My name is Melana Cummings (aka MooseMama…story to come). I live in Sheridan Wyoming. I have been married to Tim Cummings for 32 years. We met through a letter and he asked me to marry him in a letter. (It’s a very long story, but oh so sweet and God designed!) The first time we kissed was when he put the engagement ring on my finger. It’s not a common way to start out a life together, but we were best friends who got married. He’s still one of the dorkiest people I know. He makes me laugh. He makes me shake my head. He has always said that if I ever leave him, he’s coming with me. We have a 26 year old daughter Sarah, a 16 year old daughter Emily, and a grandson, Jensen, who is 3. I have worked for the State of Wyoming for 28 years, and have a degree in psychology from the only university in the state. I was raised in the Lutheran church but had no idea what a personal relationship with Christ was. When I was 21, Christ sought me out, and I prayed to receive Him. From that day forward JESUS HAS BEEN MY LIFE!
In 2006, I prayed that I would grow even more in my faith and in Christ. About a week later a snippet of video was played about the Bible study, Believing God by Beth Moore (never heard of her!) that would be starting soon. A prayer answered!
A few months later this Beth Moore was going to be in Salt Lake City with Living Proof Live, so myself and 5 friends drove to see her. She taught from Ephesians 3…how wide, how long, how high, and how deep is the love of Christ….to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. One phrase she said “All excess is a result of emptiness”, hit me hard. As a woman who has been overweight all my life, all I could think was “nuh-uh”!
That one Bible Study and Living Proof Live event were the beginning of many more Bible Studies and live events through the last 9 years. My prayers for growth were being answered! I loved reading Beth’s blog and made a lifelong friend through it: Adrienne Hudson (aka Fuzzytop in Tennessee) and I became online friends. In 2008 a friend and I drove from Wyoming to San Antonio Texas for the Living Proof Live, and “Siesta Fiesta”, where I finally got to meet Adrienne face-to-face. I wish I could name all of the Siestas I have met over the years! They have become so dear to my heart and really, an integral part of my life in Christ! Honestly, the kindness, love, support and joy these women have brought to my life is no small miracle.
The most hilarious part of that trip was a stuffed Moose with a Wyoming bandana on his neck. It was my intention to give the moose to Beth as a gift. Well, we started to take pictures of “Miesta Moose” (Miesta is a male Siesta), along the trip. The pictures got posted on a secondary blog that a couple of Siestas had started, which was all about the Fiesta. By the time we arrived in San Antonio, Miesta Moose had become somewhat of a celebrity. And so it began. I took him to every Beth Moore event I went to. He would even end up in recap pictures, and then Siestas from all around the country, most of whom, I had never met, asked me to send him to them so they could take him to the event in their area. He has been kissed and carried by some of the most wonderful women! Around his neck, he wears the wristbands from the events he has attended. I became MooseMama. He became so recognizable, that women asked to have their pictures taken with him. It pleased me that he showed up at tapings and book signings that Beth was doing.
In 2009, I felt God really was telling me that I could be more of what He wanted for me if I lost that excess weight and fill the emptiness with Him. I lost 120 lbs. in a year’s time. I was leading Bible Studies. I was teaching Sunday School. I even went on a mission trip to Africa with my church. Something I never would have tried when I was so overweight. Prayers answered!
The year 2011 brought with it a season of severe loss and struggle. A heart attack altered the health of my husband, my oldest daughter became a widow at 22. Two weeks following her husband’s death she discovered she was expecting our grandson Jensen. I grew steadily depressed with these changes and gained back all the weight I had lost. I felt like I was trying to hold everything from flying apart. I was exhausted. We stopped going to church. But God…
We returned to church last year, and God is showing me how He used Jensen to redeem these past few years. His faithfulness to me never faltered. This verse has never meant more to me, than now. Today it is my verse to memorize:
Romans 8:38-39 NIV
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
AMEN!
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven; A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2 NKJV
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
Psalm 130:7 ESV
Liz Kelley, College Station, Tx
Psalms 146:7b-8 (NLT)
“The Lord frees the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly.”
Heather Burch – Simi Valley, CA – Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.
Romans 12:1 NIV
Iris Stinson Carlisle, PA
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29 NIV
Debbie Farley, Lancaster, TX
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ”
John 14:27 (NIV)
Tirsa Pittaway, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Psalm 139:23 kjv “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:”
Jean Abilene, TX
Psalm 84:10 NIV
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
mh, San Mateo, CA
Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
Phil 2:14 NASB
Jennifer Henderson, Raleigh, NC
The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
Psalm 34:15 (ESV)
Tricia Dubbe, missionary in Germany (this is my 13th verse)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13 ESV Hallelujah!
Antoinette Krietemeijer, Hoofddorp, the Netherlands (Europe)
Laat uw enthousiasme niet bekoelen, maar laat u aanvuren door de Geest en dien de Heer. Wees verheugd door de hoop die u hebt, wees standvastig wanneer u tegenspoed ondervindt, en bid onophoudelijk. Romeinen 12:11,12-NBV.
Christene from London, Canada
But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God and made Him my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works. Psalm 73:28 Amp
Lori Johnson Auburn, MA Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
1 Peter 4:7-11 7″For the culmination of all things is near. Be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. 8 Above all keep your love for one another fervent, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, let it be with God’s words. Whoever serves, do so with the strength that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen
Margaret, Kingsport, TN
O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!
Jeremiah 32:17 NLT
Carrie Lyons Homer Glen, IL
Psalm 27:4 NIV The one thing I ask of the Lord-the thing I seek most-is to live in the house of the Lord all the day’s of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating on His Temple.
Lori in Kodak, TN
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. Psalm 90:17
“but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.”
Psalm 147:11 (ESV)
Sandra Larranaga Bowe San Jon NM
Isaiah 54:17
No weapon forged against you will prevail,
And you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me.
Lisa from Rootstown, Ohio. Psalm 19:14 NIV. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Janice
Arcanum, OH
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. Isaiah 30:18 NASB
Carolyn, Conroe, TX
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”
– Romans 8:37 (NASB)
I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt open your mouth and I will fill it. Psalm 81:10 NIV
Amy Westminster, MD
“And he passed in front of Moses proclaiming, The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger abounding in love and faithfulness.” NIV
Diane from Chesapeake, VA
Psalm 108:13. (NIV)
“With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.”
Jody Bowhay in Huntsville, AL NIV
Ephesians 6:17
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Isaiah 26:3; New Living Translation (NLT)
3 You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Sarah Carroll, Springfield, Ohio
Marla Ritter, Benton AR. John 6:35, “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ “
Tracy
Lake St. Louis, Missouri
Be imitators of God,therefore, as dearly loved children.
Ephesians 5:1 NIV
Psalm 81:10 says, ” I am the God that brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!” ESV
Evelyn Anne from Macon, GA
Dian Helgerud in Cocoa Beach Florida
James 1:9-11
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation – since they will pass away like a wildflower. For the sunrises with scorching heat and withers the plant; it’s blossoms fall and it’s beauty is destroyed. In the same way the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
Romans 8:26-27
26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27And
He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes
for the saints according to the will of God.
Rebecca in Durham: let us fix our eyes on JESUS, who for the JOY set before Him endured the cross . . . Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)
Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious about nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known to God and the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.
Wynne
John 5:24 (NIV)
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
Kathy
Woodstock, GA
1 John 5:14 NIV
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Buffalo, OH
“The Lord replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”-Exodus 33:14 (NIV)
Kristen Schwark, Indianapolis, IN
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 ESV
Betty – Brown City, Michigan Proverbs 4:20-22 (NLT) “My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to the whole body.
Shauna Moody, Aurora, NE
“Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
I Peter 4:19, ESV
Ashland, OH “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fulness of joy;At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” NKJV. Psalm 16:11
Stephanie, Paris, TX. “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.” Proverbs 31:17, NIV.
Romans 10:10 (NKJV)
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
Vonore, TN
Carla Langley, LaFayette, Al.
As a prisoner for the Lord,then,I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Ephesians 4:1
Cambridge, mn
The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. Lamentations 3:25 NLT
Lisa Pauls
Lake Jackson, TX
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give yo the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:4 NIV
Carol Givens McAlisterville, PA
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Kathleen Partin Saint Joseph, Michigan
Ephesians 4:23
Instead, let the spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
NLT