A sneak peak at some of my book that I'm working on

"I am uncertain if my heart can truly utter the words necessary to explain to you the day I saw true love in the eyes of the man I now call my beloved, my darling, my dear husband.  I had known him for a few years, even performed in a skit with him; us being the two main characters.  But never had I seen in those bright intriguing eyes, adoration, love and longing.  I was never captivated by that smile that now seems to light up an entire building, not just a room.  

                It all began the end of summer in 2010.  I had just truly come to Christ for salvation the previous April, and God was doing a clean sweep of my life.  This “spring cleaning” of my heart really took full swing when I final surrendered to God and ended a relationship that was hindering my walk with the Lord.  I had never experienced such heart ache and peace simultaneously!  The night I listened to my Heavenly Father and broke off my ties with this young man, God was already at work though I knew it not.  Late that evening when social media had let all my friends know that I had just ended a ten month relationship, the calls, texts and messages poured in.  One in particular, though I had no idea at the time, would change my life forever. 

                I was crying myself to sleep in my sister’s arms, when my mobile phone vibrated.  Startled, I squinted through the tears to read the words from...Mark Passmore?    “I don’t know what happened, but I wanted you to know I am praying for you.”  I was somewhat surprised. We hardly ever talked because  Mark never hung around my crowd in school. In the majority of the girl’s eyes, he was the Godliest young man in our school.  I went to sleep peacefully after that, thanking the Lord for His grace to follow His will, no matter how hard; and thanking Him as well for Mark Passmore’s prayers..."  

Boy or Girl?!

We're going today to find out! Hopefully....if the little one cooperates!!! :)

18 weeks and counting! :)

We go next week to find out the sex of the baby! :)  We're very excited.  My Fibromyalgia seems to get worse every week, but the Lord is my strength and He's given me a WONDERFUL husband to help me through the difficulties! :) We're looking forward to meeting our little one! Almost half way there! :)

Happy First Father's Day To My Wonderful Husband!

                                               I fall in love with him more each and every day! <3

Next Photo Shoot :)

  We saw our baby again!  Heartbeat was 147 and the little one looks great!  It was being very modest so we still are unsure of the gender...probably next time :)
   The doctor said he or she was in a praying  position but at one point (second picture)  they must have saw the camara and turned it's face to strike a pose for Mommy and Daddy! <3

even more baby bump pictures!!!!!

more baby bump pictures

"There's your baby!"

Those were the greatest words I've ever heard from any doctor!  We went for our first ultrasound this weekend and I cannot explain the excitement that overwhelmed me when he said: "there's your baby!"   My husband and I sat there and gazed in amazement!  We saw our little one's heart beating beautifully and the doctor said that the baby was measuring perfectly thus far!  Praise the Lord! Continue to pray that things run smoothly for us and that the baby grows healthy:)  We thank the Lord for His bountiful goodness!  Our official due date is December 10th!  ....Is it winter yet??? :)

Making him or herself known quickly! :)

Exciting things ahead

     Well, I haven't taken the time to blog in a few weeks so I figured I would take a moment to do just that!  A little update on the baby; we're going next week for our first ultrasound to see our little one for the first time!  My Fibromyalgia is really acting up since I'm not on my regular medications.  I thank God for grace, because without it, this would indeed be impossible!  However, He is helping me along with the wonderful husband He has given me who waits on me hand and foot whenever even walking becomes difficult.  I'm so thankful for this opportunity to mother this baby and I believe all the pain and long nights (and days) are worth it!  Especially when I'll have a little bundle of joy in my arms to remind me that it's worth it, in just 8 months! 
     The church is really doing well!  God is blessing left and right and I'm so grateful for all He's doing!  We're having our first ladies meeting (well at least the first one that I'm in charge of)  on May 12th!  I'm really looking forward to it, but please pray that the Lord will guide my thoughts and words and that it will be a great time of blessing!
    Thank you for reading and all of your thoughts and prayers!

Blessed Beyond Measure...

So, my husband and I are annoucing it to the world, for the Lord has blessed us above and beyond all that we could ever ask or think!  We're expecting our first child.  Though life without my medication is already proving to be difficult and painful, I know that the Lord is my strength and He's giving me the grace to make it through!  I know it will all be worth it!  I praise Him for His goodness!  We announced it to our families of course, and yesterday we announced it to our church! They were completely overjoyed! :) I'm so excited and can't wait to meet the little one our Lord has created!!!!

Tale of the Four Brides

My friend Rebecca has put a new project up on her blog! It's called the tale of four brides.  Please check it out! It is our desire, that through the testimonies of us and two of our other friends, that we can help young women on their journies for true love! she just put up what I wrote!  Here's the link: http://unusualmaidenbutterflydays.blogspot.com/2012/04/melissas-story-part-2.html 
Enjoy!

In My Weakness

I would like to ask all my readers to please begin praying with me, as I endeavor to embark on a journey.  A journey that will be long and will require wisdom from the Lord.  I'm beginning to write a book that I pray every step of the way will bring honor and glory to our Father, and will encourage and uplift many people, saved and unsaved.  The name of the book will be "In My Weakness : My Journey with God through Physical Challenges" 
I appreciate all the prayer I can get as I seek to please our Lord with the writing ability He has given me!
Thank you all, and God bless!!!

"Take the Best Examples For Your Pattern"

Charles Spurgeon's Morning by Morning excerpt today was one that I felt I needed to share.  His enlightening words and challenge were derived from 1 Corinthians 10:12, which reads, "Let him tat thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." ...I will not share the entire challenge presented, but I will share the majority; the part that spoke most to me. 

"...Take heed that thou gloriest not in thy graces, but let all thy glorying and confidence be in Christ and His strength, for only so canst thou keep from falling.  Be much more in prayer.  Spend longer time in holy adoration.  Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly.  Watch you lives more carefully.  Live nearer to God.  TAKE THE BEST EXAMPLES FOR YOUR PATTERN.  Let your conversation be redolent of heaven.  Let your heart be perfumed with affection for men's souls.  So live that men may take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus, and have learned of Him; and when that happy day shall come, when He whom you love shall say, 'Thou has fought the good fight, thou has finished thy course, and henceforth, there is laid up for thee a crown of righteousness which fadeth not away.'  On, Christian, with care and caution!  On, with holy fear and trembling!  On, with faith and confidence in Jesus alone, and let your constant petition be, 'Uphold me according to Thy word!"  He is able, and He alone, 'to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.' "

     This entire excerpt really challenged me to look to the Lord more and to study His life, that I may pattern my own life after His!  The challenge that really stuck out to me however was; "take the best examples for your pattern."  First of all, as I just mentioned, I thought of Christ as my example to pattern my life after.  Then, as I thought of my greatest examples in the Christian life, my first thought went to someone that perhaps you would not expect.  Someone young.  Someone that my thoughts turn to when I think of love and adoration, yes, but someone that most young women may not be able to think of when they think of someone who is strong in the faith and earnest in their walk with the Lord.  It should be possible for each woman, young or old, to look to this great influence as a great person of God; someone that puts Christ first in all things, putting sleep, pleasure, even themselves after time in honest prayer and petition before God.  Yes, the first person on this earth I thought of that I desire to pattern my spiritual life after is my husband.  Yes, he is young ... but he has great wisdom and desire.  I think of the great words given to Timothy; "let no man despise thy youth."  I did not simply think of my husband because I love him so much and can not get him off my mind, which is probably true as well.  But as I honestly looked at each challenge Spurgeon presented, I thought of my husband's example in his walk with the Lord.  He is no where near perfect, and who better knows that than me, for I live with him.  But he strives to please the Lord in everything he does; and I mean everything.  I must be honest and say, sometimes I take no thought of it when he says, "I'm going to go pray for a while."  I am going to strive to make it a habit to go to the Lord in prayer myself during those times and most of all thank my Father for giving me a husband so concerned with the things of God. 

     I'm honored to have a husband who wants to glorify the Lord in all he does.  I have many great examples in my life, but I am elated that my first thought goes to Christ and my second goes to my husband; what great examples for my pattern! 

Not unto death...

"When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."  These beautiful words, which I think are my new life verse, are found in John 11:4. 
   For those of you who do not know me very well you may not know that I have a disease.  I have a nerve disorder called Fibromyalgia.  Doctors describe this disease as overactive nerves resulting in widespread chronic pain.  When I was a Junior in college and dating my husband, the small aches and pains I had for a few years, became nearly impossible to bare.  Because of the weight I lost and exhaustion, I never finished college, but rather went back to Indiana to seek treatment.  I also had another encounter with my skin cancer around the same time.  When the problems returned to this degree, I had been truly saved for less than a year.  However, I never felt the urge to become bitter or angry at God, but rather looked to Him far more because I knew I could not handle the pain on my own. 
   Some think that my Fibromyalgia does not give me the troubles that it use to, and respectfully I say...that's crazy!  Fibromyalgia is still a very mysterious disease.  It cannot be tested for through your blood, doctors do not know what causes it and there is still no known cure.  Medications help, but not all the time.  I believe, besides God Himself; my Momma (who also has the disease), and my wonderfully understanding husband are the only people who trully know how difficult it is to live this way. 
   I cannot imagine being unsaved and trying to deal with this disease.  Medications have helped and the encouragment God has given me through the man He placed in my life has been a true blessing, however, if it were not for the blessing of being able to run to my heavenly Father at any time and claiming the promises from His Word, I would not be able to handle the pain sometimes. 
   You may look at the verse I have selected to be my "life verse" and say ...isn't "not unto death" a little extreme for this disease that cannot actually kill you?  Allow me  to be frank; if it were not for Christ I may have taken my own life on a few occasions!  Yes! It gets that bad sometimes!  In my own efforts, I cannot ease the pain, no matter how many pills I try!  There are days when nothing dulls the pain!  I praise the Lord multiple times over for a loving husband who will do ANYTHING to try and help!  My favorite thing he does however, is drops everything when I've had enough of the pain, and cries out to our Lord on my behalf!  That has proven to be the best "sleeping pill".  I'm blessed beyond measure to have someone who knew what he was getting into and loved me anyway!  That's when I realize how much I see Christ in the man I have married.  Christ knew exactly what He was getting into when he came to this earth....yet He loved us and came anyway! 
   This verse in the Gospel of John is my greatest prayer for my life.  I know that my disease is not going anywhere (though the Lord could heal me if He chose to) and I am thankful for it!  It draws me closer to the only One who can truly give me relief and I am grateful for that!  But, I pray that through the pain, through the trials, my life will glorify Him!  If all that I go through is just so I can sympathize with one of my fellow Christians or lead a lost soul to Him, every twinge of pain, sleepless night, and tear is worth it! 
   More of my battle with this lies not in the physical, but the emotional and ultimately the spiritual side of it!  The pain makes me frustrated and literally angry sometimes!  I hate how the pain makes me when it gets too difficult to smile through!  I found that the only way to handle this is through prayer...prayer and more prayer!  Somedays, I feel like I'm praying the same thing over and over again all day long!  "Lord!  help me not to be frustrated!"  I have found it true every time that, "His grace is sufficient....made perfect in weakness..." and, "It is God that girdeth me with strength!" I pray that pride never sets in and that I say, "wow! I've made it through a lot."  Rather, I want to look back on my life and say, "glory to God, He brought me through a lot!"  I fail nearly everyday, but He is helping me to gain the victory in this battle.
   I must constantly remind myself when the pain becomes too much to handle; this is not unto death....but this is all for His name to be magnified....for all the glory belongs to Him!

New Decorations

Here are the pictures I promised! I had way too much fun today decorating! :)

Church Decor

   Last night I finished the spring decorations for the church. I look forward to taking down the winter and putting the spring up tomorrow! :)  I definitely got my mom's love for flower arranging and decorating, and when I do these things it never feels like work to me!  Perhaps someday I'll jump into the family business and become a wedding planner, decorator and coordinator like my Momma! :) 
    There's nothing I enjoy more than doing things for our church!  I'm usually doing all the behind the scenes things, such as these decorations, bulletins, cleaning and nursery schedules, etc.  but I wouldn't have it any other way!  As a pastor's wife, it is not my job to be in the spot light!  Doing these odd jobs is what keep things less hectic and stressful for my husband.  He does not have to worry about the seemingly little things so he can keep his focus on studying and praying for our people and revival!  That's all part of being a help meet for him!  My utmost duty however is still prayer!  Praying for our people and praying for the Spirit to empower my husband and give him wisdom as he leads his flock!  We're blessed with wonderful, teachable people who love the Lord and just want to do what He pleases!  How grateful we are for these dear people who have such a servant's heart! 
    I'm kind of sad that I do not have more things to decorate for the church right now; I finished it all last night!  But I look forward to putting the things up and brightening the church for spring!  I'll post pictures soon!
    Have a wonderful day and remember to keep HIM first!

New Pictures

        These pictures were taken last Sunday Morning at our church; Abundant Life Baptist Church, Naugatuck, CT.

To God Be The Glory!

    Hello, my name is Melissa Passmore!  This blog is simply to record and rejoice in the great things God is doing in little Naugatuck, Connecticut.  My husband, Mark and I studied at New England Baptist College in Southington and are now taking over a small (but growing) church here in Naugatuck called Abundant Life Baptist Church.  Mark has been working with our dear friends Pastor Jerry and Dee Nye in helping to revive the church from it's current state.  When my husband began helping, the church was small, dying and about to close it's doors! They were averaging about 5 or 6 people at the time! Praise the Lord for the burden He placed upon Mark and some of our college friends.  The Lord brought the Nyes to Naugatuck to help for this past year. We now average between 25 and 30 people for every service! The Nyes are now moving on to help other churches and handing it over to Mark and I this Sunday, March 4, 2012. 

    We are excited and eager to see what the Lord has in store!  We are currently keeping an eye out for a new building as our numbers increase and our room decreases!  This is a wonderful problem to have and we are confident the Lord will provide just the right location! 

     Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to marry a preacher, and look where I am to day...all by the grace of God!  I never dreamed I would ever start a blog as a pastor's wife!  To God be the glory!!!! GREAT THINGS HE HATH DONE....and is going to do!