Hi. I’m Melissa Gilmour, the founder of Dwell Inspired. I’m the one who wants you to love your home, improve your life, and dwell inspired. But before I dive into all things home I want to put first things first and tell you about the most important thing in my life. The thing that matters more than stylish houses and functional spaces. More than a clever pop of color or perfectly placed accessories. Because even if I lived in the world’s most beautiful home I wouldn’t be living there forever.
And don’t we all know it. This world is full of joy and excitement and adventure. But it is also full of pain, injustice, and despair. The sadness and loss that inevitably sweeps our way can literally knock us off our feet just like a sucker punch straight to the gut. Oh, how we need an anchor for our souls to hold us together when a Pinterest-perfect house just won’t do the trick.
And don’t we all know it. This world is full of joy and excitement and adventure. But it is also full of pain, injustice, and despair. The sadness and loss that inevitably sweeps our way can literally knock us off our feet just like a sucker punch straight to the gut. Oh, how we need an anchor for our souls to hold us together when a Pinterest-perfect house just won’t do the trick.
For the past seven years I have been sweating it out on the home front. I’ve been “in the thick of it” nursing babies, training toddlers, correcting preschoolers, and convincing kids. Who knows the hours I have spent attempting to convince my kids to eat their food, go to bed, brush their teeth, pick up their clothes, apologize to their sibling, use some manners, show some respect, clean up their mess, do their work…you get the idea, it is endless.
And to make matters worse, I do all of this despite the fact that I am supposed to have some sort of authority over them. I am their mother after all! Why won’t they listen to me? Aren’t they supposed to do what I say? And yet, at the end of the day, it is still their choice whether or not they will do what I say and believe what I tell them.
Each time I tell my children to come to me it is their choice whether they will obey me or not. Each time I tell my children they are smart and beautiful and loved, it is their choice to believe me or not. My children can obey or disobey, believe or not believe. Oh, yes, I convince, persuade, punish, encourage, and levy consequences (and rightly so) but ultimately, it is their choice to obey and/or believe, not a choice I can make for them.
And to make matters worse, I do all of this despite the fact that I am supposed to have some sort of authority over them. I am their mother after all! Why won’t they listen to me? Aren’t they supposed to do what I say? And yet, at the end of the day, it is still their choice whether or not they will do what I say and believe what I tell them.
Each time I tell my children to come to me it is their choice whether they will obey me or not. Each time I tell my children they are smart and beautiful and loved, it is their choice to believe me or not. My children can obey or disobey, believe or not believe. Oh, yes, I convince, persuade, punish, encourage, and levy consequences (and rightly so) but ultimately, it is their choice to obey and/or believe, not a choice I can make for them.
We have the same choice.
There is a very real Person who is in authority over our lives, whether we submit to His authority or not. His name is Jesus Christ. He will not force us to obey. He will not force us to believe. But He desperately wants us to because of His love for us.
He wants us to believe that He lived a perfect life for us.
He wants us to believe that He died the death we deserve for us.
He wants us to believe that He loves us.
He wants us to believe that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him with a purpose and a plan.
He wants us to believe that we are valued and gifted.
He want us to obey Him so that He can use us on this earth to display His love and character and beauty.
He wants us to believe that He lived a perfect life for us.
He wants us to believe that He died the death we deserve for us.
He wants us to believe that He loves us.
He wants us to believe that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him with a purpose and a plan.
He wants us to believe that we are valued and gifted.
He want us to obey Him so that He can use us on this earth to display His love and character and beauty.
And as unbelievable and wonderful as all of that is, I can be a lot like my kids. I’m hard to convince of things. It’s hard to convince me I’m mom enough, pretty enough, talented enough, experienced enough, wife enough, and good enough. It is sometimes hard to believe that God loves me and could possibly be working the bad in my life together for my good.*
Maybe for you, it is hard to believe that Jesus could have possibly been God, died, and rose from the grave for you, much less the entire world.
God left us with His Word–the Bible–the most purchased and printed piece of literature in all of human history. In it we discover that God is love. He loves you more than any human love you will ever experience because human love is always flawed. But God is not flawed, He is perfect. And His perfect love casts out all of our fears. If He is for us, who can be against us?
It actually took a lot of convincing for me to dive in and start Dwell Inspired. But I did. And I did it because of some amazing encouragement that God sent my way through two lifelong friends of mine…
Maybe for you, it is hard to believe that Jesus could have possibly been God, died, and rose from the grave for you, much less the entire world.
God left us with His Word–the Bible–the most purchased and printed piece of literature in all of human history. In it we discover that God is love. He loves you more than any human love you will ever experience because human love is always flawed. But God is not flawed, He is perfect. And His perfect love casts out all of our fears. If He is for us, who can be against us?
It actually took a lot of convincing for me to dive in and start Dwell Inspired. But I did. And I did it because of some amazing encouragement that God sent my way through two lifelong friends of mine…
I didn’t expect it, or plan on it, or know it was going to happen when I left my husband with four rambunctious children at bedtime and headed off for a much needed girls’ night out. But then it happened. These lifelong friends of mine who I see every few months and rarely talk to with any consistency, these sweet friends of mine cheered me on enough to start an interior design business.
Why did they cheer me on? Because they love me and they see in me what is sometimes hard for me to see myself.
Lara Casey, founder of laracasey.com says, “You know you should take a risk when it is motivated by love.” I just love that advice. What is possibly stirring inside of you waiting for a chance to emerge? How has God wired you? What does He want to do through you?
Here I am, a little unexpectedly taking a risk because I love it. I love design and furniture and homes and function and style. And I love people. I love bringing encouragement to people. The Lord has picked me up from my desperate state more times than I can count and often times He picks me up through the words and encouragement of others.
If you are struggling to find encouragement in your life, or even if you are blessed to have it coming at you from all sides, I want you to know you will find encouragement here. This blog is a place for you to come and catch some fresh inspiration. A place to find encouragement to keep seeking the Lord while He may be found.
There’s just nothing like having a person to come alongside you and speak life into you. Someone who will champion your ideas and listen with an understanding ear. A person who inspires hope and confidence in you. In Jesus, we have all this and more. May you dwell inspired as Christ dwells in you.
*If you are struggling with difficult circumstances in your life I would recommend two movies to you: Ragamuffin and Unconditional. You can find both on Netflix. And if you’ve never read your Bible before you can find much hope and truth there. I pray you would pick up and start reading just where God knows you need to read. A few of the most meaningful passages in my life have been Psalm 139, Ephesians chapter 2 and 3, and Proverbs 3. If you’re in the mood for something a little more like a soap opera, just read all of Genesis. Seriously. There is nothing better than the real life stories recorded in the Bible to convince us that God can use anybody. If He can use them, He most certainly can use you and me to accomplish His plans.
Why did they cheer me on? Because they love me and they see in me what is sometimes hard for me to see myself.
Lara Casey, founder of laracasey.com says, “You know you should take a risk when it is motivated by love.” I just love that advice. What is possibly stirring inside of you waiting for a chance to emerge? How has God wired you? What does He want to do through you?
Here I am, a little unexpectedly taking a risk because I love it. I love design and furniture and homes and function and style. And I love people. I love bringing encouragement to people. The Lord has picked me up from my desperate state more times than I can count and often times He picks me up through the words and encouragement of others.
If you are struggling to find encouragement in your life, or even if you are blessed to have it coming at you from all sides, I want you to know you will find encouragement here. This blog is a place for you to come and catch some fresh inspiration. A place to find encouragement to keep seeking the Lord while He may be found.
There’s just nothing like having a person to come alongside you and speak life into you. Someone who will champion your ideas and listen with an understanding ear. A person who inspires hope and confidence in you. In Jesus, we have all this and more. May you dwell inspired as Christ dwells in you.
*If you are struggling with difficult circumstances in your life I would recommend two movies to you: Ragamuffin and Unconditional. You can find both on Netflix. And if you’ve never read your Bible before you can find much hope and truth there. I pray you would pick up and start reading just where God knows you need to read. A few of the most meaningful passages in my life have been Psalm 139, Ephesians chapter 2 and 3, and Proverbs 3. If you’re in the mood for something a little more like a soap opera, just read all of Genesis. Seriously. There is nothing better than the real life stories recorded in the Bible to convince us that God can use anybody. If He can use them, He most certainly can use you and me to accomplish His plans.
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