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Wow, what an awesome story of mercy and grace flowing out to a hurting soul. Thank you for sharing that piece of your life.

I do read your personal blog, and I love it. You always make me laugh and make me look at the things around me with humor. Thank you.

As for me, well there is not enough room here to talk too much about me, but I am a mama, a wife and a child of God. I too was raised in church and did a little rebelling. God always bestowed his mercy and grace to me and now I am an Associate Pastor’s wife and have many ministry positions that I currently fulfill or have in the past and I am still in need of that grace and mercy everyday. We have three children living and one angel that has already gone home. My three year old went to be with the Lord almost five years ago now. I have seen my share of joys and sorrows and this one thing I know—I could never have done it without the Lord.

Thank you again for sharing your story. We should all be thankful for God’s grace, we take it for granted all too often.

Melanie, wasn’t Breakaway GREAT? It also had a big impact on my life. ~Amy

Breakaway holds a special place in my heart! That is where my husband found the Lord, too!

Needed to read that this morning. Thank you.

Okay…

So are we like long lost sisters… no, let’s make that siestas… because good glory I could be you - trade the partying in for misguided promiscuity and teenage pregnancy and premature marriage in for college and I’m pretty much there. Okay, so maybe the only link is Christian roots, rebellion, ugly crying and GOD! But that last one is the kicker isn’t it.

I, too, was raised in a Christian home by believing parents. We only attended church a handful of time - though. I think the longest stint was a couple of years in the little Bible church where I first discovered a Savior at age 12. (I used to think I was 11, but my mom corrected me by pulling out the big honkin’ family Bible and showing me where she had written in October 1982… that makes me 12… all I know is I was at a slumber party with all my friends from 6th grade who were then in 7th grade. We were drinking Shirley Temples and they were trying to keep me up all night because they wanted me to drown in the baptismal the next day! Not really, but they did try to keep me up all night because I was being baptized.) I knew baptism was part of being crucified with Christ because it was so stinkin’ cold. There were no heaters in the water or the changing rooms. I froze my 12 year old self silly trying to get dried and dressed quickly! HA!

I went the rebellious route as a teenager in the promiscuous behavior and bad boy area. I ended up alone and pregnant at 17 and married at 19 with two more kids by 21 and divorced at age 22. I spent a good bit of time in the desert until God brought a man in my life that - if you can believe this - needed God more than I did. Through this man I found church and a personal relationship with God. Details are just too long to examine here. But, truth be told - He got me in a room with pregnancy resource care providers and I had a revelation moment about how I am the Bride of Christ - How Jesus died to make me His Bride, just for me. I came home crying, everytime I turned around I was crying. I ugly cried for 36 hours… not even kidding and heard the message I had been searching God out for the morning after that revelation came to me.

It was my jump shot into ministry and a full immersion in His Love that began shaking the shackles of my past off of me… I work everyday to live in that freedom of relationship with Christ. And, I glory in the work - because it is so refreshing.

Blessings.

The exact same book changed my life! I promise - I received it as a college graduation gift.. . just in the nick of time, it kept from some very unwise choices, not that those choices were my first ill ones. Actually, it did not “save” me, my Savior did. Thanks for sharing.

That was beautiful. I’m thankful every day that my life was changed when I realized repentance wasn’t just a one time thing. I could do a turnaround as often as I needed. Which is often.

Thank you for posting that here.

That is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever heard, Melanie. Thank you for sharing it. Grace flows down, indeed!

Love, Holly

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior was given to me by a friend when we were sitting in the college enrollment hallway and he asked if I had ever read it. It was a life-changing book indeed! I gave it to my husband when we were dating. I’m so grateful to God for His redemption and reminding me that He holds the future in His hands. Psalm 103:4 “Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.� His grace absolutely flows down and covers us-completely and wholly. Remarkable is the love He continues to so graciously offer us. Testimonies of His faithfulness are such a beautiful thing! Thank you for sharing yours.

Melanie, I pray more women were able to see and feel the love of our Savior and by His grace, get past their past. I remember when the LORD met me. I wasn’t raised in the church and blamed everybody else for my lackluster living and extremely worldly choices that kept me bound. I was so SURPRISED to be loved when He revealed it to me. Indeed His love changes us…

The one who has been forgiven much, loves much. ~ Luke 7

How sweet is the sound of His amazing grace to these poor wretched ears! Thank you for sharing your testimony, Melanie. And thank you for the reminder of that amazing grace. I asked Jesus to be my Savior when I was 9 years old, and was blessed to have a support system that helped me grow and hold on tight to Him. But I’ve had my moments of rebellion, and am so grateful that His mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness!

Melanie what a gift you are to those of us trapped in our homes between the hours of 12 and 4 with naps and limited activities. To be encouraging and make fun of the silliness in life are gifts that you keep giving over and over…and God bless you for being a Fightin’ Texas Aggie and double the blessing for reminding people about Breakaway. It gave many of us common ground. Bless you sister.

Unfortunately, our stories are similar. But fortunately- praise God- they will also have an ending that is similar.

Are there really still people who don’t read your blog? They do not know what they are missing! You are fabulously entertaining, and I appreciate your blog so much.

On a personal level, I grew up in a Christian home. I never had a time of rebellion, which I am very grateful for. However, I didn’t really start to make my beliefs “mine” and not my parent’s beliefs instilled in me until I was in college. Thankfully, my husband (boyfriend at the time) was an incredible encourager in studying God’s Word and asking Him the right questions.

It was then that I really starting taking my relationship with Christ seriously and making it my own. Then, six years ago, our firstborn daughter died, and my world came crashing in. My faith that I thought was so strong became rattled to the core! Through a long healing process, I am finally at a point in my life where I can say, “no matter what, God is good, and I will never question that again.”

Pinkadoodledoo is my personal “mommy” blog, but I’ve started another blog HealingHope.blogspot.com that is completely dedicated to my testimony. I love that blogging gives my the opportunity to share my testimony with people I may never even meet! Thanks for sharing yours today as well through the blogworld!

That’s awesome Melanie! Such a great testimony! It was so great to go to the Lifeway Luncheon today for New England Nights with Beth and meet you all who were there! I am seriously praying for a revival in Connecticut and when I saw that was one of the prayer requests on our prayer sheet, it was such a blessing and affirmation! ~The Bargain Shopper Lady

What a beautiful testimony, Melanie! (and I love your blog!)

When God ran, right?

Beautifully stated, Melanie. I love hearing how God broke through in other’s lives.

Thanks for sharing your testimony, Melanie. Our stories are pretty similar, actually.