As a youth discerning God’s call to ministry, a mentor once told me,

“Melia, we minister from the overflow of what God is doing in our own hearts and lives.”

Those words have stayed with me. He went on to explain that for us to minister in a healthy and life-giving way, we must first be filled—through time in God’s Word, in prayer, and in quiet communion with our Abba Father.

If I’m honest, over the past twenty years of ministry, there have been seasons when I’ve become busy doing ministry instead of being with God. It’s easy to focus on the tasks and forget to tend to the soul. But God continually calls us back—not to productivity, but to presence.

God desires for us to come to Him, to spend time in prayer and Scripture, and to allow His Word to fill and refresh us so that our ministry flows from the wellspring of His Spirit at work within us.

As we enter a season often filled with busyness, let’s be intentional about creating space to be in God’s presence—not to prepare the next lesson, but simply to hear from Him for ourselves. Let’s make it our top priority to sit with Him, listen to His voice, and let His Word renew our hearts.

Is there someone in your life who can help keep you accountable in this area—someone who can check in and encourage you to stay connected to the Lord? We need one another to stay strong and to spur each other on in faith.

Below are a few of my favorite Scriptures—what I like to call God’s Love Letter. I encourage you to read through them, choose one that speaks to your heart today, and write it down. Keep it somewhere visible as a daily reminder of God’s love and truth in your life.

• Isaiah 49:16 – “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.”

• 1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

• Zephaniah 3:17 – “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

• Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

• John 15:15 – “I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father.”

• 1 Thessalonians 1:4 – “We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be His own people.”

• Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

• 1 John 4:16 – “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

• Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

• Romans 8:38–39 – “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.”

• Isaiah 43:2 – “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

• Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

• Deuteronomy 31:8 – “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

• Jeremiah 31:3 – “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

• Matthew 5:14 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:5 – “For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.”

Melia Warren has dedicated almost 20 years to full-time children’s ministry and resides in McMinnville, TN. Her passion lies in working with children and families, sharing Christ's love, and fostering spiritual growth through discipleship. She delights in celebrating God’s work, experiencing profound joy by saying yes to Jesus, and spreading His love. Melia treasures connecting with others and welcomes the opportunity to pray with or for you—reach out to her at melia@fbcmcminnville.com.