Sunday, November 28, 2010

As I have gone through the last few weeks and months, I have come to realize how much I enjoy working at this maternity home.  Now, I know most of you are wondering what in the world I'm smoking, but seriously!  I love working with these women.  Through working in a field that I really enjoy, I have realized my flaws in how I've looked at work in the past.  I realized that I never asked myself how can I get better.  What can I add to my character and personality that would help me improve myself as a person, but more importantly in my relationship with God.

The Bible says "Whether, then, you eat, drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor 10:31)  "Whatever you do, do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than for men." (Col. 3:23).  So, I'm not working just to get by in life, or even to prove to man that I am a capable worker, but as a sacrifice to the Lord, not for salvation, but as a response to the grace and mercy He has lavished upon me.

So, my goal for the next 5ish months that I'm hear is to really see areas in my work and my life that I can allow God to improve in me.  I am so far away from being perfect, I can't walk around not looking for the things in my life that need a change.  So this is my prayer, that my eyes will be opened to the needs around me and in me.  That God would move in me to draw me closer in likeness to Him.

As you pray for me, please also lift up the residents that I work with.  It is so hard to be away from family and friends during the holiday season.  With Thanksgiving having already passed and Christmas so close, I know they are beginning to feel more and more sad.  But also for them as most of them are trying to restore awful family situations that will never work out save an intervention from the God of all Comfort and Healing.

Y'all are such an encouragement to me.  I am so blessed to have family and friends who care so much about me!

Love to you all
Melody
1 Peter 1:7

Sunday, October 10, 2010

It's hard to really describe what is happening here at the Vine with the residents.

Sometimes it is really aggravating because I expect them to be at the level of almost mothers.  I want them to be mature, make their own decisions, but also make the right ones.  But then, I have to think of myself when I was their ages and realize that I wasn't any more mature at their ages than they are.  But now, as soon to be mothers, they have been forced to grow up a lot faster than I had to grow up.  They are about to be responsible for the life of a helpless infant who needs their mother to survive.  But, these girls have to deal with a lot more stuff that has taken place in their lives before they're ready to grow up.  They only have a short time in which to deal with all the stuff that life has thrown at them.

My challenge really has been finding the line between being sensitive and still being someone who can help and direct them.  Not only am I working with girls who are dealing with a lot of anger issues, but also hormonal and pregnant girls as well. Let me tell you, the line is very fine.  It is a blessing, however, to be working with them.  God is teaching me so much about myself.  He's shown me how much more I need to depend on Him than I have been.  It's really cool to see God work in ways that I would never have imagined that I would see Him.

A couple of prayer things:
1. For the residents. There is a lot of stuff going on in each of their lives that they're all trying to work through.  Pray that in spite of my human limitations that God will give me wisdom on how to best help and encourage them in each of their lives' journeys.
2. As it seems that my next life step will bring me back to Athens, I'm trying to figure out what exactly that step will look like.  I'm praying for God's wisdom in that area over the next few months as I finish my time here in Savannah.

Thanks for all your love, prayer, and support as I've been on this journey of my own
Much Love
Melody
1 Peter 1:7

Monday, September 6, 2010

After a while...

So, it's been a while since I've written. My life got really crazy after my last post and quite frankly I didn't know what to write about after the tragedy of my last post.  But because God is gracious, he has allowed me to move forward and learn so much from that experience.  It is most definitely one I never have to face again.  But I am confident of this, that God is greater than it all and has sent His Comforter to be with me through every trial.

My life verse is the one that I've referenced at the end of every post, 1 Peter 1:7.  It says this, "That the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ".  As I have been challenged and tried this summer, I pray that God has continued to refine me to the point of bringing praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. For example, when God has clearly shut the door to an opportunity that I definitely longed for, or when residents cry because of something I've said to them, but it's not really what I said that bothered them and I have to take an outside view of the situation and realize it wasn't about what I said to begin with.

God continues to reveal His plan for my life as I trust Him, even when I don't understand and can't really see why He's caused something to happen. Through this time of not understanding God continues to remind me that He has a reason for me being where I am right now.

Some prayer requests...
1. Continue to pray for the girls. One of them is at a crossroads, deciding whether or not to follow Christ. Pray that God continues to reveal Himself to her and that she is obedient to His calling. Another one of the girls needs some major encouragement. Even though you don't know the exact situations, your prayers for the girls are coveted. They need people who will stand in the gap for them as Ezekiel talks about.
2. Pray for strength for me. In this past week homesickness has really hit me. I am, however, excited to see my family in 2 weeks! So I'm praying that God continues to show me that even when I'm sad and really miss my family and friends, that He is the One that I really need.

You really a blessing to me with your love, prayer, and support
Melody
1Peter 1:7

Friday, August 6, 2010

How to Move Forward...

Tuesday night I took a girl to the hospital, only to find out that she had lost the baby. The last couple of days have been the hardest of my summer. But in light of everything that has gone on, God has proven Himself faithful. What made coping with the tragedy easier was God really revealing Himself to me in ways that I had never understood Him before. I have always known about the sovereignty of God, but until  early Wednesday morning, I had not fully understood it. His peace that passes all understanding was truly my comfort in this tragedy!

There is so much more that I could write about the situation, but I prefer to constantly think on who God has revealed Himself to me rather than dwell on the sorrow. So I will leave it at that. Just be in prayer for this young lady, that God would really draw her to Himself in this time of great sorrow.

Thanks so much for your love and support
Mel
1 Peter 1:7

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Serving together...

This post is more about a concept that I've learned and dealt with here than what is actually going on. For whatever reason, I've felt led to share!

I've been concerned with our culture's constant need for "individuality" and "being my own person", not because these are in and of themselves bad, but because they extend from this idea that "I don't need anyone's help" and "I can do this all by myself". This has led to our culture's belief that they don't need God because they can do it all themselves (which is a very conceited and fallacious thought). To be honest, though, I've never done any study of the Bible to see what God thinks about all of this individuality in our society.

In our staff meetings of late we have been discussing and praying that God would show us what is going on to make our finances be such a problem right now, whether it is sin or we're just not doing something right. This past week, our director brought up the passage in Mark 6 where Jesus has just fed the 5000 (plus women and children) and he sends his disciples immediately off and they get stuck in really bad weather at sea. After Jesus has had time to send the crowds away and pray for a while, He sees His disciples in the storm and steps out on the water. The Bible, in Mark 6:48, says, "Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them. At about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea; AND HE INTENDED TO PASS THEM BY". But the cool thing is what follows... the Bible says "But when they saw Him walking on the sea, the supposed it was a ghost and cried out" It took all of the disciples crying out to God to really be shown the power of God. Not that I can say that Jesus wouldn't have revealed Himself to them if they hadn't called out, but the Bible does say that Jesus intended to pass them by until they cried out.

I hope I'm not reading what's not in the Bible, but there are other passages that point to the fact of the necessity of serving and praying together. The Bible talks about God's people being a body and functioning together. God also says, through Paul, to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, but encouraging one another. Then, in marriage, God created woman specifically because man needed a helpmate and it was not good for man to be alone. So much of this points to the design of God creating us as people who need other people. The whole notion of doing things by myself was never God's design for His people. It's been something that God keeps showing me through everything that outside people do to help The Vine. We get so many donations of food and maintenance and time and so many other things that help the Vine function on a normal basis. Just the fact that God's people are working together to make such a ministry happen goes God's purpose and design for His people.

It has been so exciting to see God working and using His people as different members of the body and still functioning well!

Please be in prayer for the girls. They so desperately need for God to tear down their walls and really soften their heart. He's beginning to do so, but the devil has such a great stronghold over them, it's like nothing I've ever seen!!!!

Thanks so much for your prayers and support
Melody
1 Peter 1:7

Friday, July 9, 2010

Baby #1

So, this week (Tuesday, actually), we had our first baby born. I ended up going to the hospital with the girl because I was the only one on call who didn't have to work that day. I stayed with her the whole time, 13 hours. It was such a cool experience. The girl ended up having a C-Section and I got to be the support! It was really awesome. I've heard it over and over again that there's nothing like seeing a baby born, but until you experience it for yourself, you truly do not understand what It's like to see a baby born. Even though the baby wasn't mine, it still was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

With all that said, this has been one of my most tiring weeks. The night before going to the hospital, was one the worst nights, as far as amount of drama that developed during the day. My lesson for this week is about how I don't have any strength or any control over what happens in my life. That power is found in Christ alone and I can either submit to it or fight it and not grow in my relationship with Christ. But, one of my favorite quotes is "When you find that Christ is all you have, Christ is all you need." I have, and will continue this week, to really understand the truth behind that statement. It feels like right now I'm just running on adrenaline, but I know that it is Christ that has been sustaining me this week, especially with fighting a very sore throat for almost a week. At this point, I feel like I don't have anything left to give this week, but somehow, God gives me just what I need to accomplish what He wants me to do.

The biggest prayer request I have is to pray for the baby that was just born. Her name is Shina and she is beautiful and healthy! As I have found out by working week after week here in Savannah, most of these girls are not ready to be mothers. They have been forced into this position by irresponsible actions and have been forced to make responsible decisions for their child without ever having training on making responsible decisions. This is the position that this girl and her baby have found themselves in and I'm worried about the baby and her mother. So just be in prayer for these two, they're going to need it. They're completely in God's hands now and there is absolutely nothing I can say or do, anymore, that will change what happens to them.

Pray also for the staff as we continue to get more residents and the house gets crazier!!! Pray for me as I continue to step forward in my life and do only what God wants me to do. It's really great how He's been revealing His plan to me, I just have to be faithful to be obedient!!!

That's all for now! I really covet your love, prayers, and support!
Melody
1 Peter 1:7

This is a picture of me before going into the operating room to see my first C-Section!!!

Friday, July 2, 2010

What happens when you surrender...

Not the way I thought my life would turn out, but here I am in Savannah and working with a group of people that I love. As I've been here, I've come to see more of who God wants me to be and where I am in that process.

God continues to teach me more about myself and show me problem areas that I never thought were problem areas! For example, I have always thought of myself as a patient person. But, two weeks ago, we got a new resident who is 14 years old and does everything any normal 14 year old would do. She is extremely picky and feels that the only thing she can control is her food intake, which means, if she's never had it or thinks it might be different than the other brand she's had, she won't touch it. So she hasn't eaten real food (this excludes the doughnut she ate) in a week and a half. Last night I went to the grocery store with her to get foods that she liked. We went to pick up some sausage and she picked up the most expensive brand **Note: we are on a really tight budget and every penny counts** so I found the exact same sausage, except a different brand that was on sale. She told me that the two brands taste so different that she wouldn't eat the other brand. There have been other situations that have occurred exactly like this one but with different products and it's all I can do to stay sane and not get frustrated in their faces. It doesn't make any sense... How can people who are so poor, be so picky. Then God promptly reminds me that I'm here, not to get mad at their dumb decisions, but to help and direct them so that in future situations, they will choose the right decisions.

I am constantly reminded of how much I can do on my own (that would be NADA). These girls will never see God through me if I don't give Him everything so that He can work.

I don't feel like I have anything brilliant to say today except for God is moving me in ways I didn't know I could and would go. I'm excited to see where He takes me but I'm also nervous because that path has so many unknowns.

For some reason, my brain isn't thinking and I can't think of other prayer requests that I haven't mentioned, so if you would continue to pray for the things I've mentioned in previous posts I would be very appreciative!

Melody
1 Peter 1:7

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

You've never seen someone eat until you take pregnant girls to Ryan's Buffet!!!

Ok, so that title has little to do with what I want to say, but as a side note, it's totally true! These girls would challenge ANY man in their eating skills!

All kidding aside, I've come to see that God has put me here  to teach me more about myself and who He is than helping and teaching these girls. Honestly, I've realized that I don't know enough about what I'm doing this summer to do anything for the girls in 3 months. All I can do is show them God's love, which is really all God has asked me to do, but even that is hard sometimes. There is one girl here who is a chronic manipulator and liar. She is completely irresponsible and going to deliver in a week or so. There have been times where I just want to kick her and make her wake up to the fact that she is about to be a mom and she has absolutely no idea what she is going to do. Other things she's said make you realize that she DOES NOT understand this fact. But all I can do is continue to love her. I'm at the point that God is going to have to be in control of her and her baby and there is nothing I can do or say that will change her. So it's really hard to see people deal with stuff like that.

I think one of the hardest things is dealing with the girls' emotionalness. I know what you're thinking, "Duh...they're PREGNANT and GIRLS!!!" But seriously, these girls cry at the drop of a hat; if they don't get their way, they want to do something different than what is on the schedule, if they THINK you MIGHT start raising your voice at them; I mean, the list goes on and on, so I walk on pins and needles when I'm around them AHHHHH!!! Then, like 2 minutes later, they are really happy again! I have no clue how to handle this. But it's more about learning how to love... God's way... without conditions.

God is also challenging me this summer with making my faith my own. Growing up in a Christian home,  I was spoon-fed the Bible and just blindly believed what I was told without really checking it out for myself and seeing what the Bible, itself, says.  One of the staff members is 7th Day Adventist. She has invited me and the other summer missionaries to a Bible study at one of her friends' house on Wednesdays. So I've gone with her the last 2 weeks and I've really enjoyed it. Tonight though, I started learning about some of the doctrinal differences between Seventh Day Adventists and Baptists. So, now, I'm determined to learn about the subjects of death and hell directly from the Bible. I may or may not change what I believe, but I want to know why I believe it and be able to back it up with Scripture... ***Also, for those of you who have studied Spiritual Warfare, feel free to pass on any scripture that would aid in my study of the subject. Seriously! You can leave a comment or facebook/email me or call me! I'd love to hear from people from home!***

OK... So, I think that's it for now. I'm really excited, my parents are coming down to visit me for my birthday! I can't wait to see them. I really do miss familiar faces so if you get a chance to take a trip why not choose Savannah and come see me!!!!

Prayer things :)
1. We now have 7 girls and they ALL need prayer. One girl is supposed to give birth in the next week or so and she has no plan. I'm afraid DFCS is going to step in and do something because of this situation. One girl is extremely depressed because of different legal and family situations and it's hard to see someone hurt so much and be able to do nothing for her, except pray. Finally, the newest girl is REALLY young and she doesn't know anything about pregnancy and is really nervous about a new place where she basically just got dropped off, new emotions, and not really knowing what's going on.
2. I've still got decisions I have to make about staying here or not for the semester. While I'm leaning toward staying here, I haven't been given the OK from God. So, I'm learning patience.

Oh, I totally forgot! One of the reasons I love being here is that, even though I haven't gotten to actually share the gospel with the girls, I have been able to share my faith with them and just have really good conversations about who God is and what He can do with them. I love this job!

Alright! That's it for real! Thanks for praying!
Mel
1 Peter 1:7

Friday, June 11, 2010

WHEW!!!! What a week!

Ok, so my life has become absolutely CRAZY as I have begun to learn the ropes of working at The Vine. The Vine has 4 thrift stores called Blessingdales (fondly known as B1, B2, B3 & B4) that is the basic income for The Vine. It's really cool because when you get to see an organization like this in action, you realize what all it takes for it to run for just one day!!!! It's absolutely incredible.

Monday, I had off so I could get organized and stuff before I actually started working. Tuesday and Wednesday I worked all day in the thrift stores, B2 and B4 respectively. It makes for a really long day, but when I think that my work is going to support girls who are learning to be responsible moms by the time they deliver, it really humbles me and know that I'm not working just for the sake of working (which is really fulfilling in itself). Today I had my first real house shift. Today it included making sure the girls went to their exercise class, sewing class, and parenting class; help them make dinner; go with them to a spiritual growth class; and pray with them before they go to bed.

I really wish I had time and space to share everything that has happened this week already, but alas! But basically, there are 6 pregnant girls that live at the Vine. There were 4 when I got here on Sunday and we were supposed to get 3 more on Monday and Tuesday, but one of the girls' water broke on Tuesday, so we only got 2. But the other girl was 21 weeks along when her water broke. Thankfully, they stopped the labor but she is on bedrest, I think she may be coming in a couple weeks, but I'm not entirely sure. I have heard rumors from the people in charge though, that they expect a full house (12 girls) by July. So that will definitely be interesting!

I do want to share my favorite thing that I've seen since being here. Being in a non-profit organization, you get to really see the Body of Christ functioning like it ought to. While The Vine does have an income, they don't make much and we heavily depend on donations for everything. Not including working at the thrift stores, there hasn't been a weekday that I've been here that we haven't received some sort of donation for the house. You should really see the amount of pizza from Pizza Hut that is in our freezer!!! But that's how it is supposed to be! Also, yesterday, working at B4, a couple came in and they purchased a few pairs of pants and some good shirts for a homeless man that they had just met and they even mentioned that they were helping two really good causes, which is true, and totally awesome!!! I love seeing people serving other people so selflessly.

I'm going to go ahead and wrap it all up for tonight, but here are some prayer requests (especially now that I know more about what I'm doing):
1. Pray for the 6 girls. They've all gone through so much and they're finally in a place that they know is safe, but in just a few short months, they will be heading back into the world they came from and they need to really absorb what they've learned at The Vine if they are going to survive with a baby
2. There is a girl, I'm going to call her 'D', she is due in less than 4 weeks and she's trying to figure out what she's going to do once she has her baby. She's trying really hard to get on the right track, but being an unwed mother with only her GED and other circumstances makes it hard to do that.
3. For me, my biggest goal for this summer is to learn to pray, and especially for others. I look at these girls and realize how much they need prayer and how unfaithful I am in that.

Thanks for all your love and support!!!
Melody
1 Peter 1:7

Sunday, May 30, 2010

What I'm doing this summer

So, many of you know that I will be serving in Savannah, GA this summer working in a crisis pregnancy home called The Living Vine. It has been really awesome to see God opening and shutting doors to bring to the point of leaving in less than a week. The timing has been so perfect that I know it's been God who's coordinated this whole thing and that I am walking in His will.


Most of you are probably wondering what in the world I will be doing there, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure.  I've talked a little with one of my supervisors and she basically told me to be ready for anything. So, it's completely exciting, but slightly unnerving.  What I do know is that I will be living in a home with about 12 pregnant girls and other staff members doing anything from chores to tutoring and just about everything in between. So basically, I'll get to live life as a ministry, which is so totally AWESOME!


I have one big prayer request right off the bat. I know there will be more as the summer progresses, but for now pray for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength. All of these are going to be required in large amounts over the summer.  I don't know how to explain that better, but I know if you pray, God will provide what I need when I need it!


Thank you so much for your love, prayer, and support! 
1 Peter 1:7