When the rains descend...we all get wet Go ahead and grab your umbrella, because in life, there will be times when you journey through storms. You see, in this world in which we live, the rains will fall. That is a guarantee. Trials will come - and they are going to come to everyone. Just because you're a Christian, don't think for a moment that life is going to be easy. There will still be pain, sorrow, and heartache. The good news, however, is that, as a Christian, you do not have to weather these storms alone. You have a solid foundation in Christ. When the Rains Descend is a collection of poems written to be an encouragement to you as you face the downpours of life. May you rest in the Lord and grow closer to Him day by day. Melissa Carlson was born in Galesburg, Illinois and was raised in a pastor's home as the oldest of three. She accepted Christ as her Savior at the age of five, was baptized a few years later, and dedicated her life to the Lord as a young teenager. While in high school, Melissa became particularly burdened for the people of Sweden and began praying that God would send laborers into that country. As a sophomore at Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, Wisconsin, Melissa surrendered to become one of those laborers, to personally go and serve the Lord in Sweden. She continued her preparation and graduated from Maranatha in December of 2005 with a major in Biblical Counseling and a minor in Church Music. She is now a missionary to Stockholm, Sweden with World Wide New Testament Baptist Mission.