Mass Communicating

Surfing on Facebook one morning, Melody Miller, one of the morning radio personalities from WIBI radio station posted a question. I answered that question and it set off a chain of events that would end up taking me to be on the radio. The question was, “So what has God been teaching you lately?”

I could not NOT respond to that! I was also a little bit afraid of what others might think if I did post. Now, that right there was my former fears surfacing. Instantly they were removed and this soothing, peaceful, very small voice said, “Answer her.” So I did. My comment went something like this: “So much that I had to start a website to contain it!” I know I put more in there than that, something about being taught forgiveness and healed of many years of oppression, however just that much was enough to send Melody to my website (there are enough links posted on my Facebook page to find it easily). Within a few short minutes, she had made another post, telling people to go read my story. She had posted a link to one of my stories, and within another few minutes I received this comment: “Girl, you need to come do the show with me!” I quickly responded, “I’d love to!”

As soon as I clicked “send” I thought, “WHAT have I DONE?!” By that evening, the date for me to be on A Positive Start to Your Day with Melody was set. I was going to go on June 29, 2012.

Before that however, the most amazing things were happening around me and within me. Gone was the nervousness. Gone was the anxiety. Gone was the worry that usually accompanied me when knowing that I was about to do something “big.” In their places was a confidence in myself that I’ve never had before. I never worried one time about the show. I never worried about what I would say. I never worried about what Melody might ask me or say to me. There was a peace, a calm, and an assurance that I had never had before. It was all God. It was all the healing that He had given me on May 30. It was all still there. It was all still working.

I have come to realize since my healing experience that when God heals you, He keeps you healed. There’s no going back. There’s no, “oh you just messed up so you have to start over.” There’s none of that. Healing is healing and once healed you’re sealed. It’s the truth. God healed me, then called me out to do the thing I had been praying for years that He’d let me do. Write. It was there the whole time, but I had a lot of junk in the way. Now I was preparing to tell it on the air…to a huge listening area. And I was perfectly calm about it.

Where is the radio station anyway?
Picture ©ShelleyWilburn.org

The drive to Carlinville, IL, would take about two-and-a-half hours, I would stay overnight in a motel somewhere (about 30 miles from Carlinville – through cornfields) and make sure I was at the station at 7:20 AM to do the show with Melody. DA drove me and we had a very good time getting to spend some time together.

I have a little confession to make. When I got up the morning of the show, my stomach was a little queasy. But shortly after we left the motel to drive over to the radio station, I received a private message that read: “The devil doesn’t want you to break through because he knows that if you do, you will become a world changer…..Joyce Meyer post just now.” It was from my aunt. Immediately my nervous stomach went away. I knew that the Lord had sent me to deliver my story to someone out there who needed encouragement…and the enemy didn’t like it. Oh well.

My new friend, Melody Miller
Picture ©ShelleyWilburn.org

Upon arrival, Melody met me at the door with smiles and an abundance of energy that was catching. We hit it off right from the start. She got me acquainted with the station, giving DA and me a tour of the building. Then she sat me down in front of this huge microphone and told me, “We go on the air in ten minutes. Would you like a bottle of water?”

Before I knew it, Melody was welcoming me to the show, telling her listeners that her “new friend” was in the studio today, and we were going to be talking about my amazing journey. Then she asked me a question and away we went!

I can’t tell you exactly what I said or what she said. But it wasn’t long before the phone on her side of the counter started blinking. We had a caller. Then another caller. I was truly amazed by God. Because I gave everything I have into His hands, praying that He would prepare Melody, prepare me, and prepare the listeners, whomever they may be. God gave us the words to say. He gave the listeners the ears and the hearts to hear. And before long, it was ten o’clock and the show was over. Where did the time go?

Everyday life isn’t always doing a radio show. I certainly did not go there with the intentions of bringing attention to myself. But I did go there with the intentions of bringing attention to God and how He can turn your life around if you’ll just trust Him. He did it for me.

If you missed the morning show, you can hear the Podcast by going to this link: http://soundcloud.com/radiomelody/shelley-wilburn-podcast

Shelley Wilburn

Shelley Wilburn has been writing since the age of twelve. She loves stories and adventures, and often finds herself getting into mischief with any one of her six grandchildren. She has written several articles and devotionals over the years for various newspapers, women's magazines, and newsletters. She has also co-authored devotionals. Shelley began writing full-time in 2012 after being healed of over 40 years of depression and anxiety. Using her love of writing, and wearing mismatched socks, Shelley has developed a unique ministry of encouraging others using biblical truths and stories from her own personal life. When not writing, you can find Shelley and her husband of over 30 years, D.A. zipping down the road in their newest adventure-maker, a bright orange, Mustang convertible Shelley has laughingly dubbed The Pony.