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348-Melissa Dyess: Day Eight, She Walked Out on a Walker · Stuck No More Voices

• 0:00
  Theresa: So God gives a woman a message.
• 0:03
  Theresa: She may write it down, and then it sits.
• 0:06
  Theresa: Today at the table, it's the woman who gets her finish it and get into someone's hands.
• 0:12
  Theresa: You'll wanna stick around for our guest today.
• 0:14
  Theresa: So welcome back to the Stuck No More Voices Podcast.
• 0:17
  Theresa: I'm Theresa Croft.
• 0:19
  Theresa: I'm a visibility strategist helping a woman go from her calling to her story to a message to her ideal clients.
• 0:27
  Theresa: So if you are listening on YouTube, do me a favor and subscribe, share it, and if you're listening on Apple or iPa- uh, Pods or your iPods, as I'm showing my age, on a podcast, please share it with someone else.
• 0:44
  Theresa: So listen, this episode is a special feature of the Stuck No More Voices podcast.
• 0:50
  Theresa: It's called the Calling Table Sessions.
• 0:53
  Theresa: It's a seat for a Christian woman whose story deserves to be handled with care and whose voice is ready to be heard.
• 1:01
  Theresa: So pull up a chair, help me welcome Melissa Dyas.
• 1:05
  Theresa: Melissa helps kingdom authors, churches, and ministries develop clarity to publish and promote the God messages they have been entrusted with.
• 1:14
  Theresa: So Melissa, thank you so much for joining us.
• 1:18
  Melissa: Thank you, Theresa.
• 1:19
  Theresa: Yeah,
• 1:20
  Melissa: thank you.
• 1:20
  Melissa: Um, and, and thank you for having me.
• 1:22
  Theresa: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 1:22
  Theresa: So I always like to, you know, 20 minutes, get down to the details.
• 1:27
  Theresa: So your, your, your story really sounds a lot like mine.
• 1:32
  Theresa: So tell us about it.
• 1:36
  Melissa: Well, from a very young age, God had started to develop in me some things that I had never imagined that would be my calling.
• 1:43
  Theresa: Wow.
• 1:44
  Melissa: Uh, as a matter of fact, when I started, it was one of those things of,"Why would I do this?
• 1:49
  Melissa: This isn't something I'm gonna do," just like we say at school.
• 1:52
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 1:52
  Theresa: You know?
• 1:52
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 1:53
  Melissa: "I will never use this again."
• 1:55
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 1:55
  Melissa: Um, and it actually turned into a huge passion to help- Mm others get everything together and, and get it out where they need it.
• 2:04
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 2:04
  Melissa: Um, and, and it's been a journey that every step of the way I've enjoyed.
• 2:10
  Melissa: Not always loved, but looking back, I do get to enjoy the steps that God has brought me through- Yeah to get there.
• 2:18
  Theresa: I really see someone who's speaking from her scars and not her wounds,'cause, like, tell me about, tell me about betrayal and loss in the marriage aspect,'cause I can really relate to this.
• 2:33
  Melissa: Well, I got youn- uh, married very young.
• 2:36
  Melissa: Um, thought I knew what I was doing.
• 2:37
  Melissa: Of course, everybody at that age goes,"Hey, I got it all together."
• 2:40
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 2:41
  Melissa: Um, and really was not equipped or able to handle what was going on.
• 2:47
  Theresa: Wow.
• 2:47
  Melissa: Um, very, um, very tumultuous in the aspect of working through, um, religious expectation-
• 2:59
  Theresa: Mm
• 2:59
  Melissa: and, uh, reality of what was going on.
• 3:04
  Melissa: Mm.
• 3:04
  Melissa: And neither one of those lined up with what God actually called us to, uh, walk out.
• 3:10
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 3:10
  Melissa: And, uh, through that, I went through a rebellious stage of,"If that's what you're gonna expect of me, then I'm gonna go see what God really tells me."
• 3:19
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 3:19
  Melissa: And, um, so I had people from the church telling me one thing and, uh, people at home telling me, you know,"We just shush that away." Mm.
• 3:29
  Melissa: "We're...
• 3:29
  Melissa: It's all good."
• 3:30
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 3:31
  Melissa: And, you know, we went through years of emotional, um- Abuse
• 3:40
  Theresa: Yeah, yeah
• 3:41
  Melissa: I know a lot of people don't like that word, but that's really what it was
• 3:46
  Theresa: It's
• 3:46
  Melissa: a reality But there are a lot of religious abuse.
• 3:48
  Melissa: It, it- Yeah, yeah it is reality.
• 3:50
  Melissa: And a lot of people still, you know, what I went through-
• 3:54
  Theresa: Yeah
• 3:54
  Melissa: I never imagined the people that I loved and respected the most would be the ones that would hurt me- Mm in the way that- Mm cured me to the point where God had to come in.
• 4:06
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 4:07
  Theresa: It's-
• 4:08
  Melissa: And that's usually how it goes, though
• 4:11
  Theresa: It's amazing how, you know, you can get spiritual abuse in that situation, but how God turns that around and you really get to know God rather than, excuse my saying this, but the church, if they're not, yeah.
• 4:27
  Theresa: Mm.
• 4:27
  Theresa: Well, and the
• 4:27
  Melissa: church, the church as a whole, uh, I think we have to, in, in my own personal writing, um, I am an author and, and up for a, a, you know, shameless plug.
• 4:38
  Melissa: I'm up for a, an award for the Kingdom Awards, uh, in my book.
• 4:43
  Melissa: Um- Awesome but one of the things I, I've really come to understand lately is, you know, we are the body.
• 4:51
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 4:52
  Melissa: We are those hands and feet, and, and we are responsible.
• 4:56
  Melissa: You know, he says that we're even responsible down to our idle words.
• 4:59
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 5:01
  Melissa: We're not called to have it all together.
• 5:03
  Theresa: No.
• 5:04
  Melissa: So when we have those, those times where we, we step out of line and, and He brings us back, it really is more just of a testament of His grace.
• 5:13
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 5:14
  Melissa: It's a testament of what we can use for His glory.
• 5:17
  Theresa: Yes, Your story.
• 5:18
  Melissa: And what we can use to show mercy and love
• 5:22
  Theresa: in His mercy and love.
• 5:22
  Theresa: Amen.
• 5:22
  Melissa: And it's
• 5:23
  Theresa: not us- Your story for His glory.
• 5:25
  Melissa: Yeah, absolutely.
• 5:27
  Melissa: And, and my book, um, came out last year,
• 5:30
  Theresa: uh, and the- What's the title?
• 5:31
  Theresa: What's the title?
• 5:32
  Melissa: It's Battle Scars: Actually- Oh I'm Doing a Lot Better.
• 5:36
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 5:37
  Theresa: Battle Scars.
• 5:37
  Theresa: Nice.
• 5:39
  Theresa: Oh, I love
• 5:40
  Melissa: that.
• 5:40
  Melissa: Battle Scars of the Redeemed.
• 5:41
  Theresa: You just don't know how I love that title.
• 5:44
  Theresa: Wow.
• 5:46
  Theresa: Um- Now, you had, you had an accident in the midst of
• 5:48
  Melissa: all this.
• 5:48
  Melissa: I did.
• 5:49
  Theresa: Tell us what
• 5:50
  Melissa: happened.
• 5:51
  Melissa: About, about 12 years ago, I had a very major accident.
• 5:53
  Melissa: Um, first thing that, that they told my mom was that it was,"Get the family together."
• 6:00
  Theresa: Mm.
• 6:00
  Melissa: I wasn't gonna make it.
• 6:01
  Theresa: Mm.
• 6:03
  Melissa: Um, my dad had passed away about nine months before that.
• 6:07
  Melissa: Um, so my family, I have, uh, I have five kids.
• 6:11
  Melissa: Four of them were with me at the time, and, uh, they were- Oh they were prepared.
• 6:19
  Melissa: They were like- Wow"You know, we just lost Papa, but, you know- Oh we're gonna lose Mom." And-
• 6:23
  Theresa: Mm
• 6:24
  Melissa: and my mom is, is one of those praying mamas.
• 6:26
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 6:26
  Melissa: So coast to coast she called everybody she knew and, and got everybody on the prayer chain going.
• 6:32
  Melissa: And, and the first, like I said, the first thing they said is I wasn't gonna make it.
• 6:36
  Theresa: Mm.
• 6:37
  Theresa: Geez.
• 6:37
  Melissa: And then my mom gave them a report a few hours later of she's gonna survive, but she broke her back, and she's gonna- Ooh be laying flat on her back for 12 weeks.
• 6:46
  Theresa: Oh.
• 6:46
  Melissa: Um, and then they came in, and it was so funny.
• 6:49
  Melissa: And, and yes, I've been asked several times when I'm gonna write this book.
• 6:53
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 6:53
  Melissa: But the funny part, and it wasn't a ha-ha funny, but, but, uh, that type of funny where you're going,"It's only God."
• 7:01
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 7:01
  Melissa: Um, they came in a few hours later or the next day and, and said,"We can't explain it, but we need you to get up and start walking."
• 7:08
  Theresa: Wow.
• 7:09
  Melissa: And, um, when my, when I first got in there, the first person that was able to get to me, um, in, in the trauma unit was my brother.
• 7:18
  Melissa: Wow.
• 7:19
  Melissa: And he didn't recognize me because I was covered with everything.
• 7:23
  Melissa: Um, and he was...
• 7:25
  Melissa: You know, the first thing I told him is,"Pray,'cause I'm not gonna make it."
• 7:28
  Theresa: Mm.
• 7:29
  Melissa: And he goes,"Shut up." Mm.
• 7:31
  Melissa: "You're walking out of here."
• 7:32
  Theresa: Mm.
• 7:33
  Melissa: And long story short, on day eight, after day seven, they came in and said,"We don't know how long you're gonna be here.
• 7:40
  Melissa: There's a number of things that we need to see before you can go." Day eight, they walked in and said-"We can't explain it, but you're too healthy to be here.
• 7:48
  Melissa: You gotta go home."
• 7:50
  Theresa: Oh, Lord Jesus, thank you, Father.
• 7:53
  Melissa: Wow.
• 7:53
  Melissa: Absolutely.
• 7:54
  Melissa: So I walked out of the hospital on a walker-
• 7:56
  Theresa: Oh
• 7:57
  Melissa: on day eight.
• 7:58
  Theresa: Praise Jesus.
• 7:58
  Melissa: So God is so good.
• 8:00
  Melissa: Uh, and He's used that in a number of ways as well.
• 8:03
  Melissa: I mean, everything that we do.
• 8:04
  Melissa: Wow.
• 8:04
  Melissa: Everything.
• 8:05
  Melissa: And that comes down to our stories and, and is everyone an au- author?
• 8:10
  Melissa: Absolutely, absolutely not.
• 8:12
  Melissa: Yes.
• 8:12
  Theresa: Absolutely.
• 8:12
  Melissa: But everyone can get their message out there.
• 8:15
  Theresa: Their story out there, yeah.
• 8:16
  Melissa: Yep, their story out there.
• 8:18
  Melissa: The what, what have you gone through?
• 8:20
  Melissa: What has He brought you through and, and how can it impact somebody else?
• 8:26
  Melissa: 'Cause our stories are not our own.
• 8:28
  Melissa: So beautiful.
• 8:29
  Melissa: We often hold onto it and said, you know,"Look what I went through," and, and quite honestly, if we look at it, it has nothing to do with us.
• 8:38
  Theresa: Wow,
• 8:38
  Melissa: that's so good.
• 8:38
  Melissa: It has everything to do h- on how He will break someone else out of what they've done and what they've gone through and what He can do for them.
• 8:48
  Melissa: And it's so, so crazy when we get to, to see someone else be set free.
• 8:56
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 8:56
  Melissa: And a lot of times we don't even get to see it.
• 8:59
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 9:00
  Melissa: So.
• 9:00
  Theresa: That's beautiful.
• 9:01
  Theresa: It, it's
• 9:02
  Melissa: great.
• 9:02
  Theresa: I, I know there's, um, women listening and thinking,"How did she do that?" Now, were you married then when you had the accident?
• 9:13
  Melissa: I was not.
• 9:13
  Melissa: As a matter of fact, a funny story.
• 9:15
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 9:15
  Theresa: I
• 9:15
  Melissa: had just got through, um- I, I had a friend that had moved away, and he texted me, uh, in the mor- uh, one morning around my birthday that same year.
• 9:30
  Melissa: And, and this happened in late June.
• 9:31
  Melissa: My birthday's in earlier June.
• 9:33
  Melissa: So we'd been talking as friends for a couple weeks.
• 9:37
  Melissa: Uh, the first day that we were supposed to jump on a phone call and reconnect, um, was the day of the accident.
• 9:44
  Theresa: Oh,
• 9:44
  Melissa: wow.
• 9:45
  Melissa: And we kind of chuckle now about it'cause-
• 9:48
  Theresa: Yeah
• 9:48
  Melissa: I, you know, I was literally on morphine, and I had my brother call him and say, you know,"Hey, I love you," and, you know,"You're, you're very important to me." And, uh, a couple years after that, we, uh, got married, and that was 11 years ago, so.
• 10:03
  Theresa: Wow.
• 10:04
  Theresa: That's beautiful.
• 10:05
  Theresa: Are you serious?
• 10:06
  Theresa: And now how many kids do you have?
• 10:08
  Melissa: All together we have five.
• 10:10
  Theresa: Excellent.
• 10:11
  Theresa: Oh, my goodness.
• 10:12
  Theresa: So God has done a process on you to restore your, restore your voice so you can tell your story.
• 10:19
  Theresa: Now, you're an author, but there's so many ways.
• 10:22
  Theresa: Like right now you're sharing your story.
• 10:25
  Theresa: Absolutely.
• 10:25
  Theresa: And I would just love to see how So my ma- main thing is y- you say you, you speak from your scars, not your wounds, um, because the wounds are messy.
• 10:37
  Theresa: Mm-hmm.
• 10:37
  Theresa: So you have definitely healed.
• 10:40
  Theresa: So do you help Christian women find their voice again?
• 10:45
  Melissa: I do in a lot of other, or a lot of ways.
• 10:48
  Melissa: Uh, sometimes that's strategically sitting down and saying,"Okay, this is where you're wanting to go."
• 10:53
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 10:53
  Melissa: Let's reverse engineer that.
• 10:55
  Melissa: How does, how do you need to get there?"
• 10:57
  Theresa: Ooh, good.
• 10:57
  Melissa: You know, quite often we think we're ready for an assignment- And we're just at the, here's the assignment title.
• 11:09
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 11:09
  Melissa: So there's oftentimes that, that we will sit down and we'll strategize.
• 11:13
  Melissa: We'll get to the point of, you know, what do you need to incorporate?
• 11:18
  Melissa: What, you know, is, is there a learning season right now?
• 11:21
  Melissa: That's good.
• 11:21
  Melissa: Is this the planting?
• 11:23
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 11:23
  Melissa: Is this a reigning season?
• 11:24
  Melissa: And, and, and we just sit down and look at where it is and what needs to be put in place for that to happen.
• 11:31
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 11:32
  Theresa: So she...
• 11:33
  Theresa: This, I like what you said in your, in your bio, so to speak.
• 11:38
  Theresa: She doesn't need someone to create her calling for her.
• 11:42
  Theresa: God g- gives us, I'm so big on this, God gives us all a calling whether we realize it or not.
• 11:48
  Theresa: So is that kind of, is that a starting point for you in working with them, or do most of them know their calling?
• 11:55
  Melissa: Um, it depends on the individual.
• 11:59
  Melissa: Okay.
• 11:59
  Melissa: Um, and it, we've worked with those that are going,"I know I have a purpose." Yeah.
• 12:05
  Melissa: "I know I, God has a plan."
• 12:07
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 12:08
  Melissa: And this is really what I want to do, but I have no clue on how to do it."
• 12:12
  Theresa: Okay.
• 12:13
  Melissa: And then we've taken those that, and, and it's really fun to work with both.
• 12:17
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 12:17
  Melissa: But then we have, have those that, you know,"I know exactly what God wants me to do, I just don't know how to put it into place."
• 12:25
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 12:26
  Melissa: So we will jump in there and help them start putting in the behind-the-scenes parts- That's so good that they need.
• 12:31
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 12:33
  Theresa: So you help them pull out what n- actually, you give them clarity, first of all.
• 12:39
  Melissa: Mm-hmm.
• 12:39
  Theresa: And then you really help them structure their, their story.
• 12:42
  Theresa: And are you, do you find that most women- in their book they want to write, do you notice most of them do want to share their story?
• 12:53
  Theresa: Just curious.
• 12:55
  Melissa: Um, most of them do.
• 12:58
  Melissa: Most of them, in a lot of capacities, are either scared or unsure of how to.
• 13:05
  Theresa: Yeah, sure.
• 13:05
  Melissa: Um, me personally, because of a lot of other circumstances that are out of my control-
• 13:11
  Theresa: Right.
• 13:11
  Theresa: That's right I
• 13:11
  Melissa: w- fic- I write fiction.
• 13:13
  Theresa: Oh, do you?
• 13:14
  Theresa: But a lot of my s- That's so cool.
• 13:15
  Theresa: I love that
• 13:16
  Melissa: so my book is fiction.
• 13:18
  Theresa: I
• 13:18
  Melissa: love that.
• 13:18
  Melissa: Um, but a lot of my story comes out in my fiction.
• 13:21
  Theresa: Oh, I love that.
• 13:21
  Theresa: Um, so- I gotta go buy your book.
• 13:24
  Theresa: That sounds so cool.
• 13:26
  Melissa: Um, I'm working on book two of that series.
• 13:29
  Melissa: Okay.
• 13:29
  Melissa: Oh, good.
• 13:29
  Melissa: Uh, I, I started a declutter, uh, uh, campaign a little while ago.
• 13:35
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 13:36
  Melissa: And, and I was just curious, because I've helped authors do this for the better ha- Yeah a decade now, and, um, then someone asked me,"Well, Melissa, you help everybody else.
• 13:48
  Melissa: Where's your book?" And I went-
• 13:49
  Theresa: Oh, wow
• 13:50
  Melissa: My book?" Yeah.
• 13:52
  Melissa: "My book?
• 13:52
  Melissa: What do you mean my book?"
• 13:53
  Theresa: Oh my goodness.
• 13:54
  Melissa: And so this book actually came about because of a little bird in a window when I should have been paying attention in song worship at church, and my husband distracted me because there was this little bird sitting up in the window as we were singing, and he was just singing his little heart out.
• 14:14
  Melissa: Ah.
• 14:14
  Melissa: And every time we would stop, he would stop, and it looked like he was listening to what was being said.
• 14:18
  Melissa: Ah, so cool.
• 14:19
  Melissa: And, and we would sing, and you could see him just chirping away.
• 14:22
  Melissa: And as I was sitting there looking at this bird, I really came under the conviction of, am I showing up- Wow just to praise?
• 14:32
  Theresa: Hmm.
• 14:32
  Theresa: Which
• 14:33
  Melissa: brought the verse of, you know, if, y- if we don't praise, then the rocks would yell out.
• 14:40
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 14:41
  Theresa: Wow.
• 14:41
  Melissa: And I'm going, am I letting a little bird out-praise me today?
• 14:45
  Theresa: Wow.
• 14:46
  Melissa: So by the end of that sermon, I had a whole poem called The Bird in the Window-
• 14:51
  Theresa: Oh, sweet
• 14:52
  Melissa: that turned into the book you now see.
• 14:55
  Melissa: And, um, then, uh, through, uh, some strategies of writing-
• 15:02
  Theresa: Yeah
• 15:02
  Melissa: um, I had some beta readers, and, and it turned into questions that I was like,"Wait a minute, what am I supposed to do with these questions?"
• 15:12
  Theresa: Right.
• 15:13
  Melissa: And one book, which I thought was gonna be a one-off, I'm good, I'm done writing, we're good- Ah we can keep going, into now a series.
• 15:21
  Melissa: And as I was decluttering, I found out that I have 38 book outlines- Yeah that I am lined up to write, and so I've been starting- So sweet writing some of those.
• 15:32
  Theresa: I gotta ask you a question that might be controversial, but, um, uh, how much of AI do you use?
• 15:39
  Theresa: Not to write the book, but to help you organize.
• 15:42
  Theresa: Do you use any AI?
• 15:43
  Theresa: Just curious.
• 15:44
  Melissa: I do.
• 15:45
  Melissa: Um- Yeah and I see it more as a tool rather than- Oh,
• 15:49
  Theresa: come on.
• 15:49
  Theresa: Preach that, sister.
• 15:51
  Melissa: You know, I mean, if it takes over my writing, then I've got an issue.
• 15:56
  Theresa: Right.
• 15:56
  Theresa: I understand that.
• 15:58
  Theresa: But
• 15:58
  Melissa: I've got to be, I've got to be the one facilitating the thought process, and- Yeah.
• 16:04
  Melissa: That's good so a- and there are times that I've got to get a better clarification of what I'm actually trying to say, and sometimes I have to sit down and-
• 16:12
  Theresa: Yeah
• 16:12
  Melissa: and I actually am- named my AI.
• 16:15
  Melissa: So I, I go to, to what I call Alfred, and I say,"Hey," verification here.
• 16:21
  Melissa: Give me some questions." I love it.
• 16:23
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 16:23
  Theresa: And you- Give me some questions.
• 16:24
  Theresa: That's the best way.
• 16:26
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 16:26
  Theresa: Wow.
• 16:27
  Melissa: And you know- And let's get this going.
• 16:28
  Melissa: And, and so- Yeah yes, I think it's a tool.
• 16:30
  Melissa: I think it can, like any tool, can be misused- Right and misrepresented.
• 16:34
  Melissa: And-
• 16:35
  Theresa: Sure
• 16:35
  Melissa: and I think we have to be very careful with it, um- Yes, yes so that we don't lose our own voice, and whatever we- Yes use out of it, we need to verify.
• 16:43
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 16:43
  Theresa: And I-
• 16:43
  Melissa: So yes, I do.
• 16:45
  Melissa: And, and I promote other people to use it as well.
• 16:48
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 16:48
  Theresa: And you really have to train it to speak like you.
• 16:51
  Theresa: You
• 16:51
  Melissa: do.
• 16:51
  Theresa: And people don't realize that's possible, but this is the thing- Yep you're the scribe.
• 16:56
  Theresa: You're anointed- Yes with the Holy Spirit.
• 16:58
  Theresa: AI's just the tool.
• 17:00
  Theresa: And- Right I'm a big AI believer, but not to write my stuff, but to help my...
• 17:05
  Theresa: You know, I got- Mm-hmm five tabs open some days in my brain, so it's like, okay.
• 17:10
  Theresa: I love it.
• 17:10
  Theresa: I named mine Chipper.
• 17:12
  Theresa: Don't ask me why.
• 17:12
  Theresa: Oh,
• 17:13
  Melissa: Chipper.
• 17:14
  Melissa: Well, it's-
• 17:15
  Theresa: Cause it's Chipper.
• 17:17
  Theresa: No, but I- Yeah I've been, uh, I've been using it'cause I really love stories, like you've just been telling one story after another, and I think- Uh, for Christian women, sometimes that's the way to reach them.
• 17:29
  Theresa: Not to tell them,"Oh- Yes man, shouldn't have done that.
• 17:31
  Theresa: Let me give you nine steps to help you." Right.
• 17:34
  Theresa: No.
• 17:34
  Theresa: Like, give her a chance to share her story,'cause I know, I don't know about you, Melissa, but the more I sta- tell my story, the more healing comes.
• 17:42
  Theresa: So I got an idea for a book.
• 17:44
  Theresa: I need to write it.
• 17:45
  Theresa: Okay.
• 17:45
  Theresa: Do you want to hear it?
• 17:46
  Theresa: This is, I'm- All right the reader, you're the author.
• 17:49
  Theresa: My book's going to be titled How to Win the War on Your Voice, subtitled-
• 17:54
  Melissa: Let's go
• 17:55
  Theresa: subtitled- We can help you
• 17:56
  Melissa: get that into book.
• 17:57
  Theresa: Subtitled, I'm So Glad My Husband Died.
• 18:00
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 18:00
  Theresa: Now, I'm all for the covenant of marriage, and I'm not a- Yeah I'm not against guys.
• 18:04
  Theresa: A good-looking guy in a truck pass by, my head's gonna turn.
• 18:08
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 18:08
  Theresa: My heart's gonna skip a beat over the truck.
• 18:12
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 18:13
  Theresa: And then I do, I mean, I, I, I had a signature talk.
• 18:16
  Theresa: I had cancer last year.
• 18:17
  Theresa: That kind of took me off the stage, but, um, I'm serious.
• 18:21
  Theresa: That's like, whoa, that's kind of But that begins a story.
• 18:25
  Theresa: Now, right now, I don't know, you could Do you I mean, right now, for me personally, I want your opinion on this.
• 18:32
  Theresa: Journaling, now, no AI in the journal.
• 18:33
  Theresa: Journaling is the way I get stuff out.
• 18:37
  Theresa: Do you agree with that?
• 18:39
  Melissa: I absolutely agree with that.
• 18:41
  Melissa: We have got to give ourselves an, a, a declaration that we can go back and look at.
• 18:49
  Theresa: Mm.
• 18:49
  Melissa: So often we forget, just like the children of Israel, we forget what God has done.
• 18:57
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 18:57
  Melissa: And it gets us off the path.
• 18:59
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 18:59
  Melissa: And so there are times, and, and I'm not talking about just, you know, taking a, a camp and looking back fully, but a lot of what we forget is how good God is.
• 19:11
  Theresa: Mm.
• 19:12
  Melissa: One of the things that I love to do in, in a lot of my writing, upcoming writing, is also about not only my look back, but looking back through my family.
• 19:24
  Theresa: Okay.
• 19:25
  Melissa: And looking back through generations that have come before us.
• 19:29
  Theresa: Wow.
• 19:30
  Melissa: You know, we are not, I don't care how much we try to say,"I'm just me.
• 19:35
  Melissa: It's my pers- I'm the pers- it's all my choice," no it's not.
• 19:39
  Theresa: Mm.
• 19:40
  Melissa: It is not, because you are not, i- in the old cliche, you are not an island.
• 19:45
  Melissa: No man is an island.
• 19:46
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 19:47
  Melissa: So we do what we say, what we think.
• 19:49
  Melissa: Even those things that we think are hidden affects everyone-
• 19:55
  Theresa: Down
• 19:55
  Melissa: the line around us.
• 19:56
  Theresa: Pray
• 19:56
  Melissa: tell.
• 19:56
  Melissa: And then it, it, it trickles out and, and waves out to others.
• 20:00
  Melissa: So yes, absolutely write it down.
• 20:04
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 20:04
  Melissa: And I actually put Post-It Notes and put myself little notes of things that, that I wanna remember long...
• 20:11
  Melissa: I have a mirror- Right in my bathroom.
• 20:13
  Melissa: My husband's like,"I have this much of the mirror." And I'm like,"Okay, good.
• 20:16
  Melissa: That's all you need." Um, you know, and because I want to see what God's done.
• 20:22
  Melissa: There are times I need to be reminded, because I forget so easy.
• 20:27
  Theresa: That's a great
• 20:27
  Melissa: reminder.
• 20:27
  Melissa: I forget, you know, God saved me from a...
• 20:31
  Melissa: The reason I wanna write a book now, because I tell so many people about this story, um, you know, a- and, you know, after we get off this call, if you want I'll sh- and it doesn't bother you, I'll send you the picture of the truck-
• 20:42
  Theresa: Oh, yeah
• 20:43
  Melissa: that I was in when that accident happened.
• 20:45
  Melissa: Sure.
• 20:45
  Melissa: I shouldn't be here.
• 20:47
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 20:48
  Theresa: God had another idea.
• 20:50
  Theresa: I,
• 20:50
  Melissa: you know, I look back through my first marriage, and I look at everything- Mm-hmm that took place, and how many times I can say,"Wow, that was God."
• 20:59
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 20:59
  Melissa: Because we would have died.
• 21:01
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 21:01
  Melissa: You know, my ex-husband was not a great guy.
• 21:04
  Melissa: He- Right he made a lot of bad choices.
• 21:07
  Theresa: Mm.
• 21:07
  Melissa: He had a lot of women that he was involved with while we were married.
• 21:11
  Theresa: Mm.
• 21:11
  Melissa: Um, a lot of other choices that, that brought unsavory characters into the lives of me and my kids.
• 21:19
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 21:20
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 21:20
  Melissa: Through all of that, God protected me and my kids-
• 21:23
  Theresa: That's so good
• 21:24
  Melissa: all the time.
• 21:25
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 21:26
  Melissa: You know, even when I wasn't on the path that, you know, praising God and, and being, you know, sold out for Christ, I told everybody I was, but my actions didn't line up.
• 21:37
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 21:38
  Melissa: And God still took care of us.
• 21:40
  Melissa: And, and not because I was in sin, but because God is so good.
• 21:44
  Theresa: Yeah, yeah.
• 21:45
  Melissa: So there are times that we need that reminder.
• 21:48
  Melissa: We need to have something that we have written down.
• 21:52
  Melissa: Uh, a- and a lot of times, yeah, I'm a I promote, not because of, of exactly what I do, of course it ties into it.
• 21:59
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 21:59
  Melissa: But yeah, write that book.
• 22:01
  Melissa: Yeah.
• 22:01
  Melissa: Because you don't know what you went through, how impactful it's going to be someone el- uh, through, to someone else- Yes.
• 22:11
  Theresa: Yeah
• 22:11
  Melissa: that's going down that route today.
• 22:14
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 22:15
  Melissa: And you might be able to say the one thing that gets them on the path- Mm that God can- So good utilize them.
• 22:21
  Theresa: So good.
• 22:22
  Melissa: So yeah, write it down.
• 22:25
  Theresa: I'm gonna, I'm gonna steal that.
• 22:26
  Theresa: Affirmative.
• 22:26
  Theresa: I'm gonna do that.
• 22:27
  Theresa: I th- I'm gonna start posting on my mirror when I get up- The praises, the, the cancer I survived last year, the 26 years of abuse.
• 22:36
  Theresa: But just little aspects.
• 22:37
  Theresa: That's just great,'cause you're putting it before your eyes, and in the process you're really fixing your eyes on Jesus, who's the author and perfecter of your faith, so.
• 22:47
  Melissa: Well, we're called to do all things with, with prayer and supplication and thanksgiving.
• 22:52
  Theresa: Amen.
• 22:53
  Theresa: Yes.
• 22:53
  Melissa: It's hard going through abuse and saying,"Thank you, God." Ah, yes.
• 22:57
  Theresa: And I'm
• 22:57
  Melissa: not saying, I'm not being silly with that.
• 23:00
  Theresa: No, I don't think you
• 23:02
  Melissa: are.
• 23:02
  Melissa: But there are things to be thankful for.
• 23:04
  Melissa: I mean, I look back at, at different circumstances that, I mean especially the, the wreck, and I'm going,"I should have died.
• 23:12
  Melissa: My kids should have lost another-"
• 23:14
  Theresa: Yeah
• 23:15
  Melissa: very impactful person in their life less than a year.
• 23:18
  Theresa: That's just, how many years- But- How many years was that?
• 23:22
  Melissa: That was, uh, 12 years ago.
• 23:23
  Theresa: And look at you now, just a trophy of God's grace.
• 23:26
  Melissa: And I, I don't have...
• 23:27
  Melissa: I mean, I have scars.
• 23:29
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 23:29
  Melissa: But I don't have long-lasting...
• 23:33
  Melissa: Like, I broke my hip in that.
• 23:35
  Melissa: Wow.
• 23:36
  Melissa: I had bleeding on the brain.
• 23:37
  Melissa: There was a l- a, a, a whole list of things that my body was-
• 23:41
  Theresa: Wow
• 23:42
  Melissa: uh, broken with.
• 23:44
  Melissa: And I walked out of the hospital, and I continued to walk.
• 23:49
  Melissa: And e- even now, you know, people are like,"You were in an accident?" Yeah, let me show you the truck.
• 23:55
  Theresa: Let me show you.
• 23:55
  Theresa: How it's- Oh,
• 23:57
  Melissa: it's so beautiful yeah, let me show you.
• 23:58
  Melissa: I mean, you're just not gonna believe it.
• 23:59
  Melissa: I mean, yes, there's hospital bills that are still, still being paid on.
• 24:03
  Melissa: Yeah, yeah.
• 24:04
  Melissa: You know, there, there's those things that, you know, I have the receipts.
• 24:10
  Melissa: And that's what we get to show is the receipts.
• 24:12
  Melissa: Yes,
• 24:13
  Theresa: that's good.
• 24:13
  Melissa: That's good.
• 24:13
  Melissa: The scars are the receipts.
• 24:17
  Melissa: That's right.
• 24:17
  Melissa: People are like,"Well, did you ever get those covered up?" No.
• 24:18
  Melissa: You know why?
• 24:18
  Melissa: Because that reminds me how good God is.
• 24:21
  Theresa: Right.
• 24:21
  Theresa: Amen.
• 24:21
  Melissa: It reminds me of what He's brought me through.
• 24:24
  Theresa: Yes, that's
• 24:24
  Melissa: good.
• 24:24
  Melissa: And, and I don't wanna forget.
• 24:27
  Theresa: No.
• 24:27
  Melissa: I don't wanna forget how...
• 24:29
  Melissa: I mean, do I want the pain?
• 24:31
  Melissa: Absolutely not.
• 24:32
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 24:32
  Melissa: Do I want the crazy?
• 24:33
  Melissa: Absolutely not.
• 24:34
  Melissa: But- But taking that and, and remembering how He has delivered.
• 24:41
  Theresa: Mm.
• 24:42
  Melissa: Oh, crazy.
• 24:43
  Melissa: And sometimes I just find myself sitting there, just tears going'cause I'm in praise for what He's done.
• 24:49
  Theresa: Yeah.
• 24:49
  Melissa: And where He's brought me through.
• 24:50
  Melissa: I mean, 10, 15 years ago, you know, 20 years ago I would've said anybody was crazy if they had said,"You're gonna write a book and help other people tell their story." And I'd been like-
• 25:01
  Theresa: What?
• 25:02
  Melissa: I don't know who you are.
• 25:03
  Melissa: I'm not qualified for that."
• 25:06
  Theresa: Oh, that's so good.
• 25:07
  Theresa: It's incredible.
• 25:07
  Theresa: I am so, I'm so enjoying this.
• 25:10
  Theresa: So, um, how can people get in touch with you?
• 25:14
  Theresa: What's, like, the best way?
• 25:16
  Melissa: The best way is probably through our website, which is mpvirtualsolutions.com Okay.
• 25:21
  Theresa: All right, I'm highlighting that
• 25:22
  Melissa: Um, you can also find us on social media, Missing Piece Virtual Solutions.
• 25:26
  Theresa: Okay.
• 25:27
  Theresa: That's wonderful.
• 25:28
  Melissa: Um, and, uh, you know, we're always, always excited, uh, to get messages or e- through email, which is, uh, mpvirtualsolutions@gmail.com.
• 25:40
  Theresa: Okay.
• 25:41
  Theresa: That's awesome.
• 25:42
  Theresa: Well, I really appreciate.
• 25:43
  Theresa: This has been so enjoyable for me,'cause I guess'cause I can relate to you so much on some things.
• 25:49
  Theresa: I wasn't in a car wreck, but it felt like a car wreck, so.
• 25:53
  Theresa: Listen, uh, thank you so much, Melissa.
• 25:57
  Theresa: Absolutely.
• 25:58
  Theresa: Thank you.
• 25:58
  Theresa: You're so fun to have.
• 26:00
  Theresa: Your stories are gonna continue to resound, and I see more and more women's chains break off because you were dared to speak from your scars, whether it's in your fiction books or in one-to-one cons- consult.
• 26:14
  Theresa: You're a gem on this earth.
• 26:16
  Theresa: Thank you.
• 26:16
  Theresa: God is so proud of you.
• 26:18
  Theresa: He's so freaking proud of you, girl.
• 26:20
  Theresa: So thank you.
• 26:21
  Theresa: You as
• 26:21
  Melissa: well.
• 26:22
  Theresa: So today's- I've got a question
• 26:23
  Melissa: for you.
• 26:24
  Melissa: Oh,
• 26:24
  Theresa: ask me a question before I...
• 26:26
  Theresa: What?
• 26:27
  Melissa: When's your book coming out?
• 26:29
  Theresa: I am scraping it through.
• 26:31
  Theresa: Okay.
• 26:31
  Theresa: And you know, I gotta tell you, I gotta tell you something.
• 26:35
  Theresa: After you said y- your fiction, I have often thought this would make a great movie,'cause it's a, it's quite a story how I met him, and I'm thinking, you're making me think maybe I, I need to make it fiction.
• 26:48
  Theresa: Uh, I feel like I've had three years in neuroscience c- counseling, so I know how to deconstruct to reconstruct my mind.
• 26:59
  Theresa: You're challenging me.
• 27:01
  Theresa: Mm, mm.
• 27:01
  Theresa: I'm,
• 27:02
  Melissa: I'm tell- that's what I'm here
• 27:05
  Theresa: for.
• 27:06
  Theresa: I will, uh, yeah, I will.
• 27:08
  Theresa: I continue to pray about that, and I, when I tell that story, I could write a book.
• 27:12
  Theresa: I heard God say,"Well, when are you gonna write it?" Okay, God.
• 27:16
  Melissa: People are waiting.
• 27:17
  Theresa: That birdie was talking loud to me, so.
• 27:21
  Theresa: I'll keep in touch, Melissa.
• 27:23
  Melissa: Absolutely.
• 27:24
  Theresa: All right, that's today's calling session with Melissa Diaz.
• 27:28
  Theresa: Now, if you, this really moved you like it did me, do two things.
• 27:32
  Theresa: Go follow her on social, mpvirtualsolutions on Instagram, or visit her website, mpvirtualsolutions.com.
• 27:41
  Theresa: I'll put those links in the show notes.
• 27:43
  Theresa: Because I think Melissa has a story that is like a key to a prison of your own making, and she wants you to get out of that prison, so.
• 27:53
  Theresa: So share this episode.
• 27:56
  Theresa: Some stories are not for scrolling past.
• 27:59
  Theresa: This is one of them.
• 28:01
  Theresa: I'll talk to you in the next Stuck No More Voices podcast.
• 28:04
  Theresa: I'm Theresa Croft.
• 28:05
  Theresa: I'll talk to you in the next Calling Table session.
• 28:10
  Theresa: Oh, d- grown girl, you got me.
• 28:13
  Theresa: That was good.
• 28:13
  Theresa: That was good.
• 28:14
  Theresa: That was good.
• 28:15
  Theresa: I'm gonna turn it off right here if that's okay, and I want to ask you-