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!
Andi Crumrine, Rockwall, TX
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
Dawn, Orland Park, IL: “Great peace have those who love your law, and NOTHING can make them stumble.” Psalm 119:165 (NIV)
Heidi, Daphne, AL
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13 – KJV)
Carolyn, St. Catharines, ON
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge, his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Psalm 91:4 (NIV)
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. Isaiah 6:4 ESV
Rhonda Mckamie – OKC
1 Peter 1:7
These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. NIV
Sumrall, MS
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)
Tammy Martinez, Burleson, TX
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. (Psalm 25:4-6 NIV)
Marsha Middleton Lee’s Summit, MO
Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh-who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:11-12 NKJ
In my trouble I cried to the LORD,
and He answered me.
Psalm 120:1 NASB
Vickie, Poplar Bluff, MO.: O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. Psalm 51:15 NIV
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
John 14:23 NIV
Psalm 138:3 NKJV
In the day when I cried out, You answered me. And made me bold with strength in my soul.
Cindy Matter
North Potomac, MD
Lori Thompson
McKinney, Tx
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. (Psalm 139:8 NIV)
Lu White, Garner NC, Isaiah 58:11 NLT
The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength.
Sally Morton, Canon City, CO
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
Amy Storms
Joplin, MO
God is our refuge and strength, an EVER-PRESENT HELP in trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NIV)
Kim Beechem from Idabel, OK:
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:10 (NIV)
Lani, Fairfax, VA, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love…” Ephesians 3:16,17 (NIV).
Bettina Dowell; Lorton, VA; “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32 (NIV)
Margaret Neil, Jackson, TN
So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
Ephesians 3:17 NIV
Allison in Fort Worth, TX
Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
Psalm 86:6
Lisa Medina
Fort Worth, TX
Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know.
Jeremiah 33:3, NASB
Rachel, Mt. Carmel, PA – “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalms 139:13-14, NIV
Elaine Brady, Jefferson, GA
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. ~Eph. 4:29, NIV
Morgan, Arlington VA
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possesion, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
1 Peter 2:9 (HCSB)
Kristie Lovely, Van Alstyne, TX
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” Romans 12:10 ESV
Margie, from Camdenton MO: To this day I have had the help that comes from God,and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles. Acts 26:22-23 ESV
Yates Center, KS
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 4:31 NKJV
Erin Keel, Chesnee, SC
“The LORD confides in those who fear Him; He makes his covenant known to them.” Psalm 25:10 (NIV)
Sevierville, Tennessee
Set your minds on things that are above, not things that are on Earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:2-3 ESV
Linda Patterson
Wolcottville IN
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends
on human tradition and basic principles of this world rather than
Christ.
Colossians 3:8. NIV
Laura Blackman, Moose Jaw Saskatchewan, 1 John 4:18, Amplified
There is no fear in love dread does not exist, but full-grown complete, perfect love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and so he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection.
Mona Huston, Bossier City, LA, James 5:16 NIV “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
Joy Bruhnke, Seymour, Tn
“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11. NRSV
Brenda
Lindon, Utah
Matthew 6:34
“Therefore DO NOT WORRY about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Sheryl Potts, Monroe, LA
“For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely toward you.”
2 Cor. 1:12 ESV
Dana Nance
Blue Ridge, Tx
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
Psalm 103:13 NIV (1984)
Rhonda Nelson-Grapevine, TX
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Phillipians 2: 3-4 ESV
Leanna Reynolds Southlake, TX
Jesus answered “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me, John 14:6 NIV
Karen Sanders, Burleson, TX “And if we know that He hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of Him.” 1 John 5:15 (NIV)
Jessie Y. Jackson, MO. NIV Luke 10:42 “but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Proverbs 3 5-6 NIV Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. Psalm 146 ESV
Brenda Lenz, Georgetown, Tx. – “The scorched land will become a pool and the thirsty ground springs of water; In the haunt of jackals, it’s resting place, grass becomes reeds and rushes.” -Isaiah 35:7 (NASB)
Ann Thiede, Searcy, Arkansas: Romans 11:33 (ESV)
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
Sue-Iron Mountain, MI
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
Katie Nicholls, Tuscon, AZ
Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is to hard for you. Jer 32:17 ESV
jackie Siple Rockledge FL
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Judy~Simi Valley,CA
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14 NIV