Hello!
Welcome to a special place where we talk about the trials and triumphs of faith, family, and home. I pray every time you stop by, you find a boost of encouragement and are lifted up in the Lord. He is always the Answer we need!
A Little About My Family and Me
Above all, I am a grateful follower of Jesus Christ! Then, I am a happy wife to my wonderful husband, Jeff. The Lord set us up with the help of some of his family members who attended my church. It’s an awesome story I’ll have to tell you sometime! We were married in 1988. We have 12 children who claim us! LOL! (More about that below). Like most of you, there are many dimensions to my life. I am a homeschool mom (at the tail end with our youngest, two sons), Bible teacher, writer, counselor, coach, and musician. I do part-time freelancing as an administrative assistant, and I’m a new business owner with my husband of a small bait, tackle, and lake house shop and small storage facility close to our home near Brown County, Indiana.
After 9 years of infertility, praying, and sometimes not-so-patiently waiting, the LORD began blessing us with a very special family through private and foster adoption. Now, we are blessed with ten beautiful daughters, and two adventurous sons, earthside. We have another precious son, Jonah, who is with Jesus in Heaven, along with more little ones, the exact number the Lord knows. So far, we have 4 wonderful sons-in-law, and 9 absolutely adorable grand-darlin’s, plus one on the way! Two of our daughters and their husbands are also foster/adopt parents.
We are proud of our children, all they have overcome, and who they are becoming. It has been an amazing, exciting, and, to be real, a painful journey for all of us. Our children are my heroes! They are so brave. They each have come so far. We are fully confident that the Lord chose us for them, and we wholeheartedly, gladly said, “Yes”. But they are brave, because, as my husband has told them, “We certainly didn’t get ‘stuck’ with you; you got stuck with us.”
I pray every day that they will give the Lord their whole heart for their entire lives, and they will follow where He leads them. I pray they never forget that He created them ON purpose FOR a purpose. Our family is a testimony of the unfailing love and unending grace of God, and so is yours. Like yours, our life is big and full of adventures, blessings, problems, answered prayers, and plenty of chaos along the way, but the Lord is and always will be FAITHFUL!
More About My Faith
When Jesus came for me in August 1987, I was a lost and hurting 19 year old girl. I was so ready to accept His forgiveness and help. He washed away all my sin, and made me whole and brand new! In a moment He became my Lord and Saviour, the best Friend I could ever have, and changed my life beyond anything I could’ve ever dreamed. He quickly became my everything! It is the love of Jesus, and my growing love for Him that compels me to obey God from a heart of gratitude for the grace I have received by faith.
God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are worthy of my worship, my trust, and my life, therefore, I willingly yield to Him and obey His Word. I love Him because He first loved me and gave Himself for me. He faithfully cares for me and forever keeps me. I wholly belong to Him. I seek to personally know Him more every day. I fully trust in Him. I strive to faithfully follow and take after Him. I am the handmaiden of the One and only Almighty, and Most Holy God. I am a disciple of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am imperfect, so in my flesh I fail Him often, yet He mercifully loves me, hears my confession and repentance and forgives me. One day I will answer to Him when I see Him face to face. On that day, I pray that He will find that I have obeyed God rather than men; that I have glorified Him on the earth and I have finished the work which He gave me to do. I do not want to be ashamed when He comes again. By His grace, I want to obey the first and great commandment and the second that is like unto it, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. I gladly owe Christ my life!
I love hearing stories of how others have come to personally know the LORD! I hope you will share your story in the comments! It is just may be the encouragement and inspiration someone needs today. May the Lord be near and dear to you. I am honored you are here!
Simply growing in grace,
Melissa
II Corinthians 9:8
(Scriptures referenced: John 3:16, II Corinthians 5:17; John 10:27, I John 4:19, I John 1:9; Acts 5:29, John 17:4, I John 2:28; II Corinthians 9:6-11: Matthew 22:36-39)
