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Melissa Smith

Join me as we grow in godliness and wellness together!

The Difference Between Reading and Studying the Bible

The Difference Between Reading and Studying the Bible
Please tell me you've done this too and I'm not the only one:

Have you ever sat down to “read your Bible” while mentally planning dinner, folding laundry one-handed, or hollering at a toddler to stop climbing the furniture?

We love Jesus. We want to be in the Word. But in the busyness of being a wife, a mom, and a keeper of the home, it’s easy to slip into “check the box” Bible time.

☑️ Read a Psalm? Check.
☑️ Prayed a quick prayer? Check.
☑️ Had quiet...ish time? Check.

But what was that Psalm about? Umm… no clue. Something about praising? Or maybe it was enemies falling into a pit?

Yeah. I’ve been there too.

Here’s the thing—I’ve learned the hard way that reading and studying are not the same thing.

Reading is good. Absolutely. Reading gets the Word in front of us. It introduces us to truth. It reminds us of who God is and what He’s done.

Reading whole chapters or books in one sitting gives us a bird’s-eye view of what the author is saying and how it all fits together. We should read the Bible!

But studying?

Studying is where transformation begins.

Studying is what takes God’s Word off the page and plants it deep in our hearts. It’s where truth starts to shape our thoughts… and that changes everything: our words, our tone, our parenting, our priorities, our marriages.

📝 Reading gives you information.

❤️ Studying leads to understanding.

🔥 And understanding? That’s what leads to transformation.

If you’ve been faithfully reading your Bible and still feel like you’re stuck, unsure, or not really being changed, let me just say—you are not alone. I was there for years.

But when I slowed down…

When I stopped trying to speed through a chapter just to feel accomplished…

When I started asking real questions of the text—that’s when things began to shift.

Here are some simple, powerful questions you can begin asking as you study:

📖 Hermeneutical Questions for Deeper Bible Study

OBSERVATION (What does the text say?):

  • What words or phrases are repeated?
  • Who is speaking? Who is the audience?
  • What commands are given (and to whom, specifically - and what reasons are given for obeying the command)?
  • What contrasts or comparisons are made?
  • Are there any cause-and-effect relationships?
  • What seems important, emphasized, or central to the passage?
INTERPRETATION (What does it mean?):

  • What did this mean to the original audience?
  • What is the main idea or message of this chapter?
  • Are there cultural or historical details I should understand better?
  • How does this passage fit into the surrounding context (the chapters before and after)?
  • What does this passage reveal about God’s character?
APPLICATION (How should it change me?):

  • What truth do I need to believe or remember today?
  • Is there a command to obey, a sin to confess, or a promise to trust?
  • How does this apply to my role as a wife? As a mom?
  • How does this passage challenge my thinking or behavior?
  • What will I do differently today because of what I’ve studied?

Sweet friend, you don’t need hours of uninterrupted quiet to be transformed. You just need a heart that’s hungry to hear from God.

You do not...let me repeat: you DO NOT need to do all of this in one day! 

Sometimes it takes me an entire week to deeply study one single chapter of Scripture. 

So here’s one simple step to take this week:

📖 Pick a short, powerful chapter like Titus 2.

It’s only 15 verses—but it’s full of wisdom for how to live as a godly woman in today’s world. Read it slowly. Read it more than once. Ask questions. Write notes. Pray over it.

You don’t need fancy tools or a theology degree. You just need a teachable spirit and a willingness to slow down and study.

The Word is living and active. It will equip us to do the work. We don't need to approach the Bible feeling like we can instantly obey perfectly.

And if today, all you can do is read one verse out loud while folding a towel or stirring a pot of spaghetti sauce (or gravy, if you're Italian), know this: God sees you. He honors your hunger. And He will meet you right in the middle of your motherhood mess.

One verse at a time. One quiet moment at a time. One transformed heart at a time.

How (and WHY) To Be a Titus 2 Woman Without Kids At Home

How (and WHY) To Be a Titus 2 Woman Without Kids At Home
You don’t need children in your home—or even any children of your own—to walk in the beautiful calling of spiritual motherhood.

Some of the women who’ve shaped my life the most never raised kids themselves, and others impactful women were in a new season of life with grown children and empty nests.

But all of them had one thing in common: they were intentional about nurturing hearts with truth, encouragement, and godly wisdom.

If your season looks different now—maybe your kids are grown and gone, or maybe motherhood wasn’t part of your story—please hear this: your role in the Kingdom has not ended.

It may have shifted, but it’s no less powerful or purposeful.

Titus 2:3–5 paints a picture of spiritual motherhood: older women teaching younger women how to live godly lives.

This isn’t just about age—it’s about spiritual maturity.

If you’ve walked with Jesus for a while, you have something valuable to offer. Your testimony, your experiences, your lessons learned through faith—all of it can be used by God to strengthen the next generation of women.

And here’s why this matters so much:

We're living in a time when younger women are desperate for truth, but drowning in noise.

They’re bombarded with the world’s opinions on marriage, motherhood, identity, and purpose.

No one is teaching them how to seek and study God's Word for HIS TRUTH on marriage, motherhood, identity, and purpose.

God is raising up women like you—women rooted in His Word—to help guide them back to what’s true.

Being a Titus 2 woman isn’t just a sweet idea—it’s a Kingdom assignment.

It’s a way we participate in God’s plan for discipleship, mentorship, and generational impact. If we don’t step in and speak truth, who will?

So what does it actually look like to walk in this calling?

💕 Maybe it’s mentoring a younger wife who’s struggling to balance life and marriage.

💕 Maybe it’s offering to babysit for a weary mom so she can take a breath.

💕 Maybe it’s starting a Bible study in your living room, texting Scripture to a teen girl you’re investing in, or simply being present and available for someone who needs wisdom.

💕 Don’t underestimate how powerful your steady, Christ-centered presence can be.

Here are a few practical ways to embrace spiritual motherhood in this season:

  • Offer to disciple a younger woman one-on-one
  • Volunteer in the children’s or youth ministry at your church
  • Host a Bible study for wives in your home or community
  • Reach out to a young mom with a meal, prayer, or a listening ear
  • Consistently check in on a young wife or college-aged woman
Proverbs 31:26 says,
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
That can be you. Whether you’re in an empty nest season or have never had children of your own, you still have spiritual fruit to bear.

Don’t let the enemy convince you that your time of influence is over.

God sees your heart, your wisdom, your faithfulness—and He is still using you in mighty, meaningful, and eternal ways.


Share with me: what are some other ways you have seen spiritual mothers pour into the younger generation? What are some ways you have perhaps done this yourself?


Bible Study for the Mom with Teenagers: Fighting for Truth in a Loud World

Bible Study for the Mom with Teenagers: Fighting for Truth in a Loud World
Raising teenagers in today’s world can feel like spiritual warfare. 

Maybe that's because the vast majority of the time, it is.

There’s so much noise—from social media, school pressures, cultural confusion—and sometimes we feel like our voice is the last one they want to hear. 

But mama, your voice still matters. 

And even more importantly, your example matters.

When you prioritize Bible study, you're not just feeding your own soul—you're modeling what it looks like to stay rooted in truth. 

Your teens need to see that faith isn’t just something you just talk about on Sundays. It’s something you fight for daily. 

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 encourages us: 
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children.” 
That teaching doesn’t stop when they grow taller than us. (If it did, I would have stopped when my kids were in elementary school. If you know me, you know. #shortgirlproblems)

Set the tone in your home by making Bible study visible and normal. 

Let your teen see you reading the Word, journaling, or praying. 

Invite them to read with you—maybe once a week over breakfast, during dinner, or before bed. 

Ask what they’re struggling with and offer Scripture that speaks to it. They may roll their eyes at first, but seeds are being planted.

Here are a few ways to stay grounded and pour truth into your teens:

  • Have a personal Bible reading plan and share what you're learning (not sure where to start with a personal reading plan? Email me or comment below and let's chat so I can help you create one!)
  • Ask your teen to join you for one verse or one short devotional each week
  • Listen to worship music whenever you're in the car together
  • Text them Scripture or encouragement (they’re already on their phones!)
  • Pray for them—and with them—regularly
  • Start a blessing journal you share with your teen where you both write answered prayers, gratitude, or where you saw God at work that day
  • Create a Scripture scavenger hunt by hiding index cards with verses or prayers in their backpack, shoes, bathroom mirror, or car
  • Do a service project together (like at a food pantry or helping a neighbor) to spark faith conversations in real-life moments
  • Build a worship + testimony playlist together and include a few audio clips of you sharing prayers or stories of God’s faithfulness
  • Set up a family group chat for spiritual encouragement to share verses, prayers, or reminders of God’s truth throughout the week
  • Celebrate spiritual milestones (like baptism, finishing a Bible study, or stepping out in faith) with a special meal or small gift
  • Host a faith and food night by inviting your teen’s friends over for pizza and a short devo, prayer, or testimony time
This season requires perseverance, but it’s holy work. Don’t give up. 

Galatians 6:9 promises, 
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” 
Stay rooted so you can guide them well. We can't be the moms our kids need apart from Christ. This season requires intentionality in abiding in Him.

Bible Study in the Chaos: Tips for Moms of New Babies and Little Ones

Bible Study in the Chaos: Tips for Moms of New Babies and Little Ones
If you’re in the trenches of motherhood with spit-up on your shoulder, three hours of sleep (on a good night), and a toddler clinging to your leg, I see you. 

And I want you to hear me loud and clear: you are not failing if your Bible study doesn’t look like it used to.

This sacred season of motherhood—yes, even in its exhaustion—is one the Lord sees. 

He’s not asking for quiet time perfection. He’s inviting you into communion, however messy or short it may be. 

Isaiah 40:11 says, 
“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (emphasis mine)
What a sweet picture of His gentleness with mothers.

Maybe right now, your study looks like meditating on one verse all day. 

Write it on a sticky note and put it on your bathroom mirror or the fridge. Use feeding times or nap rocking as moments to pray that verse or ask the Lord to help you understand it more deeply. 

Listen to an audio Bible while folding laundry or playing blocks on the floor (bonus: your kids hear it then too!). 

Hang Scripture verse cards in your home where you’ll see them often. 

Music counts too! Sing hymns over your home and your heart while loading or unloading the dishwasher.

Quick wins for this season:
  • Pick one verse a day and meditate on it (work on memorization, look up the context and make sure you understand the author's intention and meaning so you meditate on truth rather than opinion or incorrect interpretation)
  • Use audio Bibles—play it in the background while you’re nursing or changing diapers
  • Stick Scripture cards around the house for bite-sized truth
  • Pray Scripture during feedings or even during midnight wake-ups (have you seen my Titus 2 or 1 Peter Prayer Cards?)
Most importantly: give yourself grace. 

God is not grading your Bible study. He simply desires for your heart to prioritize Him. Even five minutes with the Lord can change your entire day when it’s done in faith. 

Let Matthew 11:28 remind you that Jesus beckons you: 
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

If you feel like you're reading for a more structured Bible study, reach out to me! I have been praying over the idea of offering customized Bible study plans, based on your style of learning, the time you have available, and what you'd like to study. This would also be an opportunity to learn new Bible study methods to help you dig in deeper.

In the meantime, check out the other digital tools available, and let me know what ONE thing you'll do today to prioritize God in your day!

When Mother’s Day Hurts: Finding Comfort in the Word

When Mother’s Day Hurts: Finding Comfort in the Word
Mother’s Day can feel like a bright spotlight on our pain. 

For some, it’s the ache of empty arms after miscarriage or infertility. 

For others, it’s the sting of estrangement from children or a mom, or the hollow space left behind by a mom who has passed. 

And for still others, it's the unbearable grief of losing a child. 

If that’s you, sweet sister, I want you to know: God sees you. He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), and His Word is a balm for the soul.

I’ve had seasons where Mother’s Day brought tears instead of joy. And if I’m honest, I'm in one of those seasons now. 

It carries some guilt, because do I have a wonderful mom and beautiful children to celebrate, but there are other pains in my motherhood journey that often leave me feeling like the wind has been knocked out of me. 

Sometimes I feel like I don't belong in these celebrations—like I'm on the outside looking in. 

But Scripture reminds us that our identity is never defined by a role or a title. 

Womanhood is not defined by whether or not we have children, and whether the relationships we have are thriving or broken. 

Our worth is not determined by what we’ve lost or longed for. It’s rooted in Christ alone. 

Psalm 139:13-14 reminds us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made—knit together by a Creator who never makes mistakes.

In those hard moments, turn to the Psalms. 

David didn’t hold back in his grief. He wept, he questioned, he lamented—and God met him there. 

Psalm 13 begins with, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” but it ends with, “I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” That’s the tension we live in—honest pain, yet anchored hope.

If Mother’s Day hurts this year, let yourself grieve. Sit with the Lord and let His Word comfort you. 

Isaiah 66:13 says, 
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” 
What a precious promise. You are seen, loved, and not alone.

Here are a few verses to cling to this week:
  • Psalm 56:8 – “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.”
  • Lamentations 3:22-23 – “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end.”
  • Romans 8:18 – “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
And here's an action step for you to try: grab a pen and paper, and write out your own Psalm to the Lord. Cry out to Him your deepest anguish, give him the full force of your grief, and let His comfort wash over you. 

Let your heart rest in His goodness—even when it aches.

 
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This is my story!

 
As a Christian, it can be embarrassing to admit I've been married three times. 

As a woman who feels called to teach about marriage and submission, it can be almost unthinkable that God would put this on my heart after two failed marriages.

But God often uses the broken to accomplish His purposes - and He does not clothe us in shame, but in righteousness.

I have lived the life of the controlling wife. I have lived the life of the controlled wife

Neither brings the blessings God has for marriage.

Through my mistakes and failures, I've learned what submission is, and what it is not.

I am learning and growing every day in my role as a biblically submissive wife, a bonus mom, and a homemaker who cares for her home and family in joyful wellness!

Join me on my journey as I share some of my lessons, tips, and ideas to equip you to live in joyful submission and wellness!

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