Why We’re a World in Waiting

By: Melissa December 18, 2018December 17, 2018 WaitingFeature, Verse, Waiting, Obedience, Brave, Support, Encouragement, Christmas, Faith, AdventLeave a Comment

We are currently in the season of Advent. For me, this meant traditions of lighting the candle at church, reading the story of Jesus’ birth and celebrating His coming. But after visiting with a friend, she shared a perspective about Advent I’d never connected with, until now. Advent is a time of expectant waiting and…

December E+DAY

By: Melissa December 13, 2018December 12, 2018 LivingChristmas, E+DAY, Encouragement, Feature, Living, SupportLeave a Comment

Last year Ry and I started a tradition of purchasing toys for a program offered in our community called Project Joy. Trees are placed around town with tags listing items kiddos would like for Christmas. Many of you probably have a similar program. As we were wrapping up last year’s gifts, I was about to…

Top 10 Christmas Tunes 2018

By: Melissa December 11, 2018December 10, 2018 LivingBrave, Christmas, Encouragement, Faith, Feature, Lyrics, Obedience, Support, WaitingLeave a Comment

My favorite church service of the year is Christmas Eve. The church we attend has a tradition of ending the service where they dim the lights, we all light a candle and sing Silent Night, which is my favorite Christmas song. The combination of these lyrics and melody get me every time. Reflecting on Jesus’…

Our Wait Has Changed

By: Melissa December 6, 2018December 6, 2018 LivingBrave, Encouragement, Feature, Infertility, Living, Obedience, Support, WaitingLeave a Comment

Living in the Wait now has new meaning. After three years of unexplained infertility, which led to our most challenging days, with gratitude in our hearts we are overjoyed to share God answered our prayers. Baby Vande Kieft is joining us May 2019. Our announcement is a sincere invitation to share in our happiness. You’ve…

The Farmer’s Daughter Part 5 – Harvest is Here

By: Melissa December 4, 2018December 3, 2018 WaitingEncouragement, Feature, Obedience, Support, WaitingLeave a Comment

At the end of May, I started a series called The Farmer’s Daughter, which walked through the steps a farmer takes every year and how they relate to our lives. Throughout the series we talked about: Part 1 – Similarities between farming and our everyday lives Part 2 – Importance of choosing the right seeds Part…

The Master of Surprises

By: Melissa November 27, 2018November 26, 2018 LivingBrave, Encouragement, Feature, Living, Obedience, SupportLeave a Comment

Like most people, I have expectations of how I want things to happen in my life. I see it one way and that’s it. It’s like I have blinders on. This is where life gets interesting and God shows up in unexpected ways. I think He loves to surprise us as a reminder of how…

Do You See What God Sees?

By: Melissa November 20, 2018November 19, 2018 LivingBrave, Encouragement, Feature, Infertility, Lyrics, Obedience, Support, WaitingLeave a Comment

The song “Mended” by Matthew West came on the radio a few weeks ago and the emotions of my wait bubbled to the surface like boiling water. How often do we see ourselves, our situation, or our wait, through our eyes, the eyes of others or the way of the world vs. the Creator who…

A Lifetime of Waiting: Jesus Still Waits

By: Melissa October 30, 2018October 29, 2018 WaitingEncouragement, Feature, Living, Obedience, Support, WaitingLeave a Comment

I recently shared a message highlighting the fact that Jesus Waited. Since He died and rose from the grave, His wait on earth is over, and yet, He’s STILL waiting. Any ideas why? The whole reason Jesus came to earth and died was for YOU and I. Our sins nailed Jesus to the cross. He…

Story Time

This photo pretty much describes the relationship my husband and I have. My guy Ry and I have been married over three years. We have been hoping and praying for a baby for almost as long. After much testing and finding nothing medically wrong, we were diagnosed with unexplained infertility. When I am not thinking,…

A Nudging

Waiting…is hard. It is one thing to wait in line at a store, but waiting to have a family takes it to a whole other level. My husband and I have been hoping and praying for a baby for over 3 years. We are the 1 in 8 couples who have trouble conceiving (resolve.org). A…

How to Live in the Wait

I never wanted to be on this path, but since it has chosen me, I have choices to make. Despite our heart’s desire being unfulfilled, it is important we make the daily decision to Live in the Wait. We need and want to continue living to allow God to work through our wait to bring…

Why We’re a World in Waiting

By: Melissa December 18, 2018December 17, 2018

WaitingFeature, Verse, Waiting, Obedience, Brave, Support, Encouragement, Christmas, Faith, AdventLeave a Comment

December E+DAY

By: Melissa December 13, 2018December 12, 2018

LivingChristmas, E+DAY, Encouragement, Feature, Living, SupportLeave a Comment

Top 10 Christmas Tunes 2018

By: Melissa December 11, 2018December 10, 2018

LivingBrave, Christmas, Encouragement, Faith, Feature, Lyrics, Obedience, Support, WaitingLeave a Comment

Our Wait Has Changed

By: Melissa December 6, 2018December 6, 2018

LivingBrave, Encouragement, Feature, Infertility, Living, Obedience, Support, WaitingLeave a Comment

The Farmer’s Daughter Part 5 – Harvest is Here

By: Melissa December 4, 2018December 3, 2018

WaitingEncouragement, Feature, Obedience, Support, WaitingLeave a Comment

3 Nuggets of Wisdom from Business Boutique

By: Melissa November 29, 2018December 5, 2018

LivingBrave, Encouragement, Living, Obedience, SupportLeave a Comment

The beginning of November, my mom and I attended Christy Wright’s Business Boutique in Nashville, TN. There were over 3,000 women at this event, all hungry for knowledge, connectivity and reassurance that the desire, idea or passion in them was worth pursuing. That it wasn’t some crazy thought, but a purpose God placed in them…

The Master of Surprises

By: Melissa November 27, 2018November 26, 2018

LivingBrave, Encouragement, Feature, Living, Obedience, SupportLeave a Comment

Do You See What God Sees?

By: Melissa November 20, 2018November 19, 2018

LivingBrave, Encouragement, Feature, Infertility, Lyrics, Obedience, Support, WaitingLeave a Comment

The Wait List – Kristen

By: Melissa November 15, 2018December 5, 2018

WaitingEncouragement, Infertility, Support, The Wait List, WaitingLeave a Comment

The Wait List features guest posts from people just like you and me, all sharing a coming thread of you guessed it, waiting. No one wants to be on the wait list, but through these features, I hope you find encouragement and see all the miraculous ways God works through us during that time. If you…

November E+DAY

By: Melissa November 14, 2018December 5, 2018

LivingE+DAY, Encouragement, Living, SupportLeave a Comment

I want to share one of Ry and I’s favorite traditions we’ve done almost every year since we met. It’s a program called Operation Christmas Child organized through Samaritan’s Purse. It’s such a simple way to make a lasting impact on the life of a child you may or may never meet. It’s what E+DAY…