Meli's world

Today, marks 8 years since my life was radically changed. It was this day that I realized two things::: Only God could love me wholly and perfectly, and there was no mistake I'd made that was too big for forgiveness....and it's the same forgiveness He'd want me to have with others. I celebrate this day because prior to this I wasn't really living... I was a slave to me and my selfish ways and years of doing things our way clearly wasn't working. At this point in my life I thought I'd be a 21 year old divorced single mother who would have to live in shame and guilt of ruining her own marriage..... But God.... He wasn't done. And He meant it all for good. He had started a work in my heart and my husband and was orchestrating these series of events that would lead us to Him.... Repentance and each other with a love newer and purer than before. A couple weeks ago I sat in a room full of women and told my testimony and I vividly remember every tear I ...

As most of you know, every year I pray for God to give me a word for the following year. 2018 = Love. So I have prayed about, read about it and tried to walk in love everywhere. From neighbors, to strangers, to family and coworkers in the small stuff all the way to my first missions trip to Guatemala. I shared with friends last week that as I love....and God reveals what it truly means to love.... to put it all on the line....to risk being hurt, to push through even when you feel people do not deserve it or at their best; I have learned to see how much I need to grow and change. It has stretched me beyond my selfish tendencies and as I continue to walk in obedience to love, I know that it kills my self centered desires and focus that comes  so much easier then I imagined. With the amazing opportunity to serve along side Calvary La Esperanza in Guatemala, we were reminded by their pastor and leaders before every outing that our job was to LOVE on the people of Guatemala. Wh...

I wish I was at the point I could just write about being loving and kind all the time. Yet here I am again to tell you of how badly I handled myself in a situation. On Friday, my brother called me so that I could stop to buy him some Publix fried chicken he was craving since he was unable to drive that day. I picked up my kids and nephews and headed that way. Right after making a pit stop to deliver my neighbor some flowers  since she had recently been discharged from the hospital. Kindness was my mission. We stopped at our local grocery store which never fails to have hot chicken ready. Yet to my surprise they only had rotisserie, not what my brother wanted. I asked the lady behind the counter as her and a co worker were loading the fryer and changing the filter and she replied it would only be 20 minutes until the fried chicken would be ready to go. At my brother's request, I waited. All 3 kids and I would stroll the aisles after a stop at the water fountain and...

  We live in the age of multi level marketing companies and using the power of social media to sell, recruit and convince people to use our product.  You know which one I attract the most? Weight loss programs....from workouts to diets to eating plans.... and the very people who offer it to me have no issue pointing out I need to lose weight. I do not think they are worried If they offend me as my weight issue is apparent and they certainly have the solution for what they see as one of my problems.    I have to admit, I have been persuaded to try some of these products. And some have helped me lose weight, yet none of them have ever been so 100% effective that they have convinced me to become a sales representative myself. I look at the people that do sell them and they are so passionate in believing in their product and are sincerely convinced they are helping people change lives with either the product or the business opportunity to generate income. Making mon...

This year, I felt the Lord Reminding me to live in LOVE --- loving Him.... loving others. Especially those that cannot do anything for me! He put going on a missions trip in my heart and after my husband and kids gave me their full support I decided I would pursue it. Colombia was in my heart because its my parent's country, and it would be with my home church campus : Plantation. I have to admit even with all the familiarity, I dealt with fear of the unknown and let procrastination get in the way of even completing my application.   However my plans are not HIS plans. When I dealt with regret and sadness, He was making a way. There was an overwhelming response for the Colombia trip and it was suggested I take a look at the Guatemala Trip. An unknown place with unfamiliar people. I prayed and felt this is where I belong. Moving out in obedience and faith to wherever He leads . In Guatemela, we will do children ministry outreaches, like VBS. We will help serv...