Tattoos and Stones

Tattoos and Stones

Tattoos and stones?

Unusual combination, or totally related?

For me . . . they are totally related. My tattoos serve as stones of remembrance.

Let’s take a look at two examples of stones of remembrance before I relate them to

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0 Responses to Tattoos and Stones

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A Reflection of Overcomers

A Reflection of Overcomers

A Reflection of Overcomers

mels-videoAs I approach the four year mark of my overcomer website, I found myself reflecting on all the INCREDIBLE stories I’ve had the opportunity to share.

Below you will find a powerful video titled A Reflection

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2 Responses to A Reflection of Overcomers

  • Melony – Great job and such an encouraging video! Through Christ and the word of our testimony, we will overcome. (Rev 12:11)

  • Very cool friend! Loved looking at all of the Overcomers. I didn’t realize you had interviewed so many until I saw them all together. That’s a lot of work- a labor of love I know! Awesome!

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Nature Walks: A Metaphor for the Journey of Life

Nature Walks: A Metaphor for the Journey of Life

One of the best perks of being a teacher is nine wonderful weeks of summer to indulge in doing whatever I please. My pleasure this summer has been long nature walks. I definitely embark on these journeys

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8 Responses to Nature Walks: A Metaphor for the Journey of Life

  • I think i recognized every one of these trails!!!

  • Great story Melony! Thank you for sharing!

  • Thank you for these beautiful thoughts friend. As I was reading, I was imagining that I was walking the same paths. The one that resonated with me was the detour. I read once that grief, which we all experience at some time, is like a detour. You’re going along, living your life, and then it happens. You’re forced to go through a period of grief. Similar to going down the road, you see a detour sign and have no choice but to take it. Then at some point, the detour meets back at the main road, but the road is different. Like grief, at some point, you come back, but your path is very different. I’m on this detour now, and oh how many new experiences I’ve had already. I’m learning things and making decisions I never imagined I’d be strong enough to make. God is good, and He’s leading me gently through the detour. I hope this encourages someone who may be going through their own time of grief.

    • Cindy, my precious friend. Thank you for sharing your heart. Even though Bob passing away was an unexpected detour on your life journey, please know you have family and many friends who love you. Call on us when you need support. Love you!

  • WOW!!!! I love this!!! I, too, can relate very well to this and my love for being out on the trails! It is so peaceful and an incredible place for reflections on my daily life. My mind is always more clear when I’m on my nature walks/runs! Thank you for your beautiful metaphor!!! 🙂

  • I love your connection of nature walks and the journey of life! I am a “Let’s go outside and play” kind of girl and always have been. I’ve also felt God’s presence as I walk through His creation. I’m reminded of His love for me and His promise that He will never leave me. And boy, do I need to remember that fact as I maneuver through some of the difficult walks of life! But as with some of the most challenging hikes I’ve taken, the view is worth it!

  • Beautiful… I love the great out doors and nature has a way of making everything seem less complicated.. loved your article and I’m glad you are getting a few weeks off to enjoy God’s creations..great read.. really enjoyed it.

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My Journey of Overcoming, Part 2

My Journey of Overcoming, Part 2

A four year stint. Not long enough of a break from the neurological misfirings my body is so prone to. But my body didn’t ask my opinion.

In April of this year, another transient ischemic attack (TIA) or

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20 Responses to My Journey of Overcoming, Part 2

  • Thanks for sharing your on-going story, Melony. Thanks for using your passion for writing to enlighten us on your pathway with TIA.

    Blessings,
    alan

  • Melony,

    I had no idea that you had to go through this again! I praise our God that you were able to overcome once more and remain with us here to inspire us with your writings! You are a blessing to all us overcomers! BTW…I love your tattoo! I pray you never have to add another flower! Love you!

    • Tracie,
      Thanks for your encouraging words! I love my tattoo too, and I do hope I won’t have to add any other flowers. As an overcomer yourself, you understand the daily fight. It’s hard, but it’s so very worth it!

  • Hey sweet lady — one of the most beautiful feelings in the world is to feel loved (key word FEEL). So I hope you feel all the love pouring out to you to support you, to believe in you, to pull for you and to abundantly pray for you. You are always so busy writing about others and, regardless of your plight, it is good to hear the honesty and details of your story. Two of my favorite sayings are “The power of one” and “It takes a village”. Sounds like you are doing the “one” part — eating right, exercising, drinking ugly colored health drinks. Through your sharing, the “village” can now go to work. Let us support you, be there for you, pray for you & love you so much that you really feel it. Hang in there, stay strong, depend on God and know that you are loved.
    My love & blessings to you —- Linda

    • Linda,
      I agree with you that we all need a village, and you most certainly are part of my village. I love you!

  • Baby! Thank you for sharing your story in a transparent, authentic way . I love you!

    • I love you, too! Thank you for loving me, even on my rough days. The red velvet cupcakes you bring home always make those rough days more bearable!

  • Thank you for sharing your latest opportunity for overcoming, Melony. You are truly an inspiration to all who know and love you. Stay strong!

    Love you,
    Kay McDaniel

  • Oh friend, thanks for sharing your journey so openly and honestly. Andy Stanley’s recent message included the challenge: “See adversity as a gift with a purpose and a promise – the purpose may yet be determined, but the promise is, “My grace is sufficient for you…”2 Cor. 12:9. You are a beautiful example of living that promise out everyday. Love ya lots : )

    • Cindy,
      Thanks for the encouragement! You, too, are a beautiful example of living that promise out! You’re an OVERCOMER! Love you, too!

  • You are an amazing woman to have gone through what you have and to have done it with a smile on your face . . . always. May God continue to shine down on you and bring you health and happiness.

    • Thank you Susan for your encouraging words. You have gone through much, as well. The word OVERCOMER describes you too, my friend!

  • One of the things that I love most about you-you get this weakness and uncooperative body thing. For us-its just living everyday and normal. Other people often don’t get it…and its hard to explain. I was beyond excited this weekend to find a pair of mismatched shoes on the clearance rack-mismatched to my feet. It won’t fix my lack of balance and stability on my right side….but it will help. Some anyway 🙂
    This is why God brought us together–you take my left side and your right side and TOGETHER we could conquer this world!!!
    Man I miss you…..

    • Shannon,

      We have always been a great pair – shared health issues or not. We definitely could conquer this world! For now, I’d love to conquer our schedules and meet for dinner soon!

  • Melony – You are an overcomer! (love the tattoo:) Sorry you are having fatigue and health problems. You know what to do – Be good to yourself, receive from God and others who want to help. The Lord’s love for you is endless! Blessings, Maureen

  • You’re amazing Mel! Praying for you and hope the ink remains as is :-). Love you!

  • I am thanking God for our chance (not) meeting today neighbor and now friend, after all these years (14 here for me since 2003). Wow, I never would have guessed, I saw nothing of this today!!! Praises to God for His Jehovah Rapha healing hand on your body all these years!!! My prayer for you will be many more years of exercising your body and those glorious spiritual gifts God has given you, that you are using, not only for His Glory but, for the encouragement it brings to all us OVERCOMERS!!! I have not yet read all the stories but look forward to them!!! PS 46:10 is special to me and I can’t wait to share the Hebrew meaning of STILL with you, in case you don’t already know, remind me. Our Lord bless and keep you,

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10 Responses to Amazing Young Writers!

  • what i think will be very cool is to check in with these kids down the road and see where their creativity takes them, or better yet, see how their writing impacts them!!

  • Congratulations to you all! What an amazing opportunity you have to be poured into by one of the most encouraging women I know. Thank you Melony Brown for giving so generously of yourself.

    It wasn’t too long ago that someone told me I would never amount to anything. Mrs. Brown made an enormous impact on my life and I am now in my second year of college studying for a master’s degree in Sociology. My scholarship recommendation came from my Comprehension and Rhetoric Professor for an essay I wrote. Mrs. Brown was my editor!

    Just remember that you can only fail at what you do not try!

    • Thanks for the encouraging words, Stacy! You have written some amazing papers since beginning your degree. I hope you will write your story – it is such an unbelievable story of overcoming!

  • Love to see the creative juices flowing! As their computer teacher, I know what they’re capable of when they use their God-given talents. Good thing we’re practicing our typing skills to help with future writing! This is a great group of 5th graders that I’m proud to teach : )

    • This is a great group of 5th graders! I hope they will let you see their finished books sometime in the spring.

  • i cannot wait to see the final results of all that each of you accomplished. Learning to write well starts by making the effort to accomplish and you have completed that task. You accomplished one of your goals – to write!!!

    As you head into writes and rewrites, be encouraged seeing your creation blossom. We all have thoughts to share. Seek what God has for you — you are God’s unique creation and he has gifted each of you differently. Reach for God’s direction.

    • Thanks Nancy for encouraging these young writers! I will share your comments with them when we begin working on editing their novels.

  • As their Reading and Language Arts teacher, I could not be more proud or more thrilled by the results of this National Novel Writing Month. It was amazing to come to school each day and have students beg me for “Nano time” during class. The students truly thrived during this month, carrying their writing journals and pencils everywhere they went, bouncing ideas off of each other, and worrying more about the story they were writing than about what grade they would get. I loved seeing their creativity blossom over the course of that month. What an incredible opportunity to be a part of! Thank you, Melony, for your continual encouragement and teaching this to the kids! This is something I am already looking forward to for next year!!

  • Christin,

    It was a privilege to work with your students! You’re right – they were so excited to share their story ideas with me as I passed them in the hall. I am excited to see their finished projects after we teach them editing.

    I’m looking forward to next year’s group, too! Those students will have big shoes to fill!

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5 Responses to Mentoring: Pouring Your Passions Into Young People

  • Hey… I did this!! This was my 4th one! 🙂

  • How fresh and exciting!

  • Melony, It was a privilege and especially a blessing to partner with you in this writing adventure! For us to see and be a part of one of your passions, we were honored. I was pleased with the final products as well, and can’t wait to open up Bartlett’s NANO coffee shop again!

    • Heather,

      It was great to work with you and get to know you better! It seems several of your students have continued to write! Thanks for investing in the coffee shop idea and all the great prizes they earned. Now to get the codes to them so they can have their novels published!

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