Hope – Page 6 – Melissa Schlies

He Always Comes

As we close in on Christmas Eve, I thought I'd re-share this post from last year. It's a simple message, but one that's easy to forget. Merry Christmas, friends! One of my favorite books growing up was The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. Early in the story, one of the main characters, Lucy, finds herself in a magical, snow-covered land. The first creature she meets there is Mr. Tumnus who is half man, half faun. Though she is taken back by his appearance, he is very kind and they soon become friends. Mr. Tumnus tells [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-12-19T14:16:33+00:00December 23rd, 2019|Categories: Christmas, Hope, Uncategorized|Comments Off

The Whisper of Christmas

Underneath the hum of Christmas, some of us hear a whisper. It’s not one we hear in our ears, but rather one spoken to our hearts. Like the unexpected tug of an old memory, it speaks to us in surprising moments. When we’re waiting at the stoplight we get caught in every day. When a particular Christmas carol comes on in a store. Or while we’re stringing lights on our tree. This whisper reminds us Christmas transcends all the “more” it has become. Sure there is joy in all the cookie baking. We find revelry in the ugly sweater Christmas [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-12-16T12:17:00+00:00December 16th, 2019|Categories: Calling, Christmas, Faith, Hope, Uncategorized|2 Comments

Waiting…At Christmas

In celebration of Advent, I am reposting this from my first Christmas blog series in 2016. For those of us who are waiting--not only for Christmas, but for important things to happen in our lives--this post still holds up. And I pray you find it encouraging. This past November, just after Halloween, the stores set up their Christmas displays. Though what is known as the “Christmas Creep” has been happening for quite a few years now, I almost found it shocking. One afternoon, I was doing my grocery shopping, turned a corner, and found myself in Santa’s Workshop. All I could [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-12-01T17:50:53+00:00December 2nd, 2019|Categories: Christmas, Faith, Hope, Waiting|Comments Off

Comparison: It’s Not Our Job

Over the past few years, there’s a word that’s been thrown around to describe our generation: Entitled. But I don’t believe our problem is that we think we are owed everything. I think the problem is we compare ourselves to others. Then we worry about what it says about us, if we aren’t in the same place (financially, career-wise, etc.), as everyone else seems to be. I don’t believe our problem is that we think we are owed everything. I think the problem is we compare ourselves to others. Comparison is never about the person we’re focusing on. It’s always [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-10-24T12:42:10+00:00October 28th, 2019|Categories: Anxiety, comparison, Courage, Hope, Mental Health, Purpose, Rejection, Uncategorized|Comments Off

When Change, Changes You

This past summer, Tony and I grew four tomato plants out on our deck. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw some of our first fruits, as I was pretty excited to get a crop. But then, blossom end rot began to overtake our San Marzano plant. For every healthy tomato, it seemed there were two that began to blacken and wrinkle from the bottom up. I was so discouraged. Instead of harvesting red ripe tomatoes, every time I went out to the porch it seemed I was bringing back little, rotting, baby green ones. It was depressing. [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-09-27T14:54:55+00:00September 30th, 2019|Categories: Acceptance, Change, Faith, Hope, perseverance, Saying No, Uncategorized|Comments Off

What If…It’s Good?

Recently, one night after work, Tony was working out to a video he was streaming in our living room. I was making dinner, and not paying much attention. But then, after putting our meal in the oven, I started scrolling through Instagram. And, as it is so easy to do, I began half listening to the workout instructor as he started to lead Tony and his online audience through cool down. Following stretching and some time in Savasana, he said, “Now picture what success looks like for you today. Then imagine yourself succeeding.” At these words, I almost laughed out [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-07-16T15:37:25+00:00July 29th, 2019|Categories: Balance, Courage, Fear, Habit Making, Hope, Success, Uncategorized|Comments Off

What if I Make the Wrong Choice?

This wasn’t supposed to be my story. These words found their way into my thoughts as I pulled towels out of the dryer and began folding them. A year and half into being married, at thirty years of age, I was home without a job. Each day, my most pressing responsibilities were doing laundry and making dinner. I was a stay at home wife. I never thought I’d be a stay at home wife. Even if we decided to have kids, I always pictured myself as the working mom. But now, I was what I had judged other women so [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-07-15T19:43:02+00:00July 15th, 2019|Categories: Change, Courage, Failure, Fear, grief, Hope, Making Decisions, Success, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Rewiring Our Body Image: #MyBodyHas

Do you remember the first time you had a negative thought about your body? I know I don’t. All I know is I was young, and that since then, there have been too many to count. Sometimes, thoughts of shame about my body have come as easily to me as breathing. They fly through my brain and land in my heart bringing a heaviness that is hard to shake. Because they’ve been making their appearance for years now, they leave in their wake a sense of defeat. They tell me my body will never be enough. My body that has [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-06-12T16:13:11+00:00June 13th, 2019|Categories: #mybodyhas, Acceptance, Beauty, Body Image, Courage, Freedom, Good Books, gratitude, Health, Hope, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Uncategorized|Comments Off

It’s June

It’s June, can you believe it? In three weeks, summer officially begins. But if you live in a similar climate as I do, here in Pennsylvania, you know the best weather of the year is happening right now. The humidity hasn’t set in yet, the mornings are cool, and the temperature hits a pleasant seventy degrees somewhere in the middle of the day. There is something life giving about coming through the cold of winter and the rains of spring, and stepping into the warm, bright days of summer. The days are longer, meaning it is easier to get up [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-05-29T20:06:36+00:00June 3rd, 2019|Categories: Balance, Change, Freedom, Hope, Making Decisions, Success, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Three Things To Remember in a Fight

No one likes conflict. In fact, that is why so many couples who’ve been together for years, feel disconnected from one another: they’ve avoided their struggles by pretending they aren’t there. They’ve let them pile up, until there is a wall between them. The only solution is to do the hard work of dismantling the wall (including getting help), or get out. None of us want to choose the latter. None of us want our marriage to end. That is why, no matter where you are in your marriage journey—from single wanting to be married someday, to being married for [...]

By Melissa Schlies|2019-05-15T20:38:46+00:00May 9th, 2019|Categories: Conflict, Health, Hope, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Marriage, Relationships, Uncategorized|Comments Off

He Always Comes

The Whisper of Christmas

Waiting…At Christmas

Comparison: It’s Not Our Job

When Change, Changes You

What If…It’s Good?

What if I Make the Wrong Choice?

Rewiring Our Body Image: #MyBodyHas

It’s June

Three Things To Remember in a Fight

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