The Son Shines Through!

You know what's awesome about this sunrise? It's cloudy, but the sun is still shining through.

Isn't life like that sometimes? It's cloudy all around us, but the Son shines through!

I took this picture on my trip to the OBX right after my dad died. It was a time of a flood of emotions for me and my family. And it seems like life has been constantly changing for me since then.

It has been a time of renewal, of reflection, and of regeneration. Everything that was familiar to me has become foreign, and God is replacing it with the things that He wants in my path. He has challenged me to jump into thin air and do some things that man has criticized, but I believe He has smiled upon because it has caused me to trust Him and only Him.

When I quit my job, I jumped. And for three months I was unsure of the future. But He caught me yet again and now I am working in an incredible ministry and the blessings keep coming! I had to give Him the singing and music, and now He is rewarding me with invitations to share my praises to Him through song.

The main lesson I have learned is that I had to get over ME. Because what I want and what He wants for me are far too often completely different. He is still challenging me to let go of some things in my life that have become comfortable, or things that I may be afraid of letting go of or changing because of what people might say. I have had to learn that my purpose in life is to please Him, and to do the things He has called me to do. Although He does put people in our lives and He uses them, there comes a time when we may care more about their opinion than we do about His Opinion. And at the end of the day, I am accountable to Him and His Word.

Don't get me wrong about people...I know sometimes I think I know what's best for someone else and may get a little overbearing about it. But I know now all I can do is give them the Word and let Him work on the heart. And to realize that we are all works in progress - and instead of kicking each other when we are down, we need to kneel down and help each other up.

I am weary from kicking and being kicked...I am ready to kneel, and ready to reach out to the One who is kneeling beside me to help me up. I have been so tired lately from trying to do it on my own. I have learned that I need to rest in Him.

And I have learned that if my circumstances are weighing me down, maybe I need to change my circumstances. He will show me the ones I need to change, and the ones He wants me to be in.

Life's been cloudy lately...but the Son continues to shine through!

It's just what's on my mind.

The Past Couple of Weeks

It's been a little bit since my last posting...life has been rolling!!



The first week of "retirement" consisted of getting the final touches done for the "At The Feet of Jesus" Women's Retreat...and wow! What a day that turned out to be! It's funny how we have expectations about something, and then God takes them, tosses them, and fills everything up with Himself. That's exactly what happened! So, after updating this blog, I am going to update the retreat blog with information and you can check it out at www.atthefeetofjesusretreat.blogspot.com.

Then, the second week of "retirement" included some resting from the previous week, and then on Wednesday of that week, I sat down with Pastor Michael Hevener from Adial Baptist Church (www.adialbaptistchurch.com) to work on the CD project. Interesting to sit and look at the logistics of the computer software and figure out which button does what. But we did record one song, and it sounds pretty good! Need to go back in and redo the vocals, though - I had to play the guitar on one track, and then go back and sing with the recording. Man, that's hard to do when you're used to playing and singing at the same time! So, will be working more on that in the weeks to come and will keep you all updated as to how the progress is coming...maybe post some pictures of us hard at work.

So, that's what's going on with me since retirement...still waiting on God's hand in the new employment situation and I know He is working in His time.

So, until next posting, this is what's on my mind!

The End...or the Beginning?

Well, this is my last week on my current job...the future is still in God's hands...and I trust Him!

So, with the probability of at least a couple of months off, I am finally going to record the CD that I have been praying about for so long!

It will be an acoustic style CD, with just me and the guitar and my original songs that the Lord has given me. For those of you that have heard me before, here are just a few of the titles that will be included:

- This Man Was God's Son

- Still Love You

- Back to You

- There's A Place

- Will God Have Email in Heaven?

- Untitled (The Holier Than Thou Song)

- My Prayer

- How Long Will It Be?

and more!

So, keep your eyes and ears open for updates about the CD, and if you are interested in one, please email me at melissa@melissamorrisministries.com and I will keep your information until the project is ready for release.

Thanks to all of those who are helping me out...please keep this project in prayer, as it needs to belong to the Lord and not to me.

It's what's on my mind today!

And The Good News Is....

Any of you ever had an experience with one of these machines? I had my first experience today..

A couple of weeks ago, I detected an issue that I needed to go get checked out. So off to the doctor I went. That visit resulted in going today for a mammogram and ultrasound (which was my first experience with either, and I have to say, I am no longer modest).

The good news is - I'm fine. I'm 40 now, so I can expect changes in my body. I also have a note from the doctor that says I'm normal - copies are available to those non-believers! LOL

The mammography center left me a message, telling me what not to wear on the day of my appointment:

- Do not wear jewelry. Okay, I can deal with that.

- Do not wear perfume. Okay, I can deal with that, too.

- Do not wear deodorant.

Do not wear deodorant? Oh, my...I don't think they were realizing what they might be in for! (I have remedied that issue since I left the appointment)

So, I get there and everyone is incredibly nice to me, which is great, because I was getting a little nervous. I went into a room filled with ladies dressed in hospital gowns, and changed into my own gown and took my seat. I found someone to talk to in just a minute, and we chatted until they called me back to encounter "the machine". Before I left that room though, I noticed a little elderly lady who came in and she looked lost...I didn't have a chance to talk to her before I went in but she left an impression on me.

When I went back to the waiting room to wait for my ultrasound, I was alone, until that little lady came back in from her test. She sat next to me and I smiled, and we made small talk. I saw a Bible on the table, and for reassurance, I opened it and read Psalm 91. She told me her stomach felt funny, so she got some crackers and I helped her open them, and we talked about why we were there. She was also having an issue and needed an ultrasound, and in her thick, German accent, she said to me, "God is in control". I smiled and told her that I believed the very same thing, and she said, "I can do all things..." and then smiled. I finished her sentence with "in Christ who gives me strength". We chatted some more and she finished her crackers, and while she was getting something to drink, I went to the bathroom. I didn't get a chance to tell her goodbye because they called me as soon as I came out of the bathroom.

God knew that lady and I would be there for the same test at the same time. I felt His comfort in talking with her, and sharing Scripture while we were waiting. We were the same..sisters in Christ...kindred souls...and neither of us wearing deodorant, and neither of us cared.

The good news is that I'm ok. Not because my tests came back negative, but because I believe the Good News and am bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. No matter what the outcome had been today, it would have been okay, because my God loves me and is in control of my life. Whatever the outcome had been today, He would have received all of my praise, and He will use this experience for His Glory!

And He spoke to me today in the form of a little lady with a thick German accent. We never know where He might show Himself.

That's what's on my mind today.

I Had A Dream...Acts 4 - BOLDNESS!

During one of my many naps in my hermit state from our most recent snowstorm, I had a dream.

Now this dream was two fold - it scared me, and it taught me a lesson.

First, let me tell you about the dream: my best friend, Billie, came over to my house to pick me up to go somewhere, and we left, with me driving her car. As we got a little ways down the road, there was a white pickup truck in our lane, coming head-on toward us. When I looked to my left to see if I could swerve around him, there were two more cars coming at us head on. I couldn't swerve to the right (don't know why...I just know I couldn't), so I took my chances and swerved into the path of the oncoming cars, hoping I would make it off of the road before they hit us.

I didn't. In my dream, I felt the car hit us, and I felt a warm sensation start at my feet at begin moving up. I heard myself saying, "I'm going to see Jesus...I'm going to see Jesus". While this is happening, my best friend is yelling in my ear, "Read Acts 4! Read Acts 4!". When the warm sensation reached my waist, I woke up. Scary!

So I read Acts 4 -so don't let Billie ever tell you that I don't listen to her - and was amazed at what God used that dream to show me! Since Billie's dad's death, we have discussed many times the need to be bold in the Spirit when sharing our faith, that time is short and it is very important to share the Gospel with all of those around us.

As I read Acts 4, I saw Peter and John be confronted about healing someone in the name of Jesus Christ...I saw them spend a night in jail (a night to pray for the Spirit to lead them in what would happen the next day)... and I saw them face the Sanhedrin the next day and BOLDLY share the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!! I saw Peter and John TESTIFY to the things that they had seen and not back down, even when faced with jail! They did not do this on their own power, but by the Holy Spirit! I saw learned men amazed at the knowledge of these two simple uneducated men...I saw God at work through those willing to give all for the Gospel.

Friends, do we share that boldness? Do we witness as if our very souls depended on it? Guess what - the souls of those we are supposed to witness to do depend on it! Jesus tells us that if we are not ashamed of Him before men, He will not be ashamed of us before the Father...we are called for our lives to be a mirror of the very one we claim to love. Do our faces shine like Moses', when he had been in the very presence of the Living God? If not, why? Are we prepared to share the Gospel no matter what consequences we might face?

God taught me several lessons in that dream - I can leave this world at any moment; do I want to be remembered for my zeal for the Gospel and my love of Jesus Christ; and am I willing to face any consequences for my faith?

More than anything, I want people to say that they saw the light of Jesus love on my face, and my life mirrored the One I love so much.

It's just what's on my mind...

GIANT Leap of Faith!

Y'all like this picture?

This is the cliff I just jumped off of! Figuratively, of course, but I did in fact just take the most giant leap of faith that I have ever taken!

For awhile now, I have wondered why I do what I do...I used to love my work and love everyone involved, but for the past year or so, I have not had my heart in what I am doing. Especially since my dad died...I have wondered, am I happy where I am, or do I need to make a change?

So I committed this to prayer...and recent weeks have brought me to where I stand (or float, since I just jumped and have not landed yet...) right now. If it started with my dad's death, it culminated into something that overtook my heart when my best friend's dad died three weeks ago. I thought about life, and living it to the fullest, doing what God wants me to do.

After much prayer, I clearly heard God say, "Go ahead and jump...I am already building the ground that you will land on. When you are ready to land, the foundation will be there".

So, with no definite plans for the future, I resigned from my job this past Friday. I know, in logic, it makes no sense. The economy stinks, the job market stinks, have I lost my mind?

But in God's plan, it makes perfect sense. I trust Him to show me where to go and what to do. I do have a prospect that I believe is straight from Him, and it is something that I long to do.

Some have asked me if I am leaping into full time ministry - I'd like to think that we as Christians are all already in full time ministry. But I know what they mean..this time will also give me time to work on my CD and some other projects I have had on my heart.

I pray that you all will listen closely to God's voice and hear Him clearly...and not be afraid to jump!

It's definitely what's on my mind today!

Faith Will Take You Farther

Faith can move mountains.

And faith can take you farther than you dream.

I watched this yesterday as my best friend sang her solo in our Christmas cantata.

Two years ago, her dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. Being a man of amazing faith, he never let anything get him down. I never heard him say anything negative about being sick. According to him, he wasn't sick. He was fighting with every ounce of his being. And he depended on the Saviour he loved to get him through each step. He showed this faith to everyone around him. If you didn't see it, it's because you weren't looking.

This past Sunday, he went to the hospital for what would be his final time. As my preacher stated yesterday morning, human hands had done all they could do. The rest was up to God. He was discharged home Saturday with Hospice care.

My best friend's dad sang in our choir and he loved our cantatas. She had a solo in our cantata and she came to church yesterday morning because he wanted her to come and sing...and she sang her solo to honor her dad and her Father. Watching her faith strengthened mine.

The song she sang was called "Faith Will Take You Farther"; and I want to share those words with you this afternoon.

Sometimes faith will bring you, to trust a promise that's illogical

Sometimes faith will lead you, to cling to hopes that seem impossible

So often faith looks foolish, a leap into the dark

But that's not how it is for the believing heart

Chorus: Cause when all your dreams have fallen through

And your plans come crashing in on you

Don't lose hope, no matter how it seems

Cause faith will hold you closer

Faith will keep you safer

Faith will take you farther than you dream

Doubt will always whisper, there's no one there to catch you when you fall

Fear will come to rob you, of any chance to see a miracle

So trust the One who loves you, whose Word won't let you down

Cause resting in His grace is where your strength is found

Chorus: Cause when all your dreams have fallen through

And your plans come crashing in on you

Don't lose hope, no matter how it seems

Cause faith will hold you closer

Faith will keep you safer

Faith will take you farther than you dream

Her dad went home to be with Jesus last night, and the faith that he leaned on and professed so loudly became sight. He closed his eyes in death, and opened them in the presence of His Saviour that he loved so much. The words to this song explain his faith and how he depended on Jesus to get him through; and the words to this song explain my friend's faith as she has been through her dad's illness with him, and she sang so beautifully yesterday morning, leaning on the strength of Jesus Christ.

I'm a different person for knowing her dad and his faith. And for knowing her and her faith.

I challenge you (and me) today to take this time to re-evaluate our faith in our Saviour, and to examine our lives to see if others can see that faith that we profess to have. Can they see the Saviour that we say we love? If not, why can't they?

Are we standing on the Rock of Jesus Christ for everything?

It's just what's on my mind.

40 Stinks...But Has Some Good Lessons!

I feel like such a turkey (which is what I am holding in this picture).


I turned 40 on December 22, 2009. I received a notice from the DMV a few months ago as a reminder to renew my driver's license before December 22, 2009.


I remembered that I was supposed to renew my driver's license by December 22, 2009 LAST NIGHT as I was driving to UVA in Charlottesville.


I have been driving illegally since December 22, 2009. But when I didn't realize it, I had no guilt about it. I had been told what I needed to do and for whatever reason, I put the notice aside and FORGOT ABOUT IT.


Now that it has been brought to my attention (by my feeble mind), I know I cannot drive until the situation is rectified. I went online and found out I need a birth certificate to get my driver's license reinstated. Well, guess what, I don't have one of those, either! I had to order one from Richmond and it will be here sometime next week. So I'm depending on others until then.



This morning, I thought about how this very situation can relate to sin in our lives. Notice before I said that I had no guilt about driving until I "realized" my license had expired. I "knew" it needed to be renewed, and I "knew" that if I didn't get it done, I'd have a mess to deal with. But for whatever reason, I pushed it aside and chose not to deal with it. And I forgot.



Sin can be thought of the same way - God has given us His "notice" in the form of His Word, The Holy Bible. We "know" what we should and should not do, but for whatever reason, we decide to push it aside and we "forget". But sooner or later, God pushes that part of our hearts, and we "realize"that we are doing something wrong. And the repentance begins...



I always have to remember that there are consequences for our sin - choices we make have repercussions that we have to deal with. God forgives and refreshes our hearts, but we still have things we have to deal with from making bad decisions. In my situation, my repercussions are: I can't drive until I get my license renewed; I can't get my license renewed until I get my birth certificate; and I can't get that until next week (and never mind it cost me sixty bucks!).



My heart rejoices this morning for Jesus Christ, God's gift to us so that we don't have to pay the price for sin, which is Hell and Death. I love Him, I believe Him, and when my time on earth is done, I will go to spend eternity in His presence in Heaven. And I hope I don't have to have a driver's license there!




It's just what's on my mind this morning!