Not only has Melanie rescued the Goods from some design challenges, but she also helps rescue women & men from trafficking. Melanie is an avid traveler & provides us with an exclusive list of her favorite spots in the Midwest!
// Design Info
Wallpaper: use it - it adds a visual point of interest. Search "peel and stick wallpaper" with the color/design you want.
Paint: The new neutrals are creamy whites & variations of greige. No yellow undertones!
Lighting: try ultra-daylight bulbs and your rooms will go from yellow to white!
Design "no no" for Farmhouse Décor: the "X" symbol in the barn doors, tables, etc... keep at a minimum! Update your look with straight lines & minimal detail.
// Human Trafficking Info
Pursuit 3416: A ministry that will bring awareness & prevention to schools and organizations. Contact pursuit3416@gmail.com
Hotline: 1-888-373-7888. Save to contacts. Call if you see ANYTHING suspicious or your intuition is causing a question.
Sex trafficking: when a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion.
Labor Trafficking: when individuals perform labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for little or no money.
Common forms of recruitment into Sex Trafficking:
How to spot a trafficker and/or victim:
Many short videos on YouTube do a great job explaining trafficking
//Recommended Midwest Finds
Discover more about our guests:
Melanie’s Travel, Fashion, and Faith on Instagram
Fun things from the episode:
Now That's Something Good Podcast by Sarah Good is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Show notes may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your kind support.
Not only has Melanie rescued the Goods from some design challenges, but she also helps rescue women & men from trafficking. Melanie is an avid traveler & provides us with an exclusive list of her favorite spots in the Midwest!
// Design Info
Wallpaper: use it - it adds a visual point of interest. Search "peel and stick wallpaper" with the color/design you want.
Paint: The new neutrals are creamy whites & variations of greige. No yellow undertones!
Lighting: try ultra-daylight bulbs and your rooms will go from yellow to white!
Design "no no" for Farmhouse Décor: the "X" symbol in the barn doors, tables, etc... keep at a minimum! Update your look with straight lines & minimal detail.
// Human Trafficking Info
Pursuit 3416: A ministry that will bring awareness & prevention to schools and organizations. Contact pursuit3416@gmail.com
Hotline: 1-888-373-7888. Save to contacts. Call if you see ANYTHING suspicious or your intuition is causing a question.
Sex trafficking: when a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion.
Labor Trafficking: when individuals perform labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for little or no money.
Common forms of recruitment into Sex Trafficking:
How to spot a trafficker and/or victim:
Many short videos on YouTube do a great job explaining trafficking
//Recommended Midwest Finds
Discover more about our guests:
Melanie’s Travel, Fashion, and Faith on Instagram
Fun things from the episode:
Now That's Something Good Podcast by Sarah Good is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Show notes may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your kind support.
Sarah:
[1:32] Friends today in the studio I have my good friend Melanie can you say hello Melanie.
Hello Melanie we're so glad your abilities just start off just introduce yourself a little bit to us tell us a little bit who you are your family your life and then we're going to go really deep really quick all over the place.
Melanie:
[1:48] Okay well do this first and foremost I'm a servant of the Lord and I am wife to Brent mom to Drake and Blair
I'm an interior designer
and a life skills coach and mentor to human traffic survivors and I have a Ministry called Pursuit 3416 that brings awareness about trafficking to organizations,
okay.
Sarah:
[2:10] And we're going to talk about all that stuff but Melanie I have to start here.
We're sitting in our podcast Studio inside our house for you listening some of you might have heard this but we have a little room off of our master,
that when we decide to do this we were going to transition into a studio in an office what you don't know is Melanie is the one that.
Melanie:
[2:30] It look as beautiful digital as I think so.
Sarah:
[2:31] As beautiful and intentional as it does so Melanie how does it feel to be sitting in the room that you.
Melanie:
[2:37] I know I was wondering what this beautiful creation of design came from and,
yeah yeah I know it's yeah it's different being the client per say you're my client and now I'm your client I guess kind of right yeah it's yeah it's comforting I like it.
Sarah:
[2:54] It was a really beautiful space and she helped take our ideas that are all over the place and somehow bring some order to it and heard our heart and made it what it is and every time somebody walks in here their first thing is like oh my gosh this room is amazing.
Melanie:
[3:05] Awesome yay she did it.
Sarah:
[3:08] Down to the fun little now that's something good podcast sign that we love and all that so,
so we're excited we told Melanie when we were designing this we said I cannot she was on my very short list of people that I could not wait
get in here and we just trust God with the timing and now has been the time for Melanie to come and excited so let's start out this let's start time out design in all of this a little bit and how in the world did you get into the whole world of interior design,
why do you like it all of the things.
Melanie:
[3:35] Okay great so,
from the time I was a really little kid I always created stuff I used to make brats and sell them when I was like 10 years old and then as I got older my dad had a construction company and I thought,
I he talked to me about architecture and I thought I'm going to be an architect.
So I kind of always had that in the back of my head and in 10th Grade I took my first drafting class in high school and I realized really quickly that,
I should not be an architect.
Sarah:
[4:12] Well sometimes that's good to learn not.
Melanie:
[4:17] There just was you know some math and just all kinds of technical stuff about it that just I was not gifted with so then I switched to,
I moved out of that and switch to an interior design class and and I guess that's where I was meant to be because I,
didn't even know it we had in our high school in my school district as a kid there was something called the research and development forum,
and I always kind of thought it was for science nerd sorry,
and I did not realize that designs and floor plans and whatnot also were entered and I did not know my
teacher had entered one of my floor plans and design plans and I won the whole thing and I guess and when the grand award and I thought,
okay I guess maybe this is what I'm.
Sarah:
[5:14] Yeah yeah.
Melanie:
[5:14] Do so yeah so that's how it kind of started and from,
I think I was probably the only 16 year old that for my birthday I requested to have white carpet installed in my bedroom that was my present so that I could design it to be black and white.
Sarah:
[5:32] That's amazing.
Melanie:
[5:33] Yeah it was the 80s and now black and white is back so.
Sarah:
[5:36] Melanie I just like do you have a picture of that bedroom somewhere.
Melanie:
[5:39] Yeah definitely I'll have to pull it out.
Sarah:
[5:41] Pictures to the stories and I feel like we're going to need to see.
Melanie:
[5:44] Yeah and yeah.
Sarah:
[5:44] And that's amazing I did not know that.
Melanie:
[5:46] Yeah so yeah so designs just kind of always been in my life and then you know it kind of took a turn I was going to college for interior design to get my degree and started working
as a part-time human resource assistant,
by the time I finished my degree I had sort of been working my way up the corporate ladder and could not turn down the salary.
Go to Interior Design full-time so I just did it.
Sarah:
[6:13] You mean a creative job doesn't pay that much.
Melanie:
[6:16] Why nope I wish it did so anyway I ended up becoming a human resource manager for many years and just doing small design jobs on the side yeah and that's kind of the history of it.
Sarah:
[6:30] I love it so when that's okay I remember you telling about the human resource part and then so Melanie like I said obviously we've known each other for a little while time we get the privilege to go to church together
and then she not only help designer
podcast do she helped us with our master bedroom master bathroom our whole house she's just helping us with our everything because we need the help and so I know some of your story but some of this I don't know which is always fun for me to learn new things too so,
what kind of schooling do you need to become I mean obviously with creative world anybody can do anything all the time which is kind of fun but you did go.
Melanie:
[7:01] Yeah you do need a,
you don't need it I take that back interior designers are generally have a Bachelor of Arts degree and you might hear the term interior decorator,
interior decorator tends to be someone without a degree but just has a wonderful gift and is able to share their gift and,
decorate homes and whatnot so,
generally if you're an interior designer you have a Bachelor of Arts degree in interior design so yeah.
Sarah:
[7:31] So talk a little bit so you spent all this time in Human Resources kind of doing it on the side you let me start here you have a lot of creative talents like not only just with the design but you do make a lot of things do you want just imma make you tell us.
Melanie:
[7:45] Oh gosh yeah I think of most okay.
Sarah:
[7:47] What I think of most what I've had is the mosaic.
Melanie:
[7:51] Yes of course.
Sarah:
[7:53] So you've had these side businesses doing.
Melanie:
[7:55] Have yes absolutely.
Sarah:
[7:56] Creative things to the all fall in the design world but you just tell us a little about those because I think it's fun.
Melanie:
[8:01] Absolutely I just I don't know I can't just sit around and do nothing I have to create and like I said from a child I had to create I had to it's just,
something I was drawn to
so yeah I for a period after I left Human Resources I was able to have the opportunity to work just part-time and be home with the kids and so that's when I started,
business that I'd literally did Mosaic crosses for boutiques all over North America and also sieracki Crystal bows for a pet boutiques and Children's Boutiques.
Sarah:
[8:37] I love that.
Melanie:
[8:39] Yeah and that was for about 10 years but I'd still like always did you know these interior design jobs on the side and and had this business and and yeah so.
Gosh I just I love to create and yeah I don't know.
Sarah:
[8:54] I love that you are so creative because I was actually just thinking today about,
just all the creative people and I believe that everybody has a creative side
because God is creative and him in US comes out is that we have no other choice it just looks really different for everybody but truly creative people like how you just have an i you you pull things together that's like,
I would never see that like what and I you know I have decent instincts on things but I'm not that creative,
and so talk to me just for a little bit like what you've learned about God through creativity and how he's made you and how you see things.
Melanie:
[9:33] Yeah no I'm so glad you asked because I think this is one way that all of us can glorify God whether it be in our Hobbies our jobs our everyday life running errands and running kids but,
I know that these gifts are truly from him and you might think oh it's such a silly gift how on Earth can you glorify God if you,
designer or your hobby is playing the harmonica or.
Promise you can and so since that's what we are here for is to glorify God I just have found ways to do it and so in my job for instance with interior design.
[10:13] It's it's amazing these gifts he does I will say give me these odd gifts where I can just look at something and know what it needs,
and so how can I glorify him when I going through that experience so in my job I do a couple ways one way is to just serve at my church,
offering my Design Services and even putting in the labor if needed hands on projects to see them through completion,
and then so that's one way I do it and then the other way I do it is I want to honor my clients that
have committed to just growing and being generous with God's kingdom and sometimes when you've done that
and your tithing and your generous with God's kingdom you don't always have the funds to beautify your home
you want updates and you want remodeling like everybody just to be comfortable in your home and so I honor those clients with,
a discounted design rate and so,
yeah and then of course while I'm on the job one a lot of amazing discussions and conversations come out of Y offer that and just the faith behind it,
yeah so I just believe we can glorify him no matter what and just don't think that your job or your gift or your hobby is silly because.
Pray about it and he will show you how to use it for his glory.
Sarah:
[11:42] I love that so much Melanie so I want to come back to that in a second but we have been the benefactor of what Melanie is talking about and how she is,
us and the cool thing is Melanie also and I have a relationship through the stuff at the church to and so we've been able to work on a lot of projects and I think we worked really well together.
I'm saying like she might disagree I won't make her disagree.
Melanie:
[12:00] She's no I have to cut in and say literally one of the easiest clients I've ever had in my life amazing amazing to work with.
Sarah:
[12:08] Well I didn't ask you have to say that either,
but you are really good about you do have such a heart for the kingdom and helping people and have spent a ton of hours behind the scenes and I love this because what you're talking about,
in general is with design someone might think like I said like well that I hope no one would say it's silly it's more of us thinking like well how do I use.
Melanie:
[12:27] Right but yeah how do you.
Sarah:
[12:30] But design plays a really big deal into what we see and what we feel and how we.
Best experience a space and so would you just for a little bit talk about that to why design is so important and why we like Melanie why do we why are we so receptive to it like why does our body have such.
Heart for that and want want it and feel better in spaces that are well designed.
Melanie:
[12:56] Well there's been a lot of scientific studies I'm sure you've heard about just like how color reaches us and changes our moods and,
and so if you just kind of go from that and proceed forward it's also just,
design kind of stems from that obviously use a lot of color we use a lot of texture and what
I wanted or my goal was when I'm helping do design projects at church and whatnot.
We need to create a space that makes people feel welcome,
and comfortable and inviting and in conversations I've had with a lot of friends and even secular friends have said I've literally walked into a church and I walked out,
please because they weren't comfortable they didn't like the surroundings and so if I can help just,
make anyone who's just maybe testing out churches or what not I probably shouldn't say but we do people do that you know yeah.
Sarah:
[13:58] Shopping a little bit.
Melanie:
[13:59] Shopping yeah but if I can help so that you walk in and you feel just a sense of comfort,
at least that will get you through the door and maybe it will get you to walk over to those worship doors and have a seat,
and then the rest is from the pulpit and from the Lord but if I could help in any way shape or form to at least give you a bit of comfort,
I'm to make you proceed into those worship doors then then I've done my job that's my goal so yeah.
Sarah:
[14:30] I love that well that's part of the reason why Melanie I've got gotten along so well too is I have a huge belief in that every kind of space like it just helps you.
Melanie:
[14:38] Mmm it does.
Sarah:
[14:39] And again there is a spiritual part two things and God in the Holy Spirit Trump all of those,
things but it definitely can help and we want people whether it's coming into a church to our home
into a Ministry building to our restaurant wherever to feel like they can take a breath there and that it feels welcoming and peaceful or whatever the vibe is that you're trying to create
and design definitely does that so well I want to ask you just a couple really practical questions because people everybody were listening to probably has some space that,
and apartment a home some other spaces maybe they have an office like what are some of just the really easy practical things people can do to kind of like Elevate us space,
Justice.
Melanie:
[15:21] Okay you'll like that yeah.
Sarah:
[15:22] Do they even decide what it needs to feel like I guess too.
Melanie:
[15:24] Yeah I mean obviously the first thing they should do is do some research on whether it be just so social media apps Pinterest and whatnot has a such a great resource.
Sarah:
[15:36] I wish I didn't but I.
Melanie:
[15:37] Bright I know so that way even when I'm working with a client and I'm trying to figure out what their design style is,
I might show them or direct them to those forms and asked you know okay what's appealing to you so let's so first they need to do that they need
figure out what speaks to me what you know what am I attracted to is it modern is it organic is a farmhouse what is it,
so once you start there then gosh just it.
[16:05] Easily and cheaply elevate your space paint paint the space brighten it up you want to of course try to go with you know colors that are going to last and,
have that combination of being on Trend but will last for a while so you don't have to do this every three years
and then flooring even if you can't afford to replace with expensive hardwood floors or whatnot you can even cover a laminate floor are with just like those peel-and-stick tiles that are beautiful patterns,
there are so many easy cheap ways to just elevate your style
and honestly just research it and then start slow and easy and then remember layers layering is big and design it's kind of how you make a place feel finished
so you need layers and a lot of,
or I should say some of my clients are comfortable with you know I only like this color and they don't want to mix a certain colors but,
you just need to sort of be open to that because it's going to make it feel just complete yeah.
Sarah:
[17:14] I feel like one of the things I've learned about design is they'll tell you like I'm not a fashion expert by any means but they will tell you often people tell you like try things on that you maybe wouldn't always gravitate to because sometimes you're surprised,
is the same thing true and design to that sometimes you're like I would never do that but then you see it and you're like oh my goodness that's amazing.
Melanie:
[17:33] Yeah absolutely you should just,
you know gosh even if you at there's some products are some design items that you want to buy as long as you can return them why not put it in your space for,
will days feel it out and you might surprise yourself that you like a whole design you never even thought you would,
I've done that with a lot of clients and and I would say nine times out of 10 after they sit on it for a few days they accept it and love it so.
Sarah:
[18:02] So Melanie since we are a little practical and design stuff are there any things like right now that you're like please don't do that design-wise that you're like hey like I know.
Melanie:
[18:12] Yeah.
Sarah:
[18:12] I would love it and I'm sure there's a part of design and creative you like if you love it you don't need to justify it always to somebody else but are there are few things that you're like.
Melanie:
[18:18] True true things that you're like yeah.
Sarah:
[18:20] Okay this is on its way out don't do it anymore or please just yeah for the sake of your well-being.
Elsa's don't do this in your home or.
Melanie:
[18:30] Absolutely yeah.
Sarah:
[18:31] Example is what would you say give us a little bit of free advice if you don't mind.
Melanie:
[18:34] Yeah I have a couple so absolutely love the Farmhouse Trend that has been on for quite a few years but.
What you need to do now is anything with like exes like the barn doors that have X's or people were a lot of coffee tables have that sort of x to,
initially comes from Farmhouse.
It's time to sort of move past that you can keep Farmhouse absolutely shiplap stems from that and keep that but you need to now incorporate it with Organic pieces
instead of tons of barn looking design,
so stay away from that are be I should say rather lighten up on it okay one,
item with sort of that X Barn design in your home is fine not three or four or five or more so yeah just sort of limit it also there is,
I don't want to say the name of the store there is a specific store that a lot of ladies love to shop at and it still has metal.
Wall art and stuff.
Sarah:
[19:47] Okay yes.
Melanie:
[19:47] That and I'm just going to say you know stay away from that.
Sarah:
[19:51] Allure store isn't that melon.
Melanie:
[19:52] Start,
so just you know stay away from that and it's so it's super easy to kind of know what's on Trend nowadays there's so many design shows out there and HGTV and Discovery and whatnot so
if you have time and can sort of watch those you can get a really good idea of what just isn't working anymore.
Sarah:
[20:16] Will won't let me watch those shows Melanie because he gets met he's on like we.
Entire house he's like Sarah seriously like we can only do so much but now we have Melanie and she helps us so it works out better she's my design show that I okay.
Melanie:
[20:26] Yeah absolutely yeah okay love it.
Sarah:
[20:29] This another just frivolous question that has nothing to do but it's a port like it's important so OK color paint color I love that you said paint because like many.
It's one of the easiest things and yes it's a big deal to paint but like it really doesn't take that much time all things considered and it can be repainted so if.
Melanie:
[20:43] Mmm it can be repainted so if yes yes I hate it you can do it right right.
Sarah:
[20:46] Color on the wall near like I hate it you can redo it and it is fairly inexpensive so but we've been going through this whole like Greys and all that but now it's kind of shifting.
Melanie:
[20:54] Okay kind of Shifting it is it is some of the neutrals are coming back they are.
Sarah:
[20:56] In and some of the neutrals are coming back but I have a phobia to like all the creams and.
Years ago and it was so like can you just talk about.
Melanie:
[21:05] Right so yeah yeah.
Sarah:
[21:08] For a minute Melly like so what when we're saying neutrals one what is that really nice I think I'm probably not the only one that sometimes is like.
What really is a neutral and what is that mean and then our beige is really like what.
Melanie:
[21:21] Right they are so,
sort of the Cool Greys are sort of trending out you can absolutely if you have cool gray in your home you can make it work you can make it work by bringing in those organic pieces like the texture the wicker baskets the Rattan furniture,
and you can even combine that with cognac and camel furniture and sofas and chairs and just accent pieces and you can make your cool grey work so I don't want everybody to run out
and repaint their cool grey home okay.
Sarah:
[21:53] Last week I needed my whole bottom floor is like Cool Greys and I'm like we got to repaint it.
Melanie:
[21:57] Yeah but I mean if it's something that you have time and it's really in your heart to go ahead and change the color what,
the on-trend color neutrals are a greige which is a nice combination of gray and beige and it's warmer colors so the new neutrals are.
Goodness there are the warmer whites and creams,
they are the warmer Gray's with the greys in it and then of course sort of the trending colors are the,
terracotta has and there's a new style of sage that has come out I certainly,
don't want people to go back to everybody had like Pottery Barn green and their homes for many.
Sarah:
[22:40] Yeah we had that that we have a big tall slant that's I'm pointing you can't see but in our front room when you walk in there's like a slight when we moved in this house it was that green color.
Melanie:
[22:50] Popular for a long time yeah so the neutrals of course greige yeah creams you just don't when you look at creams and whites,
want to stay away from his yellow undertones don't go that direction you can tell when it has a beige undertone you want to go with that because that's going to age better than something we like a yellow undertone.
Sarah:
[23:11] So see that's good looks I think what I always picture in my head is the yellow undertones because our bedroom before it used to be this color,
that I don't know why anybody ever thought it was good because we'll and I would say excuse me people listening I'm sorry what I'm about to say but it looked like baby.
Melanie:
[23:27] Yes right.
Sarah:
[23:28] Color that like it was that kind of yellow we Brown I don't even know if I looked at it for so long I think I'm just petrified now of like anything close to that.
Melanie:
[23:38] That yeah but also lighting so lighting makes a massive difference and if you just change your light bulbs from the light bulbs you've had for years and years to a daylight light,
I promise you the colors in your home will change and even walls that look like they had a little yellow and them will start to look white so test out some different light bulbs and watch how your house changes.
Sarah:
[24:04] Okay I love that because I can attest that my you told me that and we've done it several places I'm like it's amazing so I'm laughing smiling while she's telling this one like I've heard her we've gotten to have this conversation several times it really does in light bulbs are not that expensive that's an easy fix.
Melanie:
[24:16] Now an easy fix right.
Sarah:
[24:18] Trying before you go do all this other stuff I feel like right just to go what is it you did that to our little bathroom down there it's kind of an older color.
Melanie:
[24:26] Mmm yeah eventually change yeah.
Sarah:
[24:27] At some point but changing the light really made a it made a big difference I'm like I don't okay it sounds bad now.
Melanie:
[24:30] Yeah yeah everything goes from having this yellow Hue and cast on it to suddenly yeah brighter whiter cleaner yeah yeah.
Sarah:
[24:41] I love it so Melanie one of my other things that I just love about you and design because I think there's a misconception that sometimes designers or design things all come with a very very Hefty price.
Melanie:
[24:52] Wow right yes yes there are.
Sarah:
[24:56] To do that and if you want to spend a lot of money you easily could and I'm sure you actually would probably love when like.
Melanie:
[25:00] Yes I'm sure you actually love when my yeah absolutely yeah right.
Sarah:
[25:05] All this money like okay great but most of us probably don't have a ton of money sitting around and one of the things I love about you is you are really great,
finding ways to save money on it and you're really great about just transforming things and taking pieces you have and working them it's amazing and again I don't want you to give all of your secrets.
Because I also will tell you like if you're listening and you're Saint Charles area you just need to come find Melody
have her because I will be I'm not going to make you make a plug for it but I will say it helped us so much to have the help because will and I are very we have good instincts
it to pull it all together and we'll and I are super busy as Melanie,
laugh about sick like we don't and Melanie did like the shopping and found the stuff and showed us and it just it was a huge help and helped us very quickly transform a space for us it was the right.
To do that helped and we had budget to be able to do it.
Melanie:
[25:53] Absolutely budget be able to do it.
Sarah:
[25:55] Not everybody always can but if you do I would highly vote for find a designer have them help you if you're in this area reach out to my friend Melanie she's amazing.
Melanie:
[26:04] Thank you my sweet.
Sarah:
[26:05] Side note is what are some easy things that people can do sometimes that maybe they're tempted to spend more money on than they need to or anything around.
Melanie:
[26:14] Yeah goodness gracious there are so many,
so traditionally interior designers would go to showrooms and I still work with showrooms don't get me wrong,
nowadays because of the internet and because of big box stores and whatnot you can literally find.
[26:36] Excuse me doops basically is what we call them so at showrooms,
I'll take a client and and most of the Furnitures $9,000 couches $15,000 coffee tables and it's insane but you can almost always find a dupe of some sort,
online so of course.
I'm just glad I won't promote the names I'll just say you know do your research I'll do I will give one tip that is really simple so go to your search bar,
on the internet and go ahead and put in specifically what you're looking for so let's say you want modern organic side chair
type that in and then hit the shopping Tab and then,
a load of that style of chair will pop up and it will have of course the link and the options to purchase it so
definitely need to read reviews when you're buying online and hopefully you want to make sure that there's a return policy but you literally can go from,
the $9,000 couch that is beautiful and fantastic at the showroom to a $1,500 dupe just from doing a little bit of computer work.
Sarah:
[27:50] Yeah I love that are there any things and just clarify cause I think sometimes people hear dupes and they think it's all cheap that's not necessarily yeah can you just dispel that myth a little.
Melanie:
[27:58] I will yeah.
Sarah:
[28:00] Part of like oh well it's not going to last you know as long or whatever.
Melanie:
[28:05] So do obviously is short for duplicate and so what we're doing is trying to find a similar item looks at you know as close as possible to the item that you absolutely love but is less expensive and could you get a,
cheap not well constructed item a hundred percent that's where reviews come into play and I will give everybody a tip on reviews nowadays even on Amazon and whatnot tips are either paid
or product is exchanged and whatnot so just look for.
[28:39] Truth in the review when people are saying very personal items like you know my husband fell down while he was putting up my ladder and you know then you can kind of get a feel for the truthful,
reviews versus the sort of just statement reviews once you weed that weed out the reviews then,
really read into those reviews and that's where you're going to find out if the product
is good so the couch was sturdy it was comfortable the pillows did not flatten your looking just for people sharing their real-life experiences and that will make you more comfortable to purchase online and it sort of confirms that
um
this item for instance that you may be saving $10,000 on because you're getting you're trying to find this dupe then you're suddenly affirmed that it's good quality and I don't have to pay a guy in ten thousand dollars.
Yeah.
Sarah:
[29:38] I love that will you helped us with a lot of things in our house and it's so far it'll holding.
Melanie:
[29:42] Okay awesome yay yes okay yeah.
Sarah:
[29:43] Reviews were all good and I love it and it's like if you don't have to spend the money all the time why or you can invest it in somewhere else like right your other part of your budget it's like well or just I'm sure deciding what's most important.
Melanie:
[29:53] Hundred percent you know bathrooms and kitchens are very expensive so if you just want to make some quick updates to your living room and your bedroom and what not do it the easy way do some research and what and then invest that money in,
countertops and cabinets and vessel tubs and beautiful walk-in showers.
Sarah:
[30:15] For saying that from experience because some of that to my house right now I love.
Okay I have one more design question then we're going to make a hard shift to something else can we just talk about wallpaper Melanie like it so that's another thing I feel like people are like.
Melanie:
[30:28] Eddie's it is.
Sarah:
[30:28] In which is cool and they make really pretty patterns but what do we do is that do you recommend wallpaper no yes like what.
Melanie:
[30:35] I do I goodness I love wallpaper it just,
I just love it okay so the new wallpaper obviously is the peel and stick and everybody will see that at the big box stores and so if you feel like you can manage that skill it's
if a call it can be tedious getting everything lined up,
equal and level but once you sort of conquer that part of it then it's sort of easy peasy and,
you can finish the job and you have like a beautiful and I,
hate to say statement wall because statement walls aren't really a thing anymore,
so I will say you just have a beautiful visual.
So I highly recommend it I do recommend the peel and stick because I do have experience being in design.
Sarah:
[31:29] Yeah.
Melanie:
[31:30] For 30 years removing the wallpaper that used to be glued to walls.
Sarah:
[31:35] Is why everybody cringes like everybody has to have a story of like pulling.
Melanie:
[31:38] Yeah.
Sarah:
[31:39] For the little boric use do the borders around or the little.
Melanie:
[31:43] Absolutely.
Sarah:
[31:44] None of us want to go back.
Melanie:
[31:45] No it is so much work to and I will say this so if it depends on the home and whatnot that I'm designing and some Homes Des just call for the expensive traditional wallpaper.
Sarah:
[31:59] Yeah.
Melanie:
[31:59] A professional glues down and you just have to love it to know it's going to be there for a while,
so absolutely sometimes a situation calls for that but I would say for the most part you can get away if you can find the pattern in the colors that you love with the peel and stick rolls that are everywhere nowadays.
Sarah:
[32:21] I love it well thank you for answering my burning question about wallpaper I know everybody listening had the same question and wanted to know.
Melanie:
[32:27] Okay.
Sarah:
[32:27] Well belly so all of this stuff I know interweaves with your whole store all the creative because you can't really separate yourself from it which I love,
you have a really other part of your story and your passions and where God has gifted you that you get to work on you said that on the front end but you get to do a lot of work when you mentor and help and teach and educate in the world of human trafficking,
and so why don't you start here can you just tell us start with what human trafficking kind of is and then we'll jump I want to hear why how you got into it and then we'll,
pigeon Haulover.
Melanie:
[33:02] Yeah sounds good so human trafficking is an umbrella term for two types of trafficking sex trafficking and labor trafficking,
and I'll give the quick and easy definition so you all remember it sex trafficking is when a person is obtained for through fraud coercion and manipulation for sex acts
okay then labor trafficking is when a person is obtained to be used for forced labor and an example,
with that would be a migrant Farm worker who is forced to work outside all day in the heat making little or no money simply to pick our fruits and,
eat so that's one example that there are many.
Sarah:
[33:48] And where I go back and talk all about that because,
both of those two types are really important to talk about and have some education on the Millet I was like how did you get involved in this work like what why are you spending a lot you spend a lot of your.
Melanie:
[34:01] Yeah I do.
Sarah:
[34:01] In heart and God's really laid it I mean it's a part of who you are there's no separating it out from what you talked about but how did that.
Melanie:
[34:08] Yeah it was it's purely from the Lord about eight years ago I was.
I think I was watching a documentary and I was learning about human trafficking.
And it just blew my mind and at the same time a couple crazy things happened I had I started having a literal physical pole in my chest and it was.
It was pulling me that I have to help I don't know how I don't know what I'm going to do but I had to it just it just was inside me literally pulling me in that direction and during that time,
mysteriously all kinds of stuff started coming across my desk I got I got real mail on trafficking I got emails on trafficking I got I found it on social media it just,
there's no explanation it just is something that the Lord needed me in.
[35:05] He put that in me so I went ahead and continued researching with all the information I was provided,
and came across an organization called the covering house I started volunteering for them and just basic volunteer ways
lots of fundraisers lots of projects and stuff and the covering house what they are they have a restoration home,
for minors who have been through human trafficking and then they also have Community Based Services where for adults and for people who do not live in the restoration home they offer services to
free them from trafficking as well so I was,
just doing volunteer work for a year or two and then the that pole came back and I heard the Lord say I gave you a lot of gifts and you need to pull them together and help the kids,
so that's what I did.
Sarah:
[36:02] Love that Melanie yeah.
Melanie:
[36:03] Yeah I just I pulled together all my life experiences and my,
whether it be from work and jobs and whatnot in life and created a curriculum for the covering house I eventually then started teaching life skills,
and my main goal is to help them acclimate back to society in a god-honoring way,
that's the hope then I eventually became a mentor as well for girls that have graduated from the program and live locally,
yeah so once a week I'm either at the house doing life skills or I'm with a mentee mentoring them.
Sarah:
[36:41] Okay I love that in the covering house is local here to is it is it anywhere else or is it just a local.
Melanie:
[36:47] It's no it's,
they do not it is just local I the office is in st. Louis Missouri obviously we don't say where the restoration home is yeah but,
so they were just they were the main organization that I work with and then there are various other Ministries and whatnot that I help with as needed.
Sarah:
[37:08] Yeah
so I want all of you guys listening we're going to Melanie's going to share some more things here where I talk about it we are going to list a lot of this stuff in the show notes so that you can find resources and so some of the things that Melanie is going to talk about,
she might quickly say or might just say we'll put it in the show notes and we'll make sure to have a lot of different resources for people that Melanie this is really hard,
and it gets talked about a lot of different ways sometimes it's not talked about enough in the last couple of years it has seemed to surface even more in the news and all kinds of things.
Melanie:
[37:36] Yes yeah.
Sarah:
[37:38] And there's a lot of misinformation to about some of it could you just again I know you explain this but just give us some overarching information about just whatever you want to share.
Melanie:
[37:49] Yeah I believe the reason it's become more and more publicly aware is because it's a hundred and fifty billion dollar industry it is the second most profitable industry in the world which is disgusting
and America is guilty of that as well they offer at least 35 billion and America is the number one,
user of child pornography,
which is trafficking these children are trafficked so unfortunately that's why we're hearing about it so much.
[38:24] Then the misconceptions many years people saw the movie Taken with Liam Neeson and it immediately put in everybody's head that this only happened in other countries and people were kidnapped and,
and and does that happen absolutely but it is a minimal percentage,
um as for America the number one way that teens are getting trafficked is through online social media manipulation,
so they are literally a pimp will befriend them act like they are their age possibly,
their best friend become their boyfriend or girlfriend through never meeting them and then,
build trust and then they from that way forward they groom them and then eventually me and start trafficking them another misconception is that you are.
[39:16] Um chained to a bed and a house or what not know
a lot of these people kids and people that are in this have freedoms but they are so manipulated and and unfortunately so beat down from there
their pimps and their what they think is their boyfriends and girlfriends and whatnot that,
they just do what they say and I have experienced a girl that I worked with she was trafficked right in her home by her parents were at work so this 100% you can still go to school everyday,
major and then be trafficked at night or on weekends any form of someone that is manipulating you.
Saying you into sex acts is trafficking so there's a couple misconceptions.
Sarah:
[40:09] Yeah I know that's good and I know that this is a really heavy subject and often times we either want to lean in here more or we just kind of want to put our hands over our ears and go,
I know it happens but I don't know what to do and so I think it's a really important conversation part of the reason my heart for wanting you to come in because you have such a great way of talking about it and so,
let me come back a little bit you said that it is very very prevalent here in America
and I feel like one of the misconceptions like you said is we don't believe it's here in a conversation you've had and Melanie shares a lot of resources she's been teaching courses weren't come back to your ministry that you're starting out of this to bring awareness and education is that,
is what you said that its effects everywhere and it's all the time,
everywhere like it's you're not exempt from it and you probably it's probably closer to all of us than we think which is scary to think about but it's true,
and part of how we helped the problem is educate ourselves and bring awareness so can you just talk a little bit again our heart and sharing all this is not to scare anybody,
but to have wisdom and be aware and know what to look for so that you can help your people closest to you and help other people but can you talk a little bit about when you say it is closer by can you either to share some stories or some other things that just.
Really realize how serious this is.
Melanie:
[41:27] Okay will do so I will I do want to just start out with,
one way you all can help as pray does pray for the freedom from this enslavement,
and pray for the Lord to open your eyes so that you can start to watch and and possibly help others,
and I'll provide some tips to the podcast that will offer different,
different tips that you can help and different things you can watch for I won't list them all because there are a lot
so I just kind of want to start out that way so if you guys have an opportunity to look and read over those tips it would it would truly be helpful
but how what it looks like in America are what it looks like in your city it is closer than you think ones I'll make one statement and then and it's kind of sad but if you have ever seen,
ever come across it even a glimpse of it,
then you have witnessed a trafficked person so pornography is full of traffic to people so I just kind of want to put that out there,
but then back to our cities and whatnot the girls that I Mentor are all local and they're either in Missouri or some surrounding states Iowa Kansas Indiana.
[42:47] So just know that these are just everyday young teenagers that were manipulated through a relationship what they thought was a relationship or again online on an app or social media
there are a few years ago at our local Target there was a woman she would have been a pimp that had been,
trafficked as a young person and then sort of aged out of it and became a pimp what happens you think,
why didn't they just leave and you know but they see how lucrative it is and pimps make a hundred 50,000 to,
per child a year so they see the lucrative it's also been the only life they know.
[43:37] And they become a pimp themselves and so a few years ago there was a woman who again would have been a pimp and she was recruiting girls at Target
and she was doing this this is another very common way so not just on social media but also through job offers so she
talk to start talking to young girls and tell them you know how pretty they were
she works with modeling contracts and that is also a very popular way to get it,
to get sort of swooped up into this mess so we definitely want to watch out for that I always I'll just give another tips and,
of his runs so many errands and are at the big stores constantly picking up stuff and grocery shopping just keep your eyes open
and I mentioned early just pray for that so that you can truly see it I know we are looking at our list and we're busy but look around and if you see people without
carts or maybe they just have two items in their cart but they keep perusing.
Sarah:
[44:39] Mmm-hmm.
Melanie:
[44:41] They are looking they're probably looking for kids or vulnerable looking people too,
recruit into this and they're going to do it with all kinds of wonderful opportunity offers of jobs and modeling and acting all kinds of stuff like that.
Sarah:
[44:59] Yeah so let me start here because there's two sides of a question to ask you so what's your time out what do we do if we see okay so they're partly.
Melanie:
[45:08] Okay partly yeah.
Sarah:
[45:10] What else should we be looking for on a bigger scale if we think somebody is a pimp or somebody is potentially traffic and there's a situation in our Spidey senses kind of go off and you're like something's not,
right here what things would be looking for for that and then if we see it like if we notice somebody asks.
Us or somebody close to us or we hear like no she's asking time about this modeling job is there anything that we should do one and what is it.
Melanie:
[45:42] No that is so good they the general direction is not to get involved so if,
if your First Act is to call 911 that's fine you can call 911 and you can just say exactly what you saw I believe there could be a trafficking situation going on I'm at,
this store.
[46:07] At give the address and then give a description of the two people involved I'm over you know you could say I'm aware of things to look for and this sounds like this could be a trafficking
please get someone out here right away so that would be the quick and easy and also if you all have your cell phone next to you if you could just pull it out right now and put in the human trafficking hotline I know
probably put it on their website as well but it's 1888 373,
7888 so that is you know it's Anonymous if you don't have to give your information you just need to give the information that you are witnessing and as much as possible so.
Look for characteristics you know obviously the place you're at,
if you're at a gas station and you see people actually start to get into a car get the license plate get the make and model of the car and again as many characteristics of the people as possible,
man woman age facial hair tattoos close,
all of that that's the best thing you can do is give as many details as possible and then turn it to the authorities and let them go do their job.
Sarah:
[47:21] Okay that's great what other things Melanie when were should we what things should cause us to be a little like I don't know if that's right like are there just other few other things that seem to be fairly common that we can just be a little more on the radar for that were like,
okay that might be not right.
Melanie:
[47:37] Yeah so one thing is I'm sure all of us have been approached by someone asking for money or,
Sometimes women alone women that are alone sometimes they have a kid with them,
um they are often trafficked women that a pimp is with is with in
close distance from them and they're watching them and they're making them they haven't possibly made their money quota for the day and so they're making them now just go out and just ask for money
so what most of us Chuck up to show they are vagrants or homeless or whatnot
not necessarily I would say you know use common sense obviously if it's an older gentleman,
he's not being trafficked but if it's a young woman and possibly,
a woman with a child or a teen then there's a good chance they're from a trafficking situation and.
[48:42] I sort of this is tough I personally asked them immediately are you being trafficked is there someone is there someone with you can I help you but again that's not the usual Direction because of safety.
I of course have been in this for many years and I'm comfortable with that but if obviously if you're not comfortable it's probably best to go ahead and just,
immediately get all of their statistics you know their details and whatnot and go ahead and call and call for help yeah.
Sarah:
[49:15] The Situation's not because I know I've seen like a 21 is.
Melanie:
[49:18] Yes they are in.
Sarah:
[49:19] All there yeah and they'll put out video I mean all kinds of things trying to help people know,
even if they're girls are boys who are being trafficked some things that they could do to help somebody else know like the situation are there other are any of those things I'm not pulling it's not coming to mind the most recent thing I saw that I was like huh
one of that's really thing that if we're at a mall or you're somewhere else that like if we.
Melanie:
[49:44] Yeah I mean honestly the most part that I guess the most common thing to look for is just
people that are again at these stores or maybe they're hanging around a school like a block from a high school or something and you see someone and it can be men or women pimp,
pimp look like everybody they don't have a specific look to them they are all ages and they look like regular people
but the clues that they're not just going for a leisurely walk they have their eyes on the students walking out of the school they are
not continuing with their walk they are sort of pacing and looking and they're trying to find someone to recruit,
so again back to that store they're not really shopping for groceries they are just cruising the aisles or,
you do you overhear the conversations or maybe you're at so maybe someone in traffic already so you might get a gas station and you see just two people or a few people that don't look right together,
um I recently was at a rest stop on a trip and I saw two teenage girls that were at the vending machines looking for.
[51:00] Treats and they were with an older man and he just was kind of staying away but watching and so that type of situation I kept my eye on it I wanted to just.
[51:14] See if the Holy Spirit spoke to me and also just feel out when you just get that vibe that something is off so I just sat and and sometimes it's,
you have to go the extra mile you have to if you have to use the restroom well wait and just sit and watch the situation if you have to get back on the road very quickly no saving a life is more important,
be 10 minutes late for your destination
and sit and watch the situation so I sat and watched and at first I felt like it was very suspicious and then after a solid 10 minutes watching then
other people come out of the car and the other interactions that took place I was now comfortable that it was not a trafficking situation,
but it could have just it could have been the other way,
and if it was I would have done what I've recommended on here I would have immediately called human trafficking hotline or 911 and to get some help in.
Sarah:
[52:08] Yeah well I think it's just important that we said just just to be aware and to know what to look for and part of it and the hope would be hopefully we never have to necessarily do those things and I want everybody like being paranoid now you're looking for everything in your calling the hotline every other day I'm like find the balance right.
Melanie:
[52:22] Absolutely.
Sarah:
[52:23] Trusting I think it's white goes back to what you said just pray that there would be you know that God would he does that,
that usually we all know we've all can think of probably a situation where we've just been like something's not right in any realm of things and,
maybe listening to that just an extra step and figure out what you can do.
Melanie:
[52:40] Yeah and also one more thing to watch for so if you do see two people that,
you just are getting that uncomfortable feeling that they don't look right also watch for clothes are they in non the not proper season clothes are they wearing winter clothes in the summer summer clothes in the winter,
do they have bruises on them anywhere do they look malnourished do they possibly have a branding tattoo on them which look like barcodes,
and or say Daddy's such and such those are some of the branding tattoos so you can look for actual physical signs,
and you can also sort of tell if they are not making eye contact with anybody
that they look submissive to this person that they're with and they're scared you see fear in their eyes so,
again listen to that intuition and review kind of their physical traits and what's going on and see if you can find any markers.
Sarah:
[53:41] That's great so now I want to switch just a little bit and go a lot of us have a you know my family I have four kids in my home three well let me let me have you dispel this myth there is a myth that I think sometimes people think it's only girls.
Melanie:
[53:54] No
Sarah:
[53:55] Can you just for a.
Melanie:
[53:56] Yeah for sure.
Sarah:
[53:57] That we just cleared that up a little bit.
Melanie:
[53:59] Absolutely so our teenage girls more comment they are yes but there was boys are absolutely,
um traffic so in other countries and more of the,
third world countries and whatnot it is a situation where they might be
sold from their family because the family thinks that they are getting a better life and people are adopting them and giving them schooling but really they're not they're putting them in
orphanage and I'm doing air quotes right now but it's not it's literally literally pickings for.
[54:37] Customers to come in and traffic them so in other countries it kind of looks like that it also looks like you know people are just desperate and poor and will do anything for to eat,
and or they're taken from their families runaways so in America boys are trafficked more through run away,
so if you run away from home within one out of seven kids,
is approached by a trafficker within 48 hours so and when you are you know desperate to eat and you're given all these promises and what not that sort of how it starts,
unfortunately,
so that's the number one part probably in America the way boys are recruited and then they are of course recruited the exact same ways girls are getting manipulated online,
um Promises of money and wealth and jobs and what not and then,
of course what else did I want to say I guess that's probably those probably know those are probably top too.
Sarah:
[55:46] Melanie what can we do so like I said I've got kids in my home a lot of our listeners are either younger,
selves and not that there's necessarily an age thing but they fall in a category somewhere between 18 and 25 probably or their parents and have children themselves or aunts and uncles we probably most
people listening you probably all have somebody in your sphere bit like what do we need to know and again to operate with awareness not out of a spirit of fear.
Because I don't want people like I know all this can be really triggering on.
I had to be so afraid and I can tell my kids do anything I can never I mean we got to find the balance and everybody's going to know that for their own family themselves but what do we need to know to help be a little extra safe,
our kids start there what should we know what are some top things that we just need to help no.
Melanie:
[56:37] I mean number one you do need to monitor their social media,
and you as their parent and they as a minor I have absolute control over that and there needs to be safeguards,
and and be careful because sometimes the safeguards don't work so I recommend just a quick visual review of,
and what's really important is their conversations because a trafficker is going to go through a messaging system of some sort,
and whether it be Snapchat or The Tick Tock but it's also
it's always going to be sort of the messaging section of the app and that's where you need to look
and look back at these conversations and make sure they're appropriate because they might look appropriate and it might look like your kid is talking to a little 15 year old boy and oh how cute,
but that's not the case so number one monitor there.
Their phones and computers and whatnot,
gosh there's so many number to make them aware like you all as a family have to decide what age is best and once you are comfortable with that I mean you can even start giving tips,
from a very young age are starting with a very young age safety tips.
Sarah:
[58:00] Hmm.
Melanie:
[58:02] And then as they get older you can incorporate more details so that they are more aware,
these teenagers they need to know that this is how your manipulated that don't be fooled by someone saying they're a kid don't be fooled that they have 50 of the same friends in common as you do,
because that's,
that is the easiest thing in the world for a trafficker to get past they just friend a million people and then I'll half of them say yes and then boom it looks like you have,
fifty to a hundred friends in common and you as a teenager think they're safe and that's that's really common among teenagers they always say well we had a hundred friends in common,
so be really leery of that.
Sarah:
[58:46] Can you pause there for me like how what's other good,
language or ways we share with our kids because you know it's a hard line in everybody's got different listen with their kids and I even in my three girls are the two that are old enough in that have a little more phone privileges because of their age the conversations even very,
between
their personalities and what they want to do and we have to say a lot of those things are just going hey just because there's 50 friends one of our things we talked about and you can tell me this right is I don't want you having any friends on social media if you have never met them,
never seen them in person and you know exactly who they are you don't need to have them as a part of your social media at this age and I know not everybody listening my agree with.
Melanie:
[59:25] Right that stance yeah.
Sarah:
[59:26] Stan's but for us and for will and I that's part of what we do as a family,
but can you give some other just for us as parents or aunts and uncles or grandparents language to help that kids might hear better or two.
Melanie:
[59:38] Okay right.
Sarah:
[59:40] We talked about the safety part how do we make it hey we're not trying to restrict you for restriction sake we're trying to do it because we need you to know this is serious and and they can get to you very very,
easily and they will pose and hide on all kinds of things and a lot of different.
Melanie:
[59:56] Yeah I think what's most important is kind of your what you guys do with your kids,
a hundred percent everybody that should be the rule for a minor if you have not met them in person they should not be a friend and you should have all private accounts,
I am truly shocked at how many kids have Public Accounts it's sad and it's wrong.
Sarah:
[1:00:20] Yeah.
Melanie:
[1:00:22] And so number one all private social media and number two only friends that you seen a person and I know,
that might seem like Overkill but if you want that guarantee that your child is not talking to,
a trafficker that has slid in that is that is your way that you're going to have sort of that affirmation so those.
Sarah:
[1:00:48] Do it let me just I want to say it because I know this is really hard and you are very good Melanie about none of us are here to give you parental like what you need you have.
Melanie:
[1:00:57] Yeah no no yeah.
Sarah:
[1:00:58] Your family but I will say in my experience with my kids and my experience with working with teenagers and different ages and myself growing up we lie sometimes.
I remember back in the day I'm going to date myself it was the messenger chat room.
Melanie:
[1:01:12] Okay I was not allowed to be in the chef.
Sarah:
[1:01:13] I was not allowed to be in those chat rooms but a hundred percent I would go in a because it was intriguing and so,
kids and again we love them in the best of intentions and we want to we want to have trust with them,
but sometimes there's just things they do that are not always aware of and so I think really asking the questions and having really upfront conversations with your kids,
that again from a heart of this is not to be mean this is not to limit you on all this stuff this is for your safety because we are responsible for you and what the hell.
Melanie:
[1:01:42] Yeah with teens especially I I always want to sort of take it back to the foundation of teaching them about their identity in.
And and I there are sadly I mean not sadly but there are.
There is proof that the kids that are at home and feel loved and have a wonderful relationship with both parents they don't those statistics are,
as high it is it is kids that are not as paid attention to.
Sarah:
[1:02:21] Hmm.
Melanie:
[1:02:22] Um and they are busy parents and maybe they have moms and dads that aren't
super comfortable or know how to encourage and and really reinforce that love and and who you are and even if you don't have a faith Foundation,
having that amazing relationship trusting deep relationship with your family members,
that is just so important because again if we look at the numbers it's not there so to me I'm always going to say start with their identity and who they are and and and we have to build up these young people,
to know that they don't need these outside just these outside compliments.
[1:03:06] Affirmations and whatnot they know who they are so beyond that obviously,
to me give real life examples because kids need more than a lecture you need real life examples one thing you could say is that,
so there is someone in their school that's either been trafficked or has been approached,
be trafficked so you can start with that there is a child and your school a hundred percent that has already gone through this experience,
and I know that because I Mentor them and they they go to these schools they go to Local Schools everywhere so you could start with I think they just need tangible proof,
because you keep throwing out numbers and stats they're kind of like
and it kind of goes in one ear and out the other so proof and as for language and vocabulary to use again based on their age and how comfortable the family members are,
I think being as honest as possible so that they know what sex trafficking looks like and if they were to be recruited into this what their day would look like,
and so I'll again offer some information on your site and for you all to look over but the day.
[1:04:27] Your day wouldn't look pretty,
that unfortunately you know kids are you sexually up to 30 times a day so yeah I think tangible real life experiences and and some proof so that they can really believe it.
Sarah:
[1:04:43] Yeah,
good Melanie and again I know such a hard subject but it's one that I feel like does need to be talked about I've learned a lot from you even just on some stuff you said something sometime,
we need to go back and read we think that through is our kids and again I just want to keep saying because I feel like it's so important it's not out of the spirit of fear but it's just,
and be wise and how and how can we help so only I know you will share with this more resources I want to talk for just a minute because the time always goes by way too fast and all these shows.
Melanie:
[1:05:11] Yeah CC.
Sarah:
[1:05:12] It is tell us a little bit about what God has been doing lately and what the ministry said its Pursuit.
Melanie:
[1:05:20] Okay it's called yeah Pursuit 3416 and the reason we named it that was because we are pursuing Ezekiel 34:16,
and Ezekiel 34:16 is we will search for the we will search for this lost and bring back the strayed
he's we will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak but the Sleek in the strong we will destroy we will Shepherd the flock with Justice.
Sarah:
[1:05:44] Love that.
Melanie:
[1:05:45] And that's just kind of like what we're all about and so our hope is to go into schools organizations Medical Offices everywhere and just bring more and more awareness so that we can stop this,
before it becomes trafficking we can make everybody aware and also we will train,
people on what to look for and how they can help,
maybe a nice or a neighbor that they're seeing the signs that we've taught them in our class so it's not just for people or parents with kids this is for everybody every single one of us can help we just have to learn,
what to look for and so our awareness class will teach what to look for and they will be different based on if we're out of school,
if we are at an organization a doctor's office Etc and it's new we just became official last week our Articles of Incorporation.
Sarah:
[1:06:42] I love it I love it.
Melanie:
[1:06:44] Are in and so we can proceed forward with setting the rest of it up and getting the training going.
Sarah:
[1:06:50] That's great well we'll make sure to link any and everything and we can update this to as we go.
On there and so if you are an educator or you fit in one of those categories that Miller's time out reach out and see how this really important Ministry can come alongside and help because prevention and awareness is huge
so Melanie for people listening right now who are like I want I have their feeling that pool.
Help I want to do something maybe I have time to give Maybe,
Financial Resources to give can you just tell us real quick and we'll link all of it in the show notes but what's a few things we could do right now to get more involved.
Melanie:
[1:07:24] Absolutely so I always give the easiest thing you can do is go online and literally do a search that says the name of your town,
let's just say Baldwin Missouri you know,
human trafficking organizations Ballwin Missouri and it can be used keywords organizations Charities Ministries and then I promise you loads will come up and you and if you not seeing come up,
prayer specific town obviously go to the large Town St Louis Missouri for instance Kansas City Missouri Las Vegas Nevada Etc go to the largest city near you and put that in and,
there are loads of Ministries and organizations trying to help with this and it's not enough though as you can see still.
Because he is the most profitable business in the world so we need as many ambassadors as possible to stop this.
Sarah:
[1:08:20] Yeah yeah.
Melanie:
[1:08:22] Yeah so that's that's the easy one and
promise from that research you will have so much that you have to sift through and decide so start there if you have specific questions you are welcome to email me its Pursuit 3416 at gmail.com.
Sarah:
[1:08:40] I will link all that so people can find it please do because like I said when you feel that pull and tug this is a great way for us to kind of,
the conversation Melanie because we talk about that often here on podcast and something will and I are super passionate about is God has put inside of us all Passions
pullings all the stuff and Lina's and that can look like anything house
looks for you is different outlooks for me and God needs all of everyone of us he's given us unique gifts and abilities we all need to use it for his glory and for the kingdom and the help share good things and great
things as we can can you just give any final encouragement to somebody just struggling with hey I'm not sure what.
To get it out or I'm not sure how to use that can you just share a little more encouragement.
Melanie:
[1:09:22] Goodness,
I just I do want to encourage you all that if God can take an ordinary mom like me and show me how to live this out he can absolutely do it for all of us so beyond prayer,
just literally think about those simple gifts in a couple examples what if you are a mom and you think you are just running kids,
you don't have gifts well were you a cheerleader as a teenager maybe you can teach cheer and some subtle tumbling to Kids in Need are you,
do you know how to play the guitar maybe you can go entertain at retirement homes and just organizations that need talent in order for their fundraisers.
Sarah:
[1:10:04] Yeah.
Melanie:
[1:10:07] I promise,
every single tool you have in your box can be used if you are a expert organizer then by all means.
Contact some Charities and some Ministries and just tell them that they don't have time,
to organize Their donation closets they don't have time to organize their offices.
Sarah:
[1:10:29] Yeah yeah.
Melanie:
[1:10:29] Go offer to do that for them and you're a human you can clean help to clean I promise any tool you have can be used to glorify God and help an organization.
Sarah:
[1:10:41] I love it and you can attest from your organization's you work with.
Melanie:
[1:10:44] Yeah.
Sarah:
[1:10:45] Us from the ones I've worked with there's no non-profit Ministry organization right now twiddling their thumbs and when we have more workers and we could possibly use we have more resources and more fine they all have a need so find something that you're passionate,
and figure out how you can get involved and God's going to use that big to not only be a blessing to that Ministry but the crazy thing is God often uses it to bless us more and grow us and use it in,
it's amazing so well Melanie is there anything we didn't talk about that you do you want to say who are want to talk.
Melanie:
[1:11:17] Oh I goodness I think we covered it all I gosh there's so much.
Sarah:
[1:11:22] Okay well the the last thing we ask everybody and I always say like there's no qualifier but because this show is called now that's something good tell us one more you are shared so many good things but share one more good thing that just going on in your world or.
It can be anything or so people like it doesn't even need to be spiritual like there's no it could be whatever you want.
Melanie:
[1:11:40] Can I do too okay okay so I want to recommend a book it's called Heaven by Randy Alcorn,
and I recommend it because so many of us are sort of unclear of what happens to these Earthly bodies when we.
Sarah:
[1:11:56] Yes yeah.
Melanie:
[1:11:56] Go to sleep forever and leave this earth and he does a really wonderful he has a great way of explaining it very clearly,
so I think you've ever question that I think you'll find some answers there so yeah so that and then my second recommendation is about a cafe I love cafes and say Sarah knows that.
Sarah:
[1:12:18] Melanie how do we not talk about that I feel like we missed.
Melanie:
[1:12:20] Oh my gosh.
Sarah:
[1:12:21] We could have talked for another three hours about all the fun things that okay yeah.
Melanie:
[1:12:23] Yeah goodness I love.
Sarah:
[1:12:25] Cafe do you.
Melanie:
[1:12:26] A calf a cafe recommendation so if you are local to St Louis it's in Lake st. Louis and it's called hyuga and it's in the Meadows and it's actually more of a smoothie Bowl Cafe and Juice Cafe.
Sarah:
[1:12:41] I do not know that are you serious right now.
Melanie:
[1:12:43] You're going to love it the decor is awesome the vibe is awesome and the Smoothie bowls are awesome.
Sarah:
[1:12:47] Are awesome going as soon as we hit stop on this reps okay.
Melanie:
[1:12:50] Yes so yeah so I don't work there but I enjoyed their bowls a lot and I just want everybody to go enjoy them as much as.
Sarah:
[1:12:59] Okay so what do you get there as well I need to.
Melanie:
[1:13:01] Can't I get a smoothie bowl and so you start with like a fruit base and then,
protein and you can add a couple items so you can add all kinds of fruit you know
I'm chia seeds and all kinds of coconut great stuff that you want to make it like a yummy Bowl but I know that there is a ton of juices and I know juicing is important to,
people nowadays and so they also offer so I think a huge selection of juices I have not tried
yeah but I can attest that if you get one of their smoothie bowls you will be happy.
Sarah:
[1:13:33] I love it well I'm really excited and that's really dangerous that you just told me that because thankfully there's not been a place like that super close.
Melanie:
[1:13:39] I know.
Sarah:
[1:13:40] I have an addiction to things like.
Melanie:
[1:13:42] Me too it's ridiculous.
Sarah:
[1:13:44] So I do have to ask more quick because I know there's a whole part of me like Melanie is a world traveler and I'm not we could do a whole other podcast episode about all your world,
so just well you can tell me as sort of a of that but let me just do it this way so your you've been in Nashville a lot like let's just hit a couple can you hit a couple other cities that maybe I don't know where everybody that listens from there are a lot of people that are,
our area but then there's people all over I know we have some friends in Colorado that listen but tell me like what's one or two of your favorite Nashville places and then,
hit off a couple other because of the cafe Vibe like where are your favorite ones.
Melanie:
[1:14:19] I am I have to apologize I have lists and so I don't memorize the names of places.
Sarah:
[1:14:25] We can always Google search or find it and put it in the show notes to we can link Melanie's top favorite top 10 favorite.
Melanie:
[1:14:29] Okay yeah I will a hundred percent do that I will I will say that I have a lot of favorites and Nashville because my daughter used to live there so we hit those a lot I have some in Washington DC because my son lives there.
Sarah:
[1:14:42] Okay yes.
Melanie:
[1:14:43] At those a lot and then in st. Louis so I apologize for my lack of memory but,
we'll definitely put it in the show notes I have so many that have not just yummy coffees and drinks and food but this the essence the vibe the design is really cool.
I have to say one thing I forgot when you asked if I wanted to cover anything else since you mentioned my traveling,
I just kind of want to add that to the whole realm of glorifying God.
And I just want to say that he has just given me so many amazing experiences in my travels to I won't go into the stories I will just say that from.
I'm meeting a Muslim and an atheist on a plane and having the most amazing,
discussion and and and time with them to a lovely store clerk in Santorini Greece and talking to her about faith and,
all of these and beautiful elderly gentleman in DC and Starbucks I mean there's just so many experiences so I just want to say that like again.
You can glorify him and always and if you pray over it he will,
hundred percent open your eyes on how to do this and and I just want also say this isn't a box I check or I don't walk into a store and go how am I going to glorify God.
Sarah:
[1:16:06] Right right right.
Melanie:
[1:16:06] I do not do that it truly is organic and it can
increase it started with a discussion about a bracelet and then grew beautifully from there and in my
are playing experience it was from a book on my lap and grew beautifully from there so I have hundreds of more and I'll stop there and just say.
Glorify him and every single day.
Sarah:
[1:16:32] I love it well we'll just have to bring you back on because there's a whole lot of stuff that we didn't even like the whole traveling thing and maybe some of the fashion things whoa.
Melanie:
[1:16:40] Yes.
Sarah:
[1:16:41] You'll have to come back and talk about it that Melanie thank you so much for being here today and sharing appreciate.
Melanie:
[1:16:44] thank you.