The right place at the right time.
I applied to 5 different colleges. I wasn’t one of those people who knew exactly where I wanted to go, so I decided to lay my options out on the table (adding up the application fees, it turned out to be a dumb idea!) I got accepted into four of those and laid all of the informational folders out in front of me. One was in Washington because that is where all my friends were going. Two were in San Diego, because...it’s San Diego! The last one was in a small town in Oregon and it would probably be the first one I would toss out of the mix.
It wasn’t the most rational way of choosing, but over the process of time I realized there was only one that felt right. I desperately wanted to be in sunny San Diego, or with my friends in a new place...but that little folder with the simple tree on it with the word "Linfield"written in purple kept my attention. There was something about that folder that felt right, and something about that campus that felt right. I couldn’t put my finger on it...but even as someone who wasn’t following Christ at the time, I still felt a divine leading.
Linfield College in rainy McMinnville, Oregon would capture four years of my life. Four of the most vital, life-changing and monumental years of my life. It was there that I came to truly know Christ and begin to follow him wholeheartedly. It was there that I met the most amazing man whom I married right after college. We now have two of the most precious kids and are still serving God and enjoying life more and more each day. I often wonder when I look back at how differently my life would have been if I had chosen another place.
Acts 17: 26-28 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
The scripture says that there is a time and a place for our dwelling and it is so that we will come to seek him and find him. Linfield College in rainy McMinnville, Oregon was my time and place. It was in finding Him that I found life (and a super hot, Godly husband)...and ironically, God did eventually call me to San Diego...bummer! :)
I hope that you chose to follow the peace in your heart and that still small voice. It is amazing in that small obedience the large blessings that can come from simply being where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there. Trust that if you are following His plan, it is the right place at the right time.
Thanks for reading!
Mel Miller
Bless the Lord and His people.
Yesterday we had First Sunday at Urban. It is an event we plan on doing the First Sunday of every month that collects the donations and resources from our church members and distributes them to anyone in need in our church and community. We fed 80 people and gave away a ton of furniture, household items and clothing. We started setting up at 9am and when we got there, an abundance of donations just kept coming in. We had heaps to sort through!
It was an honor to be placed in charge of the event, but I had one concern. I am great at planning events, but my weakness is that I can get focused on productivity and not on people. I prayed that morning that I would remain at peace, have fun and not allow myself to get stressed out or focused to much on the details. As I was in the car with my husband, I sounded a little crazy. After we got done praying, I made a declaration out loud. It was not really to anyone in particular, but more so to make my choice, my decision solidified. I said something like, "I will not get stressed today. I will have fun, have a smile on my face and focus on people and not on productivity. If something slips through the cracks I will still keep my peace and keep my smile. I will be the type of person that is a pleasure to be around and not reproduce stress to those around me." I am not one to "look in the mirror and tell myself I am beautiful" or any of those self-help methods, but I recognized that I can pray all I want but ultimately it is a choice. I can choose peace. I can choose joy. I can choose to have my focus on the right things and to have an attitude that I would be proud to have become contagious!
The Israelites in 2 Chronicles 31 had a lot more heaps than I did to deal with, but the leaders had an attitude of gladness throughout the celebration and after. The leaders attitude (in Ch. 30) caused the community to want to continue the Passover feast for an extra 7 days! It also (in Ch. 31) caused them (while following a newly established commandment - which are not always followed with popularity) to give in excess to the leadership to support them! Verse 8 describes the true heart of the leadership, "In the third month they began laying them in heaps, and they finished in the seventh month. And when Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel."
As Christ-followers we are leaders and people are looking to us watching our responses. In situations where we "should" be stressed, will we still keep our peace? In situations where we "should" be focused on productivity, will we still take the time to focus on people? In situations where we "should" be running around like a chicken with our head cut off, will we still keep a smile on our face and an attitude of joy? These are the types of differences that we have that make people stop and wonder, "what is different about that person?" In an economy where everyone is stressed about money, safety, security or an uncertain future we can choose to lead the way with an attitude that blesses the Lord and his people.
Jesus said in Matthew 12 that the two greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as our self. Whether in church or in the workplace it is God's desire that our focus be on these two things. The details may or may not all work out as planned, but the important things is we kept our focus on the truly important things. Our whole team had a great time at First Sunday and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. There is always room for improvement, but those things didn’t matter. What mattered is that through First Sunday and our service yesterday that we blessed the Lord and we blessed people.
Thanks for reading and responding,
Melissa Miller
Don't become lunch.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2: 42-47
My husband asked for the "Planet Earth" DVD set for Christmas a few years back. The images are all beautiful images from remote regions around the world including everything from rare animals to unique caves. When we put it on, we have to be watchful during many of the animal scenes (the predator-prey relationship is a little too graphic for my 3 year old!). The same thing seems to happen every time. The predator stays a distance away but keeps his eyes on the herd. Then when one wanders slightly away from the herd, it becomes lunch.
The predator doesn’t dare attack one that is staying snugly within the herd, of course he realizes that he would be the one in danger if that were the case. He only attacks the one that isolates itself. The one that decides he can do it on his own.
The scriptures about the early church in Acts remind me of the vital community we are called to have with one another as believers. They were a herd - All the believers were together, they had all things in common, they met daily and ate together regularly. The scripture doesn’t say any of them were related (although some of them may have been), but it describes a family. When someone was in need they started selling their possessions to provide for that person! Meeting together daily, eating together and meeting each other’s needs...that sounds like a family to me!
My husband and I have been praying a lot for God’s blessings and provision lately. The other day someone from our church offered to pay for Brandon’s shoes he had to get for work. We thanked them but said no. As I laid in bed that night the Holy Spirit convicted me and said, "Don’t pray for my blessings if you are going to refuse them when offered to you."
The root of the issue is pride. When we begin to have the attitude of, "I got this. I can do it on my own," we become like the animal who strays from it’s pack. A community is offered to us, a family, a support system, friends and confidants. Yet, for prideful reasons we can choose to isolate ourselves or simply reject the benefits within the community. We are all prone to wandering in one area or another. There is friendship within the herd, but those who still stray because of fear of rejection. There is spiritual strength within a herd, but those who still wander from reluctance of what they will have to give up or confess. There is confidants within the pack, but those who will stray because they have trust issues. Hopefully it doesn’t take us getting nipped in the butt by the enemy for us to realize how vulnerable we are in our isolation!
Some may not understand the importance of church, or why our family packed up and moved to San Diego to be a part of this community of believers, but we have learned the importance of staying in the herd. The only herd that me, myself and I form is one that looks like a tasty piece of lunch to the enemy!
1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
Thanks for reading and responding,
Melissa Miller
Some things are better left unsaid.
John 12: 49-50 "For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."
I have once heard that if you want to be more like Jesus, read the gospels...and then read them again. We can learn a lot about how Jesus walked the earth, responded to situations and most of all how he interacted with people from reading what those closest to him wrote. The cliche saying "What would Jesus do?" is something we can easily answer if we study his word more and become more familiar with who He is. In this passage in John, we see Jesus explaining that he only says what the Father tells him to say. This is so powerful, because it means he could have always had the best comeback line, the most witty response or the most eloquent speech to impress those around him–-but he realized he was subject to say only what His Father told him to say!
Jesus was the most concise communicator. He often spoke only two or three powerful words to ignite action..."Woman be healed" or "Rise up and walk." He made his point without making a lofty speech. He said only what the father told him to say.
I don’t know about you, but I fail in this area sometimes. I respond out of emotion rather than taking the time to sit, pray, wait and then respond. I have learned some vital communication lessons along the way that have helped me to have less failure stories to add to my book. Here are a few:
Stay issue focused, not people focused
When we are upset, it is easy to point the finger and go on verbal diatribes. Only later do we realize we only meant half of what we said. We let the issue that frustrated us direct our frustrations towards the person. Issues can be resolved, but an individual cannot be changed by anyone but God. We can’t change who a person is, God made them that way for a reason. However we can help them change behaviors and habits if we bring it in the right way.
Be constructive, not condemning
Which is more fruitful; that I call my husband a lazy slob or that I ask him to improve on picking up his clothes off the bathroom floor? Why is it that after thousands of years of humans attacking each other through condemnation, that we still expect to see results from this? Have the "turn or burn" signs ever saved anyone? Have the picketers against gays or abortionists with hateful messages ever convinced anyone to change their beliefs? Prov. 18:21 says, "Life and death are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat of it’s fruit." Our words can bring life if they are backed with a spirit of love and not of judgement.
Speak only what is necessary
If Jesus only spoke the words that the Father told him to speak, how much more so should we start keeping our mouth shut until we know that we are supposed to open it? I am challenged on this every day, when I hear something from God, will I try to interpret it more or just be the courier and deliver it as it was packaged? As humans we always try to interpret, add to it or make it as elaborate and impressive as possible but if we follow Jesus example we will only speak what is necessary.
The pressure is off! You don’t have to have all the right answers or responses! Follow his lead and if the Father isn’t giving any instructions, perhaps some things are better left unsaid.
Thanks for reading and responding,
Melissa Miller
Are the scales tipped?
When I first got saved I had a lot of zeal. God had done a great work in my life and I was excited and eager to share it with my college campus. I was hungry for more of God and found myself involved in some nightly revival meetings at a nearby church. At first it wasn’t bad, but after a few times of going it started getting a little...strange. People were barking like dogs, convulsing and making me feel like I wasn’t quite spiritual enough because I hadn’t been taken up to heaven in visions.
Before I was saved, I had been to churches that left me bored and unchanged. They read scriptures but failed to deliver a practical application of those scriptures to help me apply them to my life. We sang hymns, but half of what I was singing I didn’t understand. There were a lot of rules and "don’ts" explained but not a lot of "do’s" to help me live with purpose.
Thankfully I had some Godly people in my life who could direct me to a church that had a wonderful balance of worshiping in spirit and in truth. Jesus talks about this balance when he meets the Samaritan woman in John 4: 4-26
"Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
We can’t have one or the other in our lives, it must be both. If we have spirit only, we live a Christian life that looks a lot like a yo-yo diet. It is feelings-based only and when hard times come and we don’t "feel" God, we can easily turn to something else that makes us "feel" good. Our faith cannot be based on experiences only, because whether we intend to or not, our relationship with God becomes less about Him and more about getting our next experience.
Yet we cannot veer to the side of truth only either. We then begin to become about rules, legalism and religion rather than relationship. This can lead to a life that is puffed up with knowledge but lacking a humble communion with God.
You may be going through a season where you don’t "feel" God, but could it be a time where your faith is being tested to make sure you have both spirit AND truth. When God seems distant, it helps to study the scriptures and know that "He will never leave us or forsake us." It adds another level of depth to your relationship with God when you are grounded in the word and in truth. It adds an element that is vital to your foundation, leaving you unshakable by the enemy, false doctrines and the storms of life.
On the other hand you may be going through a season where all that head knowledge is getting in the way of having a heartfelt communion with God. What a great opportunity to strive for humility and experience God. Many intellectuals have a hard time letting go of the "I’ll believe it when I see it" mentality, but as Christians we are called to walk by faith and not by sight. Worshiping in spirit is also vital to our relationship with God, without it we can become like the prideful pharisees who were convinced they knew God because of their knowledge of the scriptures.
What about you today? Are the scales tipped in one direction or are you worshiping in spirit and truth?
Thanks for reading and responding,
Melissa Miller
The third member of my marriage.
When reading much of the Old Testament, the relationship between God and his people can become confusing. What most people forget is that God wanted a marriage with his people. He was so passionate about being in a relationship with his people, that it grieved his heart when they turned their backs on him. Every moment of wrath was intended to restore the marriage and turn them to repentance and every moment of restoration was to prove his love and faithfulness.
In Ezekiel 36, the Lord is declaring his wrath on all the nations that have mistreated his bride, Israel. He doesn’t do it for their sake or because they deserved it (vs. 22), he did it because he had a point to prove: That he was holy and faithful. No one was going to trample over his people! He not only was going to punish the guilty nations, but he was going to bless the Israelites more than he ever had! He was going to gather them back to their land, cleanse them, forgive them, bless them with and abundance of crops, rebuild their ruins, give them a new heart that will enable them to follow his decrees, and bless them with numerous descendants. What a beautiful love story of complete forgiveness, redemption and blessing! To me, it is a story of a protective, merciful and loving husband who is taking his bride back!
Last night my husband and I were sitting on the couch and God showed up! (He didn’t show up in the flesh but we felt His presence come right in the middle of a conversation we were having.) We were talking about how grateful we are, and all of a sudden we sat with tears in our eyes knowing that the third member of our marriage was near. We may not be able to tangibly see him, but he is the glue that holds our marriage and family together. Our love story was written by him, and we will continue to allow him to be the author.
When we are making a decision we usually call the person who will agree with what we already want to do. Many times we intentionally don’t go to God because we already know what He will say, and we don’t want to hear it! But that is not a marriage! God is not as concerned with the martial status box you check as he is with your marital status with Him. What about your life? Is he the third member, the other member or have you left him waiting at the alter?
Let God do His Job.
I’ll admit that every now and then I get a little paranoid about the swine flu. The media has hyped it so much that my maternal mind can easily wander into worst-case scenarios. First I start over-analyzing every cough, sneeze, and sniffle that comes from my little ones. Strange dreams lately? Must be the swine flu! Unusual bowel movement? Swine flu! My husband now has a facebook account?! He must not be feeling well! Swine flu! I begin to think of the end times, the mark of the beast and how I can plan to go hide in the mountains to protect my children! (Okay before you turn me into the local psychiatric ward, please know I am exhaggerating!) I realize that my train of thought is silly, but if we let a thought of fear run wild, it can run us right into a pitfall!
In 1 Chronicles 21, David takes a Census of all the land. It was a sin, and many scholars have often debated why this was wrong in God’s eyes. I believe for a moment, David needed assurance of victory. He felt overwhelmed, fearful and uncertain but instead of looking to God has his source of victory he began to look at himself and his abilities and resources. He told Joab to go and count the Isrealites so that he would know the capacity of his troops. Although Joab advised against it, David overruled him and sinned against the Lord.
In Ezekiel 31 God is dealing with Pharaoh for the same reason. He looked to his own strength, became prideful, and God said he was going to bring down the nation because of it. Sure, Egypt was majestic and flourishing and David had a great number of troops but in both situations God was there to remind him that their trust should not be in those things, but rather in HIM.There are many uncertainties we face in life that if we focus on them for too long we can easily take our eyes off of God as our protector and provider and we begin to put ourselves in that role. We can have all the resources, abilities, support and strength in the world, but if our trust is in those things we will be disappointed.
When you hear news about troubling times, don’t run to the hills in fear, check your bank account for security, or go buy loads of protective swine flu gear. Of course use natural wisdom and have things in order, but don't put your hope and trust in those things. There is a saying, "prayerlessness is pride." When we don’t run to God about our concerns and fears, we are essentially saying "I can do this on my own." Let God do his job as your providor, protector, comfort, healer, peace, and strength. It is a heavy load to bear trying to figure it out on your own, but He will gladly take his place as Lord of All if you let him.
