Category Archives: Church

I believe.

Posted by Mel on September 2, 2010 – 2:16 pm

Filed under Church, Community, Grace, Journey

I believe!

For now…..I’m just content to share what’s happening, what I’m thinking, how I’m living, some of the stupid mistakes I make, some of the things I believe in, things that make me smile, things that get me riled up – you get the idea. I’m going to leave you with a few things I believe, this might be a list you want to set down and pound out for yourself and maybe it’ll be something you want to share with someone else.

I believe………in grace – not just receiving it but passing it on. I still don’t understand it but I know we all need it and we get it for free. So, I better be extending it freely.
I believe………in a God who loves me enough to be tough on me when I need it.
I believe………God has a purpose for my life God wants me to glorify him in everything I do.
I believe………in following that purpose for my life God, even during the rough moments.
I believe………God’s not done with me yet.
I believe………in my husband, my kids, my parents, my brothers, their families, my church, my cell family, my friendships.
I believe………in learning the most I can from every experience – good or bad.
I believe………that iron sharpens iron. (Proverbs 27:17) Still love this one and the people in my life & circumstances that contribute to it.
I believe………in the church.
I believe………as Christians we should extend love, grace, and compassion to all people & show joy, peace, a longsuffering attitude, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self-control.
I believe………in taking the church to the world and not the opposite-taking the world to church.
I believe………as Christians we need to take off the blinders and step out of the bubbles.
I believe………that this life will be a journey up mountains and through valleys.
I believe………I am never alone.
I believe………in a Father who loves me and has great things in store if I will only believe! provides joy even in the midst of some pretty tough circumstances.

I wrote that post what seems like a long time ago. A lot has happened since then! That was May 2009 and it was the beginning of a thaw in my heart. A glimpse of spring and a season of discovery were just around the corner. I didn’t know where I was headed but I knew where I’d been. I’ve learned a lot of things this past year. I’ve learned a lot about forgiveness, both the giving and receiving of it, how to deal with conflict and survive, how to love people and survive! I’m learning a lot about community and how to participate with an open heart. I’m learning to speak into someone’s life in love and NOT with a battering ram! Thank goodness, right? I’m learning where my passions are and things that I really love to do! I’m learning that everything I do has a purpose for His glory.

As I read this list again I realized what I believe has grown stronger as I’ve “grown up” a little. There have been some adjustments in what I believe as I’ve grown. God’s word has a lot to do with what I believe now! It’s funny how things look a little different when you read that book for yourself! I’ve realized that my heart without Jesus is a wicked and deceitful place and that any time I elevate my earthly desires I fall right back into sin.

Some of the circumstances of my life have changed. My attitudes about certain things have changed. My desire to be on mission for God and what that looks like is developing. My willingness to live boldly? Good question! Well it’s coming, and I have a whole lot of learning left to do along the way!! I continue to be a work in progress, but I’m not the same person I was even a year ago. There’s something about grace and faith and taking it all in and then breathing it out that leaves you forever changed!

Did you ever work on your list? Have you pounded out in black and white what you believe? Are you different than you were a year ago? Are you more loving, full of joy, a peacemaker, longsuffering, full of kindness, goodness, & faithfulness? Do you live your life with gentleness and self-control? Where are you on your journey? Are you tired, or bored, or maybe a little sad? Just a friendly little challenge, maybe it’s time…for you to sit down and make that list and spend some time with the one who loves you the most!

A tale of two cities…

Posted by Mel on August 4, 2010 – 1:56 pm

Filed under Church, Community, Family

There are very important things in life that I ignore by filling up my life with unimportant distractions. I have a hard time sometimes breaking myself of the “routine”. Do you know the one I’m talking about? Work, housework, supper, disconnect time (aka-tv/computer time), sleep…continue this until the weekend. The weekend-cram as much housework and “upkeep” that you couldn’t get done through the week, plus entertainment time & collapsing after 5 days of trying to do it all week. Monday morning-repeat routine!

I often dream of a place where I don’t have to continue the “routine”. I look around at all the “stuff” that we have on display at our home that collects dust but has no function. (Hence, the reason for the routine! Gotta keep the stuff !) I think about the fact we only really use a quarter of the space in our house and we are all usually in the same room together at the same time. God has challenged us strongly of recent on our finances and our inattention to the “important” things of this life. We have made some attempt to decrease our debt. We have no car payment at this time and although we are tempted since Michael’s truck exploded we have not succumbed to that temptation. Having one car sucks, or so we think, since we usually have two. The American dream states that we are entitled to have two working vehicles. Right? Too much focus on the “stuff”! But, then something happened….

July happened and Michael went to Haiti and Seth to Mexico and suddenly none of that matters. This didn’t even matter….

I had recently received a “bid” on getting my teeth fixed. I have a congenital defect where several of my permanent teeth never formed, so I either have empty space or baby teeth. Nine missing teeth to be exact! I’ve always felt like to be a “whole” person I should have perfect teeth and I feel entitled because I’ve waited all these years to get them fixed. Then July happened and the 3300.00 to fix my teeth seemed like a very vain attempt to be pleasing to who?….people, myself, my family, God? My teeth work, I’m able to eat, they aren’t decayed…they function in the manner that God intended them to. So, after talking with Michael, I made the decision that these were the teeth God gave me and I would live out the rest of this life with them. I didn’t need my physical appearance to speak for the person I am inside. I realized that 3300.00 would be better served to build a structure in Haiti or drill a well for fresh water wherever it’s needed.

I know the next year things are happening for our family that will lead us somewhere else, I don’t really know where, but I know God has been getting us ready for a long time. I think He’s been waiting on us to realize what is important and to know that without Him we can’t accomplish anything. So we are getting ready to step out on faith and go wherever He leads us. I have a different philosophy about this life that I find is not always very popular with some people in my life. But, I’m 100% sold out that this life is not about our comfort or even about us being comfortable, I believe it’s about living dangerously and helping those that God has always called us to help…the downtrodden, the poor in spirit, the orphans, the widows. I often wonder how different we would be if we fell into one of those groups I mentioned? Would we be full of hope like the people that Michael & Seth met. They had nothing… but they had everything…… because they had Jesus and they had hope.

Michael’s group that went to Haiti has partnered with Growing Hope For Haiti and they will be helping with an orphanage there. 43 kids sleeping on kindergarten mats under an open tent with no sanitation and one meal a day. If you’d like to talk to these guys because you also have a desire in your heart to do something outside the routine you can contact Michael here. Maybe your church wants to get on board, they’ll come talk to your church group, your family, your whatever! These guys are willing to do whatever it takes to change the lives of those kids…because it’s what God asked of them when He sent them to Haiti. But maybe you were like me, filling life up with the routine and unsure of what to do. I never really knew where to start…but this is a beginning, a step in a different direction.

Now, before I get hate comments about new cars and “stuff” know that I’m speaking for this family only. We live in a country of excess, we have way more than we need when most of the world is going without. I can’t know that anymore and ignore it…..but that’s between God and I. What God’s challenging you with is between you and Him. If this post somehow raised your interest in maybe living with a little less and helping someone else that’s a good thing. If it’s not for you, then it’s not for you…..but you have to admit it’s something to think about! Maybe instead of being overwhelmed by trying to help the world….maybe it’s just about one tiny step of faith? One step taken then another……a beginning…..

Quiting Christianity?

Posted by Mel on August 1, 2010 – 7:41 am

Filed under Church, Relationships

Ever had that feeling? I have certainly been in some situations where that seemed like a great idea! Recently, Ann Rice-famous vampire writer & Christian, has “quit” Christianity. It’s been all the talk on some of the blogs I frequent and as always some of the feedback has been very rotten. Which lends great credence to the message I think Ms. Rice is trying to get across. We can certainly be a negative, judgmental group and the recent blog comments debating and judging Ms. Rice’s actions unfortunately don’t make Christians look like Jesus. I had that moment of wanting to walk away, of wanting my own personal relationship with Jesus to not be muddied or disrespected by fellow Christians. I’ve learned a lot from those moments and came through them realizing I needed very much to be a part of a healthy community of believers & that not all people who wear the label Christian are truly Christians. (But that’s not my job to judge other people’s hearts….even though I have been guilty of doing just that!)

If I could say anything to Anne, it would be this:

Dearest Anne,

I was so sorry to hear that you have quit Christianity, I know that feeling as I also have had that same thought in the past. It seems when you love Jesus so much that everyone else that calls themselves his disciple should feel the same way you do. I couldn’t understand the negative comments and the tearing down of people that became so evident the closer I became to God’s people. I lived many years on this earth without God in my life and when I found Him and loved Him and I felt his love for me I was 100% gone. I was never the same again but what I began to realize is some of the Christian people around me didn’t feel the same way I did! How could they when some of the things coming out of their mouths were so vile? I found myself becoming more and more judgmental of these fellow Christians! During a dark night in my own life when I was ready to give up on Christianity I found myself clinging to this Scripture.

³⁶“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” ³⁷Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

I imagine that Jesus knew how very hard it was going to be to “love one another” and I think he knew that we would need that constant reminder. It would be really easy to just love the people in life who are loveable & nearly impossible to love those we judge as not worthy. Through the words and teachings of some amazing disciples of Christ I would realize that I could not say I loved Jesus but not love everyone, even those that call themselves Christians although their actions might tell another story! My own sin was standing in the way of a full and joyful life. See I let my own pride get in the way of loving others. My biggest failing was I could love God’s broken people but I didn’t equate the “religious” people around me as broken. I very stubbornly and proudly labeled them as idiots, who really didn’t get what it means to love Jesus. Pretty harsh, huh? What I now realize is we all wear the label “broken & sinful” no matter how much we act like we have it all together! Little did I know that God would cut my heart so deeply that I would never be the same. Out of this moment of sadness in my life something amazing and life changing has happened. My energy now is better directed in following God’s commandments and helping the lost and lonely in this broken world…..and loving just as He loves me!

So, Anne…please don’t give up hope! Christians are a rowdy, crazy bunch of people…..zealous and overbearing at times but God hasn’t given up on us and I hope you reconsider. I pray God sends you loving and humble people during this time. Who knows maybe you’ll change your mind? I know I did!!

Living in freedom,

Mel

People of the Second Chance

Posted by Mel on February 6, 2010 – 9:37 pm

Filed under Church, Opinions

“People of the Second Chance gives voice to a scandalous movement of radical grace in life and leadership. We challenge the common misconceptions about failure and success and stand with those who have hit rock bottom in their personal and professional lives. We are a community that is committed to stretch ourselves in the areas of relational forgiveness, personal transparency, and advocate for mercy over judgment.

We are not ashamed of our scars, wounds, or failures and leverage them as a source of strength and character development.

People of the Second Chance have experienced a second chance so we actively support social justice organizations and advocate for the vulnerable, forgotten, and left behind.

We are People of the Second Chance.”

I wanted to share this website. I’ve been following these guys for a long time, back in their “deadly viper” days. They seem very sincere and humble in their own lives, or they at least admit to it when they aren’t! I love the concept of radical grace and the more I grow in my relationship with God..the more I believe it and embrace it and want to practice it in my own life. I have realized the people most willing to give someone a second chance….. are the same people who have needed a second chance in their own lives!!

From experience & some up close observation of situations and the way they are sometimes handled-I would say this is a concept the church often gets wrong. Radical grace doesn’t seem to exist in the “big business” that some churches deal in. You can certainly run church like a multi-million dollar business, but I think when you do that you lose the best of what God has planned for His church. The living life part-the learning to be humble, the dying to self, & most definitely the working through conflict part. It makes you better-working through rough times and conflict-it makes you stronger, it refines your character! A little something I’ve come to realize over the last few years. It seems a sad example the way the Western church seems to be able to deal in the souls of it’s parishioners as disposable and list them under the heading of “collateral damage” when tough situations come up. It seems almost arrogant and prideful to decide which of God’s people are disposable-I’m grateful God doesn’t find me disposable. It’s strange to me that God always forgives but yet at times church leadership would rather crucify than forgive, shun rather than love. Those guys…those are the bad guys that give all churches a strike against them. Those are the churches that turn people against anything to do with God. It’s sad that we don’t teach grace and model relationships of love-the good and the bad parts-so people know that we are not so different after all…that everyone needs a second chance-that everyone deserves a second chance. Because, the last time I checked we are all sinful, we all fail in some way, we all make bad choices at one time or another.

I love that my God is a God of second chances….because once again without grace where would I be? Certainly this life is painful at times and we’ve all experienced painful situations. There have probably been people in your life that have walked away, turned their back on you…but know that God….He never turns his back, He never walks away. He is the Protector of our souls, our strong tower in times of trouble…the giver of second chances! My prayer for you tonight..if you are finding yourself in a situation where you need a second chance…I pray that God sends you people that know what it means to need a second chance, people that are willing to stand by your side and remind you of your second chance. And I hope, should God call you to be that for someone else…that you don’t turn away!

Merry Christmas!!!

Posted by Mel on December 25, 2009 – 9:25 pm

Filed under Church, Family, Love

Merry Christmas!!

I hope this post finds you full of joy…and maybe turkey! Or, if you’re like this household we go for the non-traditional meals! Last night’s Christmas Eve supper was fantastic pizza from Keith’s Carry-Out. Can you tell we are huge pizza fans at this house!? Christmas this year was so wonderful and peaceful. It was the 5 of us and we enjoyed each others company very much. We had the opportunity to attend Christmas Eve services together as a family. The Bridge had services which started at 11pm last night and ended after midnight. It was a very beautiful experience to be worshiping God on Christmas Eve and then continuing that worship into Christmas Day!

In the 22 years that Michael and I have been married we have always celebrated our family Christmas on Christmas Eve. That was a tradition I brought from my family. Michael brought the tradition of a live Christmas tree from his. It’s funny how traditions really come to the forefront at Holidays. I can remember going to my Grandma Apperson’s every Christmas Eve and then returning home…to find Santa had already found his way to our house!! That is a big comfort memory for me! Last night’s visit from Santa occurred while we were out and about! So, it was definitely a late night as our Christmas started well after midnight!

My favorite Christmas present is this little blog that the guys from Creative Improv built for me! (Do you build a page or make a page? Hmmm…that’s a question I don’t know the answer to!) I am looking forward to writing more and sharing life. I have this wonderful writing sweater I’ll have to tell you about soon! That sweater has a great story…but that’s one for a different day. God’s been “refining” me a little…okay a lot…this past year and I can’t wait to tell you about some of those crazy moments! Okay, I’m really getting ahead of myself! A little end of the day Christmas excitement on about 3 hours of sleep has me just a little wacky!!

Before I go tonight…I’d love to hear about one of your favorite holiday traditions from your childhood that you continue today with your family.

Also, if you are blogging I’d love to stop by and read what’s on your mind. Leave me a link in a comment on this post.

Good night for now…praying for peace and joy in your life this holiday season and the year to come!!!