My pain has paid me – Melaine Moyston
Published:Sunday | July 12, 2020 | 12:07 AMShanna Monteith - Sunday Gleaner Writer
Melanie Moyston watched her life collapsed before her after she walked away from God in her earlier years.
“My life was a mess, and I had to endure hardship through perseverance for change,” said Moyston, who says that the price of change is pain. She failed three of six recommended subjects at the CXC level, while attending the Seaforth High School in St Thomas.
She told Family & Religion that in her earlier years, she was a very involved member of the Trinityville Church of God in Christ, where she played several roles, including worship leader.
“Unfortunately, I got distracted and lost focus in the most important year of high school. With only three subjects, I could hardly find a job or matriculate to further studies. My only option was to work in a bar, which I did for a short period; however, its negative impact was great as I got more distracted by the hype, partying, and failed love relationships. My life had a void that only God could fill. My stubborn circumstance needed an extra push,” she said, adding that she had to pay the price through fasting, prayer, and reading the word of God.
The spiritual sacrifice bought her a job as a secretary at a government institution, where, through encouragement from friends and family, she went on to finish her studies, eventually earning a diploma in secretarial studies and additional CXC subjects.
In no time, Moyston had climbed the ladder of success with a promotion to executive secretary at the parish local authority.
“By this time, I had recommitted my life to God following a fresh spiritual encounter at a crusade. He showed me my husband, and this vision, became a reality. Our family worships at the Lyssons Church of God in Christ, Top Hill Road, in St Thomas, where my husband is an elder and assistant pastor,” said Moyston.
Motherhoood and a Degree
She added: “My journey saw me pursuing several short courses at the Management Institute for National Development (MIND). I later received accreditation as a certified professional secretary and developed an insatiable appetite for greater achievements. Hence, I commenced my degree at The University of the West Indies. The last year of my degree was challenging as I was pregnant with my second child. No courses were failed whilst navigating the challenges of motherhood even though I completed my studies just two weeks before I gave birth to a healthy baby boy in August of 2018,” she shared with Family & Religion.
The ambitious Christian woman, whose journey testifies to the redeeming power of God, told Family & Religion that she earned herself an esteemed spot in central government a year after graduating from The UWI with honours.
Describing her life as a film created to influence others to go after their dreams, irrespective of failures, Moyston noted that her determination and resilience have served as a motivation to many.
According to Moyston, “I have never stopped from focusing on my goals, and in September 2019, I commenced my master’s degree. Unfortunately, I took leave of absence to take up other interests for a while. Recognising that my purpose in Christ is to empower and motivate others, I am focused on launching my ‘Challenge Yourself’ spiritual empowerment and motivational sessions to help the youth in St Thomas.
“The audience will be the most vulnerable, distracted, and at-risk youth. This I started doing during the height of COVID-19, using my Challenge Yourself videos, which started out as morning-exercise nuggets. The experience so far has been spiritually rewarding.”
As she reflected on her experiences, Moyston shared with a smile, “It was good that I was afflicted because my pain has paid me. Your present situation of failure does not dictate your future. I believe that if [someone’s] mind is in bondage, their life is in shackles. My story of success is not without failures and pain, but they have helped the different life dimensions to which I am proud today. I believe that the agony of defeat is to propel you to the next level, where you will experience the thrill of victory. Today, I rejoice and say thanks be to God, who causes us to triumph through the Lord Jesus Christ.”