A Lifelong Pursuit of Christ
As followers of Christ, we discover a journey that takes us through nourishing, green pastures, still waters of refreshment and at times, deep, dark valleys. Our Good Shepherd saves us, leads us, cares for us and loves us all along the way. Therefore, our greatest desire is to live for Him.
I am honored to introduce someone who has walked with the Lord through the peaks and valleys of life. Through it all, her passion remains… to pursue our Savior. I am deeply inspired by her gifted writing, her strong faith and her kindness toward others. When I first began blogging, she took the time to encourage each wobbly effort I made as a new Christian writer, despite her years of success in the field. Meet Melinda Inman! A wonderful writer and a thoughtful friend.
Meet Melinda V. Inman
How did you become a Christian?
I became a Christian at thirteen. Immediately afterward, I was hurled into one of the most difficult events of my life, which left me reeling and stumbling through my teen years. When I came to my senses after all of the trauma, I recommitted my life to Christ, was baptized in a horse tank by my young husband, and began the process of lifelong pursuit of Christ alongside my husband. We eventually found faith-enriching, doctrinally solid churches, and our growth continues by the grace of God.
How has your faith impacted your writing?
My faith impacts my writing in every way. The first impact occurred when I was asked to write the Bible study material for our entire church, which I did for ten years. I am a Precept Bible Study Leader, and so is my husband. We brought the inductive Bible study method to our church through my writing, and we brought in Precept people to train our church leaders, continuing that Bible Study training ourselves as time went by.
Tell us about your faith and writing journey.
Having stories I had wanted to tell for many years, I began writing Christian Fiction in 2009, and I started blogging in 2011. When seeking inspiration, I pray and ask the Lord to direct me, and then I wait to see where he leads. He always makes the way clear. I’m one of those people who must write in order to know what I think, as many writers must. To puzzle my way through a matter, I must write about it. The Lord always meets me here.
Pursuing Christ in the Valleys
Between 2012 – 2016 an undiagnosed chronic illness sidelined me from writing the church material (I was still homeschooling our youngest child at that time), but also from the preaching and encouragement ministry I enjoyed so much in the prison. Memory problems, extreme fatigue, and unrelenting pain hampered my work and also cut short my public speaking. The Lord shrunk my life while still using me to write five novels of award-winning Christian Fiction. God is the One who directs us and who determines the outcome.
At home now with several diagnosed autoimmune diseases under treatment, I continue to study God’s Word. Since I am an exhorter and a teacher, I have been writing a weekly inspirational blog that teaches and encourages, using my spiritual gifts, often from a reclining position as God’s love upholds me.
Tell us about your upcoming book.
When I began to study Hebrews yet again and to write about it, the Lord laid it upon my heart through the encouragement of others who read my initial blogposts, to compile the posts into a book. I prayed about this, because I knew it would be a long and tasking project, and the Lord confirmed. He even led me to an unorthodox approach of not working from the front to the back of the letter, but to follow the orderly plan he gave me.
As I began the project, I had no idea what the future held. But God did. And, as it turned out, the opening chapters the Lord had me address from Hebrews were full of strengthening content that was necessary for the hardship we were about to face. When I went back to compile the blogposts into book form, I was astounded by what I discovered. The Lord in his wisdom had prepared both me and my readers for living like Christians during a pandemic and other hardships that occurred, such as the racial injustice, the rioting, and the contentious election.
The discovery of this reality was an affirmation that the book was meant to be. God’s kind preparation made that clear in addition to the urging of others. As a result, I’m extremely excited to get this manuscript of my first non-fiction book ready to go. The working title is Hebrews in a Time of Pandemic, A Storyteller Examines Hebrews.
Writing spiritual content from home is now my way of spreading the uplifting message of the goodness of God and his gift of salvation through his Son Jesus Christ. Since writing this series of blogposts through The Letter to The Hebrews, I’m now writing a short series of blogposts through Romans 8 – 11.
How can readers find your books, blog and social media contacts?
Wonderful post, Melissa, about Melinda and her writing.
Melinda is such an inspiration in every way! It was a joy and honor to feature her ministry and her work!
Melissa, thank you so much for including this. I’m so grateful. There have been many family matters coming up that will require much travel, a wedding, and all of our children who are scattered from the east coast to the Rocky Mountains, including their own children. Your words are a blessing as I’ve been trying to get my regular blog and my way of handling this simultaneously. I haven’t yet been able to get my blog post up and running smoothly. Thank you again, so much Melissa. Good is good. Please keep me and my family in your prayers. Thank you, Nancy and Melissa. God is so good to come alongside us just at this moment when
Keeping you and your family in prayer, dear Melinda. God is faithful.
Great post with wonderful information about Melinda. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for reading and offering a word of encouragement, Yvonne! Melinda is a gifted writer and a wonderful sister in Christ!
Thank you, Yvonne! It’s always nice to hear from you. You are a blessing!
Great post! I really enjoyed reading this. I, too, find it easier to write down my thoughts to better understand how I feel. And, as Melinda says, God meets us there when we are writing, just as He meets us wherever we happen to be!
Thank you for reading and sharing your heart, Linda! Melinda’s faith and writing are a bright spot of Christ’s truth, mercy and love in this weary world. It is easy to see how God meets Melinda in her writing with gifts to share with her readers!
Thank you for sharing about Melinda. She is truly amazing and inspirational.
Yes, she is! Melinda uses her gift of writing to paint pictures of Biblical truth, Spirit-filled grace and Christlike love through real life examples. Her faith, life and writing are an encouragement and inspiration to all!
Thank you, mimionlife! It’s a blessing to see your face again, mimionlife! I hope all is well with your family, your grandchildren, and the many ways you bless those who read your words and content.
I’m always encouraged and challenged through Melinda’s writing. Her new book will be amazing and I pray it will touch many, many hearts. Melinda’s gifts of exhortation and teaching are truly evident in her writing. I enjoyed reading about her here. Thank you, Melissa and Melinda.
I join you in this prayer, Stephen! Her words always provide a deep understanding of God’s Word intertwined with the tenderness of Christ’s compassion. And I agree, her new book will be amazing. Thank you for the words of encouragement!
Amen and Hallelujah Sister in Jesus-Yeshua Christ-Messiah Melissa!!
Love Alwats and Snalom, YSIC \o/
Kristi Ann
Amen! God bless you, Kristi Ann!
Thank you for sharing this post about a faithful sister. It is encouraging to hear about someone with such a strong connection to God.
Tom, thank you for reading and commenting. Melinda, is a great inspiration to all and her work touches hearts with raw humanity and the mercy of Christ.
It is inspiring to hear other believers’ testimonies. Especially other writers. Thank you.
Thank you for featuring me on your site, Melissa! This is a great blessing on me right now with health issues continuing to press and to shape both good outcomes and broken ones. You are such a kind sister, MelissaMcLaughlin.org. Thank you for telling other how my faith has impacted my writing journey. Pursuing Christ in the valleys is still a common reality. Thank you, again, dear loving friend.
Dear Melinda, it is an honor to feature you on my website. Your faith, writing, and kindness are a light of hope to the world. May God continue to bless you and hold you near, as you pursue Christ in the valley. I’m sorry for your health issues. May God grant you the peace and strength you need for each day. You are a blessing, dear loving friend.
Melissa, thank you for providing this comment box. I’m so glad to be interacting with you after the break to complete a book I was writing this past year or so. Thank you for your kind words of prayer. As you wrote to me, may God continue to bless YOU and hold YOU near, as you pursue Christ in this valley.
It’s wonderful to hear from you, Melinda! Thank you for your blessing. I receive that with all my heart. Looking forward to connecting with you when you have time.
Thank you for providing ways to interact with you and your readers. It has been an unusual year or two with relocations across several states, starting over again with a new church and a new location. The adjustment was complicated, but here we are now.
It’s great to hear from you, Melinda. That sounds like a very challenging time – with two relocations across several states. It’s very difficult to start over with a new church and new location. I hope you are settling in and feeling at home. God bless you!
Thank you for inviting me to read the many writers who share their content on your site. Lifelong Pursuit of Christ is also my goal. I have a difficult health issue that has just taken hold of my body, a surprise. I now find myself with a illness that may or may not be cure-able. Please pray for me, if it occurs to you. I will need the grace of God and my entire family as I attempt to cope with many issues.
Dear Melinda, I’m so sorry to hear about your health issue. I’m praying for health and strength for each day. May His love and peace enfold you.
Thank you, Melissa! It is always such a blessing to be able to read your content and to interact with you. Grace and peace be with you, sister.
Thank you, Melissa. Please pray for me as I face a very difficult health issue. Peace be with you. Lord, Jesus, I cry out to You for healing and safety and Your love which I need to be aware of from day to day, as I try to cope, heal, and survive. Peace be with you, sister.
I’m praying for you right now, Melinda. May God bring healing, comfort, and strength. In Jesus’ name.
Lifelong Pursuit of Christ is also my goal, and with the current issue with my health, I hope and pray that I’ll be able to continue, that the Lord will heal the difficult sickness that I was just examined for, and, in spite of how I feel, that I will be able to push through to enjoy the many family get-togethers we have planned during this calendar year. Peace be with you. Please keep us in your prayers, Melissa.