My Favorite Bible Verses

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MELISSA HEILAND

TO

MY FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE

Ephesians 3:20,21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

God has proven Himself faithful to me over and over again in my life. Although I have, at times, felt hopeless and afraid, He has never failed me. On the contrary, He has performed miracle after miracle, demonstrating to me time and again His power and His love. All that is good in my life is His work.

He has used a frail and sometimes doubting servant to proclaim His glory in ways that leave no doubt that the work is His and His alone.

When my husband, Ken, and I were young parents, the Lord called us to the mission field. We sold our home, our cars, and everything we owned except our clothes and moved to Costa Rica with our three young boys to study Spanish and to learn to plant churches and serve the Lord as missionaries. We went with great passion and joy, with no plans to ever live in the US again.

It was our call, and we were thrilled. Our time in Costa Rica was full of learning and growth for our family. We reveled in the life we lived overseas. Our children, our marriage, and our ministries flourished. It was a dream come true.

And then, without warning, the Lord called us to return to the United States after one short year. We did not know why He called us to return, but the directive was clear. Ken and I fasted and prayed and sought counsel as we resisted what God was telling us.

We could not believe that He would call us back when our love for missions was so compelling.

Ultimately, we submitted to God’s will and moved back to the US, devastated and confused, with no idea what the Lord wanted from us. It was a very dark time for me as I could not understand why the Lord would call us back to the United States when our call to missions was so clear.

Shortly after we returned to the US, the Lord began to reveal His plan for us. He led us to do foster care, and ultimately, we adopted three beautiful children. We had to come back to complete our family. Also, shortly after our return, we began to take mission teams around the world. We were able to share our passion for missions with others and help hundreds of people serve on the mission field.

In time and under the counsel of our pastor, the Lord led us to start a mission organization that plants pregnancy ministries around the world. Beautiful Feet International now serves in 44 nations solely by the grace of God. Our hearts broke when the Lord removed our opportunity to serve in one nation, but in time, He gave us immeasurable more than we could ever ask or imagine- the blessing of serving Him throughout the world, not only in Central America, but in South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

I believe this is only the beginning of what we will see Him do. I have learned that when the Lord takes something from us, it is because He has something greater to give to us. He is a loving and kind Father. His plans are always so much better than anything we could imagine. All glory and honor to His name.

ABOUT NO SHAME: A DEVOTIONAL FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE

For those who have experienced sexual abuse, No Shame is a unique devotional that contains 40 daily devotionals prayerfully written to help you in your journey to peace.

This devotional book is a gentle guide to lead you into contemplation and engagement with God in light of the abuse you’ve encountered. You may be experiencing feelings of fear, shame, anxiety, and worthlessness, but God’s Word is more powerful, and this book will help guide you toward the freedom and joy that you yearn for in Jesus. Forty entries include a short and meaningful devotional, a specific prayer prompt, and journal space for writing your thoughts. The enemy wants you to hold on to shame and to prevent you from drawing near to God. But God is with you, and His truths will help dispel these lies and bring hope and healing to your life.

This book is intended for you to turn to not once, but many times along your healing journey. It is a supplemental tool that does not replace counseling or seeking the help of a mental health professional. Trauma of this kind most often requires a complex treatment course that this book alone cannot provide. Rather, No Shame: A Devotional for Survivors of Sexual Abuse is a compassionate, self-paced guide to help survivors of sexual abuse reengage with God.

buy link

https://www.amazon.com/No-Shame-Devotional-Survivors-Sexual/dp/1496482085

ABOUT MELISSA HEILAND

Melissa Heiland is a wife and mother of six. She holds a master’s degree in education. She has been involved with pregnancy care ministry since 1994. She is active at a crisis pregnancy center in central Florida, where she serves as the director of client services. She is also the founder of Beautiful Feet International, a mission organization that helps churches plan and prepare for volunteer missions around the world. She is the author of Get Set, a devotional for preparing volunteers for the mission field.

OTHER BOOKS BY MELISSA HEILAND

"Let's Go: Devotions for short-term missions partners" with Leslie Caldwell (Editor) ASIN: B00USONEEM

"Get Set: A Spiritual Preparation for Short-term Missions Partners" ISBN-10: 0976764555

"A Mother's Comfort: A Devotional for Baby's First Year" ISBN-10: 155452721X (Available in English and Spanish)

"A Mother's Journey: A Devotional for Pregnancy" ISBN-10: 161970496X (Available in English and Spanish)