Most Christians in America cannot comprehend the persecution happening to Christians around the world. Sure, we might read an article, see a social media post about praying for the Persecuted Church, but most will scroll on by. We don't hear about it from the pulpit like we should, and it's certainly not a headline grabber for the media.

This is why I'm so humbled to have been asked to do a LR podcast episode with a Ukrainian Pastor (Igor) and Chaplin (Mark). Their personal stories and encounters with the Russian invasion, occupation, and persecution are jaw-dropping. These are bold and courageous spiritual leaders, and, what impressed me the most is, they did not travel to America to ask the American churches for money. They came to bring awareness as to what our brothers and sisters in Christ are dealing with in Ukraine and to ask for us to use our most deadly spiritual weapon against the evil one - PRAYER - and to engage with them in fighting through this intense spiritual battle. They are asking that the American Church move to the spiritual frontlines on their behalf. Pray for protection, spiritual covering, for their faith to be strengthened, and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to continue to spread. God is moving in the midst of the evil and atrocities happening in their country. People are hungry for hope, truth, and salvation.

Commit with me and others to live real by lifting up Mark and Igor, great men of faith, and the persecuted Church in Ukraine. And then, if you will, please share this episode of the Living Real Podcast with your pastors, churches, and prayer warriors. We cannot shirk our responsibility to pray for them. May the Church be the Church for every tribe, tongue, and nation. May Jesus Christ be praised.

More of their stories will be in the Fall/Winter 2024 issue of Living Real Magazine coming in October.

Living Real,

Melanie

Season 3, episode 1 is a round-table discussion about faith and fostering in SC. Three foster moms, (Amy Bowen, Lacey Hines, Debbie Smith) talk about their amazing stories of fostering, how their faith directs their steps, and the joys and frustrations they've experienced in being a foster family. All three families have also adopted children they have fostered.

I consider these women and their husbands heroes of the faith. They have stepped up to literally rescue and change the lives of orphans for the glory of Christ. James 1:27 says, Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

The Church has been given the responsibility to look after orphans. It's a beautiful picture of what Christ has done for us by adopting us as His children. Looking after orphans comes in many forms, but we must be willing to come alongside these brave men and women to support and encourage them in any way possible. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent in SC, here's the link to start the process:

Heartfelt Calling

Thank you for listening and until next time...

Keep it Real,

Melanie

Part One: Open the Word - Exposing the Enemy of the Light

Follow along as we examine Ephesians 6:12, 5:8b, 11 to discover who the real enemy of our souls is, and how we push back against this present darkness with the Light of Christ. 

Part Two: A Conversation with author, Charles Martin - For more info, go to https://www.charlesmartinbooks.com/

This conversation is one of my favorites so far. Charles Martin is the real deal. He loves Christ, his family, and writes amazing fiction that points to the love of Jesus Christ. He is one of my all time favorite authors of inspirational, Christian fiction. Martin is not a sappy writer by any means, just real, down to earth stories that portray how hard relationships can be. His characters motivate us to examine our own hearts and to be honest with ourselves, God, and others about anything that's holding us back from the freedom God desires for us to live in. With some heart-racing, on-the-edge-of-your-seat "James Bond" type action infused, The Water Keeper, The Letter Keeper, and coming in 2022, The Record Keeper, have exposed the atrocities of human trafficking and what it takes to rescue someone from this evil. Rescue is possible. Healing takes time. Hope is never lost. Forgiveness is essential. Freedom is pure joy!

Keepin' it Real,

Melanie

Part One of this Living Real episode dives into the significance of Israel. Why is this tiny nation surrounded by regimes who want it to fall of such biblically prophetic importance? My guest in Part Two challenged me to go deeper into "Why Israel?," because a particular piece from her art collection wrecked me. Psalm 8:2 helps explain why.

Part Two is my conversation with a divinely gifted artist, Mary Burkett. She'll tell you she's not an artist, but her work says differently. She never tried to draw anything before January of 2017. That morning when she sat down at her kitchen table in West Columbia, SC, with a brand new sketch pad and pencil and began looking for inspiration, no one could have imagined what would emerge from the paper - 27 portraits entitled The Beloved: Children of the Holocaust. Since 2017, Mary has gifted the world with over 100 beautiful faces of children who point to a story only God could write.  When you hear this miracle in her own words, you will not only be blown away but changed! I was.

Check out Mary's artwork at https://www.maryburkettart.com/belovedchildrenoftheholocaust1 

You'll want to read her article, A Pencil in His Hand, in our Fall/Winter 2021 issue of Living Real Magazine. If you can't find a copy (out in October), check it out on our website @livingrealmag.com.

Genesis Creative Studios is also putting the finishing touches on a documentary film about Mary and her art. It should be coming soon. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more info. @livingrealmag

Keepin' it Real for Jesus' sake,

Melanie

What is an influencer? An influencer is one who impacts the decisions of others. As influencers for Christ, we have an awesome responsibility and privilege to impact the decisions others make in response to God's calling on and purpose for their lives. We all have been entrusted with a circle of influence. Some circles are small, others are large, but every circle is of utmost importance.

In Part One, we take a look at a strong plea through prayer from a man who's life has been defined by pain, but one who's also been tagged as "more honorable than his brothers" in Scripture. Jabez, a name given pause to, tucked inside the genealogy of the Jewish nation, is a man of great faith. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 is where we hear this plea--a plea for more territory, an expansion of borders [for God's glory]. His prayer for God to expand his circle of influence impacted my own faith over 20 years ago. Living Real Magazine is part of God continuing to honor my sincere prayer all those years ago. We all need to examine our circles of influence periodically to make sure we are following God's leading as He seeks to extend our borders for His glory. 

Part Two is my interview with Dave Wilson, President of Palmetto Family. Dave is an influencer for Christ with a huge circle of influence in the state of South Carolina. He has an incredible job which seeks to influence legislation to "guard" families from the influences of evil on our society. Dave's background is amazing, and his story will bless and motivate you to stand strong for our first circle of influence for God's glory, our families. 

Please visit Palmetto Family's website for more information and for ways to be involved. https://www.palmettofamily.org/

Thank you for listening!

Keepin' it Real for Jesus' sake,

Melanie

What do you think of when you hear the word "mercy"? In Part One of the podcast, we open the Word of God and talk about this amazing gift. Lamentations 3: 22-23 are verses often quoted when speaking about God's mercy. These powerful verses must have deeply impacted Thomas Obadiah Chisholm when he wrote the lyrics, Morning by morning, new mercies I see, in the timeless hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness. 

In Part Two of this episode, you'll hear from a real life, death row inmate about God's incredible mercy and grace. Jimmy MacPhee had no idea how the words, "May God have mercy on your soul," (spoken by the judge after being sentenced to death row at age 20) would come full circle almost 45 years later. 

Hold on tight for this one. Though most of his James MacPhee's life was spent in the SC prison system, not a single moment of Jimmy's life has been wasted. God's ways and thoughts are not ours and are higher than we can ever imagine. Our stories are orchestrated by His sovereignty and with eternity in mind. 

Living Real Magazine published Jimmy's story in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue.  You can read his article at  https://livingrealmag.com/blogs/articles

To learn more about Jimmy's story and his ministry, or to contact him to speak at your event, please visit https://ontherockjimmy.org/

Until next time,

Keepin' it Real,

Melanie

Part 1: We're opening the Word to Psalm 139: 13-16. This is the framing of every one of our stories. These verses explain how we are formed by our Creator, intricately and intimately. No two people are exactly the same. We're fashioned by God's hands in the wombs of our mothers for His purpose and glory. Each conception is God-breathed, no matter the circumstances surrounding our conception. Life is a gift from God, precious and purposed to point to God's Son, Jesus Christ. Adoption was God's idea, and being adopted spiritually is God's desire for all of His created. I'm physically adopted and love to share my story of adoption meshed with my spiritual adoption story. The two go perfectly hand in hand.

Part 2: The Hines (Jon and Lacey) tell their story of how they met, their unique wedding, how they became foster parents, and ultimately their story of becoming adoptive parents of two littles, Levi and Dottie. After fostering over 30 children, God called them to take the next step of adoption. Both Levi and Dottie have been at home with the Hines since birth, and now their adoptions have been finalized at the ages of three and almost four. I love this family. The have a deep faith, and are great examples of what it means to "live real."  Their deep love for Christ is evident in their attentiveness to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Living Real Magazine has followed their brave steps of obedience with fostering and adoption. Check out Lacey's article, Too Attached, on the livingrealmag.com website.

The story of Dottie Mae Hines Day will be in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of the magazine. I was able to attend this adoption virtually, and because it impacted more than I thought it would, I wrote an article about this amazing experience, and you'll get to see pictures of these two cuties and their forever parents.

Welcome to Season 2, Episode One of the Living Real Podcast!

This season we will bring you two parts of each episode. Part one is opening the Scriptures together, and Part 2 is the interview portion with someone seeking to live real faith in real life. 

Part One: A Look Into Psalm 3.

David is in a tug-o-war with his mind and emotions. He's being pursued by his enemies, and though everything looks bleak and full of despair, David's faith is strong. He knows and understands God's faithfulness and His hand on his life. David fights against the enemy of his soul by proclaiming who God is. He's reminding himself in a conversational prayer unto the Lord, that God is for him and never against him.

This is a powerful Psalm, guiding and instructing us how to cling to hope and truth whenever we find ourselves in a place of deep despair. 

Click the link to hear this Psalm through music, performed by Prestonwood Choir and Orchestra. Powerful! One of my favorites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZtDVYOb-fw 

Part Two: An Interview with Dee Dee Simmons. 

Bio: Dee Dee Simmons is a life and performance coach and Co-Founder of Live Your Design. She is also the Chief Marketing Officer at FITTS. Dee Dee is completely in love with Jesus, actively pursues Him, and is passionate about sharing what she learns through Him with others. She lives in Chapin, SC with her husband, Ken, their three daughters, McKenna, Kelsey, and Sally, and two pups. Check out her website below.

https://www.liveyourdesign.life/ 

I love Dee Dee's honesty. She is definitely "living real" with a heart that's been challenged, searched, and refined. Dee Dee woke up January 1, 2019 with a heavy sadness that she could not explain. God used her sadness to bring her to a place of peace, freedom, and real joy.

Something rooted inside her heart years ago that Dee Dee was unware of. She was definitely aware of the trauma that had taken place, but didn't realize her coping skills use to cover up the pain were planting seeds of an unforgiving spirit. It was hindering her faith walk and holding her back from more of what God had for her. A whole year dealing with and searching for an answer to her sadness proved to be a peeling back the layers of her hurting heart. Under the guidance of a Christian Counselor, she discovered that underneath it all was an unforgiving spirit - the culprit of her sadness. God needed her to come to the place where she was willing to allow Him to uproot that root of bitterness, anger, and hate so He could replace it with a joy-full root of forgiveness. 

Dee Dee's story will help you examine your heart and to ask the Lord to do some real soil-stirring to empty it of the damaging rot and replace it with His redemption, freedom, and indescribable joy. 

This episode concludes our first season of the Living Real Podcast. And my, what a year it has been! Shout outs to all who've had a hand in helping to bring our podcast to life, and to those who've been my guests. Everyone was amazing!

In this episode, you'll hear straight from me, your host and Editor-in-Chief of Living Real Magazine. I'm speaking about how to see past the obvious of 2020 and focus on what God has accomplished even in the midst of suffering. He is ever faithful, ever present, God with us still - Emmanuel.

Wrapped up in this podcast is also a gift for you! Three of my own piano arrangements of some of my favorite Christmas carols are included for your enjoyment, recorded in my living room.

1. Go Tell It On the Mountain

2. Carol of the Bells (arrangement inspired by Jim Brickman)

3. Silent Night/Jesus Loves Me

And finally, I promised the recipe for my Mama's Chocolate Pound Cake! (My favorite for any season of the year.) See below.

May your family experience the comfort & joy of Christ as you celebrate His birth this Christmas season!

From our heart to yours, a very Merry Christmas! 

Keeping it Real,

Melanie

My Mama's Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe (Junelle Cook)

Ingredients:

3 Cups Sugar

2 sticks of butter

6 eggs

6 Tbs. unsweetened Hersey's cocoa powder

3 Cups flour

1 Cup 2% milk

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions: Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Cream sugar and butter in a stand up mixer. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Add cocoa. Beat well.

Alternately add flour and milk. Beat well.

Add salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat well.

Spray a tube cake pan with Baker's Joy. Pour batter evenly into the tube pan.

Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven and allow to completely cool in the tube pan before inverting and removing cake.

ENJOY!

What a joy to spend time in conversation with Lere` Robinson at The Barn. Sitting with her in her spacious barn kitchen where she hosts cooking classes, gives health talks, and entertains family and friends was such a sweet time of refreshment. 

Lere` is a frequent guest on WIS-TV as a regular nutritionist consultant, and she's also a consistent contributor to Living Real Magazine providing us with healthy living articles and recipes. You will inspired by her incredible personal story and how her faith has moved her to serving people through health and wellness for over 20 years. Her gentle spirit is so evident as is her strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Her endearing South African accent will also draw you in.

The table has always been a focal point for family and friends to gather to enjoy the blessings from Whom all blessings flow. As you sit around the table during this holiday season, make the effort to give thanks for all the blessings He has given us: delicious foods, family, friends, our salvation through Christ, His mercy and grace, etc...

I know Lere` would love to host your church group, corporate group, or you and some friends at The Barn. To learn more about her ministry and Alive Again, LLC, please visit her website at https://www.aliveagainonline.com/.

Keeping it Real,

Melanie