The Proper Time

Galatians 6:9 has  been on my heart this week. "Let us not become weary in well-doing, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up". (That may be a combination of versions, but you get the gist).

So what is the proper time? It's certainly not our time, because we live in the flesh and we are impatient. It's God's time. So how to you get to where you see God's timing(or God showing out as I sometimes like to say)? Answer is: patience and trust. It takes patience to keep doing what you know you are supposed to be doing(regardless of how you feel) each and every day. It takes trust in Him, knowing He has your back and knowing that as long as you just keep doing what He has told you to do....He will take care of the rest.

So why do we get stressed and find ourselves in a mess? Because we trust in words but not always in action. We are patient as long as it feels okay, but when it gets tough we want to give up. Let's face it...if we are operating as us, we can do NOTHING!!. The world we live in today is becoming meaner by the minute. As sad as it is, you have to watch your back otherwise you will end up with a knife or two in it. You have to be careful how much you give, because there are those out there that will take until there is nothing left of you. The world is mean. It takes reliance on Him to walk boldly forward, knowing He has your back(when the knife comes, it hits Him not you first). It takes trust with actions that leads to a peace to know what He has called you to do. It is fine to give to others, but know your boundaries. Honesty check: I am HORRIBLE at this still. Where has it gotten me this year? More stress than I have ever had  before and it is now starting to affect my health. It has to stop, but the only one who can stop it is me. You can give until you are so busy and running in circles you don't recognize yourself in the mirror. Hard lesson I've learned: Giving until until you reach that point only hurts you. They will not respect you more, think of you more, or do more for you just because you do for them. The hardest thing, but the most freeing is to realize that you have to believe in yourself as much as He does. Sometimes your only cheerleader is God....and that's okay ;-)

The last two weeks have been stress-filled to say the least. The next ten prove to be just the same. I am not a superwoman, but I serve a super God. I have had to come to grips with the fact that He and He alone is the one that understands me.(Although I have asked for someone with skin on....) I have also asked Him about some of my frustrations, and His reply was simply "What is done in the dark, eventually comes to light. You can only sweep so much dirt under the rug before it starts to show." We are only responsible for the seeds we sow. The law of sowing and reaping is biblical. It will come to pass at some point.

So I'm trusting Him for the proper time on a couple of things in particular, realizing that His word will come to pass. I'm finding comfort in the fact that He and I have a close enough relationship that He has clued me in on my gifts, talents, and where He wants me. (I have had more well meaning people over the last couple of weeks try to inform me where my gifts are, my talents lie, and what God wants me to do...Sad they can't see the real me but only what me they want to see). Please know that He knows me well enough to knock me upside the head if and when I need adjustment. I'm tired of being analyzed on facebook, so you are likely to see more blogs from the middle of the journey. I'm human and just blessed that He allows me to write things out. He alone knows my heart, and I trusted Him a long time ago with that.

Different kind of blog, but I'm just trying to be real.
Until next time,
~Melissa

It's a masterpiece to Him

I am convinced He likes it when I get to the point where I know it seems impossible, where I realize I cannot do it anymore, to the place where I want to give up or give in. It's usually at those times when I get me out of the way and let Him do His thing. Oh how I wish He would hurry up and do His thing.....I'm tired and I'm worn out mentally. I know the lesson He has decided I will learn this year is that I'm in charge of me and what others do is not of my concern. Not an easy task.....it still bothers me when I work as hard as I do and others get away with doing very little. I have to let go that what they do they are responsible for, I am in charge of how I respond. I am in charge of making sure I don't get frustrated, don't worry, and don't let it overwhelm me. Honesty check: THIS is IMPOSSIBLE without God. That's why the enemy throws it at you. That's why the enemy does everything He can to mess you up and cause you to feel stressed, worried, and overwhelmed. The enemy is smart, he knows just where your weaknesses are....and TRUST me he will push those buttons. When you know who you are in Christ and how God looks at you, it makes the devil MAD. When he gets MAD, he comes looking for you and tries to mess you up.

So that being said....I will pass this test, but it is going to take one hour at a time, one minute at a time, relying on Him to tell me when to speak and to tell me when to keep my mouth shut. It's Him to tell me how to walk and when to run. It's all apart of the journey. The less days you spend running forward and not sitting still, the closer you are getting to looking in the mirror and seeing Him not you.

To you it looks like a jumbled mess, to Him it is a masterpiece. You see He is the same One that slept through the storm and whispered to it to be still. None of this is too big for God.....He can handle it all because to Him nothing is too big or hard. The quicker we realize that, the better off we will be. God doesn't see what you do, He sees who you are. He doesn't think you have made a mess out of things, He has the puzzle lid and knows just where every piece fits.

So step out of the way and let Him do His thing. After all, you are doing what He has called you to do, now let Him do His part. He can do what you can't, He just needs you to let Him.

Until next time readers,
~Melissa

Blogs still to come on The Light switch and Content

Who's got your stress?

I'm going to be perfectly honest tonight...Today is the first day all year, when  I have eaten my way through the entire day. I used food as a reward for handling the stress, for keeping my mouth shut, for just doing what I was supposed to regardless. I can honestly say it doesn't feel good at the end of the day(especially not after watching The Biggest Loser). Food is not the answer, yes it made me feel good at the moment, but the moment didn't last. Pretty sure I'm not the only one who has lost that battle on any given day.

Stress is not from God, but after the last couple of weeks I have decided He can use it if we will let Him. Think about it for a minute.....Stress can be the thing that pushes us to change, stress can be what He uses to show us what really is on the inside(good or bad), stress can be the force that makes us dig our heels in and just stand. Stress can be the sand paper, He uses to smooth off our rough edges. It all depends on who has your stress? Stress is going to happen, it's the world we live in. It is what we do with the stress that determines who has our stress. Today for me, food had my stress(which meant I had it). Tonight, He has my stress...because I have slowed down long enough to give it to Him.  Lesson learned...hope so, but knowing God, pretty sure I'll get to retake the test so He can make sure I've learned it.

Different kind of blog tonight, but that's been my day. Is He finished writing this, probably not?

Surround yourself with those that love you for you. Believe in yourself, it makes the days when others don't easier to get through. Know what He says about you, and push through until you see it happen! If He promised you, it will come to pass!! Just wait on His timing ;-)  Remember those moments when He has shown out in your life, and know the best is still to come! Don't let the opinions of the masses cause you to forget about the One.


More blogs to come that are deeper and more focused, but this is me tonight. Even if it was just for me ;-)
Until next time,
~Melissa

Discouraged or determined

Okay so God had pretty much already had this talk with me on the way home....then Joyce Meyer's latest tweet just kind of nailed it in. So this is another short and sweet blog, but has some meaning ;-)

Looked at the mountain again today and had a choice to make. Am I going to continue heading down and end this 40 year journey or am I going back up and around the mountain again? I'm going to admit and be perfectly honest....it took AWHILE(okay so all day) to realize I didn't really want to go back up the mountain again. Let's face it, my flesh was hot today and I was ill. I was tired of a lot of things and wanted nothing more than to speak my peace. WELL.....some people heard the peace...but mainly cause I needed someone to listen. I was headed home still thinking about my soapbox and all of a sudden a sense of determination hit. It was one of those, let's go past the "extra" mile. It was a sense of, let's give it 150% instead of just 110% and see what happens. Sometimes when you think you have given it all you have, He tells you to go another mile...but this time He's doing the heavy lifting.

You can't control what happens to you, what other people do etc. Might as well give up trying now and settle in with just trying to take care of you. So when someone does something to you/says something etc. (and it's not an if, it is a when situation)....you have a choice to make. Joyce Meyer would say to be pitiful or powerful....my words are discouraged or determined. You can let what happen get you down or you can decide to let it drive you to that extra mile. (Word of caution....the extra mile is only extra if you let Him take you there). Discouragement only hurts you.

So stand up tall, smile, and remember He's got your back sweet princess! In due time you will shine to others like He sees you now ;-)

Until next time
~Melissa

Still on the journey....

The journey is getting closer to 11 days, but it is a process. Sometimes God doesn't move/change the situation because He wants to change/move us. He doesn't give us what we ask for because sometimes He wants us to realize He really does know best....even though we can't see it just yet. I told Him this afternoon His "this" keeps getting bigger...sure am thankful He doesn't mind ;-)


Take away from today(somebody besides me needs this reminder): Regardless of how you feel in the moment...God knows your heart!! He's not looking for things to always go perfectly, He is looking for you to rely on His strength and realize you can't do it on your own. Each day is more than any of us can handle without His grace. I have learned a new appreciation for the verse in Matthew about borrowing trouble from tomorrow. God knows what you can handle in each day....focus on that and trust Him for tomorrow's grace then. Have a Plan B, but realize God's plan is always Plan A.


Trust without seeing the next step is faith. Faith is more than saying you believe God's got it, it's walking it out regardless of what the day throws at you. It's staying off the soapbox, not letting the stress cause tears, and enjoying some well deserved chocolate ;-) .

More to come soon.....I promise....
~Melissa

He gave you your talents and gifts for a reason. He thinks you are pretty special and loves you just the way you are!! Don't let anyone put a lid or bury what God gave you! He has a job and a call only you can do. Stay close and listen to what He tells you about it....focus on His words.

An 11 day journey

Last night I had the most intense discussion with God that I have had in awhile. Let's just say I listened more than I talked and it was deep. I'm not going to get the details on the blog, that's between me and Him, but I wanted to challenge you the way He challenged me.

What kind of journey are you on that's taking longer than it should? What are you doing now that should have only taken 11 days, but instead you have spent 40 years going around and around the same mountain. (Let me stop here and say if you are unfamiliar with the story of the Israelites, that's what I am referring to right now. Their journey to the Promise Land should have only taken 11 days, but because of their choices their journey took 40 years).

Our choices(words/actions) can turn our journey into 40 years instead of 11 days. Hear me now, God's plans are always for our good and not to harm us, but sometimes our choices determine how long we stay still(in other words how long we stay in one season).

Are you standing on the verge of a new season? The choice is yours whether you walk into that season or whether you continue to go around that same mountain. What journey are you on that should have only taken you 11 days, but it is seeming to go on forever? Ask God to show you what is holding you back, trust me He will. Then the choice is up to you, are you going to do what He says or let fear keep you on your 40 day journey?


There will be more to this later on, I'm sure. For now though, I have some choices to make, some walking to do.

Until next time,
~Melissa

**Hope this makes sense ;-)

The Waiting Place

God help me, but only He knows how I'm going to survive the next four months. The past two days especially have been diamond making days. I asked God on the way home, please tell me there is a blog in this. I'm frustrated and mad at myself for letting it get to this point. I'm frustrated because I feel like I am spinning my wheels at times. I'm frustrated because I'm impatient. That last one is the one that sums up the others. See God and I have had long talks already about who I am in Him, what His plans are, and some of my dreams. He knows my heart and He knows what I can do.  Now the hard part comes in, reminding my heart when the enemy throws discouragement and frustration in my face what I can do and who I am. I'm going to be really honest right now, if you let what other people say about you and how they treat you cloud your view of who you are and how you see yourself, then the enemy has won. Keeping my focus has been a struggle today, but I should have realized yesterday this test wasn't going anywhere. See God is such a patient teacher, that He will give His students(aka His kids) plenty of chances to retake until we pass it. Well I'm tired of retaking, so it's time to stay focused and pass. Will I see this test again? Yep and probably next week...apparently God's ready for me to pass it now and I am too. I'm tired of feeling frustrated and letting discouragement be my focus. Things will not always go as planned, but reacting His way will keep you in His plan.


I wish I could say that after passing the test, the material wouldn't be presented again, but it will. It's not that it gets easier, it's that you get stronger with each test passed. Now why is this blog titled The Waiting Place? How many times do you know the dreams God has placed in your heart, but you stand waiting for them to come to pass? Dreams that you know you are supposed to walk out, a call that only you can do, but you don't see how it is all going to come to pass. I've realized those moments can be exciting, simply because it means God is fixing to show out and do what only He can do. The waiting place is where you learn patience(not an easy lesson!!). The waiting place is where you learn His timing has nothing to do with yours. The waiting place is where you learn to trust His timing and know that if He still has you where you are, the season isn't over yet. As long as you are willing to move when He says too, you'll know when it's time to.

Dreams are a part of you for a reason, don't let anyone take that away. God has given each person talents and gifts. He is using this waiting season to develop those talents and gifts by developing the fruits of the Spirit. You are a unique individual and He knows that. He has a reason why you are where you are, learn it and just cooperate. You'll retake the test until you pass anyway.

Different kind of blog I know, but the past two days have been diamond making days. Days when I'm just thankful to know God's got it, because my feelings want to explode, cry, and stand up for myself. Change what you can, and then let go of the rest and leave it in  His hands.

As much as I want this season to pass because I am so ready to pass the test and move on, I realize that this season is making diamonds, it's sandpaper smoothing out the rough edges. It's a cookie cutter taking off the excess so to speak.

The best advice He has given me thus far, "know who I say you are, do what you can do, take care of you, and let me handle the rest."

Until next time,
~Melissa