MEET MELISSA
MY STORY
I’m a friendly and fiery Puerto Rican wife and mom who loves Jesus and passionately lives life abiding in Him. I treasure my quiet time, but charge out of that sacred space with big stories and big hugs! My passion lies in reviving hearts through prayer and the prophetic, and seeing these ignited ones transform the world around them. Tiny but mighty, you’ll soon find out this little lady carries a lioness’ roar!
At the age of six, I was awakened to the power of prayer and the beauty of relationship with Jesus. My dad faced a life-threatening illness, and my family did all they knew to do—pray to statues of saints long gone. But in my little heart God birthed the big idea that my secret prayers whispered directly to Him could save my dad! I began daily conversations with Jesus and not only was my dad healed, he joyfully gave his life to the Lord!
My hungry little heart did not want to be left behind, so I’d secretly sit in on my dad’s private prayer times and had him tote me around when he’d gather with others at church to pray. These experiences in God’s presence led me to fall in love with the Lord at a very tender age, and I longed to live fully for Jesus. I grew up in the church as a minister’s kid who’d sing, preach, pray, teach, and fill just about any need. Before long, this servant-hearted, fast-talking, justice-seeker came to believe that a life as an attorney would be the right path for me.
Fast forward to my early twenties during my ambitious pursuit of a legal career. My family and I began to experience great hardship, drawing me into a more passionate pursuit of Jesus. My food and drink became hours of studying God’s Word, late nights soaking in His presence, sacrificial trips to revival hot spots, and devouring books and videos on life in Christ. Holy Spirit helped me discover my identity and worth, teaching me to live from love and victory, not for it; free of striving and in surrender to Him.
The entire trajectory of my life shifted when He spoke to me one day while I worshiped: “Lay down law school. I’ve called you to legislate through prayer.” Lacking a full understanding of what this meant, but realizing it was an invitation from the heart of this good Father and Friend I’d come to know, I gave Him my heartfelt “yes!”.
Following the Lord’s leading, my husband, Anthony, and I left all that was comfortable and familiar to prepare for the call of God upon our lives. The move from New York City to our Dallas-based Bible School very quickly opened the door to years of ministry and mentorship under some of the greatest generals of intercession and prophetic ministry to this generation. I am grateful to have worked alongside and gleaned from their powerful platform ministry as well as their private lives of integrity. And I seek to continually draw on and add to the mantles and anointings received.
To add to this great adventure, my husband and I were blessed with a precious son, Caleb Josiah. His entry into this side of heaven turned our world upside down! Caleb was born with heart defects requiring multiple surgeries and medical interventions throughout his childhood. Experiencing many forms of healing and breakthrough, we are privileged to gaze upon a miracle every day! And along the way, we’ve been learning—beyond head knowledge—how to strengthen ourselves in the Lord, engage the power of prayer, and prophetically decree words of life and healing to dead or defective things.
By sharing my experiences, and all God’s taught me about His heart and His ways, I hope to inspire the world to look to Jesus and find hope and purpose in Him. Today, you’ll find me serving, writing, and speaking for various audiences, while in continual conversation with the King.
MELISSA’S MOST POPULAR SPEAKING TOPICS
HOLY SPIRIT: OUR HELPER IN PRAYER
PROPHETIC INTERCESSION
ABIDING AND ADVANCING
A WOMAN'S TRUE CALLING
GODLY GOVERNANCE
HEARING AND BECOMING GOD’S VOICE
OUR REFORMATION MANDATE
THE POWER OF HOPE
LATEST ARTICLES
Well Done
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Matthew 25:21
My family & I were in the Charlotte area on a little prayer retreat and rest time. While there we took the time to visit the Billy Graham Library. Now, I gotta say, what we expected versus what we experience were two completely different things. We expected a few displays of his achievements and a gift shop. What we experienced was a display of humility and surrender to Jesus, the presence of Holy Spirit in a “museum” and the preaching of the Gospel in every area. In the midst of all that is in the Billy Graham Library, all of the accolades, the Kingdom accomplishments, awards, there was this small sign amongst the display of his memorial procession……
WELL DONE
He lived only with obedience in mind and an eternal perspective of pleasing the Father. Regardless of what positions and special platforms were offered to him, he refused them all. Billy lived with the hope of a “well done” when he breathed his last breath. He stood on assignment and did not deviate from what he was asked to do by God.
The words “well done” struck me to the core. I stood there before that mural silently weeping as I read it. It was convicting. It should be the only thing I look forward to, a well done from God. It should be what fuels my obedience. The praise of man, the fame, the money or influence, it shouldn’t compare to doing everything for the well done at the end. If I’m honest, that hasn’t always been the case in my life. There certainly are times when I did things for the approval of man. There are times I said things to try and gain a larger platform. That is outside of obedience to God and what He has called me to do. I am thankful that, even though I did fall short, I eventually recognized it and changed. Obedience became my foundation and the praise of man became a non essential.
That is eternal. The divine stamp of approval on how diligent you and I were to live in strict obedience to His commands for us. We don’t do it for His approval because we already have that, but we run after the well done because it’s the litmus test of our obedience. We don’t obey for the accolades. We don’t obey for the popularity, and we certainly don’t obey for money. We obey because He already gave us everything we need for life and Godliness. We already had enough when we said yes to Him, so our obedience is an outflow of our gratitude for the sacrifice of Jesus.
A simple sign. It’s an eternal invitation to do what He says so that we can receive our reward, the words every child longs to hear after doing something asked of them…….WELL DONE.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; …
Psalm 1:1-6
IGNITING HOPE, HEALING AND SPIRITUAL HUNGER