04:00

Secret Sin

By: Amy Riordan

Is there anything in your life that you continually struggle with?

Do you have a “secret” sin that you hope is never found out?

Maybe you have repeatedly asked God to forgive you for something, and then you find yourself right back in that same situation again?

That’s exactly where I was. I was there for a very long time, actually.

God showed me one day that I was holding onto this sin, because I thought it was part of who I was. It was very difficult for me to see myself not struggling with this, even though I knew it didn’t match up with what God’s Word said about me.

When Satan would throw his darts at me, I usually tried to ignore it. That was my strategy. I would eventually end up letting my guard down and wander right back into the same old trap. When Satan would tempt Jesus, did Jesus fight back with God’s Word, or did He turn away to say, “Wow, look at those flowers. Aren’t they beautiful”? That’s a funny example, but it really showed me that I had not been using what God gave me to fight my battles. Ignoring them was not working.

We have to fight our battles with the weapon that God has given us: His Word.

When you ignore any bondage in your life – it grows. It’s like a weed. If I ignore the weeds in my garden, they will continue to grow and take over the whole garden. I can only “conquer” them by pulling them out by the roots. You don’t just pull them out once and never have to do it again. This is something that has to be done continually.

You may be tired of fighting. Sometimes it seems easier to ignore it and hope it will go away. Sometimes it seems just too painful to fight.

If you have any particular sin that keeps creeping back into your life, you are not alone. The good news is we have a loving, all-knowing and powerful God who shows us how to conquer these things. Ask Him to show you what changes you need to make in your life in order to help combat any recurring sins. Don’t let the enemy lie to you and convince you that things will never change! Study the bible to find out how God sees you. It is often quite different than we see ourselves.

If you have a secret sin, I encourage you to confide in a pastor or mature Christian friend. I’ve learned first-hand that when sin is brought out into the light, its grip on you will lessen. You are not meant to carry this on your own. Don’t let shame keep you from turning this over to Jesus.He is waiting for you with open arms! “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

Amy lives in PA with her husband and two young children. Amy and her husband recently launched a healing and deliverance ministry in their church that focuses directly on breaking strongholds and receiving spiritual, physical and emotional healing. In her blog, “Walking In Freedom”, Amy shares her passion of helping others discover who they are in Christ and walking in the freedom of who God created them to be.

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Amy, what a great reminder for each of us to keep ourselves in His Word in all times so that we are prepared for the battles that will come our way. I love your heart and how you share it so freely to help others find out about the freedom of walking with Christ. Good stuff!!!

Sweet sisters, each and every one of you has a story to share...and I'd love to hear it!

If you would like more info about the Godly Gals series and how you can share your story of "Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith" then send me an email at melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com.

I'm looking forward to seeing your story here soon!

When They're Almost Ready to Leave ~ Guest Post at the MOB Society

2011-09-14T07:30:00.000-04:00

When They're Almost Ready to Leave

Guest Post over at The M.O.B Society

We live life ready for an adventure. Each day is full of rough housing, dirt, climbing trees, legos, dinosaurs, and critters. Laundry is never quite finished and you can never be sure what you might find in your rambunctious little ones’ pockets.

There has been no greater joy or adventure in my life than being mom to my two boys. While they were little, I spent most of my time playing the role of referee, taxi driver and boo-boo fixer.

I miss those days. Life seemed simpler then…sure, it was hectic, having little boys always is, but the sweet simplicity of a hug & kiss would make things better for them, now that they are older I have found out that the old wives tale is actually true, “little kids little problems, big kids big problems”.

The boys are as different as night and day and there are times I wonder how they could have come from the same two parents and be so completely opposite. There is, however, one thing that they both have in common, and that is that my husband and I have always done our best to raise godly men. It was not always easy but after years of planting (1 Corinthians 3:6); we are starting to see the fruit of all the hard work.

Today they are fifteen and seventeen, a sophomore and a senior, and I have to stop and pinch myself at times.

How did they get so big so fast?

Where did the time go?

What happened to my precious little boys?

Now we are preparing for the next phase of the great adventure of raising godly men…girlfriends. Yes, I said it. We are wading through the waters of dating with both of our boys and as much as I would like to keep them seven and nine years old the truth of the matter is that they are almost men.

We are teaching them that they “date” to find a “mate” and that there are boundaries set up from us and from God so that they can experience the richness of being pure for their future bride. Yes, we know, it goes completely against what the world is telling them, but our goal has always been to equip them to be the men God created them to be.

Our time while they are at home is on the backward countdown...to be continued over at the M.O.B Society...

To find out what we're learning with our boys and to read the rest of this post, then head on over to the M.O.B Society (Mothers of Boys) "When They're Almost Ready to Leave".

Book Review ~ Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott

2011-09-10T18:00:00.000-04:00

Fairer Than Morning

By: Rosslyn Elliott

What an incredible start to what is sure to be an amazing career in Christian Fiction, Rosslyn Elliott's breakout novel Fairer Than Morning was everything I could have dreamed of in a romance adventure and then some. The characters were rich with history, depth and drama and the historical aspect of their story makes it even more exciting.

This first book in The Saddler's Legacy has set the bar high for the books to follow, but I have no doubt that they will be every bit as incredible as this one. Fairer than Morning was a great get away book for those who are looking for a book with some teeth to it. I can't wait for my girlfriends to get a copy and see what they have to say about it too!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor, Eli-until Will Hanby shows her that nobility is more than fine words.

On a small farm in 19th-century Ohio, young Ann Miller is pursued by the gallant Eli Bowen, son of a prominent family. Eli is the suitor of Ann's dreams. Like her, he enjoys poetry and beautiful things and soon, he will move to the city to become a doctor.

Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her father on business. There she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker's apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. But Ann's compassion lights a long-dark part of his soul. Through his encounters with Ann's father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage in the midst of tremendous adversity.

When the Millers must return to Ohio and their ministry there, Will resolves to find them, at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting?

Read an excerpt here: http://www.rosslynelliott.com/books.php

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Rosslyn Elliott grew up in a military family and relocated so often that she attended nine schools before her high school graduation. With the help of excellent teachers, she qualified to attend Yale University, where she earned a BA in English and Theater. She worked in business and as a schoolteacher before returning to study at Emory University, where she earned a Ph.D. in English in 2006. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue her lifelong dream of writing fiction. She lives in the Southwest, where she homeschools her daughter and teaches in children's ministry. For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliott.com

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To celebrate the release of her debut novel, Fairer Than Morning, Rosslyn Elliott is giving away two fabulous prize packages. The first is brand new KINDLE in her Fairer Than Morning Kindle Giveaway. Then on September 20th she's giving away a $200 gift certificate toward a Custom-Made Historical Reproduction Dress (from Recollections) during the Fairer Than Morning Book Club Chat Party on Facebook! Sigh...romantic.

Fairer Than Morning is receiving wonderful reviews - Library Journal said, "A well-written historical series debut…". Read more reviews here.

Be sure to join the fun and enter the Kindle contest -

One winner will receive:

* Kindle with Wi-Fi

* Fairer Than Morning (for Kindle)

To enter just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, giveaway ends on 9/19. Winner will be announced on 9/20 at Rosslyn's Book Club Facebook Party. Details and official rules can be found when entering the contest.

Then be sure to RSVP for Rosslyn's Facebook Party! During the party Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, hosting a book chat about Fairer Than Morning (don't worry if you haven't read the book yet - you could win a copy!) & historical Fiction, testing your trivia skills. She'll also be giving away that $200 gift certificate toward a FABULOUS custom-made period dress from Recollections!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the preview book free from Litfuse Publicity Group as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review ~ Smack Dab in the Middle of God's Love by: Brennan Manning & John Blase

2011-09-05T19:06:00.002-04:00

Smack Dab in the Middle of God's Love

By: Brennan Manning and John Blase

Smack Dab in the Middle of God's Love is a sweet little book with lots of possibilities. I loved the rich, deep textures of the illustrations and the sweet simplicity of the story. The characters are Willie Juan and Ana and they live in a little Mexican village. The characters are kind, warm, gentle and daily open their heart and home to the kids in the neighborhood. I love that part of their story and love that they are given an opportunity to share God's love with the kids in the neighborhood.

This book is a quick, easy read and as much as I would like for it to go a little further about how great God's love is, I think that overall that this is a great conversation starter. His love for us is so great & mighty, and to be able to plant that seed of His love into the hearts of kids is one of the things that I am most passionate about. Smack Dab in the Middle of God's Love will make a great addition to your library...at home or at church.

In Smack Dab in the Middle of God’s Love, Manning and Blase discuss Abba, or God, and his love for the children. This book tells a story of the familiar character from Manning’s other writings named Willie Juan, who ask the children of his village “Little friends, what is one thing you think Abba will ask you someday when you are in Heaven?” The children talk about their fears, their hopes and finally come to understand that God’s love is not dependent upon what they do, God’s love is always there and they are smack dab in the middle of it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Godly Gals ~ God Speaks by Antoinette Sands

2011-09-01T08:00:00.054-04:00

God Speaks

By: Antoinette Sands

Hello beautiful ladies! Today, some of you may be celebrating a fantastic victory, some may simply be plodding along, some may be at a crossroad, and some may have mentally or emotionally stopped on the roadside, not willing to go on anymore.

My friend, I don’t know where you are in your life right now, but, let me encourage you that you God desires to speak to you. And you NEED God to speak. He wrote the manuscript for our lives before we were born. The moment He speaks, everything changes. His words provide direction and healing comfort.

We, as Christians, have a guarantee that the Spirit of God in us will teach us truth. (I John 2:27) He also promises to work in us to will and to act out His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). He also promises to guide us carefully with his eye (Psalm 32:8).

With all these amazing promises, we could wonder “Why then is it so difficult to hear sometimes?” or even harder, “Why is God sometimes quiet?”

This is where I hope to encourage you...

Let me guarantee you first, friend. God will speak. He loves you so completely-more than a lover, BFF, or close family. He loves us enough to let us go through times of pain and . . . silence.

My husband and I found ourselves in a desperate situation like that over six years ago. Having been in the ministry over a decade, our world around us completely unraveled. Many friends & family abandoned us, and everything we had given our lives to was desecrated, smashed, and ruined.

For a while, I could not pray. I had known all the “right things” to do, and had given counsel to so many in the past. But this was my pain, and the waves of hurt just kept washing over us relentlessly for several years. It was very difficult to find God in the mess. I remember showing up at a church and just standing there. I couldn’t sing, couldn’t pray, but my presence there that day said to God, “I’m here. I’m showing up.” As the people around me were worshipping, I heard a voice speak so clearly in my heart.

Unexpectedly, unprovoked He said,
“I acknowledge your pain.”

I began to weep! You know, the embarrassing, uncontrollable kind. But the God of the universe had stopped all His “universe running” to acknowledge me and that’s all I needed. A part of me was healed right then and there.

You see, God will speak.

Hagar was Sara’s maid who bore Abraham a son. On two separate occasions, we find her in a wilderness, utterly rejected. (Genesis 16:6-13 and 21:14-19) Each time, God initiated a conversation with her and gave her hope. She even named God “The One who lives and sees me.”

Don’t take silence or wilderness experiences as abandonment.

Count on Him.

Wait for Him.

Let Him lead.

He WILL be faithful to speak!

Antoinette Sands has been married for 14 years to her childhood crush. She and her husband, Doug, live in southern Delaware and enjoy life near the ocean with three beautiful children. She currently is the worship leader at Bayshore Community Church and has a passion to write music, lead others into God's presence with worship, and encourage women on their journey in life. You can follow her on twitter at: @antoinettesands or friend her on facebook "Antoinette Sands" for her latest music recordings and life updates.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, thank you so much Antoinette for sharing that beautiful word with us this morning! There was so much of it that I could relate to that I just sat on the edge of my seat waiting to go on this journey with you. Thank you for taking the time to be obedient to the message He asked you to share! You are such a dear sweet soul and I am so thankful that our paths have crossed on this amazing adventure.

I'm gearing up for a new ministry season right now and I am looking for more ladies that want to be a part of this Godly Gals journey with me.

If you've ever thought about sending something in for the series, then I'd just like to encourage you to send it on in.

I'm working on the calendar for the rest of the year and I would love to have something from you for this series...Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith...that's what Godly Gals is all about.

If you would like a copy of the submission guidelines, then send me an email at melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll be more than happy to answer any questions you might have about this series.

I am looking forward to hearing from YOU!

Have a great day!

~ Melissa

Starting Your Day With An Attitude of Gratitude ~ Guest Posting at Sundi Jo's

2011-08-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

photo credit: Dreamstimefree (RF-LL)

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Ephesians 5:20 NIV

Do you start your day with an attitude of gratitude?

Have you taken the time today to thank the One who has given you all the blessings in your life?

I know, I know…it can be something that just “slips our mind”. We have good intentions, but life happens and we forget to stop and thank the Creator for all the abundant blessings in our life.

Oh, you are shaking your head and saying, well, Melissa, you don’t know what my family is dealing with, or you have no idea how hard things are right now, and you know what…you are absolutely right, I don’t know, but He does.

On top of that, I bet that even in the midst of the trials that we are experiencing right now that there are things we can take time to be thankful for in our lives.

We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. -Charles Swindoll

To find out how you can take steps toward an attitude of gratitude head on over to Sundi Jo's to finish reading the post called "Starting Your Day With An Attitude of Gratitude"!

While you are there make sure to spend some time in Sundi's world, it really is a cool place to hang out. We were blessed to have Sundi Jo as a Godly Gal here as well, if you didn't get a chance to read her post, click on "The Truth About Intimacy" to read all about it.

Book Review ~ Kiss, Bang, Boom! by Leslie Lamb

2011-08-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Kiss, Bang, Boom! Book One ~ Zella's Story

By: Leslie Lamb

It is hard to believe that I could get so emotionally invested in a book written for teen girls, but oh my gracious did I just fall hard for the characters in the book "Kiss, Bang, Boom!" If you've been hanging around Mel's World any time at all you know how much I love a good chick flick/book, so when I saw that it was originally written for teen girls I thought, why not (I'm young at heart, right?).

Zella's story is one that many girls can relate too...she's unique, different and not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She's strong, confident and yet also just like any other teenage girl...susceptible to the winds of emotions. When I turned the pages of Zella's story I felt more like I was watching a movie than reading a book. I was completely enveloped into her world and couldn't put the book down until I finished it.

With real trials and junk that teenagers deal with today it is absolutely relevant for your teenage daughter, girls in your youth group and to be quite honest...for you too! I've already been passing my copy around to some of the girls in youth group and it's been great to sit down with them and talk about the details of the book together.

You know what's even better...BOOK #2 (Paper, Rock, Scissors Book 2 ~ Celeste's Confession) is already out so you won't have to wait to see what happens next. I'll be getting my copy soon too...can't wait!

Check out the trailer below of Kiss, Bang, Boom! Oh...and the voice you hear is actually the author, my sweet friend, Leslie Lamb.

Zella Storm is a "unique" girl. She has always done things a little differently and dating is just another one of those things. She is finally at the age where she is allowed to date, but surprisingly she has decided to forego the whole process.

Zella is fine with her decision and is actually much happier without boys in her life until Toby Woods, a missionary kid from Korea, comes to town. He is everything that she thinks a boyfriend should be. Her friend Celeste encourages her to pursue him, and her life long enemy is determined to beat her to the chase.

With so much on the line, will she change her mind, or will she stick with her decision and say no to dating?

A Blessed Guest with Joanne Kraft ~ Choosing to Seek Joy on the Journey

2011-08-27T18:15:00.000-04:00

Hey there sweet sisters!

This summer has been a whirlwind of adventures, excitement, challenges and so much more. I have been traveling a lot, helping my kids travel a lot (two missions trips, Haiti and Guatemala, and student camp), and helping my husband with his crazy travel schedule (he was gone 28 out of 39 days) this summer and am just now getting out from under the craziness called my inbox.

Over the next few weeks I'll be catching y'all up with life here in Mel's World. I have so much to share with you...from the trip to Haiti (where my two boys and husband went), the trip to Guatemala with Compassion International (my youngest son and my husband went) to do some mission work and visit with our Compassion children (Ericka and Luis), and the exciting things coming up for Mel's World this fall.

Until then, I have some posts that I would love to share with you from some of my visits with my friends and quite a few book reviews to catch up on too. I pray you are blessed by each of these posts and look forward to connecting with you more now that we are all in one zip code again.

Bunches of Hugs,

Melissa ~ Mel's World

Over the last few years my family has had more than our fair share of storms in our life, some of them small and some of them downright unbearable. There were days when I thought that we were drowning in the midst of the stuff that was going on around us, but even when those storms were threatening to take us under there was still joy in my heart.

You see, choosing to seek the joy is a conscious decision to say that no matter what comes my way I will stand firm in Him. Certainly not because of the circumstances in my life, but because choosing to SEEK the JOY on this journey called life brings Him glory.

To find out more about seeking joy on the journey, click here ~> JOY on the Journey

Also, you might remember Joanne from the book review I did on her new book called "Just Too Busy ~ Taking Your Family on a Radical Sabbatical". Make sure to check out her site, she's a beautiful friend on the inside and out and I know you will be blessed by getting to know her!

Six Years Ago Today My Whole World Fell Apart

2011-08-17T16:30:00.000-04:00

It was six o'clock in the morning and we heard noises coming from our oldest son's room. It wasn't time for him to get up for school yet, so my husband went in to check on him. Within minutes he knew something wasn't right and called me to come in there and help him.

(this is a picture of my husband following behind the ambulance)

My husband had a Men's Bible Study that he was leading that morning and was going to run in and get things set up, then hand it off to one of the guys on the team, then we were going to take our son to the urgent care clinic to see what was going on.

While he was gone our son went from not good to progressively worse until he started having seizures for over forty-five minutes. Within seconds I was on the phone with 911 and my then nine year old son woke up and in the midst of the craziness called my parents to have them come over to our house. My husband, my parents, and the Emergency Response team were at the house within minutes and from that moment on, a journey began for our family that has forever changed our lives.

Our son was airlifted to the local children's hospital where he spent the next fifty one days, most of which was in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The first forty-eight hours were touch and go and life seemed to be swirling around us at a rapid pace...doctors, specialists, nurses, family, friends, people everywhere...to be quite honest I am pretty sure the first few days we were in shock. Up until this day our son never had anything wrong with him, no broken bones, nothing other than regular childhood colds and such.

Yet, here we were, standing in the midst of all the machines, all the strangers and the noises...wondering what was going on to our precious boy. There were a couple of times we almost lost him...but, oddly enough, we had a peace that can only come from Christ that brought us comfort through this horrific storm. Within a few days we were told that he would be in the hospital from six-to-eight weeks and that we would need to be prepared for an uphill battle because his organs had started to shut down.

The diagnosis was pancreatitis and they told us that he would be insulin dependent for the rest of his life. It was absolutely one of the most traumatic and painful experiences of our life, but throughout our time in the hospital we clung to the truth that God was with us and that He had a purpose for all of this. One of the verses that brought me great peace was John 16:32, "Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me."

Now here we are...six years later, on our Nick-a-versary (that's what we call this day, 8/17), celebrating God's faithfulness for carrying us through that torrential storm. Our son, who was eleven at the time, is now seventeen years old and a Senior in high school. There were days that we weren't 100% positive that this day would come, but we knew that no matter what happened that we weren't alone, so much has changed in our lives, but that one constant never has.

(our boys earlier this year)

We're so thankful for this incredible journey that we've been on with God over the years. It has opened our eyes to so much...to change, to improve, and even to be thankful for. These storms have changed our lives and even though I would never willingly want to endure all of that again, I can see that He took every single thing we went through and used it for His glory, what more can I ask for than that?

So no matter what storms are in your life right now you too can rest in John 16:32, "Yet I am not alone for my Father is with me" and know that He has your back. Cling tight, hold on, keep your head up...when things start to fall apart He is right there with you.

Happy Nick-a-versary!

Book Review ~ Don't Check Your Brains At The Door, by: McDowell & Hostetler

2011-08-13T17:00:00.002-04:00

Don't Check Your Brains At The Door

By: Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler

Thoughts From Me:

Where to begin, where to begin...holy smokes batman...this book is off the wall awesome! I decided to do a review of it, thanks to LitFuse, because I have two teenage boys knocking on the door to college and adulthood. I want to be able to share with them all they need to know to "Know what you believe and why" and let me just tell you this book is the answer!!!

When the package arrived at my office with my copy of the book I quickly showed it to my lead Pastor and Connections Pastor and they just grinned and chuckled...apparently they both read this book when they were in student ministry years ago. That was exactly what I needed to hear to dive head first into this book knowing that this could be exactly what I was looking to share with my boys.

With forty-two short chapters (like 3-5 pages each) you can start anywhere you want or right from the beginning. At the end of each chapter there is a little section called "Brain Food" where you can do a little further digging on your own.

This book is a must have for anyone looking to "know what they believe and why", not just teenagers. The book is broken into groups that talk about;

Myths About God
Myths About Jesus
Myths About The Bible
Myths About The Resurrection
Myths About Religion And Christianity
Myths About Life And Happiness

There are just not enough words to describe how incredible this book is. I can't wait to give it to my boys and let them soak up the wisdom tucked away on the pages of "Don't Check Your Brains At The Door".

About the book:
Don't Check Your Brains at the Door gives teens answers that make sense, even for the toughest of questions. Internationally known defender of the faith Josh McDowell and co-author Bob Hostetler offer clarity laced with humor to expose common myths about God, the Bible, religion, and life to show how Christianity stands up to the test of fact and reason. Teens will be better equipped to stick with their faith as they begin to understand why they believe and why it's important to make a lifetime commitment to Christ and the church.

About Josh and Bob:
Josh McDowell wrote the international best-selling apologetics references Evidence That Demands a Verdict and over 120 other books. He travels and speaks with Campus Crusade for Christ.

Bob Hostetler is an award-winning and best-selling writer, editor, pastor, and speaker. His books include Don't Check Your Brains at the Door and The Bone Box.

To celebrate the release of their new book, Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler have teamed up with their publisher,Thomas Nelson, to give away a brand new KINDLE!

Don't Check Your Brains At the Door answers many of the faith-related questions Christian youth face. It challenges young readers to test gospel truths found in the Bible so they can learn to give an answer for their faith as they mature into thinking adults. A great resource for teens and college-age.

Read the reviews here.

One "brainy" winner will receive a Kindle prize package worth over $150.00:

A Brand New KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Ink Screen
Don't Check Your Brains At the Door by Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler (for KINDLE)

A perfect back-to-school prize package! To enter just click one of the icons below. Hurry! The giveaway ends August 18th. Winner will be announced on the evening of the 18th during the Don't Check Your Brains At the Door Facebook Party!

The authors will be chatting with guests, answering questions on "knowing what you believe and why" (it’s okay if you haven’t read the book – who knows, you might WIN a copy!), testing your trivia skills, and giving away tons of great stuff! (Gift certificates, books, and more!)

Bring your friends and join the fun on August 18th at 5:00 PM PST (6 PM MDT, 7 PM CDT, & 8 PM EDT).

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book, Don't Check Your Brains At The Door, free from Litfuse Publicity Group as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review ~ 15 Good Reasons Not to Go to Church And One Great Reason You Should, by: Michael J. Insalaco

2011-08-08T10:00:00.049-04:00

15 Good Reasons Not to Go to Church

And One Great Reason YOU SHOULD

By: Michael J. Insalaco

I have to admit that at first, I was a tad bit skeptical about this book. After all, I have been in ministry for over ten years and I'm married to a Pastor, but I wanted to see what this book had to offer, so I jumped in head first and was actually very pleasantly surprised by how great this book really is.

Michael takes the time to speak truth in a very clear and direct way. He doesn't skirt around the touchy topics, as a matter of fact he goes straight towards them and I totally appreciate that. He is honest and he comes from a place where it feels more like you are talking to one of your friends. It is sort of like a go-to guide for people that are curious about what goes on inside church. I just love that!

He opens the door wide open for anyone to come in and ask the questions that have been on your mind for a long time or even something that just popped up while you were reading it. I found myself underlining, highlighting and writing lots of "smiley faces", "amen's", and "that's right's" in the margins.

As someone who wants those around me to see Jesus in everything I do, I would not hesitate to give this book to anyone I know that is asking the question..."why should I go to church".

The fact that he has written the book is three parts makes it easier to go on this journey of discovery with him and as you go down the road you feel safe, secure and totally understood. Great job Michael, I am so happy to see a book like yours out there for so many people to enjoy!

If you want more information about Michael J. Insalaco head on over to his website, OneGreatReason.com.

About the Book:

Michael Insalaco shines new light on 15 common reasons why people avoid church.

Are they legitimate or just man-made barriers to lives of significance we all seek? His answers might make you laugh and they will probably make you reconsider the way you think about church. Insalaco will respectfully open your eyes to new perspectives and tell you everything he wishes someone had told him when he was “not too sure about the whole Christianity thing.”

From the core beliefs of Christianity to tips on how to find the right local church, Insalaco presents the truth as he sees it in a way you may never have heard it before. This book is a quick, easy read that might simply leave you better informed or intrigue you to do some treasure hunting for yourself.

About the Author:
Though a California resident since 1985, Michael J. Insalaco is a lifetime New Englander at heart. Insalaco and his wife, Mitchie, are passionate about encouraging their three-year-old daughter, Mia, to laugh like a three-year-old, cheering on their sports teams, and supporting their church, New Covenant Community Church in Fresno. There they are regulars at Bible studies and like to help out herding toddlers in the church’s childcare ministry.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book by Michael J. Insalaco free from Bring it On! Communications as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review ~ Deadly Disclosures by Julie Cave

2011-08-07T17:34:00.000-04:00

Deadly Disclosures

By: Julie Cave

What a beautiful mix of suspense and conspiracy theory! I love Julie's way of weaving each of the characters in the book through the complicated journey of science and faith. With special agents, intrigue and excitement around the corner of every page, you sit on the edge of your seat waiting to see where the characters are going to take you. By the end of the book you are completely worn out from the adventure you went on with the unforgettable agent Dinah Harris.

There's even more great news...this is just the beginning of the Dinah Harris mystery series...there are two more books now available, The Shadowed Mind and Pieces of Light. If you love a great book full of adventure, then this series is for you!

Check out the trailer and product description below to find out more!

Product Description

A Suspense-filled fiction mystery which answers an ominous question: How far will some go to silence an influential Christian voice? FBI agent Dinah Harris now has a missing person's file to go along with a bad case of alcohol abuse and the depression she cannot seem to shake. Fighting to keep her focus, she struggles to find answers for why Thomas Whitfield, the prominent Secretary of the Smithsonian has vanished from his office with foul play almost guaranteed.

Whitfield's body is eventually found, and Dinah is drawn into a frightening conspiracy, as more people begin to die, and Whitfield's faith is revealed as part of the motive behind his murder. Dinah finds troubling answers in an academic world filled with powerful financial endowments and a virulent opposition to the faith Whitfield only recently found.

Can she reveal the truth before she finds herself the next silenced victim of a ruthless, unseen enemy?

About the Author
Julie Cave first heard a creation science speaker at her church when she was just 15, igniting her interest in creation science and sparking an enthusiasm for defending the Bible's account of creation. She has obtained a degree in health science, and is currently completing a degree in law. Julie is married with one daughter and lives on the east coast of Australia.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book, Deadly Disclosure, free from New Leaf Publishing Group as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review ~ Branded by: Tim Sinclair

2011-08-01T18:00:00.002-04:00

Branded

Tim Sinclair

I have always had a heart for marketing, as a matter of fact, before I felt the call to go into ministry I was a marketing major in college and have always been fascinated in the whole concept of branding. So when I saw this book, Branded ~ Sharing Jesus With a Consumer Culture by Tim Sinclair, come through my email I just *knew* that this was a book that I would have to check out.

Let me just say that I was completely drawn in right from the beginning of the book. Tim Sinclair writes in such a way that you feel like you are sitting down in the middle of a book group talking about this with a group of friends. With his experience and personality he has written a book that speaks volumes to me and so many more.

Check this out from the book (page 45) // love love love this...

"What's the bottom line? Christians often try to change a person's culture rather than let God change her heart. We try to force others to act like us, with the hope that they'll eventually believe like us. That's entirely backward. Heart changes lead to a change in actions, not the other way around."

and...

" Jesus is bigger than the Christian culture-bubble you and I have put Him in. He can reach people anytime, anywhere."

and one last one from the same page...

"It's not our job to present a perfect person to Jesus - but to present a perfect Jesus to people."

BAM! That about says it all...there is so much in this book and if you are in ministry or are looking to be more effective in your witness to others, then this book is for you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The church spends $1.5 million for every one new follower of Jesus. Apple sells 26 iPads every minute. What is it that makes Apple so exciting and Jesus so boring? What is it that compels someone to bring their iPod everywhere and their Bible nowhere? In a word: marketing. Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy salespeople-people who are intimidated and embarrassed by the word "evangelism" and who show more enthusiasm for their gadgets than their God.

What would life look like if we stopped mass-marketing Jesus and started marketing our faith like Nike and Apple market their products—sharing relationally, from person to person? Using examples from these and other successful companies, author Tim Sinclair challenges Christians to throw out their casual attitudes toward faith and sign on for a marketing campaign for the Savior.

Written with the wit and wisdom of an experienced marketer, Branded peels away the feelings of fear and encourages readers how to share their faith in ways that are honest, authentic, and, most importantly, effective.

Tim Sinclair is a radio personality on one of the top Christian morning shows in the country, Mornings with Tim and Pam. For over a decade, he has been helping radio stations and various other businesses creatively and effectively market themselves. His award-winning productions have been heard on more than 2,000 radio stations worldwide and recent clients include McDonald's, Word Records, Moody Press, and the country's most-listened to Christian nonprofit radio station KSBJ/Houston. Tim has written for CCM Magazine and the Huntsville Times.

To see what others are saying about BRANDED head on over
to LitFuse Publicity Group.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book, Branded by Tim Sinclair, free from Litfuse Publicity Group as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Godly Gals ~ The Truth About Intimacy by: Sundi Jo

2011-07-28T11:30:00.002-04:00

The Truth About Intimacy

By: Sundi Jo

When you hear the word intimacy what's the first thing you think of? It's ok - be honest.

From my experience most people seem to associate the word with romance. For example, "My husband and I were intimate last night." But there is more to this powerful word than that. Let me explain.

Webster's Dictionary defines intimacy as the state of being intimate; familiarity, or something of personal or private nature. Some examples they provide:

•    the intimacy of old friends
•    the intimacy of their relationship
•    He felt he achieved a certain intimacy with her.
•    The band like the intimacy of the nightclub.

Here is what I learned about intimacy and I think it makes so much sense.

Let's break down the word a little bit more.

in to me you see (intimacy)

Intimacy is more than just romantic relationship between two lovers. It involves friendships at the deepest level too. I think this word has so much importance to me, because I didn't always allow myself to have those relationships/friendships. We could be friends, but if you started to touch on the deeper issues, my walls would go up and I backed off. My fear of allowing others to know me for various reasons kept me from pursing intimate relationships.

But... God changed all that.

Here is my picture of intimacy when it comes to friendships:

• Intimacy is allowing your friend to cry on your lap when she has no idea why she's even crying.

• Intimacy is that same friend letting you blow your nose on her sock, because there's nothing else around and snot bubbles can be quite embarrassing.

• Intimacy is laughing with that friend, thinking back on the time that she used your sock as a tissue.

• Intimacy is telling your friend your deepest, darkest secrets, regardless of the fear that keeps you from wanting to do so, because you know that you are safe.

• Intimacy is admitting your struggles to that friend without fear of judgment.

• Intimacy is crawling up beside your friend when they are lying in a hospital bed just to hold their hand.

• Intimacy is holding your friends hand at the funeral of their son.

• Intimacy is understanding what's on your friends heart even when they say nothing.

• Intimacy is looking into their eyes and simply giving them encouragement, because you know that's what they need.

•

The list goes on...

I find myself counting my blessings for the intimate relationships I have. I need to count them more. I hope you are able to count your blessings today.

What other examples of intimacy can you describe?

This is a guest post by Sundi Jo. She is a writer, speaker, and social media consultant, making her home in Branson, Missouri. You’ll either find Sundi Jo engulfed in the social media world, spending time with family and friends, running, hanging out in a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and flip flops, or writing for the Kingdom. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love this...thanks so much Sundi Jo for sharing so transparently about intimacy...I absolutely love the "in to me you see" way of looking at it...incredible! I'm so thankful for you and what God is doing through you.

What about you? Have you ever thought about sharing a little piece of you here in the Godly Gals series? I'm working on the August, September and October calendar right now and would love to chat with you about being a part of this amazing series!

Email me at melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll send you a copy of the submission guidelines and answer any questions you might have as well. I truly look forward to hearing from you soon!

Godly Gals ~ Ali Bragdon ~ Sleeping Babies

2011-07-21T08:00:00.012-04:00

Sleeping Babies
By: Ali Bragdon

I minister to children for a living, but it is amazing to me how much I learn from them.

Take the smallest of my kids, the babies. There is something angelic about a sleeping baby. Yet, I think we have so much to learn about their sleeping position. God is waiting to teach us something in every moment, everything we see and experience if we are open to His Word and His instruction (Proverbs 16:20).

Babies sleep with their hands thrown up, as in worship (Lamentations 3:41). As I look at this little blessing sent from heaven above, I'm reminded of how we should worship, with our hands thrown up in complete surrender. We should surrender all the love we have for Christ back to the Lord in worship. Worshipping through song, through our work, our service, our words, our love, through everything we do. We surrender all.

The other aspect of a sleeping baby that really moves me, is the peace you see in that sleeping face. There is no wrinkle in the nose, no worry between the eyes, no concern in the brows and no complaint in the lips. There is peace. I once heard it said that anger is of the flesh and peace is the fruit of the spirit, so which are you going to allow to have the power in you (Romans 15:13). That sleeping baby has chosen peace, doesn't it look heavenly?

Peace produces worship and worship brings about peace. So where are you today?

Are you at the beginning of a crazy day wondering how much coffee it will take to power through?

If so, might I offer up a different vision for you?

A sleeping baby peacefully worshiping God.

My prayer for you (and for me, cause I need the lesson, too) is that God will provide the peace. That He will allow us to slow down when we feel the anger begin to swell and instead choose peace (Psalm 34:14). That we will worship God in all we do, surrendering all. And at the end of this day, may we give God the glory and the honor for the peace that we feel and may we find our sleep somewhat resembles that of a baby. Amen.

Bio: Ali Bragdon is the wife of an incredibly brilliant man, the mom of three gifted and talented kids (yes, she admits she is biased) and the crazy lady that gets slimmed annually as the CommunityKIDZ Director at Community Christian Church.

~~~~~~~~~

Ali, what a sweet gift it is to have you stop by and visit with us today in Mel's World. As my friend you know I think you are awesome, but as a woman chasing after God's heart I love your passion to serve Him. Thank you for being a part of the Godly Gals series today!

This is truly the heart of the Godly Gals series...to showcase "Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith" in action. I'd love to share your story too!

Send me an email to melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll send you a copy of the submission guidelines.

What are you waiting for?

I'd love to hear from you!

LeadHer Ministry Radio Interview

2011-07-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

A couple of months ago I was blessed to be the first "guest" on the brand new LeadHer Radio network. Since then there are plenty more great shows.

If you've ever wondered what Mel's World is all about or what's truly on my heart, then take a few minutes and listen in to the radio show below. I'd love to hear from you after you listen in.

Join your hosts Christie Love and Susan Lawrence for LeadHer Radio. LeadHer strives to encourage, educate, and equip women to make an impact in their world for Christ. Melissa Mashburn talks today.

Listen to internet radio with CWA Radio on Blog Talk Radio

If you are interested, there are lots more LeadHer Radio shows to listen to, look at the list below for some great interviews;

6-30-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to Angel Tucker, DISC Personality

6-23-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to LeadHer Radio Producer Trina Wilcox

6-16-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to Carol Davis

6-9-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to President of Christian Work at Home Mom, Jill Hart

6-2-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to Author, Leslie Lamb

5-26-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to LeadHer Praise and Worship Leader Lori Mosteller

5-19-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to LeadHer Local Director Angela Bickford

5-12-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to professional organizing expert Barbara Hemphill

5-5-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to Singer/Songwriter Sarah Schieber

4-28-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to Coach Kip Drown of CSU Pueblo

4-21-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to LeadHer speaker Lyn Smith.

4-14-11 ~ LeadHer Radio talks to LeadHer speaker Melissa Mashburn.

4-7-11 ~ LeadHer Radio’s first show where we discuss the vision of LeadHer.

Godly Gals ~ Sheryl Lehman ~ Mary, Mother of Jesus

2011-07-14T10:00:00.005-04:00

Mary ~ mother of Jesus
by Sheryl Anne Lehman

On Good Friday, one of my best friends relives the events that led to her husband’s death. This is the day he went to the hospital with a headache and blurred speech. It is an especially hard time to remember his death when we, as Christians, are joyfully celebrating the resurrection of our Savior.

I think of Jesus’ mother, Mary. She must have felt the pain of watching her son die on the cross at the same time thinking of the terrible ridicule she would face from others in her community. Mary knew how she had become pregnant with Him. It was God who put the Baby within her, that same Baby who would grow up to be Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Mary didn’t cry out to people to say “Hey, everyone! Look, don’t you know that this is The Messiah? He is the One that we have been waiting for!”

Or . . . Did she?

The Bible never records her rebuttal at His being taken. It does say she would hold all these things in her heart. She was a chosen woman who would give birth to the son of God. Did she ever have doubts?

Did Mary ever think that maybe she remembered it wrong? When Jesus left to do His ministry, did she think this was the plan all along? Is it conceivable that the Angels of God kept her at peace, in her heart, during His Life on earth?

I wonder, after His resurrection, if she ever relived seeing her son die? Did she imagine the Blood of Jesus pour from His wounds as He hung?

Mary watched, Mary remembered, Mary held all these things in her heart.

We are confident that other Christians who die go to be with Jesus. I know the resurrection promise is for real. As we relive the parting of a loved one, we recognize that we are not alone.

Jesus Christ loves us so much. He knows the loss we feel. I think that is one reason he made an effort to tell his disciple John to be a son to Mary. They both needed each other.

John 19 puts it this way; 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother . . . 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

In the same way, we need others to grieve with, to rejoice with, and to share the reliving with. This is a blessing my grieving friend has thanked God for many times.

Are you reliving something in your life?

Have you found a community of friends to surround you and support you?

God has given us the opportunity today to be a friend.

Here's a rhetorical thought; Did Mary have a support group and would I have been there for her?

Sheryl and her husband live in Minnesota where she has started the first Praise and Coffee in the area. They have two children, one son-in-law, two grandchildren and one on the way. Sheryl holds a creative writing certificate from NHCC and enjoys a membership in the Minnesota Christian Writers Guild.

~~~~~~~~~

Sheryl, thank you so much for sharing your sweet story of your friend and her loss and also challenging us to think about how that must have been hard for Mary, mother of Jesus as well. I truly appreciate you taking time to stop by and encourage us today.

We're smack dab in the middle of summer and so many more Godly Gals stories wait to be shared. Is yours one of them?

I'd love to talk with you about how to be a Godly Gal here in Mel's World. Send me an email to melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll send you the submission guidelines as well as answer any questions you might have about the series.

I truly look forward to hearing from you soon!

Beat The Summer Slump in Kids & Student Ministry

2011-07-13T14:00:00.001-04:00

photo: dreamstimefree_775257 RF-LL

Summer time is here and in ministry these couple of months can be a time to rest from a busy season in ministry. This is not the case if you are in Kids or Student Ministry, as a matter of fact, the summer months can be some of your busiest times in ministry. The kids are out of school, which means the ministries that serve them get geared up to create a memorable summer.

It is also the time of year that juggling the volunteer schedule becomes a three ring circus. People in, people out, trading classrooms, last minute trips and sometimes they just need a break. The kids and students still come every weekend but there are some weekends that leave you wondering if anyone show up to serve them.

Schedules, volunteers, supplies, curriculum, planning, events, VBS, camp, parent meetings, salvation weekends and trainings happen fifty two times a year. No weekend is ever the same and every weekend has the chance for complete chaos. When the summer comes most ministry leaders have experienced the highs and lows of an intense ministry season and because of it some just need a break.

What happens though when you get to the beginning of summer and you are already worn out from the rest of the ministry season?

<-- To finish the rest of the article on "Beat the Summer Slump in Kids & Student Ministry" head on over to the Internet Cafe Devotions website.

You can find me writing monthly in the Ministry Counter there.

Praise & Coffee Magazine ~ Summer 2011

2011-07-09T14:30:00.000-04:00

The Praise & Coffee Magazine ~ Summer 2011 issue is out NOW!

Click on "Praise & Coffee Magazine" to start reading.

Here's a peek at what's inside...

Praise & Coffee Talk

* First Praise & Coffee Night in New Hampshire

* Out of the Book Praise & Coffee Night ~ Florida

* Introducing National Director for Praise & Coffee Nights

* Praise & Coffee Cooks

* Praise & Coffee Runs

Features

* A Mother's Prayer

* This is My Story

* Loving a Child with Autism

In Every Issue

* From the Editors

* Fashion Cafe with Big Mama *new*

* Things We Love!

* For Caffeinated Moms Like You

* Lessons From Lauren

There really is something for every woman in each issue! Click Praise & Coffee Magazine, grab your coffee and get ready to enjoy an incredible magazine!

Ohhh...guess what! If you want to get a print copy you can do that now too...just click here! The print copy costs a little money, but if you want to get it you can. As always the digital copy is FREE!

Great job Sue and Denise...it is fab-u-lous, as always!

Godly Gals ~ Sandy Hall ~ More Like Eeyore

2011-07-07T09:00:00.003-04:00

More Like Eeyore

By: Sandy Hall

I have a confession to make...I am a moody person. There I said it. Now hear me out, like most of the women I know I'm very good at putting up a happy face, however those that truly know me can tell when something is "off". I've often blamed my genetics & upbringing to different circumstances that have occurred in my life.

In this last year, things have changed for me and I will be honest, I have struggled. Just recently, I had a good hard talk with myself (don't judge) and I realized that I really do not have control over what has happened in my life.

Though at times I may feel that things are hard, in all reality, they really are not. I have so many blessings in my life! I have a loving husband; two incredible kids that I get to stay home with, a beautiful home, friends and family that love me, etc.

Most folks would think that they had it great in my shoes, but I struggle with the "what ifs". I'm not a "sun-shiny" person, I don’t see the silver lining in situations, I'm more of an Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh reference - oh no, I didn't work with preschoolers!). You can give me a situation and I will automatically go to the "worst-case scenario". I realize it's just the way I am wired. At times this is good because it helps me plan for most situations, but it also scares me to death! I tend to be like "Chicken Little" where the sky is always falling!

What I have come to terms with recently is realizing I cannot control situations or the people around me. Even though at times that is all I want to do! Sometimes it seems like I NEED to be in control, I feel I can do it better or more efficient or what have you, but there are things I simply cannot control. There is a county song by Van Zant that says, "Want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans." Every time I hear it I can’t help but chuckle because it seems so appropriate to my life, I can just imagine God up in Heaven having a laugh every time I try to take over His job, as if He needs my help!

That being said, I have learned the only control I truly have is how I accept things. I can get upset and wallow in my misery or I can choose to trust that God knows what He is doing and He wouldn't give me something I couldn't handle.

In Isaiah 43:1 God says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

How comforting is that? Such promise of safety and love. I realize that I can't change overnight, but I'm working on it consider me "Under GOD-Construction". So I will continue to pray that I stand strong in God’s word and let go of things I cannot control and accept what God has in store for me.

Now, it’s your turn, any bible verses that help you get through this crazy life? Please share, because sharing is caring!

Sandy Hall Bio: Sandy has a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. She was a crisis counselor & victim advocate for over 13 years at the local university and most recently was the Assistant Director of the Preschool Ministry at her local church. She has been married for 15 years to an incredible man and has two adorable kids. You can find Sandy on Twitter at @sandyh4 or on her blog www.sandypinkmama.blogspot.com