Come in this house Girls! I am so excited to see you! Madison has made banana breads for us today and I have a basket full of coffee flavors to try from a kind friend who heard you were coming today! There's even fun canned whipped topping for those of us who love to hear it squirt! (isn't that simply a happy thing?)
God has just overwhelmed me with a new thing in my life for weeks now. Les and I had a dream, a big dream, about helping church leadership understand the needs in their programming, planning and developing church experiences step and blended families. It has been a twenty four year dream for me, beginning when I was a single, never married teacher of school children who had a heart for children from broken and non traditional homes. My inner city and barrio as well as suburban children just never seemed to get a break. There were rules and circumstances beyond their control that seemed to always leave them out. Things like Wednesday night mid week visitation leaving them to choose whether to see Dad or Mom or participate at church.....they always have to choose. So many left out of church camps, youth trips, and activities because they had rules that meant if you missed 2 you could't go ...not a reality for folks who visit other parents every other weekend. My heart would break over our most hurt children losing church activities too! Later God allowed me to create some of my own messy life, yet being God He has graciously allowed me to now use that experience for good as a real life mom and step mom who faces the very challenges I so hated for others!
In going to Christian Book Expo, I had hoped to just sit at the feet of many of my favorite authors and leaders and learn. Instead God had another plan to launch this dream of ministry in a much bigger venue than I could have dreamed....and the likes of Dr. John Trent, Dr. Kevin Leman, Dr. Gary Chapman, Sandy and Tom Rayla, Karen Rabbit, CBE leadership....all said "how can we help?" with their publishers agreeing to help provide links and resources for all churches to be able to come to our new (please excuse our building mess) site www.AJoyfulPlaceCalledChurch.com We are overwhelmed at what God has done, not having planned to do this for a few more years, much less days, but as of this week, the very basic shells are up on a website so that we can begin the alignment processes to provide a resource for anyone seeking the latest and best practice information and materials for step and blended family ministry! This is an absolutely free resource...and it will be mightily changing in the next six weeks so keep checking back, today's format is simply the beginning so that the workers can work!
Dixie Mae is still sorely missed, but even in tragedy, God has brought joy to our lives with some of my son's scars removed as God used that loss to bring Chaser closer to Him. We are in awe of how God has taken such a terrible thing for our family and used it for good. While the children are still healing, as all our hearts are, a special closeness has come of the shared pain, and as a family we have grown closer for the shared loss.
My husband Les received a Secretary of Defense medal yesterday from the United States Government and I am so proud of him! Please read the post past this one to see the details! I cannot tell you how God has so gifted me with Les as a husband. The gift he is indescribable in my life and in my joy!
This week, the whole week, my heart repeats the song that says...."He makes the stars and he knows them by name...you are amazing...God...." for that is indeed the walk I am walking with God....daily seeing glimpses of his Sovereignty and miraculous touches in my life and those around me!
I was so blessed to spend time in person with Rachel Anne, Katherine,and Lori, and to be able to meet in real life with Mamabug! I appreciate Katherine and Rachel Anne for taking time to meet with Lori and I twice...so thankful to know your hearts in person too! YOU are all are women I admire, my real life heroes of walking this thing called a Christian wifehood/motherhood/work life out...and I carry you all in my heart, dearly loved! The Company Girls...ladies, you are indeed my breath of springtime each Company Coffee I am with you! Then there are my home girls, Becky, Steph, Betty, Angela, Sherry and so many others, God has gifted me with all of you in my life!
Please, slide off your shoes, share me your tales, and let's take time first to Praise God...for He is present today and is so a part of all of our lives!
Come in! relax, and tell me about you!
P.S. Please go to www.thelmawells.com to learn about MamaT ( you know her from Women of Faith) totally FREE Women's conference on May 22-23 in Garland, TX I'll BE THERE!
8 comments:
Thanks Sweetie! I'm glad you got to meet so many of your favorite authors (mine, too), and that God is opening doors for this ministry! My church is looking into creating some life groups for blended families (they had wanted us to teach it, but we currently teach another class) so I'll be checking out your site!
I am SO excited about squirting the whipped topping on my coffee!
Congratulations and praise God for the huge door He is opening for you and your husband to walk through in ministry! That is so exciting, and so like Him! May He continue to give you the grace to work and serve in whatever capacity He will open to you in the future.
And congrats to your DH on receiving a medal! What a big week for you all!
Sounds like some good things happening! Praise the Lord!
We've recently been studying the journey of Abram and how God moved him in so many directions for so long. Sounds like He began moving you a long time ago too. I know there's blessings in moving. And it looks like you are already reaping them. May God continue to refresh and renew you as you travel this journey.
Oh I'd LOVE coffee and banana bread.
Wow ! You ministry seems very exciting!
It really seems like God has had a long term plan for you. I know it is so exciting to watch it unfold.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sounds like God is doing a great work in your lives! Praise Him for His perfect timing! :) We need someone like you at our church! My husband leads a youth group where about 95% of the kids come from broken or blended homes. These kids are hungry for Jesus and some of them don't even know it. What a great ministry opportunity you have there!
I pray that one day God does something with my writing. It's my heart's desire that he uses it to reach out to reach out to moms of all ages, but especially young mothers of preschoolers.
Blessings!
Melissa
I loved reading your blog. I had to immediately scroll down and read about your husband. WOW. Please thank him for HIS service to our country for OUR freedom. I look forward to stopping in again.
Good post! Thanks for sharing. And I am impressed by your motivation and enthusiasm for your ministry. That's awesome!
I'm reading Company Girls a little late this week...hope you don't mind. :)
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