On the Bright Side | Melanie Shankle | DD 115

There is so much more good in the world than there is bad. Let’s find the bright side. 

Melanie Shankle thought she was too far gone. She wasn’t shown the grace and mercy aspect of being a Christian, so by the time she got to college she felt like there was no hope and no going back. Then God met her in a bar in a bathroom, and he pursued her patiently and faithfully and showed her that no daughter of his has ever too far gone…and how to look on the bright side.

Melanie is a speaker, the author of four New York Times bestselling books, and the creator of The Big Mama Blog. She lives in San Antonio with her husband, Perry, and daughter, Caroline. In 2006, she felt God’s call on her to be a full-time writer after pouring over parenting blogs and starting her own while on maternity leave. Her newest book, On the Bright Side: Stories About Friendship, Love, and Being True To Yourself, is described as “the ultimate guide to help you discover the power of relationships, the unchanging truths of life, and importance of giving up comparisons.” 

Melanie is an open book and tells us these four things about herself:

1. “I don’t like Chinese food. So there’s that. In particular, I don’t like water chestnuts. I think they’re a really weird texture.”
2. “I sleep with like seven pillows at night. I’m a very high-maintenance sleeper.”
3.  “I was a Judy Blume nut.”
4.  “As a fourth-grader, I would get up, and eat my cereal and read Erma Bombeck. I thought she was so funny.”

Melanie and I had a blast sitting in my living room, laughing and talking about all sorts of things: how the world seems to have forgotten about love and mercy and grace and that we all need to be reminded that there is light; how God meets us right where we are; the precious role of a mother and how to stay sane while raising kids; our mutual obsession with Cheer on Netflix … I hope she encourages you and helps you look for the bright side!

SHOW NOTES

• Melanie’s Big Mama Blog
• Melanie’s book: On the Bright Side: Stories About Friendship, Love, and Being True To Yourself 
• Melanie’s debut children’s picture book: Piper and Mabel: Two Very Wild But Very Good Dogs
• Melanie’s Instagram
• Melanie’s Facebook page
• Melanie’s Twitter
• Follow me on Instagram for a chance to win a signed copy of On the Bright Side
• Stop by my church Austin Christian Fellowship if you’re in Austin
• Get involved with Young Life
• Want to find a mentor? Sign up here for The Mentor Map here.
• Music by Sara Davis Regan
• Sara Davis Regan’s song about chronic longing.
• Keep in the know: Sign up for my newsletter here!
• Come to The Grace Gathering on May 1st, 2020! For $25. off, enter the code EARLYBIRD

Coming soon! The Grace Guide: Live Your One Beautiful Life

Dear Daughters is a template for those multi-generational conversations and relationships you’re craving.