Just for Women

The Hands that Helped Formed Me

by Melissa Troyer · Psalm 139:13-16 · Birth

Melissa Troyer shares the challenging and agonizing and glorious moments of giving birth through several difficult deliveries and remembers all the key people who have formed her into the woman she has become.

It's not in my most mountain top moments, but in the desolate, agonizing ones of inability where I've found that infilling.

A Mother's Day Surprise

by Alan Smith · Proverbs 31:25-31 · Mothers

Some surprises on mother's day are not wanted.

What is the best you can do today on Mothers' Day?

They Danced!

by Melissa Troyer · Dance

Melissa Troyer reminds us of the importance of marking each stage of our deliverance and our journey with God, with joy and dancing!

They danced while still not knowing exactly where they would even sleep that night.

The Vast Sky Was My Teacher

by Melissa Troyer · Genesis 16:13

Melissa Troyer draws on her life of experiences with the vastness of our universe and her need and thanks God for always knowing and seeing and caring and planning for us.

The vast needs that spread wide before us? They are already in His hands.

The Blessing of Raising Teens?

by Melissa Troyer · 1 John 1:5-10 · Parenting

Melissa Troyer is back living in her crazy world with grace and reminding us that raising teenagers can be embraced as a grace from God despite being hard if it calls us to look at our brokenness and weak place.

Parenting teens is one of the best, hardest, most growing things I've ever done.

It's the Little Moments

by Melissa Troyer · Ephesians 5:15-16 · Addiction

Melissa Troyer writes insightfully about her husband, Daniel, and his way of seizing small moments to be there for his family despite being in a very stressful time in grad school.

He grasps those little moments so well. Pulls the kids close, chooses to go play frisbee or a game of Uno, just because.

In Everything Give Thanks... in EVERYTHING!

by Melissa Troyer · 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 · Thankful

Melissa Troyer reminds us that giving thanks -- and finding reasons to give thanks -- is a decision we make every day in all circumstances, especially when it is hard to be thankful!

And there I began hunting out places of worship through tears of joy in pain.

The Mystery of the Fall Season

by Melissa Troyer · Ephesians 3:16-17 · Autumn

Melissa Troyer reminds us that fall beckons us to grasp the last beauty and color of the season before winter overtakes us and to celebrate God's goodness in the changing of the season.

God is inviting us to grow, to let Him cultivate deep and unseen yet intimate connection through those 'barren

Gardens All Along the Way

by Melissa Troyer · Gardening

It is the glory of God to unveil His mysterious ways to us, one day, one garden at a time.

Where the Lines Blur

by Melissa Troyer · Psalm 139:8-12 · Presence

Melissa Troyer is on the road with her family visiting West Texas where she was raised and she and her family encounter God in an old rest stop where earth and sky meet in a glorious gold, pink, and orange reminder of God's presence.

But here in the place where lines blur, between land and sky, that small fold between day and night, the very place where great danger lies, it is here where we experience God's presence like never before.

Until...

by Melissa Troyer · Philippians 1:6 · Growth

Melissa Troyer looks at her life, the gray in hair, the wrinkles around her eyes, and reflects that things are not quite what she dreamed, but then, in a way, they are better and God is not through with her yet.

I dreamed of traveling the world, getting married, and sailing off into the horizon. And I am, only it's a whole lot nittier and grittier than I imagined.

We Were Made for This!

by Melissa Troyer · Philippians 4:13 · Marriage · Love

Melissa Troyer shares her heart about the strength, faith, and love that it takes to get through hard things and hard times together.

There are a million little moments that really matter, and you DO have what it takes to give.

Real Peace

by Melva Cooper · Matthew 5:9 · Peace

Do you know peace in your life? Or, do you find your days filled with conflict? Are you often belligerent and contentious with those around you? Find real peace in Jesus.

Do you know peace in your life?

We'll Never Be Happy Here (And That's Okay)

by Michele Howe · 1 Peter 1:18-32

Michele Howe reminds of that glorious moments are precious and fleeting, until they last forever with Jesus in glory.

We love glorious moments, but they don't last that long... until, with Jesus, they last forever.

Considering Valentine's Day

by Sarah Stirman · 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 · Valentine

Sarah Stirman talks about Valentine's Day and what it means to be really in love and to share love.

So what's really the deal with Valentine's Day?

Hope in our Messy Days

by Melissa Troyer · Matthew 7:7-8 · Messes

Melissa Troyer reminds us that life's messes should drive us to our knees and open our hearts to the love, grace, and freedom of God!

Parenting cuts deep to the core. It lays open our needs before God, and we can either resent it or embrace the powerful cleansing that comes from God's purifying fire

At the End of Ourselves

by Melissa Troyer · Matthew 14:28-20

Melissa Troyer talks about coming to the end of our own abilities, resources, and power to fix ourselves, our problems, and deal with our difficult situations on our own, and then we ask for help and prayer.

Why do we limit our lives to the mundane of only what we can see? Why, oh why, do we cling to safety over being truly alive?

Sky, Dirt, and Dreams Unfolding

by Melissa Troyer · Genesis 12:1-3 · Waiting

Melissa Troyer shares her insightful, home-loving momma whose meditations about life, family, and faith help us grab what is most important in life.

Buried deep in the earth of our hearts, God has buried dreams and hopes. While they lie under the surface, they ARE there.

Peace in This World?

by Melissa Troyer · John 14:27 · Peace

Melissa Troyer reminds us that our world is broken and full of chaos, but we can find peace in this world in Jesus.

We were not created for war, fighting, and death. No wonder our souls gasp for justice and a peaceful community.

Our Holy Mundane

by Melissa Troyer · Matthew 1:23 · Immanuel

Melissa Troyer writes about the pressures of daily life for a mom whose husband is in P.A. school, money is tight, and children are calling, all the while Jesus is near.

Children, chores, and never-ending responsibilities bring opportunities to turn our selfish hearts back to God.

Behind the Well-Known Story, There’s More

by Melissa Troyer · John 21 · Hope

Melissa Troyer writes with her unique and young mothering grace as she discovers new truths from an old familiar passage to discover, old stories have new truths when we come with fresh eyes and from a new place in our lives.

God places value in our journey and the discovery of age-old truths that are vibrant and life-changing for us here in our specific new season.

Hearing Silence

by Melissa Troyer · 1 Kings 19:11-12 · Silence

Melissa Troyer urges us to listen to the silence so we can hear the voice of God calling to us in the gentle slosh of the paddle slide through the water and the whisper of a gentle breeze.

It's good to embrace seasons of quiet.

To Your Advantage?

by Melissa Troyer · John 16:7 · Holy Spirit

Melissa Troyer reminds us of Jesus' strange promise of going away being better for His disciples than staying with them.

It was in the middle of one of these nitty-gritty down-to-earth conversations between Jesus and His disciples that He fleshed out the secret.

But God!

by Melissa Troyer · Luke 1:37 · Hope

Melissa Troyer looks at everyday life, her children, and the horrifying images and videos and cries of mothers and children, and sees an opportunity to teach our children to say, But God!

In a world swirling with heavy clouds and looming headlines, we mothers hold a massive opportunity!

Hope Is

by Melissa Troyer · Romans 5:1-5 · Hope

Melissa Troyer looks at our cold world as we ensure the cold of later winter and trust life will come back in the Spring and reminds us to trust life is coming.