It’s been a long time since I have posted and forgive me for that. Life is full.  I wanted to repost something from my facebook.  Something that is convicting my heart and affecting my life and my ministry.

This is where I am. I believe the church for far too long has stood in the way of Jesus and crowded out his message of love with our own message of judgement and condemnation. The Church, or a lot of the church, myself included, at times have worried so much about pointing out sin, pointing out people, pointing out groups that we have decided are wrong and we have forgotten that we are supposed to be pointing all to Jesus. A friend reminded me about the story of Zacchaeus and if you remember he couldn’t get to Jesus. The crowd was in the way so he went and found a tree to climb up in to finally see Jesus. So, what if instead of the church being the crowd that is keeping people from seeing the beauty of who God is, we actually try and be the tree. Lifting up people to see Jesus. I believe His message, the good news, is LOVE. I have decided to leave judgement and other’s eternity in God’s loving, merciful, and gracious hands. I trust those hands with my life and this world. I heard someone say yesterday and I love this, “if we as Christians were going to err on the side of anything, why don’t we err on the side of love.”

Sigh…So life has been a  little busy since June… I realized I have not updated my blog in almost 5 months.  WOW… First, please forgive me.  I did not forget about you, I just had to prioritize life a little.  The juggling act began on June 9th when sweet Haven entered our organized world.  Since then, our lives have been turned upside down, but in a good way.  Sometimes we need a little reorganizing and we don’t even know it.  So today for the first time in months I am sitting down at the computer to update you all.  My friends.  My supporters.  My prayer partners.  Thank you for sticking with me through the ups, downs, changes and lack of blogs    Let me tell you about life, now as we know it.  Haven is asleep in her bed, which is still in my room.   Ahem . I am sitting on the couch, well laying on the couch, with a heating pad on my back.  Last week I somehow injured myself. Next to me is Dora (Hutch’s imaginary friend turned stuffed bear) and Ellie ( Hutch’s favorite, a stuffed elephant).  Hutch is laying across my legs.  We found out today that he has H1N1.  While I am trying to stay calm and not overreact – I decided to get on here and talk to you…Poor thing.  I have never seen him this miserable.  It is one of the hardest things to see your child hurting and know there is nothing you can do about it.  Maybe just a glimpse into part of, God’s view of the world of us…Seeing His children in pain and not being able to do anything about it because of the gift of free – will. The project He gave to us when the world began…or really when humanity began.  Of course I still do not have my mind fully wrapped around it ( it being suffering and God’s role in it ) but  I don’t believe we ever will on this side of Heaven.  But none the less I am hurting and I believe God is too.  I believe He is right here watching and  holding onto Hutch just like I am.  So we are trusting Him in all of this and taking every precation to help make Hutch well and to protect little Haven from getting it.  So I am just trying to remember to breathe. Funny, I just lead a guided prayer at church (Gracepointe) on Sunday morning about remembering to breathe.  The importance of breathing, making space for yourself.  Now I have to be reminded.  (By the way…Hutch must feel a little better since he just declared he is a ROCK STAR!  Ha)  So back to breathing… in and out… breathing in the Spirit of God and out everything that is not of God.  Breathe in healing,  let go of pain.  Breathe in peace, let go of confusion.  Breathe in and breathe out.  OK I feel a little better already just talking about it.  We will keep breathing and life will go on.  Life that is full, oh so full.  Full of beautiful children and memorable moments.  Like Batman and Batgirl… all dressed up for Trick or Treating.  Like being on a platform and knowing I am exactly where God wants me.  Like seeing my little girl’s face light up when she sees my face.  The list goes on and on…(sigh) now I can sigh for a good reason.  We are blessed.  AND You are too. Remember to breathe.  update you soon, I PROMISE Melissa

Well friends, it is high time I write to you and fill you in on all the amazing changes going on in my life.  

Change by definition (verb) : to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of something different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone

I am so sorry I have not written in a while!  There is a lot going on in my life!  I have so much to tell you BUT I want to wait until I have the time to explain all that God is doing, please keep checking back for an update this week, also pics and you tube clips from Life Today and TBN!  Thanks for your support! Melissa

Hello friends! I am honored to help lead worship at Kairos.  Kairos is a single, college, young adult, and anybody and everybody else ministry at Brentwood Baptist in TN.  We ( about 1300 of us)  meet on Tuesday nights at 7 for food, coffee, worship and teaching.  I love Kairos!  I met this wonderful, gentleman Brian there.  Brian is a leader and prayer warrior.  He has continuously encouraged me for the past year and a half.  He also has blessed me with books.  I LOVE to read.  My favorite hobby, in fact.  His first was a Frederick Buechner book.  Buechner, thanks to Brian, has become my new favorite author!  Brian recently blessed me with a new book, Walking on Water by Madeline L’Engle. This is my first time to read her as well.  So I started it this morning.  Now I am one of those readers who either gets fully engulfed in a book and reads it in a few days OR more recently, starts a book and cannot find the time to read it quickly, therefore I get bored and start another book a few weeks later… a month down the road I have 3 books started and none finished ( all of them great, I am just too busy)!  Ha So today I have started a second book in a month.. but I promise to finish them both!  Hold me to it:)  Anyway I am 3 pages into this new book and I have to stop and write a blog.  I am so moved and challenged and I am only 3 pages in!  I love it when God does that.  Thanks to Brian again,  I can already tell she will fast become a favorite of mine.  This is what stopped my in my tracks at the gas station.  ( Yes I was reading while I was pumping gas, because us busy girls have to take time when we have the time)  ”Listen to the silence. Stay open to the voice of the Spirit.” ” Slow me down, Lord.” ” When I am constantly running there is no time for being. When there is no time for being there is no time for listening.  I will never understand the silent dying of the green pie-apple tree if I do not slow down and listen to what the Spirit is telling me…”  OK! OK!  I am a busy girl.  My mom used to say my middle name was go.  I have always enjoyed being busy and active ever since I was a child.  That continues in my life today.  I am a wife, a mother of a wonderfully, demanding preschooler, a friend, in full time ministry with Avalon and  in full time ministry as a solo artist with a new record.. just to name a few things on my plate right now… AND I am 7 and 1/2 months pregnant, HA!  Are you exhausted yet?!  But I love every minute of it.  I do not like to sit still at all. I enjoy the hustle and bustle of life but CONVICTION sat in as I read these words while smelling the fumes of gasoline pumping in to my car:) ….  WE ALL NEED TO SLOW DOWN LONG ENOUGH TO BE.  TO HEAR.  If not we will miss out on ALL God is doing and speaking into our lives.  My husband just told me 2 nights ago, that he and one of my best friends decided I make myself more busy than I need to be.  I plan stuff just for the sake of planning stuff.  Now of course I argued that I didn’t and asked for example’s.  -to which he could not give at the moment, I love it when that happens:)  All kidding aside, he was not lecturing me just telling me I could slow down if I wanted to.  Then when I read this today, I thought ok when my spiritual leader – husband, a close friend, and now the random book I started all say the same thing, the light went on and I conceded to the fact THE SPIRIT is trying to speak.  Listen.  I hope if you are a busy girl or guy and you have read this today,  I want to encourage you to stop and listen to the silence, because I know God speaks in the storms and in power but I also have read He speaks in the whispers.  1 Kings 19:12.  Although, I don’t now yet what He is saying ( Because I rushed to tell you about it:) ) I know He is speaking.   I just have to stop long enough to LISTEN.   As much as I enjoy being on the go, I want God’s will and voice to be heard always in my life.  That is much more important than having a full calendar. I realize that right now. So I am saying- I will slow down long enough to be, to listen, and long enough to trust… will you?  I hope so, Melissa

Hey Friends!  I hope that you are all doing very well heading into Spring! As you know, my record comes out next Tuesday and I am so excited for it to finally be out.   My single “Next Step” is starting to gain real momentum at radio and the first review of the record is a good one as well. YEAH!!  read here-

http://www.soul-audio.com/album-reviews/03-03-2009/melissa-greene-2/

Having received a pre-release copy of my record, I noticed a misspelling on the back of the CD for the title track.   It should, of course, read “Next Step” and instead reads “Nest Step.” When speaking with my label, I realized they had printed 5000 copies this way. We could have had them all reprinted and wasted these CD’s but instead we have decided to do something fun for the fans.   Ben and I are green(e) people in more ways than one and did not want to see all of those CD’s go to waste.  So instead we are releasing all 5000 incorrect CD’s along with corrected versions to stores all across America.  Okay, so, here is the way that you can receive backstage passes to all of my solo concerts.  Simply go to your Christian music store and buy one of the first 5000 records with the title track spelled “Nest Step” on the back and that CD case will be your backstage pass.  You must find one of the first 5000 printed to win this special prize and your CD must have the misspelling. The only way to guarantee yourself this special opportunity is to go to your nearest Christian bookstore on next Tuesday, March 10th and buy the record.  Make sure you look through the CD’s to find the misspelling and I will see you backstage!!  So every solo concert from here on out, bring your CD, go to the product table and someone will direct you from there!   Looking forward to meeting and spending time with you soon!  God Bless! Mel

Ok so we, Ben and I, just got home from a great week on a cruise ship.  We went with the Kathy Troccoli and friend’s cruise.  Avalon was invited as well as Chonda Pierce, Mark Harris, and Mark Lowry.  We had such a restful time.  Ben and I slept a lot because the first few days the weather was poor and the ship was swaying.  We read our books, played Battleship (my first time, Ben won!), Suduko ( I mastered the easy right away and still cannot figure out the hard one), and rented movies.  The last few days the sun was shining and the ports were great.  We met some new friends and spent the day with them on their private, rental house.  It couldn’t have ended better.  Now all that was great but what stuck out to me most as I am remembering the week was Chonda Pierce.  Honestly I thought she would be great for my mom and dad and their age group, not expecting as much for myself.  I can admit when I am wrong and I was wrong. First she was and is hilarious.  Second, the girl can sing!!!! Third and most important she was so real on stage and off.  I gained so much RESPECT for that woman.  She shared her personal story of struggling with severe depression a couple of years ago.  Serious stuff, serious dealings, fully honest. The audience laughed and cried and was encouraged.  This “professional”  Christian was saying life is not perfect and I am not perfect and I don’t have the perfect life.  It was such a relief to hear.  You could feel the sighs and response in the audience!  Yes we all want to laugh, we all want to be entertained, and walk away from a Christian Concert, Performance,  or Comedy Show (fill in the black) smiling and encouraged.  BUT the TRUE encouragement came from her sharing her pain and her scars and how she is allowing God to heal them.  We all long for fellowship, be it fellowship of laughter or fellowship of pain, but fellowship that says we are no different!  We all go through junk, trials, stuff, pain but guess what God is real and He loves us and longs to work on and with our stuff.  It was FABULOUS.  I longed for myself and everyone who professes to be a professional Christian ( artist, comedian, pastor, etc…) to be REAL on the stage as much as off.  That doesn’t mean being Debbie Downer all the time, ha, but the sooner we can be honest about where we are right now, the sooner we can start moving forward with God and encouraging someone else along the way too. So pray for me and my authenticity please.  You can decide if you need to pray that prayer too.  Thank you Lord for challenging me!  Blessings, Mel

Good morning friends!  Well January is almost over and 2009 has already proved to be a year of unpredictability!  At first I was a little fearful of not knowing the outcome of so many areas BUT God has proven once again that He is in control and His ways are perfect.  I love it.  So it is a year of faith.  My faith being tested is a huge task for me, especially because it seems to be playing out in all areas of my life.   You see I would be called a person of big faith, but here is a test of faith, interseting…  The good side of this is that I am learning to trust God in ALL areas versus leaning on my own plans and my old ways.  I guess I needed a God test of faith in a BIG way, Ha, but if I just trust my Teacher and truly try and learn what His is teaching I feel I will eventually pass.  We all have that promise.  It is great to know that although I might fail, although I might try and cheat by making my own way, even if I give up for a moment when I am ready to do it the right way God is still there giving me yet another chance.  LOVE THAT.  So my task is trust, have faith in something and Someone much bigger than myself, and to relinquish self control.  I am a control freak, just ask my husband:)  I am still learning to submit in all ways, ha. It is not because I think that he or anyone else cannot do it well, I just enjoy doing it all… sad  I was not made to be self sufficient and neither were you.  We are called to take our gifts, like leadership, and use them to serve and lean on others to make us whole.  You know “the church is the whole body” analogy.  Well although I think I am some part of the head;)…. I realize I need all the other parts to function properly.  And the head is no better than the foot or the rump for that matter:) ( I have been cleaning a lot of dirty boohiney’s, as we call it, for the last 2 and a half years.  I know a lot about them!)    We need it all and we need God’s direction overall! So I am taking the test cheerfully, trusting that God is up to something big and I am getting smaller, gladly!  I hope if you are being tested too, I challenge you to sit down and learn… quit trying to stand up to the Teacher!  That seems to always get us into more trouble!

On a fun note… one of my unpredictable outcomes of 09 is that we are having a girl! I am halfway through my pregnancy and ECSTATIC!!!!    May God continue to bless us all, tests or no tests!  Blessings, Mel

Hello friends, Happy new Year to you!  I can’t believe it is 2009, but I am actually glad 2008 is over.  How about you?  We are still visiting family here in the Greene household.  Down in Florida today.  How is it that too much driving, lack of sleep, fighting colds and runny noses, petty arguments with spouse or child, and overeating….always equals a fabulous time?!  Really – we love it and realize it is all worth it! I love the holidays.  I am sad they are almost over but excited about this year.  A friend recently sent me a text reminding me that this year would be a year of “Crossing over”  as in Joshua crossing over the Jordan into the promise land!  I mean – I hope that encourages you as much as it did me.  Step out in faith, trust God, walking through the water or actually in the water will be the hardest part -especially when everyone around you may be saying “be practical, have a safety net, maybe you should try another way,  etc…etc…” Believe me Godly, sound counsel is always needed and we can’t do this on our own.  BUT when you know God has told you to do something, even when it seems or is difficult, even if some around you think you are crazy:)  it might just be your ” crossing over” time.  I believe it is for me, I am excited about what God is doing and I will set up a remembrance.  Just like Joshua did with the 12 stones, saying “Look what God has done!”  It may take all year or more but I know God is up to something and the journey will be worth it!  Get your backpack on, let’s get on this journey jump in the water, watch Him move some mountains or even some seas for us!    Blessings, Mel

Hey friends!  Well I am on my last 3 days and shows of this tour. It really has been awesome.  I have met lots of new friends and extremely talented people.  It has been a pleasure to get to know the Crowns team, Pure NRG, and Denver and his guys.  The band (which is the Mile High Orchestra) is really amazing.  Avalon is hoping to team up next year and do some concerts together!  Great guys, some single, which I am working on hooking up  with a certain someone:)  Also fun to be with Natalie and her husband, Bernie.  Bernie produced six songs on Next Step.  They are both fabulous.  Avalon is great as usual.  It is still awesome to share the stage and most of my days with those 3 people!  

It really is freezing outside and I walked in the rain (short distance) to the mall.  OK, Ben (my hubby) and I decided Hutch doesn’t need anything!  So Christmas was supposed to just be a few gifts from us and Santa.  But few has turned to a packed closet full of hidden gifts!!!!!!! I can’t stop buying for him.  It really is a problem! Although they are all small, they a a lot in number, and I think Ben might be getting mad.:)  But it will all be fine on Christmas morning when we see little Hutch’s face light up at all the presents.  Ben and I were also able to send 8 of our World Vision children special gifts for Christmas.  I wish I could be there to see there faces… so deserving of happiness!  Maybe someday I will be able to meet them all.  If you don’t know what to do or give for Christmas…World Vision has a special gift catalogue, where you an send a goat, or chickens, or soccer balls,etc to children around the world that would really need and appreciate it!  Go to www.worldvision.org and give back! I hope you are all having a blessed month!  Merry Christmas, Melissa

Hey friends, Well I am out with Avalon on Casting Crowns Christmas Tour with Natalie Grant, Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, Michael English, and PureNRG!  It is so fantastic. I found a clip of my song on you tube, hope you enjoy!  Blessings, Mel

Clip of my friend, Daniel Crews and me singing “Everything to Me”.

Here is I’ll Fly Away from the Spring tour!

Well it is Friday and  I am driving with my fabulous husband Ben.  We are headed down to Orlando to do some promotional radio stuff.  I.E…Bringing cookies, talking about the new  CD, etc.. you know stuff.  It is a dreary day and life has seemed to be pretty overcast in general the past few weeks.  I found out an acquaintance of mine just lost their sister in a long battle to cancer.  My heart just broke for this family, although I am not that close to them, I know exactly what they are feeling.  I heard the celebration service for her life was just that..a celebration.  In fact, “ one of the best praise and worship services I have been a part of” quoted a friend.  It brought back so many memories of September 9^th, 2007 when I was the worship leader at my32 year old brother in law,Jody’s celebration service.  I remember watching my sister, Tiffany on the front row giving me an encouraging go ahead… as to say this is exactly what Jody would have wanted.  My idea going into the service was that Jody was already in heaven celebrating and we should join him in this moment praising God.  But when I was looking out at so many grieving faces, wondering how I could be so joyful in that moment on that day.  But I was?!  I was enjoying singing Blessed Be Your Name, Lord You are Good, and Trading my Sorrows.  The songs never had more meaning than on that day.  Life was overcast then but God in His amazing ability showed up in that overwhelming peace I have heard about all my life but never experienced.  The same is true today. Life has been crazy for me, my family, and I am sure for you.  The storms have come and winds blown.  We have every reason to fear, yet God  has shown up in the midst of my storms,  walking on the water calling out for me to trust Him and join Him.  To trust Him not to always calm the storm but to BE in the middle of it .  Right there with us, holding us, walking with us.  He wasnts to show us the miracle of getting out of the boat, being off your rocker if you will.  The miracle is smiling and joyfully praising God when you just lost your precious loved one.  The miracle is joyfully maneuvering through life when your job was just taken away or the doctor has given you a bad report.  I have found sometimes the miracle is  not always in God’s remedy but in how He gives us the strength and vitality to  show the world around us we live and breath hope.  No Matter What.  So if the sun is not shining on your life, let the light come from inside  you and permeate everything and everyone around you. Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. Blessings, Melissa