Melinda Reams - Experiencing God's Presence, Worthiness, & Love
Melinda Reams is a retired pharmacist, Melinda Reams is a retired pharmacist specializing in compounds, and she is a member of the Russellville Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Arkansas. She has been a Sunday school teacher, a director of summer camps, a woman's ministry president, and a conference speaker at the 3rd age retreat. She is currently serving on the Arkansas Presbytery Board of Missions, and she is an elected member of the denomination's ministry council. Melinda considers herself just an ordinary person in the church, But as we go deeper into her faith journey, Melinda is much more than ordinary. She talks about an intuition that has shaped her faith as a youth, adult, and a mother, engaging her throughout her life in both good and dark times. Leaning into this intuition, Melinda feels God's presence, worthiness, and love. So now, my dear friends, here is my conversation with Melinda Reams.
T.J.:Melinda Reams, thank you for joining me on the podcast. I'm so glad that, we have this opportunity together. I was thinking earlier today that, many years ago, I had just started in the role that I'm in now for the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination, and I had never met you before. It was it was at a general assembly, and you were doing some video blogging. And you put a microphone underneath my nose and said, talk. Tell everybody who you are. And now fast forward 10, 11 years, and I get to reverse the roles and be in conversation with you and get to know more about you. So I'm very grateful to swap roles with you, but even more so, I'm excited to hear more about your faith journey.
Melinda:Well, great. Well, thank you for having me.
T.J.:We were talking before, we started recording that one of your careers was being a pharmacist. And I know nothing more than the individual being on the other side of the counter and handing me a a white bag with medications in it. So what does the life of a pharmacist look like?
Melinda:Well, it can be many roles. There's hospital pharmacist. There are pharmacists, and your local community pharmacy. I worked in a hospital first in Georgia. Well, I worked in a small pharmacy in Missouri, and then we moved to Georgia.
Melinda:Then I worked in a hospital, which I really did like. A lot of I had a lot of pharmacists. It was a big hospital. And then, we moved to Arkansas, and then I ended up working in a community pharmacy. And, we it was really more my cup of tea because I got to establish a relationship with the customers and help them with different things.
Melinda:Our pharmacy actually did compounding. So I really like that because I love the way that you can take, some natural plant or you know, a lot of our drugs came from plants, And you can use those ingredients. A lot of those actually ended up being our drugs. But we kind of were going back a little bit and meeting the needs of people that weren't being served by regular medication. And so, we would make, like for instance, Finnergan gel, which if you're nauseated or throwing up, you can't take the pills, but we could make it into a gel.
Melinda:And then you rub it on. It absorbs into your skin. Solves the problem. So because this pharmacy that I worked in, eventually I worked relief at first for different 4 different stores here in rest around Russellville, and then I worked at one c and d drugstore, which is actually, like, the oldest continuously running pharmacy, location in Arkansas.
T.J.:Oh, wow.
Melinda:So, yeah. So, it's really old, old building. So, I went to these compounding schools. We got in at the very beginning. And, so went to compounding classes.
Melinda:We would have conventions, seminars, and then eventually got into more of, like, functional medicine or natural medicine, looking at the root cause. So we did like bio identical hormones, and we, you know, I really was into vitamins and, how minerals and vitamins deficiencies can cause problems. And so, now, that is what I love. I love I'm retired now, but I am continuously reading books or listening to them on Audible, about how to have how to live a healthier life, how to live longer, how to feel better, you know, how to meet up to your potential. You know, is it, you know, is it the food you eat?
Melinda:Is it your, you know, is it your genetics? I love all of that. Is it, you know, deficiencies because of your genetics? Are you are you deficient in these minerals? Or like me, I'm a, for instance, one of the first seminars that I went to that was more on functional medicine was in, Atlanta.
Melinda:Oh, no. New Orleans. New let's see. No. Well, anyway, it didn't really matter, but I think it was in, Orlando.
Melinda:But, we listened to a doctor, and she was talking all about vitamin d. And so she described the symptoms, and I was like, oh my goodness. That sounds like me. So
T.J.:You were doing a self diagnosis.
Melinda:I go home, I get my vitamin d checked, and it's like 23. And I'm like, oh my goodness. So, I, start supplementing with vitamin d. And so, like, 2 minute 2 months later, it's like, oh my goodness. I just feel better.
Melinda:So, interestingly so then later on, I did my, I did my, I did the 23andme test, which you can get your raw data of your DNA. And then, I was able to put it into another program, and it showed me different things. And so, evidently, one of the reasons why I was so low on vitamin D, even though that was back when I was young, actually, like my thirties, probably, is that I'm not a very good I'm not a very good converter of it. I don't absorb it well, and I don't convert it very well to the active form. So, so there were different causes there.
Melinda:But anyway, that so as a pharmacist, yes, pharmacists do make sure that you get the right medication and, you know, try to make sure that you get it. If there's any coupons out there, we usually try to make sure you could you know, we use the coupons. You know, we are there to to help with any kind of, like, vitamin or, you know, over the counter needs. You know, we have products that we know work. So, really, pharmacists are a very they're a huge, what's the word, a huge, bank load of information.
Melinda:So
T.J.:I would think the life of a pharmacist, well, it's a very caring profession, and it puts you in a unique spot because you get to build relationships with members in the community in a safe way. So there may be information that is transferred between you and, that individual that only the 2 of you know. And so there's a level of intimacy there. And I don't I'm not a pharmacist, but there's a ministry there because you're sharing There is. Some intimate information that is revealing about the individual and you're providing them with information to make them feel better or feel whole.
T.J.:So what what was that like to be integrated into many people's lives and and for a long term, how did you view that? What was that like for you?
Melinda:Well, it was, it was kind of exciting, and because I love to learn new things, to find the key, to find, oh my goodness. Oh, look at this. You know? No wonder this person probably feels this way. You know?
Melinda:Blah blah blah. So I for me, it was exciting, and it it you know? I felt like it was my duty to help people. If my mother or my father had gone to their pharmacist, would I want them to take care of my parents? Yes.
Melinda:Because you don't know. You don't know about insurance. You know? So, I just felt like it was my duty. You know?
Melinda:I have to help them. They need help. They don't understand that, you know, about, you know, taking their medicine or, you know, the insurance ins and outs. And you have to explain it in a in a gentle way, not like they're stupid or anything, but, you know.
T.J.:Right.
Melinda:Yes. Yes. So I so, yes. I felt like, you know, it just it was just what I should be doing. And I also did carry this over to my ministry at the church Mhmm.
Melinda:Because, you know, I just you know, I decided to have, like, a several times to have, like, a health fair at church. You know, one time, I was in charge of the children's program. And so, my friend, Anne Bartlett, you know, we were talking about the heifer project. And so she said, well, I've always wanted to buy one of those arks of animals. So I was like, let's do it then.
Melinda:Jumped right into it, not realizing that it was $5,000 worth. So so, the CPW and the children, we had all kinds of different programs. And so, one thing that we did was a mini health fair. So, we had a health fair, we had a doctor there, we had bone density testing, and we had, you know, the children, you know, showing the food pyramid and different things.
T.J.:And this was at the church. People could
Melinda:At the church. Yes.
T.J.:And the community could come to the church for this health fair. Okay.
Melinda:Yes. And then one time, it wasn't to make money. We eventually did get the $5,000 only because Anne said, How much more money do you need? He wrote me a check for $50 or something. But yes, we've got the animals.
Melinda:We bought the 5 $1,000 arc of animals, and so but another time, I had a women's health fair at the church because a friend of mine at Lanita Benson, she mentioned at the women's, you know, at the women's CPW retreat that we had we had every year, and she would just love that. So I was like, whoo. So we had this women's health, you know, festival at the church. It was a seminar. I had this wonderful doctor come, and she spoke about about water, using water in health.
Melinda:It was very, oh, really interesting. We had workshops. We had a dietitian there. So we had people from the community and from you know, some people from Arkansas come, CPW ladies. We had a good group from Camden come.
Melinda:Those ladies are awesome down there. So that was really good. And then I've I've spoke spoken at the 3rd age retreat to, several times about vitamin d and just about new health, you know, new things about health. Because you hear things that, oh, yes. Oh, this is, you know oh, take vitamin e.
Melinda:It's really good for you. It's the best thing. It'll, you know, make you live longer. Don't take vitamin e. That stuff will kill you.
Melinda:You hear so many different things, you know, about and the things that, you know, the opinion changes. So I did go to 3rd age retreat, which is a retreat for older adults in Arkansas. And it's usually held in Ferncliff or Ferndale, right outside Little Rock at the 4H Center. And, it's for the older people. And, I have just a wonderful group of Cumberland Presbyterians.
Melinda:Let me tell you, I love those people. So, I would always loved going there and talking to them about various health, you know, health issues. So, anyway, as a pharmacist, I did use my, pharmacy knowledge to, you know you know, to, open the eyes or to educate, you know, people in any way that I could.
T.J.:Right. Caring caring for the body and soul go Yes.
Melinda:Together. Oh, definitely. Definitely.
T.J.:Well, hearing the enthusiasm in your voice, for the caring of others and for medicinal purposes and and the exercise and and all the things that go together. Melinda, what as a child, what did the young Melinda want to be when she grew up?
Melinda:Well, I wanted to be a professional tennis player.
T.J.:Okay. We'll talk more about that.
Melinda:Oh, well, that was just my my you know? Well, when I was probably, like, 13 or so, I guess, we had this wonderful young preacher come to our church. His name was George Estes. And so, he was very, he was very competitive and very good at things. And so he taught me how to play tennis, And I just loved it.
Melinda:And so, that was kind of my guide. That was kind of my, you know, when I was younger, I wanted to be a professional. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Play tennis.
Melinda:Well, I'm not very big, and you have to have a lot you have to have muscles even for tennis. So that didn't last very long. But then I went to college at the University of Arkansas, and I decided, yeah, that, well, I thought about being a nurse. My sister was a nurse, but I went with her, you know, to the hospital a couple of times. And when someone was having a baby or just, to observe.
Melinda:And I decided that I don't think that I wanted to, you know, be, to touch people. And I do wanna help them, but, you know, I don't want to have to do those kind of things.
T.J.:That's funny. You wanna give them drugs, but you don't really
Melinda:wanna touch them. Yes. Or, you know, have to do procedures. Like, I could never give a shot to anybody. I hate I hate needles.
Melinda:So, anyway, that's what I thought, even though now pharmacists are giving shots, and I had to do it. But anyway, that's what I thought. I could never give a shot to a baby, so I can't be a nurse. So, I thought about being a pharmacist. So, I I gone you know, I decided that I wanted to be a pharmacist.
Melinda:I almost I worked at the intramural I worked at the intramural office there at the University of Arkansas. And I have always been good at making newsletters. And so, that was my job. I produced the newsletter for the intramural office. So, I really wanted to be a person.
Melinda:There wasn't really a so called job description back then, but I wanted to be a person that would go to a company and be in charge of their fitness and their health. And have fun things like, okay, you know, today, we're gonna we're gonna go to, yeah, we're gonna plan a trip, and we're gonna go to Florida. We're gonna go to, the Keys. And so, every day we're gonna walk so far, so people, okay, you gotta walk. Hey, you have to walk to Memphis today, you know, you have to walk to blah blah blah.
Melinda:You know, think of fun ideas to make make things healthy for people. That was really what I wanted to do, but there was no job description. And it was during, like, you know, the recession, and I thought, I'm like, I've got to have a job. So, I continued on with my pharmacy plans, and then I went to pharmacy school. And so I was able to, in a way, incorporate that kind of thing with what I'm doing and Mhmm.
Melinda:With pharmacy. So it worked out it worked out well in the end.
T.J.:Let's talk about how your faith, walks alongside and was integrated into your vocation. But before we get into that, Melinda, when do you think or when did you see your relationship with God begin? Was it early in life? Was it later in life? Let's talk about that for a few minutes.
Melinda:Well, I kind of have a faith story that I can tell you. It's rather long, and it also will answer that question.
T.J.:Alright.
Melinda:I would say that it was more later in life because I believe it is a process. So, I grew up in the Rose City Church, Rose City in North Little Rock, which is hands down the most wonderful church in the CP denomination. So, my mother had gone to that church. She lived in Rose City. And then, my father, he went to the Newton Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church in South Arkansas.
Melinda:And our ancestors, actually my great great grandfather gave the land to have the church, to put the church on.
T.J.:Mhmm.
Melinda:Hence hence the name Newton Chapel. So I was very ingrained in from an early age.
T.J.:Before you even knew what a Cumberland Presbyterian was.
Melinda:Yes. And growing up in the Rose City Church was just full of love. So many wonderful people have come out of that church or been pastors of that church. Charles Faith was the pastor, George Estes, Sam Wayman. Bill Wood is from was from that church, one of our missionaries to Columbia for many years.
Melinda:It was a wonderful church. I always felt so loved. And, the church always, you know, went over and beyond. You know, they took us to the children's home as young people. We always went to camp.
Melinda:You know? I was able to go to CPYC, and then my mother, you know, was a member of CPW. And so she dragged me all around to CPW events and general assembly. So I I grew up, you know, with a, you know, with a a good basic, you know, Cumberland Presbyterian, church life. And I think I got, you know, I was lucky that our parents would let me, you know, or encourage me to do all these activities because I remember I used to go to I would work at junior camp, and then I would go to senior high camp at Camp Penile, which is our presbytery, presbytery camp.
Melinda:Then, I would go to CPYC, and it would be almost like 3 days, you know, 3 weeks in a row. And so, but I grew up, you know, in the CP church, and, and I was always so grateful for the time there at Rose City and the good group of young people, and the relationships that I had from that church. And even though that church is closed now, it still lives on, and all the wonder wonderful people that, you know, went through that church. So, I don't ever even think of it as being sad and being closed. It's, you know, that's that's that is the way things go.
Melinda:Things, churches grow, and they peak, and then they may they may die. They may close, but they live on in so many people. So I went so I used to think that I was just your average girl that grew up in the CP church. And so one time, oh, I don't know, probably about 6 years ago, I was at a meeting for the for the missions ministry team, and, Edith, the director of ministries, asked me if I would share my faith story. And, I was like, Well, I don't really have it.
Melinda:I don't really have a faith story, you know? That's what I thought. But, as it turns out, I really do. I'm not just an ordinary girl that grew up in the CP church. You know, I have a very unusual story.
Melinda:It's kind of interesting. I remember that, so when whenever I was, like I said, I went to CPYC. And when I was there, the first time that I went, I met this girl from Missouri, and her name was Carla Davis. And now her name is Carla Bellas. She still lives in Missouri.
Melinda:We were in the cabin, and our cabin's mothers, one of them was, Ellie Scredder, who I just loved, and, merry and sweet. And, we became fast friends. And so, at CPYC, I remember, you know, being my mind, you know, was being a Christian, my mind was expanded. Camp Penile was a was a lot of fun, but, you know, I had been there since junior camp, and so it was something special to go to CPYC. Mhmm.
Melinda:And I, I just I just thought it was wonderful, and I still do. I think it's such a wonderful gift for the c for the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. So, when I was there, like I said, I met Carla, and I remember that, so then we were also picked to be, both of us, to be on the, planning committee for the next year, so we were there. And so, I remember that, I was always, like, a little bit more mischievous than Carla or so so I thought. So I remember, you know, my impression I mean, I always like, for instance, I always thought that, you know, I was I was a good Christian.
Melinda:But, I didn't know if I was really, you know you know, as good as other people. Because I was mischievous, I was a little bit different. Carla, when she prayed now, she would really pray. I mean and I would be kind of, like, looking at the guys, like, oh, look at him. Checking out the boys.
Melinda:You know, I remember there was someone else there. His name was Thomas Sweet. I was in class with him one time. We were talking about some Bible verse, you know, and it was like, Jesus walked down the road, blah blah blah. And, you know, the teacher was saying, what does that mean?
Melinda:I was like, well, Jesus walked down the road. Oh, no. Thomas Sweet said, oh, that means blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. And this, and Jesus actually you know, Jesus is on a journey blah blah blah. I was amazed.
Melinda:I was like, wow. These people are real Christians. So, I remember that. So then time passed, time passed. So I still you know, I I graduated.
Melinda:The last, after I graduated, my mom, I think I believe my mother and dad were going to General Assembly, and so I decided to go with them. And, it was at Bethel College. So, when I was there at Bethel College, we were doing some youth activities. And so, as it turns out, Carla's sister, Jo, was there. And Jo was a middle child, and so she was a little bit more like me.
Melinda:She was like, kind of mischievous. So, we skipped some meeting, and we went we borrowed my friend Tom Wilkins' car. We rode to the next town and went to this super this buffet and everything. So it was it was, you know, it was funny. So we were we were at a youth activity, and they were giving away T shirts.
Melinda:And it was Sarah Davidson from Arkansas, Pamela Bone. She had been they had been in Arkansas for a while, and then Joe and me. And so they were giving away t shirts, and this voice in my head was like, oh my goodness. I'm gonna win this t shirt. And so they called my name out.
Melinda:I won the t shirt. I thought, well, that's really gosh, that's really weird. Time passes, then I go to the U of A. I go to pharmacy school. I meet my husband.
Melinda:I we get married. I graduate. Then, we moved to Missouri for a while, and then we moved to Savannah, Georgia. So there, we, both ended up working in the hospitals, different ones.
T.J.:Oh, that's right because your your husband is also a farm citizen.
Melinda:Yes. Yes. He is. Yes. So we had a set we got a sailboat when we were in Missouri, and then we just decided, well, we ought to just go live live by the ocean.
Melinda:So we did. And we loved Savannah. So we were going on vacation. So I looked at my my bank account to get some money out, and I was like, oh, no. We don't have any money.
Melinda:Where did it go? So, I go over to the credit union. And, as I go when I go to the credit union, they're having a contest. And it's, you can win a cruise for $900, or there's 2 $100 prizes. And so, I'm like, oh my goodness.
Melinda:I'm gonna win this. I can't believe it. So, I get money out of the credit union. I go back to work. And then that afternoon, they call me, and they say, you have won the cruise, you know, that's worth $900.
Melinda:And I'm like, oh my goodness, this is really weird. Time passes. We end up having 3 daughters, wonderful daughters. We moved back to Arkansas. I, you know, I just end up getting a job where I worked for different people.
Melinda:And so, I signed up for this contest on the radio, and it was for a little trailer. It was for a trailer and a John Deere, edger, and, a John Deere lawnmower. And so my husband calls me at work one day, and then he says, guess what? I said, I bet I won the lawnmower. Did I?
Melinda:And he says, yes. So that one cost us money though, because it was actually a game trailer that you pull behind a 4 wheeler that we did not have yet. So then, I won like a gold watch. I signed up, and I want to go watch. So, it was very weird because I could tell I had this intense feeling that I was going to win.
Melinda:So, one time, I I told my husband, I said, Alan, we're going to get a check-in the mail. And so, we did get a check. It was for my daughter, Emily, the middle one. She was a delegate in the general assembly that year. And so, we get this check-in the mail, which I, almost had to call and the state clerk and ask her to re to reissue because I couldn't find it.
Melinda:And then I finally looked in the recycling, you know, and, oh, there with the other paper, and there it was.
T.J.:You're you're having just so much luck that you throw it away. Yes.
Melinda:Yes. It's very, yeah, interesting. Yes. So, and by the way, my daughter went to General Assembly that year. She was on the finance committee or one of those committees.
Melinda:I said, Emily, what did you learn at General Assembly? And she says, I learned that insurance cost a lot of money, and we don't have any money. Oh, well, you're right. So I, so, you know, I just was like, you know, I could not conjure this feeling up, but I would get these feelings, this intense feeling that I would know what's going to happen. So I, during that time, I had this problem with my arm pushing the a bottle in and turning it, you know, that's childproof.
Melinda:I had a I started getting this problem with my upper arm. So I went to the doctor, and I got an X-ray. And then they said it was fine. Then they called me back, and they want me to get, like, an MRI. So I do that.
Melinda:And then I'm at work, and I'm at a place that's 30 minutes, you know, from town from town. And my husband comes in, and I'm like, what is going on? So, he had gotten a doc one of the radiologists to look at that x-ray. And so, he had said, oh, well, that's cancer. That is what that is.
Melinda:And so, I was like, what? What are you talking about? Bone cancer. So, I, am like, well, you know, I'm kind of a skeptic about things like that. I never think that I'm sick.
Melinda:So, I go along, and then I'm, you know, I have to wait 2 days, you know, and then I'm like, well, do you think it could be? Oh my goodness. Surely not. No, I don't think so. So, I finally, you know, I get the I get an MRI, actually, then, and it shows that it's not.
Melinda:So, anyway, that was a weird happening. It's like, gosh. That's really weird. So, then, well, and I have trouble every like, you know, 2 or 3 years, my arm will start hurting again. Kind of weird.
Melinda:So, but in the meantime, my daughters are getting older. The youngest one is a junior. In the summer before her junior year, we're at a birthday party for my great niece, and her her her leg starts hurting. Her, her thigh. And so, that's, like, really weird.
Melinda:It's not her knee. It's her thigh. So, very odd. So, we take her to the doctor the next day. They do an x-ray, and they see a tumor in her bone,
T.J.:in
Melinda:her bones. So, then we have to go to an orthopedist. My husband works at the hospital, So, he knows a lot of the doctors, and we were able to get her in quicker. So, after the x-ray, which was at the doctor's office, they they send her in for a CT scan. And so, at the hospital.
Melinda:So the radiologist who happens to live next door to us comes out and shows us the pictures and tells us that it's cancer. So, it's like shocking. It's like, what? But he's a little bit of an oddball, and he, you know, just jumped right into that without any and just goes into this explanation. And so, we're like, oh my gosh, this cannot be happening.
Melinda:So, we, that orthopedist here is able to get us into Children's Hospital, where they look at it, and they say, there's no way that we can know if this is cancer or not. We have to, you know, you know, we have to plan for the worst, but hope for the best. So, during this time, I had this feeling that, that everything was fine. I I could tell that everything was fine. So, I never really wavered.
Melinda:I always felt like, no. It's not cancer. It's not cancer. So, you know, that's a that's such a scary feeling to be told, well, you know, it's probably cancer. You know, those are the you know, your life can change in a day.
Melinda:Mhmm.
T.J.:It's
Melinda:crazy. So so then we have to, you know thank goodness, the orthopedist here is able to get us into Children's Hospital in Little Rock, you know, pretty, you know, pretty quickly. And so, we didn't have that much waiting to do. But during this time, like I said, I could feel God's presence telling me that, that, you know, that it wasn't cancer. So, my daughter has to go and have surgery, and they have to remove the tumor, and they put a metal plate in her leg.
Melinda:So, a couple days before, you know, I'm I'm in the office, and I'm, it was like everybody's asleep but me, and I'm I'm watching TV. And then, like, Joel Osteen comes on. I guess he used to come on, like, at 10 o'clock or something. And so 10:30, and so I'm just listening to him, and he says he says, well, you know, God gives you inside information. And, you know, you know how he is.
Melinda:He repeats things. So, he said it several times. Oh, yes, yes. God gives you inside information. So, I was like, I was like, what?
Melinda:You talking to me? So I looked back, you know, I was like, yeah. I believe he is talking to me. And I am never I'm not gonna let my mind go towards the bad thing that could happen if this was cancer. So, I didn't.
Melinda:We go to the hospital. You know what? We have lots of people praying for Taylor, and she has the she has the surgery. This it's a collagen tumor, and she gets it removed. And then she has a plate in her leg.
Melinda:And so she had to go back, you know, every year for, you know, every 6 months for so long, so she's doing well. So, at that, you know, so I looked at that, and I was like, oh my goodness. God was preparing me way back when I was in high school and at general assembly by telling me how, yeah, what you feel I am. I'm letting you know what's going to happen. It's going to be okay.
Melinda:So, that was very that was very amazing to me that that occurred. And I was like, oh my goodness. You know? Hey. And, that really was a turning point in my faith, because I started realizing how, worthy and how much God loved me from being me, and, you know, that I need to be aware of those things.
Melinda:So, that helped me to, you know, that encouraged me, you know, to try to listen to God more and to know when there are things that I can do, you know, to make people realize how much they are worth in Christ. So, unfortunately, God didn't give me that 5th sense for winning things anymore. So that was the end of that. So
T.J.:Let's linger here for for a minute. This intuition, feelings, you refer to them as feelings, Do you believe that's how God spoke to you and speaks to you? And if so, how how come it comes so sporadically? Or does it come I'm I'm giving you it out now. Does it come when it's needed the most?
Melinda:Well, I think that it maybe, it does. I think I think that it's it's helped me to, ask and receive from God more. Mhmm. To, I think it's helped me to deal with things. I think that, and it's helped me to deal with things that are bad.
Melinda:And to know that God with God, I will get through it.
T.J.:Right. You
Melinda:know, God is not the fairy godmother that grants, you know, that grants everything that we say. And, you know, like so, but God is there for us, and He is helping us to he's enabling us, and he is encouraging us to be the best person that we can be in Christ, is what I think. So, yes. I think I think that awakened the sense that that I'm a very capable person in Christ, and that, you know, that I can also help other people to know what they're, you know, worth in Christ, and that God loves them the way that they are.
T.J.:Right. So So let's talk about the maturity of of the faith from the intuition of winning a t shirt to the intuition of of keeping composure and becoming a support for a child who is facing surgery. I mean, that that's a big difference. You know?
Melinda:Oh. Oh. Yeah. But I knew that she was gonna be okay because of the past feelings that I'd had. I had I had that feeling.
Melinda:That was, you know, so it was no there was no doubt in my mind that she was going to be okay.
T.J.:Mhmm.
Melinda:So, I mean, I think it just grew. I think that it's really it's hard to describe, but it was like an an intense feeling that, you know, oh my goodness. I'm gonna get a check-in the mail. Now why would I think that?
T.J.:Right. Yeah.
Melinda:We're we're gonna get a check-in the mail.
T.J.:Right. Right.
Melinda:Oh, I'm gonna do this. Oh. Oh, yeah. Taylor's going to be okay. No.
Melinda:She's going to be okay. It's not cancer.
T.J.:Mhmm.
Melinda:So, it was just an intense feeling that, yes. She is going to be fine. No. It's not cancer. And then why would why did my arm hurt, and why did I why did they misdiagnose me as having cancer?
Melinda:Bone cancer. Goodness. So
T.J.:Right. When when, you know, the normal human response is to live in that. Live in the bad news.
Melinda:Yes.
T.J.:Oh, I've they've told me I have cancer. Therefore, I must have cancer. Yeah. Well
Melinda:Yes. So maybe that meant that was but that's so weird that my daughter would have, you know, they think she's got bone cancer when, oh, they tell me that I have cancer, bone cancer, which, so very, very odd, very odd, yes, but it really it really increased my faith and showed me that, it really put me into a new level, I think, of my Christian faith.
T.J.:Right. And over a long period of time, it wasn't an overnight. It wasn't a light switch.
Melinda:That's true.
T.J.:We're talking about years decades.
Melinda:Yes. Yes. Yes.
T.J.:So Melinda, what Yes. What advice would you give for somebody who is not faith connected, who would hear this, hear your faith journey, and maybe hasn't had the same experience, that strong feeling, that intuition that God is present?
Melinda:Well, I think that it really helps, if you're going to allow God in, and if you're going to see the things you know, if you're going to, be fully, capable as a Christian for what you can do. You need to see yourself more like God sees you. And I think that you need, to really understand yourself better. One of the things that helped me was, learning about the Enneagram, which is a a personality type test that you do, and it's it has a spiritual rim to it because it's and it helps you to look at yourself the way you are. And like, you have your good aspects, and then you have your bad aspects.
Melinda:And so, the more that you can understand yourself, the more you understand why God loves you, I think. And the more you're the more receptive to God that you are. For, you know, for instance, I know some things. I know what some of my downfalls are. It's like Paul said in the Bible, you know, why do I keep doing the things I don't want to do?
T.J.:Right. Right.
Melinda:Part of that is part of your personality. And, you know, it's all linked. Like I said, body, mind, spirit, learning more about all of that and how things are intertwined, for me, has really helped. So I think the more you know about yourself, the more you realize that God loves you in spite of your bad qualities, He loves you for your good qualities, the more that you are able to do the same for other people, and see them for, like, for what God sees the good in them.
T.J.:That's interesting.
Melinda:That helps me, I think.
T.J.:Yeah. That's interesting. So the the self discovery and maybe even the dirty work that that comes along with that, you know, those revelations that come with self discovery, that seeking, that searching, in a way also is a revelation about who God is and in the very presence of God.
Melinda:Yes. And it helps me to be more, non judgmental of other people if, you know, where I might be because they're different than me. But now I'm more, oh, but God loves them. You know, they might be annoying to me in certain aspects, but they have aspects that God loves. And therefore, I need to try to love them also.
Melinda:So, that's helped me a lot is to be, you know, to be more understanding of people. I think that when you see, you know, the way that God loves you, like, you know, me at CBYC, thinking that I wasn't maybe I'm not a real good Christian. I'm not holy. I'm mischievous and like to do, you know. But as it turns out, oh, yes.
Melinda:I I am a good Christian, just as good as everybody else. Oh, yes. You know, I might be 5 minutes late for every meeting, but you know what? I have my good points. I make up with I make up for it in other ways.
Melinda:So, it it, you know, it helps me to realize, you know, that, you know, our God is a mighty God, and He is there with us. So, you know, he's with us.
T.J.:Well, one of the
Melinda:Help us learn.
T.J.:One of the attributes, one of the gifts that you have, Melinda, that I've always appreciated is your ability to dream and to think forward and think into the future, and specifically for a community of faith, you know, in Cumberland Presbyterian and Christians. So this question is aimed right at you as somebody who enjoys looking into the future, enjoys dreaming and and envisioning what could be, what can be. What are your dreams for the church?
Melinda:For the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
T.J.:Yeah. I always like to leave that open so we can talk about the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. We can talk about the church at large and universal church. You tackle 1 or both, whatever you choose.
Melinda:Well, I, you know, in my mind, I told you about the Enneagram. Mhmm. I'm a certain number on the Enneagram. We like to look at the future. We are excited about things going that are going to happen.
Melinda:And so, we are always looking ahead. So, for me, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, I am looking ahead, and I am seeing that we are such a unique church. Here we are, this little bitty church. But yet we have so many churches that are of different cultures. That is very exciting to me.
Melinda:You know, we have Chinese churches. You know, I have a friend who lives in San Francisco. I go there for a meeting, my daughter and I. He meets us and takes us to a Chinese restaurant. Dom is his name.
Melinda:And then guess what? Oh, well, presbytery is going on in Chinatown in San Francisco. Oh, so we go over there, and we go to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church presbytery. And so I sit down. Mike Wallace, who is also from Arkansas, who is in charge of the the pause right now.
Melinda:So and he's he looks at me and is like, what are you doing here? I'm like, well, I just happen to be in San Francisco going to a pharmacy, you know, a conference. And so, it's great, you know? So, then I have friends that are Choctaw. I go over to, you know, to their camp, and my daughter and I do.
Melinda:My other daughter, and we stay a few days, and it's just, you know, just wonderful. We, one time, our CPWM group, we went over to a regional meeting in the Choctaw area, and oh my goodness, we, it was just wonderful. We, went to church the next day. You know, Betty Jacobs and Randy took us around and just showed us all these wonderful things. They we went to church, and it was in this small white church.
Melinda:We had a woman preacher named Hannah, and it was one of the most spiritual services I have ever been in. It was great. You know, I love the diversity in our church. I I love meeting the people from different cultures and different countries. Right now, I'm on the ministry council of the CP church, and I have Angelica, who is from Columbia, and Juan David, who is also from Columbia, and we have Ted from Japan.
Melinda:And I really I love talking to them, and and I'm hoping, you know, that we can have more involvement from people on our, minister council and our teams that are from other cultures. And, I'm very concerned. So, I love our cross cultural aspect. They are, you know, they our cross cultural churches contribute so much to our denomination. And, I'm so appreciative, and that we have them.
Melinda:So, to answer your question, I see this, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, being more welcoming and inclusive to other cultures. Especially, I think that we need to promote. We have children and teens, young adults, that, might be Hispanic or Korean, and yet, they have grown up in the United States. And so, I see this whole group of people, members, I see them as a wonderful asset, and for inside the United States, having more of a contribution from that group of people. Because, as our church, are we getting more global?
Melinda:Well, yes, we are. So, we need more involvement, not only from our global churches, but also our cross cultural here in the US. Because that's a that's a unique set of people. So, the CP church I see being, a lot more mingling of, the different cultures, I think.
T.J.:Yeah. You see that multicultural, multi international, multi ethnic, little denominations
Melinda:Yes. Yes. Yes.
T.J.:Makes it unique.
Melinda:It does. Yes.
T.J.:And that and that uniqueness should be or can be appealing and inviting to others who are also wanting to participate and be a part of a community of faith.
Melinda:Yes. And I see that, you know, when our church was founded, it was founded because of a need. The founder said, oh my goodness. There's a need in the frontier
T.J.:Mhmm.
Melinda:To, you know, reach out and comfort these people that are in the frontier. Partly, that was because if you had a baby and your baby died, and you were Presbyterian, would that baby go to heaven? The answer was no, it would not, as far as my understanding. So, they that was part of that. That was part of the whole need is, maybe we should rethink that, that part of it.
Melinda:Where, you know, think of the need of these frontier people who lost babies. So, I think that there's a new frontier out there, and it involves our unique position to reach out to, you know, this group of people, the group of people in the U. S. And outside. And also, I think since the pandemic occurred, that, you know, things are a little bit different now.
Melinda:And I think people are they are, hurting, and they are, you know, you see so much injustice and so much hurt in the world that they want a church to that gives them comfort. And also, don't forget what I got back back there in that Rose City, Cumberland Presbyterian Church, acceptance and love Yeah. That lasted a lifetime.
T.J.:Yeah. And continues to this day. And
Melinda:Yes.
T.J.:Melinda, you have been sharing what you have received to the church on many levels, presbyteryal level, denominational level, with your time and with your gifts. Before we close-up, are there are there books that you're reading or maybe movies that you have saw or watched, that have impacted your faith, that have impacted your life, that you think are worth mentioning?
Melinda:Well, I love to read. So I have read a lot of a lot of books. I think as far as, like, impacting my faith, you know, one of them that I read was, it was by Corrie 10 Boom. It was, you know, my mother back in the day, she was in this Christian book club. And so, I have tons of these kind of book, The The Hiding Place.
T.J.:Okay.
Melinda:And it was about Corrie Ten Boom. And, and so, she and her family, they I think they lived, like, in Denmark. And they were hiding, Jewish people. And so, they got sent to, one of the concentration camps. And so, while they were there, they got lice.
Melinda:And so, Cori was saying, oh my goodness. You know, how awful. And her sister said, no. That's not awful. Because if we have lice, then the the guards will leave us alone.
Melinda:They won't bother us. They won't come near us. And so, that's great. You know, that's wonderful. And so, that book, even though it's old fashioned, it's old, was such a faith story.
Melinda:I mean, how could you be in a concentration camp and still, you know, look on the bright side, and, you know, and have such a a faith in God. So that was a very inspirational book for me. Alright. So
T.J.:And it's called The Hiding Place.
Melinda:Yes. Yes. It's about her time there. And and later on, you know, they they met some of the guards, a a guard that was one of their, guards in their barracks, you know, and they it talks about forgiving them, and it was just it's such an inspiration, you know, for me to think about that.
T.J.:Melinda, thank you. Oh, do you have another book?
Melinda:No, I don't. But I do have, I do want to say that, somebody else that has helped me,
T.J.:I
Melinda:have been inspired by, and encouraged, and I'm so proud of our our, women preachers that we have. I have many times gone to conferences, or been in workshops, or we had actually, we had a spirituality Spirituality Cumberland Presbyterian Women's Conference, and they had it here at Russellville. And the group of women ministers that we had was just outstanding and so inspirational. I am just so grateful for that those that group of women. And so I want to say that they have, you know, by their faith, and they're, you know, striving for excellence in so many ways, whether it's preaching or it's giving a workshop, that that's really encouraged me also.
Melinda:Yeah. So I want to I want to make sure that I include them, and I I so appreciate them.
T.J.:Yeah. The fortitude and the gifts and the patience that women in leadership in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church is amazing.
Melinda:It is amazing. Yes.
T.J.:Melinda, thank you for giving me part of your day and sharing your faith journey. I appreciate you and your time and your service to the church and your tolerance of me over the years, and it really is kinda neat to come full circle. I do vividly remember you sticking a microphone underneath my nose, and I didn't know who this red headed woman was.
Melinda:I don't think you like it very much. Yeah. You're right.
T.J.:Well, I've enjoyed it. Thank you, Melinda.
Melinda:Alright. Thank you, TJ.
T.J.:Thank you for listening to my conversation with Melinda Reams. If you enjoy Cumberland Road, consider subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcasting site. And now let me leave you with some words from Corrie 10 Boom and her book, In the Hiding Place. Do you know what hurts so very much? It's love. Love is the strongest force in the world, and when it is blocked, that means pain. There are 2 things we can do when this happens. We can kill that love so that it stops hurting. But then, of course, part of us dies too, or we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel.
