THIS POST IS PART OF OUR “TESTIMONY” SERIES IN CACTUS FLOWERS MINISTRIES:

My name is Melaina. I am 53 years old and have been married 30 years to my sweet husband Chad. I am a Mom to three adult sons and have a precious daughter in law. I am “Maemee” to 3 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. (pictured above) I am also a Whole Health Biblical Counselor for women. Nonetheless, my true identity and value is found in Jesus, as I am a daughter of the Most High King!

The Lord led me to start the Cactus Flowers group 2 years ago in July of 2020.  At that time, my husband and I just returned from a week long trip with our then youth group.  My heart was very burdened for the young girls that were there with me….many had no support at home and had big burdens they were carrying.  As I began to seek God in how to reach out, He put on my heart to begin this group …down to the name.  Why Cactus Flowers?  Like the thorns of a cactus,  life is full of things that hurt us….. but IN CHRIST, we can also experience beautiful blessings as well…..such as the beautiful Cactus Flower blooms amidst the thorns. I feel called to encourage women of all ages and plan to spend my remaining time on earth doing just that.  I want to share why I am passionate to encourage others in Christ:

I was born in El Reno, Oklahoma into a ministry family as my Dad was a Nazarene Pastor. I was the youngest of three children.

When I was 3 years old, we moved to Texas and it wasn’t long after that my parents divorced. Many details of our lives changed at that point. During that time, I began kindergarten and realized that I had a speech problem. I was teased over the way I talked and sometimes even the speech therapist at school couldn’t understand me. I remember crying all during nap time and feeling like I didn’t belong and something was wrong with me.

Skip ahead to those awkward middle school years….both my parents had remarried and life moved on. However, I can remember having a deep sense of insecurity. I didn’t feel as pretty and smart as others. My family encouraged me all they could but when I entered 6th grade a new battle began. A group of girls got upset with me and made it well-known. They teased me and said rude things and talked about me to others. You know…the whispers, giggles, dirty looks and stares. I know that most of us have experienced that growing up one time or another. In a perfect world, we would realize that the mean girls had issues….but in our brokenness we may feel we are hopelessly flawed and unloved. And that was it….I felt unlovable and wanted desperately to fit in.

However, during those same middle school years, a wonderful blessing happened. My Dad got back into fellowship with the Lord and returned to his calling as a pastor. He was so full of God during that time and I took notice. At 13, at a revival I walked the aisle with 3 of my friends. We all knelt down and asked God to save us. I stood up and returned to my seat; honestly unchanged.

Now I will spare you all the details of ages 15-21, but what I will tell you is that all the things I sought after: boys, parties, and popularity did not do the trick. I made some very bad choices during that time that left me feeling even more unloveable . At age 18, I attempted to take my life, however God had other plans. You see, I was trying to find my value and true love outside of Christ. And Ladies, we won’t find our true identity outside of our Creator. With each mistake, broken heart, and bad choice, the lie of “You are unloveable” was stamped deeper into my heart and mind.

At age 21, after a short and failed marriage, I could say I was very broken. I didn’t see a lot of hope for my life even though I wanted more. I loved my family and wanted them proud of me.

Skip ahead to age 22. I met Chad. Chad was different….He loved Christ and He had a joy that frankly I had never seen in a guy. Because I had walked the church aisle to get saved before ( twice), I assumed I was saved already. I would ask Chad what makes you so different and happy? His answer was Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Long story short…that frustrated me. I had Jesus too… But did Jesus have all of me?

One night alone in my little rent house I cried out to God. All the pain and mistakes of my life flashed before my mind and I felt that deep despair kick in again. To be honest, I told the Lord I had to have Him to continue on. I needed Him to make it to the next day and I wanted Him to come in and make me a brand new person.

However, the next morning I woke up and nothing seemed to have changed. As I laid there, with my last breath of hope I cried out “I just want You, Jesus”.

Words can’t really describe what happened next. I felt God’s presence in a way I never had before. I wept tears of joy as I felt a deep love fill my heart. I got up that morning a changed girl! Perfect? No, but redeemed! I was born-again! My heart changed and I no longer wanted to sin. When I did, it did not feel right. You see, I was a new creation as 2 Corinthians 5:17 says:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come!

My identity changed that day. I was a daughter of the Most High King and oh so dearly loved. Everything changed.

I am not perfect and have made many mistakes since, however God’s grace has continued to hold me, draw me and sanctify me. By His Spirit and His Word, my mind is being renewed daily. I am now living from a place of knowing I am deeply loved by my Creator and NO person, sin or mistake can take that away. (Romans 8:28-39)

This is why I am passionate about Christ and encouraging others! I have had many encouragers in my life throughout the years and God used them to inspire me to persevere. I, too, long to leave a legacy of encouraging others in Christ so that my sons and grandchildren will not only see Jesus in me, but find their true identity in Him as well!

No matter how you feel today, take heart! There is HOPE….there is a LOVE that will not let you go and His name is JESUS.

#HOPE #RESTORATION #LOVETHATWILLNOTLETGO #JESUSISLOVE #LIVINGLOVED #TESTIMONYWEEK