Mission

The mission of Joy, Praise & Melody is to journey with you through Scripture to deepen your understanding of the past, present and future of God’s Word. We will discover insights needed to come into alignment with God’s will. You will experience radical joy, peace and hope!

About Melody

My true salvation story started in when I was 28 years old. In my early years, my family attended mass and Sunday school, but when my parents got divorced the church restricted us in certain ways and my mother understandably felt rejected and we stopped attending. Every other weekend my dad was diligent about us attending the 45-minute mass, but those also stopped as I gained more independence. In 2003 my husband and I were on the brink of divorce and we had exhausted every effort to improve. That’s when I felt a longing for God. I returned to my childhood church, but I didn’t feel anything spiritual there. My sister-in-law suggested I go to her Pentecostal church the next week. I did, and I felt the stirring of the Holy Spirit. Shortly after, at a Wednesday night service, I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior.

That’s when change began in my heart, but the process of transformation is LONG! The first about 15 years of my Christianity were years of changing some the obvious habits and dipping my toes into the Bible. We were tithing and serving, and we could see God moving in our lives, but my relationship with Him was surface level. I was always encouraged after church services and desired for a deeper connection, but I never followed through on my resolutions to spend more time reading and studying the Bible.

In the later part of 2019, my husband and I had an argument and I fell back into my old routine of using very hurtful language – something that I thought I had control over by now. That night I took out my Bible and God showed me that I had been deceived by the devil, and that made me indignant. However, it wasn’t until a few months later when I felt really tormented and confused that it finally clicked that I needed a change – I needed more of God.

In February 2020 I began regular Bible reading and studying, and journaling. I can tell you that I grew more spiritually in the year of 2020 than the rest of my years as a Christian combined. These spiritual habits, along with prayer, have changed my life in unbelievable ways. I’ve experienced physical healing, emotional healing, gained wisdom and knowledge and have more discernment. Please know that I am a work in progress! I’m wretched, redeemed by unmerited mercy and grace, and I fall short of His glory every day.

I know as of recently that my calling is a teacher of God’s Word, and that the Holy Spirit gives me gifts of insight to share. It’s up to you to seek a relationship with God to experience spiritual growth. I endeavor to encourage you with love and compassion.

Thank God that my husband and I are still married! We have adult children, a few grandkids and a beloved fur baby. I attend Riverhills Chruch of God in Tampa Bay and serve as a leader of Women’s Ministry and First Impressions Team. I also recently started seminary classes to accelerate my learning.

Scripture

Nehemiah 12:27 (BBE) And when the time came for the wall of Jerusalem to be made holy, they sent for the Levites out of all their places to come to Jerusalem, to keep the feast with joy, and with praise and melody, with brass and corded instruments of music.

The wall of Jerusalem represents the strength of God that brought the Israelites restoration, and established protection from the attacks of adversaries. We also need a metaphorical wall of Jerusalem – a strong fortress to rescue and stand against our enemies.

The custom of the Israelites to make the wall holy was to make a commitment to maintain its quality and God’s purpose for it – thus, being holy requires ongoing effort.  Likewise, we need to commit to ensuring our metaphorical wall of Jerusalem is continually maintained and honored.

When the time came to start the commitment to holiness, the Israelites celebrated how God delivered them from their past and brought them to where they are at the present. They celebrated God’s faithfulness, rejoicing in their hope for the future. During this continuous journey of holiness, it’s important for us to celebrate that we are no longer where we were, and to rejoice that an even better future is ahead.

As we journey on the path of spiritual growth, let’s commit to a posture of joy, praise and melody.

Prayer

Through this journey that we are taking together, I pray that God’s kingdom will be magnified, and his name be glorified. I pray in Jesus’ name and through the power of the Holy Spirit – the power that healed the blind, deaf, mute, and raised the dead – that on this journey you experience God’s presence more intimately than ever before. God, please prepare the heart, mind and spirit of your child who is reading this – make their heart fertile ground so that the seeds of your Word will be planted in good and humble soil, watered by the Holy Spirit and will bear fruit of faith, trust, patience, discernment and much more Lord than we can imagine. You know them inside and out God, everything they have experienced and everything they have done, and you love each and everything about them. As in Ephesians 1:17-18, please give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they may know you better, and please enlighten the eyes of their hearts in order that they may know your hope, riches, and incomparably great power for us who believe.

Thank you, Lord in advance for what you will do. In the most precious and powerful name – our King and Savior, Jesus Christ!