My Inspiration for Writing

Good morning all!

Today is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!! What a beautiful day!

I wanted to share with you from my heart. July 3, 2006 was the greatest day of my life! God gave me the desire of my heart, and that desire was my baby boy, Caleb.

My husband and I have been married for 17 years now, but for the first 12 years we were not successful in getting pregnant. Yes, it was very disappointing especially when everyone around me was getting pregnant. The disappointment started to turn into frustration which I was not liking at all. So, at that point in my life I knew I had to lay it all at the Lord's feet. Once I laid my cares down at the foot of the cross, in that moment, I knew in my heart that God was not going to forsake my dream of being a mother.

In 2005 my husband and I started checking into foreign adoption, but we didn't tell anyone yet. We truly thought we would be adopting a baby from Korea. Unbeknownst to us...the Lord had other plans! We had finished all of the piles of paperwork, interviews and such needed for adoption. Now, we just had to save up the final (large) amount of money needed for the Korean adoption – which we knew would take a while. Well, towards the end of June 2006 we received a phone call about a domestic adoption. Mind you, we were not on any list here in America to adopt! God, being the BIG God He is, orchestrated the entire miracle of Caleb all on His own. From the time we received that amazing phone call – around June 22, 2006 – and the day Caleb was born was just 12 days! That's crazy and unheard of! But God did it! He gave me and my husband the greatest gift of our lives!

This whole story couldn't be more amazing, and I have only told you a very small part. I will save that for future blogs.

My purpose for telling you is this: Caleb is my inspiration for writing children's books. I could not even express in words how much I love my son, and how thankful I am to God for his gift of my precious baby boy.

“I Love You to the Moon” came straight from my heart. It started out as a little rhyme that I would say to Caleb before bedtime, and suddenly it became the poetic lullaby that it is now. It blessed both Caleb and me so much that I realized I wanted to share it with others in hopes that it would bless them as well.

Every child is a gift from God, no matter how they come into the family.

I have so much more to tell about my wonderful son, but you are going to have to wait!

Blessings to you – and tell someone you love them today!

Win a copy of I Love You to the Moon!!

Hi friends!  This is the cover of my 3rd children's book coming out this Spring of 2014!!  I am so excited!! The illustrations are being done right now by - Amy Rottinger.  She's AMAZING!  Can't wait!!

November - Adoption Month ~

As I put my sweet baby boy to bed this evening, I was thanking the Lord for Caleb's precious little life, and what a blessing he is to me.  I was also giving thanks to the Lord for his birth mother who chose LIFE for Caleb, and chose me to be his mother.  For that I will always be grateful.  I can't imagine my life without him.

I wrote my very first poem July 2, 1999 called "To You Oh Lord." I was sitting in my car during my lunch hour praying for my baby (mind you...there was no talk about adoption at this point in my life) I felt at that moment I needed a pen and paper so I could write down what my heart was feeling. So I did, and this is what I wrote.  ( this was my hearts cry to the Lord ) -

I humbly bow right now, before Your holy throne,
and offer up a heartfelt prayer, for a child of my own.
Oh, to look upon his glorious face, and into his blue eyes.
To give a sweet kiss upon his lips, and place his hands in mine.
I'd rock him in my arms of love until he fell asleep.
I'd hold him closely to my heart, and pray he sleeps in peace.
My voice will sing praises unto Your wonderful name,
thanking you Lord, for this precious child, this gift you freely gave.
Don't worry Lord, I won't forget to dedicate his life to you,
for you are the one, who gave me my son,
so now, I give him to you.


That was my prayer and hearts cry to the Lord for my baby.  I didn't know where my baby was going to come from, but I knew my baby was in my heart.  I needed to be still and wait upon the Lord for an answer. I wrote this poem July 2, 1999 and 7 years later to the day ( July 2, 2006 ) Caleb's birth mother went into labor with him! God is good and he does hear our prayers.

Caleb is now 7 years old and all boy!  He loves - Soccer, Swimming and Baseball.  Caleb has a big heart! He enjoys giving to others.  He is kind and compassionate towards people.  Caleb is doing very well in school. He is in first grade and learning all kinds of wonderful things.  It has been a wonderful 7 years watching Caleb grow up.  Every stage of his life has been a blessing to me.  I will continue to enjoy every moment of Caleb's journey in this life.

Children are such a blessing and a GIFT from God.  My heart smiles every day because Caleb is in it! :-)

Many Blessings,

Melissa ~

Author of - I Love You to the Moon / Charlie's Gingerbread House

Hi friends!

I wanted to let you know that I  have a book signing on September 20, 2013 at Barnes & Noble in Fairlawn, Ohio from 6 -9 p.m.  Both of my books will be available.  I Love You to the Moon and Charlie's Gingerbread House.  Come on out and say hello!  Love to see ya ~

Book: Pirates on the Farm

Author: Denette Fretz

Illustrator: Gene Barretta

Publisher: Zondervan / Zonderkidz

ISBN: 978-0-310-72348-6

USD: $12.99

Rating: *****

Galatians 5:14 - For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 6:9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Romans 15:2 - Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Pirates on the Farm is a great book for children ages 4-8.  This book is designed to help children understand to 'love your neighbor as yourself.'  I like what the Author, Denette Fretz, says in the back of this book - "As you diligently plant and water, may God cause your child to grow."

Meet the crew of Pirates on the Farm: Captain Greybeard, Ratty, Jolly Roger, Stretch, Pooch, and Digger.  These crazy characters have decided to purchase a farm in a southern community, and live next door to a family of four.  The mother was horrified, but the dad was not.  He saw an opportunity to help the buccaneers. Dad gave the farmers a hand in planting seeds, milking cows, sheering sheep, riding horses and harvesting corn because they didn't know a thing about farming.

The Pirates on the Farm also lacked in social skills.  They would go to church, a store, a Christmas pageant or enroll in school, but it would always end up in some kind of disaster. Damages ensued and needed to be paid, but the farmers had no more money.  They spent it all on their farm.  What were they going to do?  The kind, neighborly mother paid the farmers debt.

Mother now invites the farmers over for dinner every Saturday night.  She and her family have shown love to the Pirates on the Farm. By doing this they have become good friends.  The farmers are now more civilized at dinner and they have become successful farmers!

I like what the author, Denette, said -  "When you plant love it grows."

In the back of this book there is a page written to parents from the author, Denette.

Blessings,

Melissa~

Book available in hardcover!

My book is now available in HARDCOVER!

So EXCITING!!  Help me spread the good news!

New ISBN # for hardcover - 978-1-61244-205-1
Can be ordered on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Halo Publishing and many more online bookstores!