Dear Friends,
Many have emailed asking me to please POST my weekly news letters on my website so that they can refer back to them and in order to tell others to log on for an encouraging word as well. So here is LAST WEEK'S. :) God bless you! Sign up and you will never miss a thing!
AND JUST FYI—I'm on the Ascension APP Daily Meditations on 11/5! Hope to see you there!
Ever feel OVERWHELMED by the EVIL, UNKINDNESS, or INJUSTICE that is ALL AROUND US?
In LITTLE ways
like when someone cuts you off in traffic...
OR
in BIG ways
like when "JUSTICE" is most certainly NOT SERVED & you are left feeling OVERLOOKED, UNIMPORTANT, & well, POOPED UPON by an individual or by LIFE?!
According to Scripture, as hard as it may be, there is a SOLUTION…
we are to take the LOOONG view knowing that THIS LIFE is NOT all that there is…
and therefore we are to TAKE HEART, have HOPE & OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.
One of my favorite stories is about a missionary who had served his entire life, tirelessly giving of himself to the poor in Africa.
It just so happened that at the end of his forty+ years of service he sailed home, back to America, on the same ship as a great Political Statesman who had also gone to Africa but on a brief federally funded excursion.
As they both disembarked the ship, the Statesman had a huge crowd of people awaiting his arrival. There were "Welcome Home" banners, a festive fan-fair, marching bands, newspaper reporters & photographers, all followed by speeches given in his honor.
In contrast, as the MISSIONARY stepped ashore there was NO ONE there to greet him or even to help him with his luggage.
Feeling overwhelmed in the moment and not knowing what else to do he offered his sadness, disappointment, frustration, and hurt feelings in an honest prayer to God and said,
"LORD, this man spent a little over a month in Africa, traveling in luxury, and here he is welcomed home with a hero's welcome.
I, on the other-hand, have spent my entire life in Africa serving You and the poor as best I could, and now I finally arrive back home and I get NOTHING?! How can this be? Where is the justice in this?"
And then the missionary distinctly recalled that he heard the LORD say to him,
"Well son,
you are not HOME YET."
It is so easy to get wrapped up in thinking that THIS IS ALL THERE IS for us--this PRESENT MOMENT, the HERE and NOW--
and yet Scripture so clearly states the opposite.
We have HOPE for an ETERNAL, GLORIOUS HOME with God our loving Heavenly Father!
And thankfully, we can REJOICE when things look lop-sided on EARTH...because this is NOT all that there is…our REWARD is awaiting us in HEAVEN!
When you feel the STING of EVIL, UNKINDNESS, or INJUSTICE in this world—I hope you will recall this story.
And recall what God's word has to say on the subject.
Perhaps PRINT THESE OUT if you are FEELING DISCOURAGED or give them to a friend who may be in need of some ENCOURAGEMENT!
And remember friends, THIS is NOT all there is!
WE, who are God's beloved sons and daughters…ARE NOT HOME…YET!
--"For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name."
Hebrews 13:14-15 (NLT)
--“Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” Romans 5:3-5.
--"We are here for only a moment, visitors."
1 Chronicles 29:15. (NLT)
--"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
Colossians 3:2
--"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matthew 16:27.
--“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’" Matthew 25:21.
--"However, as it is written:
'What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived'--
the things God has prepared for those who love him—"
1 Corinthians 2:9
--"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
2 Timothy 4:8
--“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21.
--“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Be at PEACE MY FRIENDS!
And know that I AM PRAYING
FOR YOU!
And please PRAY FOR ME TOO!
From Worry to Wonder, A Catholic Guide
to Finding Peace Through Scripture
The Scriptural antidote to worry. It’s so practical! 7 quick chapters that explain the “Worry-To-Wonder Checklist” which are the 7 daily steps to take to break free from crippling worry into a life of freedom. Plus a “Worry-To-Wonder Toolkit” and a 40 day journal to help turn good intentions into life transforming habits. The foreword is by the amazing Jeff Cavins and endorsed by Bishop Byrne and a renown Catholic Therapist, Christine Fauci Wittman. It will help you dwell on the Answer, not the problems and by God’s grace to stop worrying and start Living in the peace of Christ. I know it works-it’s been tested by fire in my own life.
"DO NOT BE AFRAID!" How to Obtain the Peace that Surpasses All Comprehension!" 🙏🏻🦋
"DO NOT BE AFRAID!" How to Obtain the Peace that Surpasses All Comprehension!" 🙏🏻🦋
🙏🏻🦋 A NEW KIND OF PEACE! GOT PEACE? DISCOVER …“A NEW KIND OF PEACE!” No matter WHAT!
Stop Worrying! From Worry to Wonder, a Catholics Guide to Finding Peace through Scripture
🙏🏻🦋🌼 PRAY FOR PEACE FOR UKRAINE and the WORLD
Watch my talk, Jesus Discovered in the Old Testament, from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. I’ll unpack the Bible from Genesis through the Gospels showing how Jesus is revealed over and over again. Listen to see how
God loved YOU before time began!
MY STORY
Melissa Overmyer is a dynamic Catholic evangelist who believes God is constantly communicating truths about Himself. As the founder of Something Greater Ministries, she seeks to serve God by creating opportunities for people to encounter God through prayer, scripture study, community, and the teachings, traditions, and spirituality of the Catholic Church. The story of her conversion to Catholicism was published in her book, Metamorphosis of a Soul. Her second book: Born to Soar, Unleashing God's Word in Your Life is a Scripture and Prayer Journal which draws spiritual insights from the miraculous life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly. And her third book, From Worry to Wonder, A Catholic Guide to Finding Peace Through Scripture, out with Ascension Press is a scriptural antidote to worry. It comes complete with all you need, by God’s grace, to enable you to stop worrying and start living in the peace of Christ. And her most recent book, Wisdom from Women in Scripture is out from The Word Among Us Press and is a beautiful six-week study written by six women authors on six different women in the Bible and how the truths drawn from their stories can be applied to your own life.
She can also be found on the
ASCENSION APP.
Melissa has been a Scripture study teacher for more than thirty years, and founded the Georgetown Women’s Bible Study, an interdenominational women’s scripture study, thirty+ years ago. Each week Melissa publishes a new reflection on Scripture and life—sign up for free! She loves her husband, family and leading pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Tune in and be encouraged today!