Melyssa Dawson Melyssa was born and raised in Venice, Florida. She’s a second year student. She was adopted at the age of 4, and she grew up going to Word of Life camps. She hasn’t always walked with the Lord or always planned to attend Word of Life. Her life through “ungospelized” eyes would seem absolutely laced with pain and good reason to be without hope and a hater of God. The mistreatment she experienced in her young life bred in her deep-seated issues, and one of those feeling absolutely unloved. Her parents are both professing Christians, and they talked to her about the gospel. She attended Christian school too. Her life quickly became “Jesus saturated.” Though she was surrounded by the Bible, and love, she was stubbornly planting her feet in the sand. When she was around the age of twelve, she went to bed with a serious fighting match happening in her head. She couldn’t run away from the truth. She was brought to surrender, but as she would put it, “I was saved kicking and screaming like C.S. Lewis said.” This reminds me of Psalm 139:7-10. We can’t outrun the persistent love of God, no matter where we try to hide. Melyssa shared with me that it does take a certain humility to truly accept the love of God. His love is based totally outside of what we do or don’t do. Even though we sin against Him like we breath, He has chosen to love us. Her past experiences do not change who God is, but God can repurpose her pain.
We can’t outrun the persistent love of God, no matter where we try to hide.
She chose the gospel over her own feelings.
There is much more to this wonderful story God has woven together. Further experiences of deep mind and life changing pain occurred in her life. She didn’t take her suffering as an opportunity to get closer to the Lord and grow in Christ-like character, but she allowed her pain to fester into an ugliness that carried her well into high school. Her relationship with the Lord was underdeveloped. The door had been opened, she took a few steps in, but froze when trial came. Since all of this backstory took place, Melyssa has surrendered all to the Lord, letting Him be the lead in her life after some time of wandering in gross darkness. She has been growing steadily in her relationship with God.
Praise the Lord God Almighty we can’t earn His love, but it is freely given; daily.
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Word of Life Bible Institute
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