Born into a tumultuous family, to addictive parents, Melissa learned early that ‘home life’ was not like that for other kids. Marijuana grew openly, drug use, verbal and physical abuse were her ‘teachers’. In spite of the lack of attention at home, Melissa excelled in school and was placed in the gifted program. At age eight, her biological father committed suicide but Melissa felt little remorse, since he was rarely part of her life. Her home life continued to spin out of control. There were many situations she witnessed or experienced, that no child should have to see or live. By the age of twelve, Melissa was already acting out her frustration and inner turmoil. She had no place in her heart for morality, conscience or authority.
By God’s intervention, Melissa’s mom got clean and began a new life free from addiction. She divorced the addictive step-dad and brought in a new man who was also on the road to recovery. But while these ‘new’ parents were in love and happy, Melissa’s anger boiled over. At thirteen, she was out of control to the point that Melissa’s mother found a Christian boarding school for children from broken homes with needs that a family is not able to meet. In the course of the next two years, Melissa was kicked out of boarding school, lived with an Aunt who also couldn’t control her, and placed back in the Christian boarding school.
It was through the love and grace of her dorm parents that Melissa accepted Christ at age 16. All was changing for the better, but a trip back home with her old friends caused her to relapse into her old patterns and even end up in jail. By 17, Melissa’s mom let her go, and Melissa found herself on her own. She began following the Deadheads a group of hippies who followed the concert tours of the ‘Grateful Dead’ rock band. Melissa jumped in with both feet. Drug use, immoral lifestyle, living from hand to mouth, Melissa eventually, wound up homeless in San Francisco with the realization that the peace she sought could not be found in this lifestyle. Miserable, broken and penniless, Melissa called her Mom for bus fare home. She boarded the bus with the determination that she wanted to find her way back to God. She mended her relationship with her mother and step-dad. She began to be discipled in Christian community and she grew in her faith in Christ.
A Christian friend introduced Melissa to missionary candidates at an NTM training facility, nearby. Melissa was enthralled that these missionaries in training were living a simple, faith filled life with eternal purpose! Melissa relates, “It was at that moment that I knew my life was not my own and that God may want to use me in some kind of full time ministry—fulfilling His desire to make His name known all over the world.”
That year, Melissa attended NTBI (NTM Bible Institute). Melissa said, “ It was the the most enriching two years of my life. I learned so much from God’s love letter to me, His Word. He changed me from the inside out. It was an investment that has/will have eternal results and rewards.”
Today, Melissa and her missionary husband live among the Arimtap people group. They are studying the Arimtap language and culture, and hope to soon plant a believing, faithful church among these people.
From Melissa:
“The biggest lesson I have learned on this journey of walking with God by faith, is to be crazy enough to take God at His Word. Sometimes it is easy to doubt what God is leading us to do, just based on the mere circumstances. But God doesn’t necessarily work or lead us in ways that we can explain or that even seem reasonable. I truly believe that , if God says something in His Word to me, i.e, promises to me, then it can be counted on! He is able to do exceedingly more than all we ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) The beauty of the way that God works is that He delights in using me, ‘Just As I Am’, if I am yeilding myself to Him to use my life as He sees fit. With God all things are possible!” (Mathew 19:26)