Melissa Campbell

Melissa is the co-founder and director of Revive Ministries. She is also a writer, speaker and co-host of the Experience Revival Podcast. Melissa has a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from the Austin Graduate School of Theology and spent 12 years church planting in Oregon with her husband, Jason. She has over 20 years of ministry experience, leadership development, event planning, and small group discipleship. She enjoys hiking and kayaking the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two teenage daughters. Melissa has a passion for helping others experience God’s kingdom and desires to equip God’s people for their calling.

  • Knowing God

    Light in the Dark

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    “Through [Jesus] all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” – John 1:3-5, 9-13

    Have you ever stood in complete darkness? Not just figuratively, but literally in the absence of light. Let me tell you, it is an eye-opening experience! <Pun intended>

    My husband and I are the adventurous types and love to explore new places. When we were first married, we explored the Ape Caves in Washington, an underground lava tube about a mile long. We came prepared with flashlights but what I wasn’t prepared for was how dark darkness can be when no light can be found. I grew up as a kid who was always scared of the dark, but I had never experienced true darkness up until that point.

    Just for fun, we stopped in the middle of the cave and turned off our flashlights. Even though my husband was only inches away from me, I couldn’t see him. I was surrounded by complete and utter blackness. I could not see anything! Once we turned our lights back on, I could see that he was right next to me all along. I could shine the light forward and see what was ahead of me and shine it around so I didn’t stumble on the rocks below my feet. We were completely dependent on our flashlights to get us out of this cave. Without the lights we carried, we would be forever lost in this cave.

    Just like the darkness in this cave, we can find ourselves without light to illuminate our path through this life. Without light, we are vulnerable to stumbling blocks in our path. We need light to see the way through the dark and difficult situations we face. Although the light may only show us one step at a time, we need to know we are on the right path.

    Jesus came to the world and people whom he created and knew well, as the light that shines into the hearts of people and illuminates the way to life. Not just any life, but life as God originally intended: full of love, hope and joy. He is a light that darkness cannot overcome, no matter how dark a cave we find ourselves in. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). He is the way to true life.

    If we allow the light of Jesus to illuminate our path, we can continue to put one foot in front of the other, confident that even if we cannot see Him, He is there, showing us the way.

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  • In The Word

    Glow in the Dark

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    “The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life?…Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.

    But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 2 Corinth 3:7-8, 12-18 NLT

    In Exodus, we read about Moses and the Israelites and God’s giving of the Ten Commandments. When Moses returned from the mountain after having an personal encounter with God, his face shined so brightly that no one could look upon him. The glory of God was radiating from his face, literally! As a result of Moses spending time in the presence of God, he literally soaked up God’s glory and was still glowing with it as he left the mountain. He was like a living glow in the dark toy! So to put it lightly, the Israelites were a little freaked out when they saw him, so Moses wore a veil to conceal his face because it was too bright and glorious.

    In the Bible, we sometimes see two meanings for things. In these verses, there was a literal veil that Moses wore, but the veil also symbolizes the barrier between God and his people. Their hearts could not fully “see” what God was trying to show them. Their hearts were not yet enlightened–the veil remained and obscured their sight (literally and figuratively) from God’s glory.

    At one time or another, a veil has covered our hearts. Because of a barrier between ourselves and God, we couldn’t see God’s glory. Instead of seeing the light, we walked in darkness.

    But we have hope! Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, the veil between heaven and earth has been torn away (Matthew 27:50-54). When we turn our hearts to the Lord, we see truth and we find freedom from the veil that blinds us. The barrier between God and us no longer remains. In Christ, we can have full access to God’s spirit, in fact God spirit now resides within us! How amazing is that?!

    Our encounter with the risen Christ doesn’t leave us with a glowing face like Moses, instead we radiate God’s glory daily as we spend time in His presence, being made more and more into the image of God. The veil has been removed and now we radiate God’s glory to the world around us. This brings a whole new meaning to letting your light shine!

    We are not to conceal God’s glory from those around us, instead, we are to shine brightly and be a beacon in the darkness pointing others toward God.

    Praying your encounters with God this week leave you filled to the fullness of God. Be bold and shine brightly!

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  • In The Word

    Set Free

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    In America, we live in the home of the free and the brave. But what does it mean to be free? With Independence Day this week, I decided to look again to see what the Scriptures have to say about freedom. I discovered that there are a lot of references to freedom. In John 8:31-36, Jesus tells the Jews that once they know the truth, the truth will set them free. They are confused because they didn’t even know they needed freedom. They said, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” To this question, Jesus replies: “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

    We may live a country that is “free” but are we free the way God intended?? Are we living in captivity without even realizing it to addiction, sin, illness, fear, insecurity, broken relationships or financial crisis? Jesus came that we may be set free in every way: physically, spiritually, and emotionally. He came to restore and give us true freedom. A long time before Jesus arrived on earth, the prophet Isaiah spoke of Jesus’ coming ministry and purpose on this earth that later Jesus himself would proclaim.

    The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

    “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations” (Is. 61:1-4, Luke 4:16-21)

    Jesus came to restore what was broken in this world and in his creation. Through his ministry and ultimate sacrifice, he ushered in a new way of life and brought hope for a renewed and restored creation.

    “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

    “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:14-17

    Because of what Christ accomplished through the cross, we no longer need to live as slaves to sin and fear. For if we are in Christ, we have received his Spirit and He has set us free from the law of sin and death. We are no longer slaves to the things of this world but instead are the children of God. The power of sin and death has no hold on us any longer because the Christ has conquered both and His spirit now lives in us. And we know that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17).

    As we learn to live from day to day in the power of the Spirit, we continue in that freedom. Freedom means that we are no longer compelled to obey the things that mess up our lives and threaten to enslave us, but we are now free to follow a new and better path–one that leads to peace, joy and life to the fullest, the way God intended. As you take a moment today to reflect on freedom, thank God for the freedoms in our lives and for His Spirit that has truly set us free.

    Happy 4th of July!!

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  • Knowing God

    God of Hope

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    “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

    Think about someone in your life that you trust absolutely. Likely they are someone who cares about you deeply, has your best interest at heart and would spring into action on your behalf. You know them and they know you. You can trust them because you know their character and they have proven themselves true.

    Even the most steadfast friend can make mistakes. We are after all, human. But God’s character is unwavering. He never fails to meet us in our need, to lift us up above our circumstances and set us back on solid ground. He has proven himself faithful and steady, loving and kind. We can trust Him. When we do, the Holy Spirit floods us with hope. It washes over us, dispelling our fears and renewing our hearts. Trusting God is not always easy, especially when we cannot see or understand what is happening in our lives. When we find ourselves in a difficult season, how do we trust and find hope?

    One way is to focus on the character of God, instead of our circumstances. When we focus on our circumstances, we can get caught up in the moment. When we remember God’s character, we stay grounded in truth. We can turn our face toward the God who knows us better than we know ourselves, and we can breathe easy. He has been a Father for a long, long time and knows what He is doing. He will fight on our behalf, keep us firmly in his grip and and redeem our pain for purpose.

    The word “remember” means to relive, hold dear, to know by heart. When we keep the truth of God’s character close, we can know Him by heart and look back to see how He has worked in the past and is working now in our lives. This brings us hope and a renewed perspective that everything is going to be alright.

    So, what’s true about God’s character?

    God is…Love (1 John 4:8)
    God is…Holy (1 Peter 1:15)
    God is…Steady and unchanging (Hebrews 13:8)
    God is…a promise keeper (2 Peter 3:9)
    God is…strong enough to carry you (Isaiah 41:10)
    God is…the Redeemer (Psalm 103:1-22, John 3:17)
    God is…Creator of all things (Isaiah 40:28)
    God is…Giver of all that is good (James 1:17)
    God is…perfect and true (Psalm 18:30)
    God is…present in our circumstances (Isaiah 41:8-10, Matthew 28:20)

    It is our prayer for you that you lean into God and trust in God’s character. As you place your trust in the steadfast love of God, you will receive overflowing hope for whatever you are facing.

    God, you are the God of hope. Help us to trust you, even when we don’t see the whole picture. Thank you for revealing your character through your Word, so that we can lean on your steadfast love, and receive hope through your Holy Spirit. Fill our hearts to overflowing, and help us to give hope to others.

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  • Heart Stuff

    Exchanging Worry for Joy

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    “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

    “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9

    Every once and in awhile, I wake up to a day when my insecurities and worries threaten to get the best of me. It starts subtly, but can quickly spiral into a full-on questioning of the meaning of life! “Who am I? What if people don’t like what I have to say? What if I didn’t really hear God right and I’m not the right person for the job?”

    Do the worries of life sometimes overwhelm you? Maybe the little everyday stressors stack up and weigh heavily on your heart. I have recently realized how easy it is to become trapped in a prison and it’s called worry. You may know it by its other names…anxiety and fear. These things can immobilize you and keep you from the joy and peace that God intends for you. It is a slippery slope off the path that leads to peace and joy. It starts small and grows until all you can see is that worry or fear.

    Good news! God has given us a way to be set free. In this section of Scripture, Paul tells the church in Philippi to “rejoice in the Lord always.” He follows it by saying, “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything.” Although these two phrases may not seem related, they are meant to go together. He knows we cannot fully rejoice until we let go of the worry and fear. Joy and worry are opposites in nature. Worry threatens to take our joy. Fear is out to destroy our peace. We must give our worry, in every situation, to God through prayer. When we lay them down in His capable hands we are set free from the hold they have over us. We trust in an all-powerful God, our Heavenly Father, who knows and loves us. He takes care of our worry and need, and gives us peace instead.

    Maybe your worry isn’t over a situation but rather a matter of the heart. Some of my biggest worries are over my own insecurities. Paul reminds us that there is a way out when the insecurities start to surface and whisper lies into our heads. The first key is relinquishing our worries to God. Once we allow God to take them over, we need to start filling up with truth.

    In John 8:32, Jesus said that, “the truth will set you free.” In Ephesians, Paul talks about putting on the armor of God and the very first item is the belt of truth that wraps around us. This is why he goes on to say,

    “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

    Paul is reminding us to fill up our minds with truth and goodness. This can help us take every thought captive for Christ as we compare it to this list. When the narrative in my head starts to spiral out of control, I can stop and ask, “Is this true? Is this right? Is it lovely or admirable?” When I stop to line my thoughts up with these questions, I often realize that my thinking is not grounded in the truth. I am caught up in the lies of the enemy. Satan wants us to remain ensnared by the untruths that tell us that we are not capable, not good enough, not called, that we are unlovely or unloved. He wants us to feel alone and paralyzed by worry, fear and insecurity.

    But God’s message is different. He gently calls us as a loving Father, to hear truth.
    “Come to me, my child. Give me all that weighs so heavily on your heart. Let me remind of what is true. You are radically loved. You are uniquely and wonderfully made by me and I make no mistakes. I have called you to be my child and be a light in this dark world. You have purpose and significance–there is work in this world that only you can do. I have given you everything you need to do my good work and I will provide for all your needs. Put your trust in me. You are never alone for I am with you always and will never leave you or forsake you. I will take your worries and give you peace that will guard your heart and mind”

    So today, if you find your worries and anxieties spiraling out of control, put these things into practice. Ask yourself, “Are my thoughts based in truth? Does the message in my mind match the message of God’s truth?” If not, talk to God about it and let him know what is on your heart. Trust Him with all that burdens your heart and mind and allow His peace and joy fill you up. He will give you a peace that rises above your circumstances, so that you truly can rejoice.

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  • Finding Significance, Identity in Christ

    Radically Loved

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    “Define yourself as one radically loved by God-this is your true self. All other identity is illusion” – Brennan Manning

    This quote by Brennan Manning is one of my all-time favorites. For some reason, the phrase “radically loved” just lands differently in my mind. It’s easy to take God’s love for granted the same way my kids take my love for granted. I’m always telling them I love them. They know it and sometimes even give me a playful eye roll if I get too gushy.

    God has told us over and over in the Bible how much he loves us. He shows us by providing for even our most basic needs. But do I stop to think about how radically loved I am by God? How do I even try to fathom that the same God who created the universe and all the incredible things in it, thought the world needed one of me too? Let alone that He would come to earth to walk the life I walk, and feel the emotions I feel, to reach into my situation and meet me in my need.

    For years I sought my identity from the acceptance of others. I’ve spent so much of my life being a people-pleaser so that I would feel accepted. I would worry all the time about what people thought about what I said or did. Over time, God has helped me see that He is enough. His opinion of me is enough. I could be set free from the winds and waves of people’s fickle emotions and opinions. I no longer needed to fret and worry about what others thought of me. For I learned to rest my identity securely in the hand of my Heavenly Father whose love doesn’t change. For He is love itself. As I leaned into the truth that no matter who chooses to loves me or doesn’t, or who accepts me or not; He always will and He calls me His beloved, His precious child!

    Do you struggle with fully accepting how radically loved you are by the God of the universe? Do you define yourself as one loved by God? Please know, dear friend, you are so radically loved by God. You are a beautiful masterpiece created by God himself. Allow this to be what defines you. Let’s us no longer find our identity in the illusions that others or the world would have us believe. Proudly proclaim today, “I am a daughter of a King, a precious child of God!” This is your true identity.

    “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” ~ 1 John 3:1

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  • Events, Everything Else

    New Opportunities Ahead!

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    Revive Ministries is all about sharing God’s Word with women everywhere, to see them grow in their relationship with God by taking the next steps toward where He is calling them. Beyond online Bible studies, some amazing doors are opening for us to make a difference in big ways!

    Recently, we were honored to partner with 104.1 the Fish in their first ever women’s event, Thrive! A Girls’ Night Out. We shared about how God redeems pain for purpose and how He can take a hot mess with a willing heart and make her shine brighter than she ever dreamed. Countless women came up to us afterward to share their stories and how much they had needed that very message. It was a blessing for us as well, to join them in their journey and see their faith bolstered and their joy renewed.

    Another incredible door that has opened is the opportunity to launch a weekly radio show. That means that each week we could reach into the homes, cars, iPhones and hearts of up to 60,000 people with a message of love and hope found in Christ. Working at 104.1 The Fish, I have seen first-hand how a friendly voice bringing a positive message can completely change the course of a person’s life. I hear stories from listeners that tell us because of the programs and people on the air, they don’t feel alone in the world. Revive Ministries has a chance to be a part of that.

    In order to make this dream a reality, we have set a fundraising goal of $50,000 for the year. This would fund ministry efforts including online Bible Studies, hosting our own women’s event, and a year of Radio Ministry.

    Please prayerfully consider joining us in this adventure! You can donate online or by mail And please pray for us and the people we will meet as we step out in faith!

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  • Everything Else

    A Lamp Unto Our Feet

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    Since launching Revive Ministries at the beginning of 2017 we have been following God’s leading, sometimes faster than we would have planned! We have a heart for sharing God’s word with others and love it when women can experience God in new ways through His word and through prayer in community. We launched our first online Bible study during the Christmas season and had an overwhelming response. 75 women joined us on a journey to discover peace, hope and joy through Scripture during the holiday season. It was so encouraging to hear from women on our Facebook community group page just how God’s word had touched their hearts throughout the study. Here is what one lovely lady had to say:

    I am so thankful for this Bible study that came just at the right time! I’m a goal setter and I love the end of the year because I’m preparing for a new start. I was struggling with what I should aim for and this study helped me decide. I decided that my main goal of 2018 is to pursue health in all its aspects, starting with a renewed focus on God and spiritual health. My plan is to practice the discipline of resting in Him, trusting His purpose and timing. Thank you for helping me to get there with our beautiful study of the promises of God and His faithfulness!”

    Misty (Corvallis, Oregon)

    We launch our next 3-week study on March 5th, called Royal: Finding Your Identity in Christ. We are so excited about this upcoming study because it is a message that speaks to the very heart of Revive Ministries. Through this study our hope is to that women everywhere will find their passion, purpose, and power in Christ as they learn to live into their identity as a daughter of the Most High King. Sign-up for this FREE online Bible Study here!

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  • Purposeful Living

    Can you imagine with us?

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    Imagine having total confidence in who you are, secure in where you’ve come from and in where you are going. Life can be hard, chaotic and confusing. Its easy for us to lose sight of who we are and who we are supposed to be, and lose our joy in the process. We can end up feeling numb, having lost our passion for life and for God. The truth is, that God is here, pursuing us. He gently reminds us that we have a divine purpose. We want women everywhere to find their passion again as they embrace their identity as God’s daughters. It is in this identity that they are revived, and their passion and purpose are made clear in the power of Christ.

    Everyday we hear from women who are longing for this kind of life. They long for community with others who love and care for them, they desire significance and purpose, they want to feel empowered to make a difference in their world.

    Revive Ministries was born out of a vision to see all women know who they are in Christ and to live the abundant life God has called them–a life full of love, meaning, hope and joy!

    In the next post we will be sharing what we are doing at Revive Ministries to achieve this mission, as well as hearing from some women whom the ministry has impacted as God has worked in their lives. Stay tuned!

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  • Heart Stuff, Knowing God

    You are Loved!

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    Did you know that God’s Word is a love letter to you? The whole Bible is a beautiful story of God pursuing us out of His great love for us. The kind of love God offers is unlike any kind of love we can find on this earth. It is a love that surpasses all understanding. That God would go to the ends of the earth and into the depths of hell itself, to save us and redeem us and call us His own, is beyond anything I can imagine.

    Unlike God’s unconditional love, the kind of love the world gives is conditional and is often fickle. It comes and goes and isn’t always reliable. I’ve experienced my share of heartaches in my life that left me feeling alone, insecure and unloved–afraid to risk showing love to others. Seeking love that the world gives only kept me striving to earn love and prove that I was worthy of love.

    When I experienced God’s love and began to understand that He loves me no matter what and that His love will never leave me, it was so freeing. To know that He is a God who keeps on loving me, no matter my success or failure, no matter if I was less than my best today or if I over-commit, or if I get it all right or I get it all wrong–He keeps on loving me. That is what it means to be loved unconditionally.

    Being firmly grounded in the security of His love allows me to be brave when I would otherwise be insecure. Being safe with Him by my side allows me to love others freely and without reservation. My self-worth is no longer wrapped up in whether or not someone returns my love but grounded in the knowledge that I am forever loved by my Heavenly Father. It defines and shapes my identity as one whom God keeps on loving–no matter what.

    I pray that you will be able to understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep His love is. I pray that you will know the love of Christ. His love goes beyond anything we can understand. I pray that you will be filled with God Himself.

    ~ Ephesians 3:17-19 NLT

    When we are grounded in God’s love and begin to grasp the richness and depth of His love, we are filled up with the fullness of God. The Bible tells us that God is love. It isn’t a characteristic He has, but rather who He is. He is love and you are His.

    My prayer for you today is that you understand fully this love God has for you, that you embrace it with all of who you are, and let it be the defining force in your life that gives you courage to love freely with the love of Christ.

    You are forever His. You are LOVED!

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