Meet Melissa. This fast-talking (think Gilmore Girls fast), book-loving, memory-making, story-telling, child-enchanting, prank-manufacturing woman has often been found behind the scenes in some of the most pivotal milestones and essential ministries of our worshipping, missional community. Though Melissa is most comfortable out of the spotlight, we wanted to give her and a couple of those closest to her the opportunity to spotlight our Shared Savior and His work in her life.
Melissa, how have you seen God equip, encourage and/or stretch you this past year?
This is a pretty hard question for me. Over the last year or so, I’ve felt lackadaisical in my faith and life in general.
I’ve spent this last year reminding myself that my relationship with the Lord can’t be based on my emotions and lack of sweet, lovey feelings. It’s been hard. I had a lot of friends move away, I started co-leading an MC [Missional Community] with people that I didn’t know well and found myself feeling very unsure of my abilities and questioning why the Lord had put me in those places.
However, over and over the Lord has been faithful. Not only has he brought new friends into my life here but family too and that’s been such a sweet addition. As I sat and fretted weekly about how I could teach, lead, and help those in my MC, I found myself sitting and learning so much from them instead. It’s been such an encouraging reminder that I cannot lead this group on my own abilities, that I have to give the doubts, fears and worries over to the One who can actually do that work. And that’s carried over into my daily life — wanting and allowing him to do work in my life and work through me.
Pastor Wes and Casey Moore, friends and co-laborers with Melissa since the launch of The Hallows Church, also wanted to share how they have witnessed and been personally impacted by God’s grace in and through Melissa’s life this past year.
One of the first things we think of when it comes to Melissa is her sacrificial generosity. She serves relentlessly in our Kid’s Ministry where she is comfortable and feels secure in what she is doing. Though when approached she also stepped out of her comfort zone to serve as a Missional Community leader. Through this process we’ve seen Melissa grow in her dependence upon the Lord and begin enjoying teaching and learning from college students.
She displays humble community and sacrificial generosity, two of our church’s core values, by continuing to give to those around her. She loves others well by bringing meals to families, staying with kids while their parents are in the hospital (something our family has directly been blessed by recently), praying for others, and intentionally seeking people out to include them in activities. These are only a few of the ways we see Christ at work in our church community through Melissa’s selfless service. She loves others well as she replicates Christ’s character of servanthood.