Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Schiffbauer.
Melissa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story began several years ago when my younger brother was diagnosed with an incurable illness. After 18 months of doctor visits, emergency room trips, and sleepless nights our lives (and our finances) were in shambles. As the doctors told my parents and me one day that my brother might not survive his diagnosis, I was angry. I was mad at God. All my life, I had been raised in a “good” Christian home- my dad was even a pastor. Our family had always done everything “right”. I found myself asking the well-known question, “If there is a God, why do bad things happen to good people?”
I joined the party scene. I stuck my middle finger up at God in retaliation for what happened to my brother. I was into drinking, boys, partying- you name it and I either did it or I was around it. But no matter how drunk I got, my pain was still right there with me. I remember looking around the room at my friends one night wondering how they could be so carefree when I felt so burdened. I realized that no matter how much I tried to run away or convince myself that God wasn’t real, it just wasn’t going to happen. I believed that he was.
If God was real, I wanted to understand what he was really about. I didn’t trust churches or Christians. I felt like they were fake, hypocritical people. I didn’t want to be influenced by them so. Instead, I started to read the Bible for myself. It was hard. It was very intimidating. But my urgency to find relief from my suffering drove me to do it. I read the entire Bible that year. It wasn’t until I read the Bible all by myself without external influences that I began to have a genuine relationship with God. I began to view him as more than a sermon, a building, or a list of rules. He became a friend- a confidant. For the first time in my life, I was able to let go and forgive the trials and problems of my past. When I had this experience, I knew I wanted to share it with others. I began writing my blog, A Bible & A Girl.
It is my goal to motivate others through an inspirational blog to study the Bible and turn to it for guidance in their own lives rather than depending solely on friends, family, teachers, or pastors to teach them what they believe about spiritual and religious topics. In less than a year, I have developed a small blog family of just over 2,000 readers. Since beginning my blog, I have also released an Amazon exclusive ebook called, “The One Who Stayed.” In this book, I outline my experience with being raised in the church and what ultimately brought me away from religion and into a personal relationship with Christ.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has certainly not been a smooth road. Writing a blog in today’s entertainment-driven world can be challenging. Many people would rather watch a video or listen to a podcast instead of reading a blog post. I remember posting my first article. I think within the first 48 hours. It only got like two or three views. That was humiliating. I felt like no one cared about what I had to say. Even now, I sometimes post things that don’t get as much attention as some of my previous writings- but I have learned to be okay with it. I think the biggest struggle is simply being able to persevere. You have to trust that someone out there in the online world is in need of and searching after the content you are creating. I also remind myself that writing isn’t just for my audience; it is also for me. There is something therapeutic for me about typing out my thoughts and putting my experiences on a screen.
Please tell us about your work.
I can’t help but chuckle at thinking of my blog as a company or business. To me, blogging is my hobby- my creative outlet or ministry. I write about things in the Bible that I think other people might want to know more about. I specialize in approaching religious topics from an unbiased viewpoint. Too often, it seems like religious denominations try to share scripture from their perspective and to fit their agenda. I work very hard NOT to do that. Honestly, sometimes my writings call out other churches for incorrectly representing God’s words with people. I think if more people read the Bible for themselves, they’d have a very different opinion of what God is like. I am proud of being able to “keep it real” when it comes to Bible discussion- my only agenda is to get people to read the Bible, unlike other blogs that are trying to promote their churches or faith-based products.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My husband Braxton, is my number one supporter and cheerleader. There have been many times when I’ve come to him discouraged and ready to delete my blog entirely. He always encourages me to keep going. He reminds me that becoming successful takes time and effort. I would not be writing and interacting with the audience that I have today if he hadn’t kept me focused and motivated through those tough moments.
Pricing:
- Download my book “The One Who Stayed” $2.99 on Amazon
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thebiblegirl.com
- Email: unmistakablymelissa@gmail.com
- Instagram: unmistakablymelissa
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebiblegirl
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