Keeping the Ropes Attached~ Rachel Melillo

When I was in high school, I went on a day-trip with my youth group to Gordon College to spend the afternoon with a select number of teenagers interested in leadership in their youth group. I went—excited about the prospect of being on the high-ropes equipment and learning more about becoming a good leader.

                When we got there, we were given a quick introduction to the equipment and how it worked. MY first quest was walking across a narrow bridge. I estimated it to be one of the easier tasks, so I chose to do it first. When it was my turn, I started climbing up the tree to get up there. About halfway up, I got stuck and couldn’t see a way to climb any higher.  I looked down trying to see how far I was away from the ground, only to see that I was a good eight feet away from solid ground. Feeling that there was no way to turn back and no way to press on, I panicked. A couple people on the ground tried to give me directions on what to do next, but I couldn’t figure it out based on what they were saying. Finally, I managed to get to the next step and up to the top with help from the trained leader holding my ropes so that I didn’t fall.

Lesson 1: Trust the One holding your ropes.

                I got up to the bridge and took the first step across. The narrow, wooden bridge wobbled and I panicked. However, with the coaching of the trained leader, I continued to walk to the other side.   A couple times, I started to lose my balance and he pulled my ropes tighter to make sure I didn’t fall.  The gesture felt like a distant hug, though the person making the effort seemed far away, the action still had the intended effect.  However, if my ropes weren’t on right or had some problem, I could have fallen about two stories and gotten seriously injured.

Lesson 2: Make sure your ropes are strong.

                Finally when I made it across, I was instructed to go to the middle of the bridge. At first, I looked at the guy like he was crazy—why had I made it to the other side just to go back to the middle.  Trusting him, I took the few steps to the center of the bridge.  His next words were even more difficult to swallow, “Now I want you to fall backwards in a sitting position.” What!? He wants me to fall? I thought. 

Sometimes we have to do things and go places that are hard. They don’t make sense and they seem crazy to us. But as long as your ropes are strong and attached to God, He’ll make sure you’re alright.

Lesson 3: Don’t be afraid to trust God and do what He says.

“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

                                                Psalm 9:9-10

Trusting God~ Rachel Melillo

I'm in college and things can certainly get out of control and chaotic a lot of the time. In the midst of this chaos, I have the tendency to handle everything myself. I mean, no one else can help me find motivation to do my homework, go to work and to class. It's up to me to do everything...and as small as that seems, it stresses me out quite a bit. In addition to that, I need to make sure that I find or make time to read my Bible and pray.

Recently, I've been joining my two best friends in a devotional that we've been doing called Jesus Calling. A lot of the time, it focuses on resting in God and trusting Him. Sometimes, I wonder, “why does it keep coming back to this??” And then the next day I realize that I needed that. I need a daily reminder to rest. To trust God. In the middle of all my daily list of 'to-dos', it's helpful to take a minute and focus on God—to remind myself that He is in control, not me. And as hard as it is to relinquish control, it's vital to my mental state of being. ;)

So, in trying to put this into practice, I've tried to just live my life one day at a time—focusing primarily on what I have to do for tomorrow, not what's due in a week or what's going to happen next month or if I'm going to survive the summer at home...the list could go on and on. There's a reason that Jesus tells us in Matthew 6, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Verse 34). We can't handle everything at one time, we need to trust God with each day and not jump ahead. We don't need that kind of stress.

I challenge you to focus primarily on the day you have now instead of focusing on what's going to happen in a year from now, a month from now, or a week from now—trusting God with every day.

Did you know that Rachel works at Wal-Mart?!?!

Games, Coloring and More: Ideas for Your Next Group Gathering~ Rachel Melillo

It's winter! And while winter can be fun for a while, I certainly realize that frigid temperatures, mushy snow, and gray clouds can get old pretty fast. My friends and I have had a lot of free time this January and since going outside isn't really a fun option—when it's not snowing, it's raining or the wind is so bitterly cold! Here are some ideas for you and your friends to have a good time—without the risk of hypothermia or frostbite.

First of all, games! Seriously, my three best friends and I have made some awesome memories playing cards. Our favorite game is Egyptian Ratscrew (also known as Faces to some). Google some good card games and teach you and your friends. It may take a couple tries to get the hang of it, but press on, cards are easily transported and there are plenty of games that vary in length. Of course, too much of one thing is always a possibility, but there's always other games like Apples to Apples, Scrabble Slam (only about five dollars at Walmart!), Operation, Pictionary, Imaginiff, and so many others! If board games isn't the thing for you and your friends, perhaps one of you has a pool table or a ping-pong table. These can be great time takers. Have tournaments and experiment with fun ways to play these games!

Coloring is always a good standby. Perhaps some people think that coloring is for little kids, but not my friends and I! We love our coloring books filled with Disney princesses, Harry Potter images, animals, and Mickey Mouse. It doesn't take talent to color in a coloring book; no contests necessary to have a fun time. Afterwards, do something with the pictures! What good are colorful pictures if they're kept inside a book? Put some on a fridge, stick them in your locker, hang them on your wall—always a reminder of the fun times you've had with your friends!

Maybe the simple stuff isn't what you're in the mood for? Well, we're all girls here...pull out those manicure and pedicure sets and let your nails have a treat! Who cares if it's winter and you're always wearing shoes. We all know that pretty nails and feet make us feel better about ourselves! Have your friends over for a night of pampering and girl talk. Burn a couple mix CDs filled with positive uplifting music that you can put on in the background while you have a great time with your friends.

Take these ideas, grab some buddies, and have a great time! If you've got any great memories, feel free to share them by commenting below!

Did you know that Rachel has only remember dreams about 20 times in her life?!

A New Beginning~ Rachel Melillo

I love starting new journals. Something about the fresh, never-been-tainted pages hits me and gives me an extra dose of joy. To me, the start of a new journal is a new beginning—it's God's reminder to me that His grace and mercies are new each morning. When I flip a page, it's clean and fresh; it's a new beginning.

As I page through my old journals, I note the variety of colors and emotion painted on the pages—tear drops smearing ink, sketches and doodles, brightly colored pens scripting the word “Yay!!!!!!!” in large capital letters. On my present journals, many of the same emotions are written in the used pages, but on the next page there's always a fresh start. A perfectly white, clean page.

Our lives aren't pretty. I've had my fair-share of disappointments and heartache. But at the beginning of the day, I've got to acknowledge that there's nothing that I can do about yesterday. I can't change the past. In Philippians 3, Paul offers the advice, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” There's nothing we can do about yesterday; it's over. Today is all we can change, and what we do today can change what happens tomorrow.

We've just entered a New Year. It's another new beginning. And with new beginnings comes the opportunity to make resolutions. This year, I'm going to base my New Year's resolution off Philippians 3:13-14 (quoted above). This year, I'm going to make my resolution to focus on what's going to happen today, not dwelling on what happened yesterday.

Did you know that Rachel's favorite time of the day is sunrise because it reminds her of God's new mercies?!

Suddenly~ Rachel Melillo

Suddenly. So many times, life changes in a moment. In the Bible, people would be living their lives—their ordinary every day lives—when suddenly God did something. And it was amazing.

When I think of all the extraordinary and some devastating things in the Bible, I see events like the hosts of heavenly angels coming out to see the shepherds, Jesus healing people, the hand writing on the wall. That night that Jesus was born, the shepherds were just doing their job, tending their sheep as always. Then suddenly, a host of angels appeared to them and they fell on their faces. Suddenly, God changed their lives. When Jesus healed people, it wasn't a preplanned event, but he saw a need and a faithful, believing heart, and he healed them. Suddenly, Jesus changed their lives. The king was having a banquet when suddenly, God came down and wrote on the wall. Suddenly, that king was never the same.

How could God suddenly work in your life? How many times do we miss God's sudden blessings because we're focusing on the negative parts of life or the things that aren't going how we want them to? What would happen if we looked for the God's sudden blessings and life changing events in our lives? Let's live suddenly, sisters. :)

Did you know that Rachel wants to publish 3 books before she's 25?! She's already published one! Click here to check it out!

Me, God and Worship~ Rachel Melillo

When most of us think of Christian worship, we think of modern-day worship songs such as “How Great is Our God” and “Lead Me to the Cross”. We think of a team of musicians standing at the front of a church leading us in singing a couple songs. But what's the point? What is worship?

I once heard a quote from the editor of Worship Leader magazine saying, “What worship is defies definition.” It's something that we instinctively know, but can't exactly define with mere words. Recently in a college class, I was asked to answer two questions: one, what is worship?; and two, what is Christian worship?

Now we weren't given the questions at the same time, so when answering the first one, I actually answered the second one. One person in particular had an interesting thought in regard to Christian worship. He said, “Christian worship is not basing the success on how we feel, but on what God received.”

How many times do we do that? How much do we come out of a powerful worship moment and say something like, “Wow, I felt God.” or “I really feel like people were worshiping.” And maybe that's because we have a skewed vision of what worship is. We just had a chapel service where we based our worship music around an African culture. Afterwards, we heard many statements saying things such as “That wasn't worship to me.” Well, maybe it's time for us to stop focusing worship ourselves, and start focusing on worshiping God.

Did you know that Rachel likes crayons better than markers, and markers better than colored pencils?

 

Did you know that Paige loves Funions?!

 

Photograph property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photograph taken by Paige Cunningham.

Strange People at Wal Mart~ Rachel Melillo

I work at Walmart and I just want to say it on the record: there area lot of strange things that happen. I'll share a few of them with you.

The first thing is probably the most common...and the most confusing. I'm a cashier and the bathroom is at the front of the store—right next to the cash registers. There is a large sign that says 'restrooms' and yet I could be standing right in front of the bathrooms and people will still come up to me and ask me where the bathrooms are. I once had a woman ask me, I pointed to it and she still couldn't see them.

Also, one day (although this has happened more than once) there was a hide-and-seek game going on in the clothing section by (based on their voices) a six-year old, a ten-year old, and a twelve-year old. I would have loved to join them, but it happened to be kind of busy at that moment. -sigh- I suppose it's called 'work' for a reason.

I see a lot of kids riding bicycles—they may be test-riding them, but it still seems weird to see that. I mean, our store isn'tthat big!

I've seen a lot of pets—dogs, fish, cats, and well, just the other day there was this really cute spider web (still haven't seen the spider yet though) and it was justso geometrically perfect—like a spiderweb is supposed to be! I saw a seven week old kitty the other day and go to hold it—he was adorable and his fur was super soft!

The outfits. I mean, I know as Christians that we're not supposed to judge people based on appearances, but...it's not Halloween yet, people! Although it does give me a good, mental laugh whenever I see someone dressed up kind of...well, odd, I can't help but wonder what prompted them to dress up like Waldo, Superman, Cinderella (or another Disney princess), and 'hunter dude' (complete with the coonskin cap). And then there's the person who no one can figure out if they're male or female. They look really female, but they have such a low voice that it seems that it has to be a male—and they also have a more masculine build. -shrug- Like I said though, we're not supposed to judge based on appearances.

Hope you've enjoyed this list of odd things that I see while working at Walmart. For ideas of funny things to do at Walmart, visit this website: http://chainletters.net/chainletters/101-fun-things-to-do-at-walmart/

Have fun, don't do anything illegal!

Did you know that if Rachel could be any animal, she would want to be a panda? She says it's because they get to sit around and eat all day while people tell them how cute they are. She also wonders if pandas can blush...

What Are the Bands Up Too? ~ Rachel Melillo

Tobymac – Having recently returned from a ten-day tour in Europe, Tobymac is performing in various cities in the United States and in Canada a few times. Also, if you haven't gotten his latest CD Tonight or bought his book City On Our Knees, make sure you pick up a copy at your closest Christian retail store or at his website. Check out his website—www.tobymac.com –for more details.

Chris Tomlin – He'll be visiting the East Coast for a couple of music festivals in August, taking a break for September, and then in October he'll be touring around the mid-west and then heading south to Texas, Florida, and Arkansas. He has a new worship song out, “I Lift My Hands.” Check it out and see his website for more details on what he's been up to.

Skillet – Right now they're on the West coast and they'll be making their way across the country to the East coast before zipping back over to the west again! They have a new song out, so be sure and check it out. Also, head over to their website for featured videos and more news to come. Www.skillet.com

Peter Furler – Former vocalist for the hit Christian band “Newsboys”, Peter Furler has recently released a solo album. Not only is Peter pursuing a solo career in music, he's also venturing in a different artistic direction—painting! See his website for hand painted drum top paintings and canvas paintings. Www.peterfurler.com

Group 1 Crew – They're on their summer tour and are hitting cities in Texas, Minnesota, Michigan, Florida, Indiana, and more. Check out their website to see if they'll be near you. And while you're there, check out their gear, blog updates, new music and videos.

As you're heading back to school, note that many bands are having 'back-to-school' sales! As you're thinking of what you want to add to your clothing section, consider getting a new t-shirt, bag, or bracelet from your favorite band.

Did you know that Rachel is physically incapably of sleeping past 8?!

Be IN Church, Not AT Church~ Rachel Melillo

In my life, I mostly see two types of people: the ones that sit at church in a pew because they feel obligated, and the people who involve themselves so much in so many ministries that they forget the point.

What does the word 'church' mean to you? Does it mean a place where you go and sit in an uncomfortable pew every week to listen to a pastor bore you with a half-hour sermon? Or perhaps it's just a place where you get to talk to you friends.

So much, I find that Christians are the most apathetic people I've ever met when it comes to church. In my life, I find there are mostly two types of Christians: the crazy ones (involved in everything they can get their hands on) and the ones content to sit in a pew and stare at a pulpit for one morning a week.

Neither is helpful nor profitable. For it's hard for God to use a heart so focused on doing that it misses the reason for which one is doing such things, and it's also difficult for God to use one who refuses to do anything at all.

So the first thing that we must do is acknowledge which person we are. If you're the one that sits in the pew, find a way that you can serve God and His bride, the church. Get involved. Perhaps that means joining the sound team, worship team, outreach committee, or writing for the church newsletter. Romans 12:4-5 says, “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” As a member of the body of Christ—the church—we're obligated to help each other out and get involved.

However, if you're the one that spends all their time doing, it's time for a break. I challenge anyone who feels that they fall into this category to take a month-long break (at least) and spend that time focusing on God and what He teaches you through your pastor. Then, choose certain ministries to devote yourself to instead of giving bits and pieces of yourself to so many things that you miss the point and the reason. 1^st Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” However we're involved in church, we must do it for the glory of God, and when we're obsessed with doing, we lose focus of that.

I particularly like Matt Redman's “Heart of Worship” when considering this issue. When I hear this song, I instantly begin to review my life and determine if I'm involving myself in too much.

Photograph property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photograph taken by Jess Mc.

Did you know that Jess hates odd socks?!
Did you know that Rachel dislikes digital clocks, even though they are convenient?!

Heart into Clovers~ A Craft by Rachel Melillo

So, once upon a time, my mother was a kindergarten teacher.  If you’ve ever had a kindergarten teacher as a parent, you know that you end up knowing the crafts by heart since you always have to make the demo…

Well, this craft has come in handy time and time again when I’m looking for a way to use all those extra heart valentines instead of simply throwing them out.  I’ve always made my own valentines and I always end up making more hearts than necessary. 

So what you do is take three construction paper hearts (or four if you want the person to have extra good luck) and then take green construction paper and cut out three or four hearts out of green paper.  Glue a green heart onto the back of each red/pink heart.  Then take a pin that has a back (an earring might work as well, so this is also a time to get rid of all those unpaired earrings).  Take all three or four hearts and put them so it looks like only one heart.  Make sure that all the colors are facing the same direction.  Then stick the pin or earring into the bottom of the heart and put the back on it. 

At this point, if you separate the hearts out, you’ll notice that you have a three (or four) leaf clover.  Take the top pink heart and write a message on it, such as ‘I love you’ or an inside joke that is shared between you and a friend.  Then on each of the green hearts (or leaves), write something such as ‘Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!’  Add your own little flourish - perhaps a quick stem or something as such.

Have fun, be creative.

Love,
Rachel