Melanie Marshall

Canberra, Australia

Graduated in 1988

Married to Paul for 33.5 years and counting

Three adult children and two grandsons

Senior Minister of C3 Church Watson since 2003

It’s not all up to me. Easy to say but not always what I really believe. Even if I tell myself this truth, subconsciously I can be carrying around a burden, pressure, belief that I have to make this thing happen. Of course, as a leader there are pressures and responsibilities that I carry, but I cannot survive this journey if I carry more than I have been given to carry.

Ps 127:1-2 (NASB) “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labours; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”

I am so much more effective and fruitful, not to mention at peace, when I am not striving to build something by my might or power. Many years ago I went through a season of burnout and the reason was that I thought it was all up to me and that God couldn’t do it without me, ha! I had no margin, I didn’t trust Him, I didn’t release others to be all they could be and I didn’t rest. I love that Psalm 127 says that He gives to us even in our sleep. While I’m sleeping, He is working on my behalf, He is building, and He is moving. I love that, I rest in that and I am thankful for that.

The greatest work I can do is listen to His voice and obey it, believe what He says over what I might be seeing and be comfortable to be who He has called me to be.

C3 College was a wonderful launching pad into my future. Paul and I both caught the faith and fun of C3 during our time at college and see 1988 as a major year of breakthrough.