He Never Fails

Lately Satan has been really getting into my mind. Letting me think that my life has just gone down hill and there is nothing I can do to make it better. Satan tells me that Jesus isn't really here and that if I have any hope of getting better, I have to work through it on my own. Satan has taken some people away from me who I have really needed to talk to, but I can't. But all those things, they are lies. Every single one of them. I admit, I put on a face at school to make sure that no one really sees how stressed I am. I feel like I can't allow anyone else to be stressed, but I hide all of mine inside and just wait for it to burst. I need to let all of that out. I need to talk to God and ask Him to relieve me of this, and in time I know He will. But for right now, He is allowing it to shape me and to strengthen me. Just last night, as I was lying down to go to sleep, I told myself that I didn't really need to pray. That it wasn't really necessary. Well prayer is EXACTLY what I needed. My stress my anger, and my sadness is not going to go away on it's own. If I let it be it's just going to grow until it breaks me. But God never fails to be by our side and give us what we need. He answered my thought of prayer in our Theology class this morning with a devotion on the importance of prayer and how it brings us directly to our Saviour. To the Creator of the world. To MY creator! How could I say no to placing all my troubles on Him? He CAN take care of them. Why I am I causing myself to go through it when help is right next to me? God is just calling out to me "Come to me!" As it says in Matthew 11:28-30: Come to Me all who are weary, and I will give you rest. For My burden is light and my yoke is easy". 

Thank you for all your support through this blog!
Melody :)

Life is a Gift

For the past couple of days my family and I have been anticipating the arrival of my sister's baby boy, Peter! It's been an exciting journey as she and her husband prepare for parenthood. I have experienced other family members having children, but a sibling having a baby, this is the first. I remember the first time I felt little Peter move around inside my sister's womb. I almost started to cry. The thoughts in my head were thoughts of wonder and awe at the miracle of  life that God has created and given us. HE created Peter inside my sister. HE has chosen to bring another child into this world and my sister and husband get to "raise the child in the way he should go" (Proverbs 22:6) Peter has been growing slowly, by the grace of God to be ready to be a part of this world. The gift of life is so immeasurable and I can't bear to hear those gruesome stories of those who do not cherish it. To think that what comes into this world after nine months isn't how it started! I can't comprehend. But just as our life already on this earth isn't ours to take, an unborn with no say is just as wrong. So cherish those little ones around you. Look at them as masterpieces of God as it says in the song: You are a masterpiece, a new creation HE has formed, and your as soft and fresh as a snowy winter morn, and I'm so glad that God has given you, to me. Little lamb from God, you are a masterpiece! That is also the way God, our Heavenly Father looks at us. Beautifully, created in HIS image, to the glory of the Father in Heaven. You are a masterpiece. Live as one and boast in your Heavenly Father, your Creator!

Your Sister in Christ :)
Melody :)

It's a Hard Enough Life

Life has been pretty difficult for me lately. Trying really hard to find the blessings that are hidden beneath the crap and stress and worry that has been filling most of my days as of late. I was told that my Junior year in High School was going to be hard, and I was ready for that. What I wasn't ready for was the hard stuff in my everyday life that would make life even harder. I know God is shaping me through it all, but there are some days (like today) where I just ask Him "why"? Why do I have to deal with all of this? I feel like I could just snap and give up on everything and not do my best. I can't give up on God though. He didn't give up on me, and still hasn't. I need to take one day at a time and trust that He will be with me and give me what I need for THAT day. Just as it says in the Lord's Prayer: Give us THIS day our DAILY bread. Also the part right after it: and forgive us our trespasses. I need to ask for forgiveness for those times when I didn't trust God to get me through. 
So I will ask God for my daily bread. What I need for this day. For the here and now. 

Psalm 86:17 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁷ Show me a sign of your favor,
    that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
    because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

In His peace, Melody

Homecoming!

Zephaniah 3:17-20New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

¹⁸ “I will remove from you
    all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
    which is a burden and reproach for you.
¹⁹ At that time I will deal
    with all who oppressed you.
I will rescue the lame;
    I will gather the exiles.
I will give them praise and honor
    in every land where they have suffered shame.
²⁰ At that time I will gather you;
    at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise
    among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes^[a]
    before your very eyes,”
says the Lord.

 So the reason I picked this passage is because this week, at my school, we had homecoming. It's been a great week filled with lot's of fun activities, but it got me thinking about our REAL homecoming. The one where we get to finally be in Heaven, the most beautiful, perfect place in the presence of our Saviour, FOREVER! That coming again battle that is referred to in Revelation, will be won for sure by our Lord. That is already foretold. We just have the victory over death to look forward too! In my opinion Satan should just surrender now, but it can't happen like that to really be won. When Jesus went to hell after He died, that's what He was talking to Satan about. Let me paraphrase my own version of what Jesus might have said to Satan: "So I just saved the whole world from their sins and you just kinda lost, people will come to faith in My saving grace and you're just gonna have to deal with it. When I come again to end this world, we are gonna have one LAST battle, but you're going to lose once and for all to rid my children of your disgusting lies. Soon everyone in Heaven and on earth will know that I AM TRUTH and you are a lie." So that's probably not at ALL what He said but I like to think it's around those lines. Anyway, I hope this excited you a little for the day to remember that this world is not our home, but Heaven is our forever home!

"This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong
Windows in rooms that I'm passin' through
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary home."  -Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood

Your Sister in Christ- Melody :)

Christ-Given Energy

So today started out well, but there were a few homework items I didn't get done, felt sick during school and was extremely tired when I got home from school. I didn't want to do anything. I feel like this happens to me a lot. I feel lazy and I kinda feel bad about it. God's Word tells us not to be lazy but to do everything for the glory of God. Well I wasn't really doing that. I also wasn't allowing God to BE the energy I needed. He is the one who I need to help give me the motivation to get my homework done, among other things.I need to do my homework for Him. I can't look at my day expecting to do things to please others. I do my everyday tasks to please and bring glory to God. My vocation in life right now is to be a daughter, student, sister and friend. I need to do my very best at those things because that is what the Lord expects of me. He knows I can't get it perfect, but He does know that I can make the decision to do my very best for HIM. 

Patiance

So I have a story to tell you all today. Yes, it is very true.

On my way home from school today, my Mom and I were not even five minutes out of the school parking lot and our car just shuts down. We have to pull over in a turn lane to make us even remotely safe. Neither of  us panicked, I was just very POed if you catch my drift. I remember my thoughts were this: "I can't believe this HAD to happen today of all days. I have too much homework. I don't have time for this inconvenience." I was very inpatient with my mom and was wondering why the tow truck wouldn't get to us any faster. I didn't have ANY patience whatsoever!

Well, that was my lesson for learning patience today. There were, in fact, many blessings in the incident. We didn't have any extra people in the car, we didn't get hurt and to my greatest relief, the tow driver wasn't a sketchy man. Phewwww! So I thank God for teaching me the lesson of patience today and I hope this inspires you to also work on your patience skills :)

Thank you for 85 views! I know the Lord is really working through this blog!
Melody :)

In the Moment

So this week at my school we have just begun the week of Homecoming. It's a blast! We get to dress up silly everyday, have a pep rally and football game and of course a dance! I have always looked forward to it but after this whole week ends, I get really sad. It's all that excitement and anticipation that all of a sudden goes down the drain. I needed to take one day at a time. Even long before Homecoming week started I was looking forward to this week. I dreaded everyday before this week just wanting to get it over with. So, I missed out on all the blessings that were there in those days I dreaded. So live in the moment! Don't keep looking ahead and miss out on what the Lord is blessing you with TODAY. I know it's something that I need to work on BIG time. I need to be thankful for what I have been given today and not take it for granted.

Thankful for you all!
Melody :)  

Letting it All Out

So I had a really high expectation for today. I thought it was gonna be an awesome day filled with my favorite things: music, acting and shopping to find the perfect Homecoming dress. Well, that didn't exactly happen. Choir went fine but after that my day went down hill. I got down really fast and just didn't want to deal with school, or really people in general. As soon as one thing went wrong, I let it ruin my whole day. But what I didn't take the time to realize, was that it's not that my day went wrong, it was that God had a different plan in mind. I still had choir, I still went shopping but I just didn't find a perfect dress, and I still hung out with some of my best friends. But because I had my own expectations of the day, I didn't let God do the job of planning it out for me, so I got disappointed. 
Let God do the daily planning of your life. You might need to be a little flexible. But didn't Jesus take some time for you?

Have a great weekend!
Melody :)

A Journal

So today I decided to write what has been going on in my life, how it's affecting me and what I'm doing about it.
I don't typically want to get personal online, but this idea popped into my head and it just might be what God wants me to write today.

Lately I have been really stressed out about school. It seems like I have homework in at least three of my classes every night and I'm not really used to that much extra work on top of fitting in family, friends and down time. In fact last week I had a little anxiety attack at school (if I mentioned that in an earlier post, sorry). I was so stressed out and I felt like I was failing at everything. On top of that, that boy I mentioned in my crush post.Yeah well, I still like him and I have been letting him make or break my day depending on if he talks to me or not. That's really bad and I can't let that happen. Relying on something like that will just leave me in a dark pit. I need to let Jesus fill those voids. I need to go to him when I feel like I just can't do it or when I need someones love and affection. Because I know that God always loves me and thinks I am an amazing person. I don't need that from anyone else. Remembering that is the only thing that will help me. The past couple of days in my theology class at school, the Lord has been speaking to me so much. We have been reading from Philippians and it has been talking about comfort and letting Christ work through us. Also, in Chapel on Tuesday, the pastor talked about that when we are going through hard times, that's when He strengthens our faith the most. He also is testing on if we will turn to Him or if we will try and fix our problems on our own. He has been talking me through what has been going on in my life good and bad, and I have felt His presence even more then ever! I know the Holy Spirit is working in my heart big time, and I can't wait to see where it takes me!

Blessing on your weekend! In HIS love,
Melody :)

Godly Friendship

Sorry I haven't posted in few days guys. My time has been taken over by school, friends and some down time. But I'm back and I have wanted to write about a real, Godly friendship for a while. 

The Lord has blessed me with some amazing friends and lots of them. I have best friends that are from school, a different school and who are home schooled. They are all different and that's what a like about them. Some on them and really funny but yet understanding, some are just plain funny and brighten up your day kinda people and some of them are the wise, thinkers. Sometimes it can be hard to learn how to accommodate a friend with a different personality. But that's why God gave them to us! There are certain times when I need a specific friend with different traits depending on what I'm going through. We need to respect those differences and be thankful for them. I mean, come on. Do you really want to hangout with yourself all the time? But to maintain a friendship, it takes the right kind a attitude and want. You need to be selfless and be there for your friends. If there is a person you feel like you don't or can't do that with, maybe you shouldn't be as close of friends. You need to give Godly advice, pray for your friend and strengthen each other in your faith. Have those sometimes, awkward conversations about faith of marriage and stuff. Talk about the important things and see where each other stand. Be someone they can trust. This is huge. Trust is so easy to break and so hard to gain. Don't go talk about them behind their back or lie to them. Don;t be a gossiper, because in turn that just shows them that you will do the same to them. But most of all, just be there for them. Let them know you are there and that they can trust you. That's what will make you a true friend!

Have a blessed day friends!
Melody :)

Dealing with Stress

So I started my Junior year in high school about three weeks ago now, and even on the second day I was overwhelmed. I had all of the books that could fit in my backpack plus more, everyday. Well after two and half weeks of that, I had enough. Last Wednesday I had a melt down at school. I had a mini anxiety attack and I felt like I couldn't get it all done. I went to my friend ( She has a blog: Depressed But Blessed. Check it out!) and just spilled everything out to her. I felt alone. I felt like I had to do everything on my own. But I didn't. God was right there with me to help me get through it and to comfort me. I just forgot that. God never leaves our side like Satan might tell us. It's us that leaves His side. We stray away thinking we have life all under control, but soon find out we don't. We can't do life on our own because of our sinfulness. Luckily, God gives us the comfort we need in His word. Even when we do act like idiots and do life on our own. 

I would like to share a couple verses that I found about comfort in case any of you need it today or any other day. :)
Isaiah 40:1-2 "Comfort, comfort my people says the Lord, God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double her sins." 

Psalm 6:1-3 "Oh Lord rebuke me not in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your wrath. Be gracious to me, oh Lord, for I am languishing; oh Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is sorely troubled.
But You, oh Lord, how long?"

Peace and comfort in His grace,
Melody :)

God's Kind of Marriage

In His Word, God is very particular about how He wants marriage. First off, He speaks against homosexuality in 1 Timothy 1:8-10 and clearly doesn't like that idea. Secondly, He speaks to how husbands and wives should love each other. Wives need to be shown love a different way than husbands and husband need to be shown love a different way then wives and God shows us how we can do this. In Ephesians 5:22-24 it speaks to wives and how they should submit to their husbands because husbands should be the leader of the household. Just like God gave Eve to Adam in the garden at the beginning of creation to help him, so also wives submit and help their husbands. Just one verse later God tells husbands to love and honor their wives like Christ loved the church (us Christians). When you think about it, that's a lot of love. Christ died for His church, so does that mean a husband needs to be willing to die for his wife? YES! But something my Dad pointed out to me (he and my Mom do some marriage ministry at my church) a husband should also live for his wife. Put her first and treat her the way she deserves to be treated. Protect her not only with his life but with his words and teach her how to live as a daughter of the King. A husband and wife are a team. They need to give all of themselves to help and strengthen each other. Not for their own benefit. In marriage vows it says that the spouse will take care of that person in sickness and in health. To love them through good and bad times. There isn't anything in those vows for them self is there? So why do so many people get married for their own good? One of my theology teachers told me that you need to find someone  that you want to fulfill, that you want to help strengthen in their faith. To be there for them in everything. So look for that person and marry them for the right reasons and have a marriage according to what God says.
Have a blessed night everyone!
Melody :)