Dive Deep. Drown Willingly.

New year.

New blog. 

Okay, I know we are already halfway through this year… but it's never too late to start. 

This year has been crazy for me. Back in January the Lord started to do a sweet work in my heart and my life. He has changed my heart for Him… my heart for my church… He has given me freedom in worship like nothing I have ever experienced before. He has convicted and changed my heart about how I'm spending my time and what I'm doing with the resources He has given me. It has been a hard, but amazing couple of months. Knowing I needed someone alongside me, He brought a sweet friend to my side who has been called to step up and out in Him in a similar way… And that has been such an amazing blessing to my soul. 

It has been a long but an amazing couple of months. As some of you may know, I have struggled physically like I never have before… I don't want to get into details right now… but after 12 long weeks of many doctors appointments and procedures I think I'm heading back to feeling somewhat "normal". I have had to rely on the Lord like never before. I have to rely on my church family to step up when I lacked the strength to do so myself. I have been tenderly cared for and prayed for by so many sweet women in our fellowship. While it was difficult, I know it was perfectly timed for RIGHT NOW. The Lord knew I would need to rely on Him now more than ever. While I may not have been so happy in the middle of it. now, on the other side, I am so grateful for the strength the Lord gave me and the sweet people He surrounded me with. 

Now, enough about me. Let's talk about the theme for my blog. 

My sweet friend Lauren has always labeled each year with a "theme" for what the Lord has done in her life that year. This is the first year I have actually had the Lord show me a "theme"… And, being the nerd that I am, it comes from a book. :) 

Dive Deep. Drown Willingly.

This comes from a Ted Dekker series (who happens to be one of my favorite authors) called "The Circle Trilogy" (which I highly recommend). In a nutshell,  this phrase references the fact that in order to be saved by Elyon (God), a person must dive into His waters… and they can't be forced… they have to dive and drown in Him willingly. 

This year the Lord has called me to step off the ledge I have been standing on and dive deeply into Him. He has asked me to go all in. To  hold nothing back. To drown willingly in Him so I am no longer full of myself, but full of Him. He has brought me to a place where He is using me in new ways… He has called me to give everything this year… I know I will feel stretched and tired… but He has called me to give my all… my time, my thoughts, my heart… to give them to Him for His use. 

One thing the Lord has called me to do this year is to step up along side my friends Dan and Summer as they start their new ministry Thrive.  It's pretty exciting. Click the link and check it out! We have a bunch of summer events coming up including a women's Summer study through Ruth on Monday nights and a Family night on Fridays. Check out our event page on the Thrive Blog for more details!

Another thing that the Lord has laid on my heart to do was to start a new blog. Not about me or what I read and do all the time. But one that is about Him and His Word. I have always been convinced the Lord would only use me through my voice and in worship… But lately He has put it on my heart to start writing. I have always loved words and I have always had the desire to write a book…. but it has always been a desire to write a fictional book. I have never even considered writing about Him and His Word. 

So, here we are. 

At the beginning. 

I'm not sure what is going to come of this. No one may read it at all. But I know the Lord will faithful to use it for His glory!!

Diving Deeper,

Melissa