A Little Extra Encouragement

A Little Extra Encouragement It seems like a great time to offer a little more encouragement from Melanie Redd & Hope Ministry!

🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶Do you ever get a song or song lyrics stuck in your head?Sometimes I do!🎼 Have you ever thought about the fact that...
12/05/2024

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Do you ever get a song or song lyrics stuck in your head?

Sometimes I do!

🎼 Have you ever thought about the fact that God is our “SONG?”

God breathes music, lyrics, words of hope, life, joy, & singing into our lives.

🎧You and I don’t have to be anxious, sad, discouraged, or afraid because…

🎵God is our STRENGTH,
🎵God is our SONG, &
🎶 God is our SALVATION!

🙏🏻 Today, why not pray and invite God to infuse your life with hope as He sings to you and over you? 🎶🎶

⭐️ Wonderful Thanksgiving trip to East Texas this year!Got to see so many people we love!Hope you all had a great week w...
12/02/2024

⭐️ Wonderful Thanksgiving trip to East Texas this year!

Got to see so many people we love!

Hope you all had a great week with your family and friends!

❤️💚🧡🤎❤️💚🧡🤎The holidays are upon us!Sometimes our time with friends and family is incredible. Other times, it is so, so c...
11/27/2024

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The holidays are upon us!

Sometimes our time with friends and family is incredible.

Other times, it is so, so challenging.

🧡 As we head into these days, remember…

Sometimes our deepest wounds & greatest hurts come from those closest to us.

If someone needs to be dealt with, God is incredibly capable of doing the dealing!

🤎 My pastor growing up, Adrian Rogers, used to say, “If someone does you wrong, tell God on them!”

Let’s keep that in mind over the next few days and weeks!

Thankfully, we can talk to God about everything and everyone!💕

🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵While we on our anniversary trip, we watched as two women arrived at the beach late in the afternoon. I would not ...
11/21/2024

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While we on our anniversary trip, we watched as two women arrived at the beach late in the afternoon.

I would not describe them as particularly young or particularly thin.

But that did not stop them!!

⛱️ For two hours, I watched those grown women go out into the surf, splash, swim, laugh, and have the time of their lives.

It was such an intriguing thing to watch.

⛱️ At that moment, seated under my umbrella comfortably, I had this thought…

Why am I watching everyone else have so much fun, while I just sit here?

I like to get in the water and swim in the surf.

But I’m just sitting here–watching!

🪑The “Sitting Out” Issue 🪑

I think a lot of us have become content with sitting out and watching.

Many of us have stepped away from the fun of life for one reason or another.

We used to run, jump, splash, giggle, surf, swim, and enjoy life. But somewhere along the way, we stopped. We took a time out on life.

It’s almost like we begin living on pause or mute.

🩵 For most of us, including me, it happened over time.

Let’s talk about how to turn up the volume again and get back out there!

I’ve written a new post called, “5 Ways to Live Your Life to the Fullest (Right Now)”

You can link in our bio or stories!

🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷While celebrating my birthday yesterday, I came across this quote…“You are never too old to set a new goal or to dr...
11/15/2024

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While celebrating my birthday yesterday, I came across this quote…

“You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.”
C. S. Lewis

🩵 Do you agree?

What new goal are you setting?

What new dream do you have?

What are you looking forward to?

🩷 I would love to hear about one of these!

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend!

💪

💜💜💜💜💜So… we joined a new church on Sunday.We are so excited to be part of a vibrant, growing, friendly, Bible-preaching ...
11/13/2024

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So… we joined a new church on Sunday.

We are so excited to be part of a vibrant, growing, friendly, Bible-preaching faith community.

You see… we have been visiting and looking and praying about this decision for over a year.

(So pleased to find our new church home at Fayette Baptist Church in Somerville,TN.)

“CHURCH!”

It’s such an interesting word & concept in 2024.

Online, in person, in homes, in coffee shops, in strip malls, and even in schools.

💜 Are you in a church?

🩵 In person or online or both?

💚 Where do you meet?

💛 Or, have you stopped going? Opted out?

“CHURCH!”

For some of you, the word “church” brings up emotions of great hurt, great pain, and great sadness.

Let’s talk about this today.

💜 I’m sharing a newly refreshed blog post called, “An Apology for Your Church Hurt.”

You can link to the post in our bio or stories!

Amen!
11/11/2024

Amen!

Just because I crave something doesn't mean it's what God desires for me. I fully realize comfort isn't always my friend. Even though I like to hang out with her for extended periods of time! But it never fails, when I get comfortable for too long, God seems to remind me that comfort isn't the goal in this life, but the courage of follow Him is. God cares more about my character than my comfort. Deep down, I care about that more, too.

Comfort may not always be the best thing for us. It's a perspective shift, but episode 170 of the Encouragement for Real Life Podcast might help you embrace it. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.

Yes!
11/11/2024

Yes!

May the Spirit guide you through the week ahead and bless you with God's hard-to-understand peace.

🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵Here’s a great reminder today…“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”Philippians 4:13, NKJV🖤 The ...
11/07/2024

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Here’s a great reminder today…

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13, NKJV

🖤 The Amplified Version is amazing too…

“I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]” Philippians 4:13, AMP

- In Christ.
- With Christ.
- Through Christ.
- Because of Christ.

🩵 You and I can do ALL things!

Have a great day!

✝️

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸It’s time!Today is the day we get to show up!“Every election is determined by the people who show up.”(Larry...
11/05/2024

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It’s time!

Today is the day we get to show up!

“Every election is determined by the people who show up.”
(Larry Sabato)

🇺🇸 So… have you shown up yet?

Have you voted?

If you have, share, “I voted!” In the comments!!

🇺🇸 I voted!!

My family has already voted. We voted in person early!

My aging parents went on their walkers and voted.

My 92-year-old mother in law voted.

My siblings and Randy’s siblings voted.

Millions have voted!

💙❤️ If you have not yet voted, I want to encourage you to pray and then get out there and let your voice be heard!

You have all day!

- Get a sitter!
- Take off work.
- Go to the trouble.
- Get out there!

It’s not convenient but it is worthwhile!

Your vote matters!

Every vote counts!

🇺🇸 Let’s go! I’m cheering you on!!

✅ ✔️ 🇺🇸

🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵“Let us hold firmly [without wavering]to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what he pr...
11/01/2024

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“Let us hold firmly [without wavering]to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what he promised [the one who promised is faithful].”

Hebrews 10:23, EXB

Hold fast!

We can trust our God!

He is always faithful!

❤️

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡What a beautiful quote…“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day th...
10/25/2024

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What a beautiful quote…

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.”

Mary Anne Radmacher

🧡 Keep going!!

Happy Friday & Happy Weekend!

🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵Do you ever find yourself waiting on the Lord?Waiting for Him to move?  - Or act? - Or fix a situation? - Or answer...
10/22/2024

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Do you ever find yourself waiting on the Lord?

Waiting for Him to move?
- Or act?
- Or fix a situation?
- Or answer a prayer?
- Or provide a solution?

🙃 In our family, we are in “waiting mode.”

We have been waiting on God to resolve something for about 18 months now.

Some days we wait really well.

Other days, we grow so weary and impatient wondering, “What is taking so long?”

🥲 The biggest challenge at this point… there is nothing we can do to resolve this situation.

We cannot affect the outcome.

🙂‍↕️ Instead, we can watch and wait and pray.

God brought this verse to mind as an awoke this morning…

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.” Psalm 37:7

🩵 So… we wait on the Lord. We let Him do all He wants to do when and how He wants to do it!

We press on close to Him, rest in His presence, and allow Him to continue to work out the details of our lives!

At this juncture… we choose to trust Him again today!

“Waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts.”
Elisabeth Elliot

🙏🏻 What about you?

Are you waiting on God to move?

Can I for you??

❤️

🪑🪑🪑🪑🪑🪑🪑Have you ever had a chair pulled out from under you?It can be humiliating and painful (and surprising!)💺 And life...
10/10/2024

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Have you ever had a chair pulled out from under you?

It can be humiliating and painful (and surprising!)

💺 And life is filled with chairs being pulled out from under us, isn’t it?

🪑 Lately, I’ve had friends share some of the abrupt “pranks” of life, which have left them sprawled out on the floor in amazement.

* One friend received word of cancer.

* One is living in the aftermath of a hurricane; another awaiting the next storm.

* Then, another was pranked by the loss of her home’s air conditioning (and a large bill to have it repaired).

* Notably, one family we know is dealing with the stinging betrayal of their young adult child.

* Also, another is dealing with an unwanted and painful divorce.

* Other friends are dealing with unexpected job loss, unexpected moral failure, and a really painful church situation.

💺 Are you also struggling with an unexpected challenge??

🪑 What do we do when one of life’s “chairs” gets pulled out from under us?

Let’s talk about this very practically and very honestly on the blog today!!

You can link in our bio or stories.

🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷Seems like the perfect day to call…For “Everyone who CALLS on the name of the LORD will be saved.” Romans 10:13💛 L...
10/03/2024

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Seems like the perfect day to call…

For “Everyone who CALLS on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
Romans 10:13

💛 Let’s CALL on Him today!

🧡 Let’s cry out to Him today!

💙 Let’s ask Him to save and heal and protect and provide!

He is WELL ABLE!!

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who CALLS upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Acts 2:21

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕Happy Sunday, Friend!When you Google, “Favorite verses of all time,” this verse tops the list on so many surveys....
09/29/2024

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Happy Sunday, Friend!

When you Google, “Favorite verses of all time,” this verse tops the list on so many surveys.

It’s one of the first verses I ever memorized.

Maybe it is for you as well?

🚩 It was posted on the wall, underlined in my Bible, and repeated regularly in our household. 

And, I’ve gone back to it again and again.

Chances are, you have as well.

📖 It’s Jeremiah 29:11, and it’s today’s verse that we are sharing as a personal prayer.

“‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11

💕 Link in our bio or stories for the complete prayer!


☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️What a great challenge on this Friday…“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”  (Eleanor Roosevelt)💕...
09/20/2024

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What a great challenge on this Friday…

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

💕 What do you need to do?

💕 What is holding you back?

💕 What might happen if you take one small step toward accomplishing this thing?

☀️ ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️In reading through the Book of Philippians, I came across an awesome prayer that Paul wrote for the people....
09/19/2024

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In reading through the Book of Philippians, I came across an awesome prayer that Paul wrote for the people.

💛 One line of this prayer really stood out to me…

“I want you to understand what really matters.”

🙏🏻 What a great way to pray: “Lord, show us what really matters!”

- Teach us to do what matters most!
- To not waste our time.
- To focus on best things!
- To live with intention.
- To make the most of our days.

📖 Here’s the entire prayer from Philippians 1:9-11…

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.”

🙏

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Memphis, TN

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