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!