Maria Riley Maria Riley

The Power of a Smile

When feeling down and isolated, this writer found a simple solution right across her face.

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

No Girls Allowed

Despite a lifelong belief that she wasn’t good enough, this author learned an invaluable lesson about her value.

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

Live on Stage

Even our entirely secular activities can bring us closer to God, as long as we invite him along for the ride.

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

The Self-Care Fallacy

If self-care means a glass of wine and a bath, why doesn’t it seem to do the trick for this writer?

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

An Undeserved Gift

After a life-changing gift from a generous friend, this writer learned an invaluable lesson for living life every day.

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

To Do or To Don’t

When that dreaded list gets too long, Maria starts to realize she may have the wrong list in front of her.

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

The Best of the Best

In this competitive, cutthroat world, striving for the best might not be the best for this writer.

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

Ah, Parenting

After years of fighting back, this mom found a way to stop yelling and start parenting the way she really wants.

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

This Side of Heaven

It seems to me that sometimes the hardest things in life are the ones that bring us closest to heaven.

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

Ooh Aah Just a Little Bit

My default is all-or-nothing. I want to volunteer at church? I’m gonna sign up for everything and do it all. I feel overwhelmed about keeping memories for the kids? No one gets a baby book at all.

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Maria Riley Maria Riley

Crawling before Walking

I’m in the throes of so many things, like raising four tween daughters, loving an imperfect man imperfectly, trying to figure out what a career as a writer looks like, settling into my 9th lifelong state (5th in 13 years of marriage—and no, we’re not military), all while trying to discern God’s will for my life.

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