“13 Reasons Why” You Should Watch This Show Before Your Kids Do

Melissa Presser
5 Jun 2017
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I had been waiting for that letter. It had been weeks that I had been hearing about the show “Thirteen Reasons Why” that had become a global phenomenon. But this was no ordinary show. This was a show about teen suicide, one that graphically depicted it, and that kids had easy access too. One that could potentially hurt a kid that was already hurting. Many school districts across the nation had already begun sending home letters, warning parents about the show. And although my kids are much younger than teenagers, I was very aware that even these sorts of things […]

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A Mother’s Day to Remember

Melissa Presser
3 May 2017
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It was Mother’s Day 2013 when I stood before an altar in an empty church and accepted Christ into my life. I realized back then in that moment that Jesus picked that day for a specific reason. My doubt, my pain, my reason for living was all tied up in my role as a mother; it was why I was created. I didn’t understand the full significance of God’s reasons and timing in that moment, but I have since learned so much from him about why it had to happen that way.   Doubt You see, we as mothers continually […]

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Christ in the Passover: Seeing Jesus through a Jewish Lens of Faith

Melissa Presser
3 Apr 2017
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The Jewish roots of our Christian faith run deep. The pinnacle of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was precipitated by a Passover meal, one that represents the Paschal mystery in the New Covenant. Jesus is the true lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world — the final sacrifice for all humankind, manifested first at the Passover, the Last Supper whose celebration would endure forever. In Passover is every element of who Jesus was, what he stood for and why he came. To dig deeper, we look at all that occurred after God freed the […]

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Rachel’s Challenge Brings Message of Kindness Around the World

Melissa Presser
1 Feb 2017
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On April 20, 1999, two teenagers walked into their own high school in Littleton, Colorado and went on a shooting rampage that ultimately killed thirteen people. The two shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, then turned the gun on themselves. The Columbine school shootings were the worst in United States history and prompted discussions and outcries across the country. Although many debated the issue of gun control, the central focus of discussions across the country amongst parents, children and educators was on bullying. The two young gunmen had extensive histories of being bullied at school and were perceived as social […]

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Remembering the Homeless Lost on Our Streets

Melissa Presser
1 Jan 2017
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This year, 88 homeless people in Broward County died on the streets or from conditions related to their homelessness. 88 people who have names, lived lives just like ours, and perished without anyone ever knowing. Their lives were commemorated at the Homeless Person’s Memorial on December 15th in a solemn but moving service at Hope Central in Fort Lauderdale, honoring each person who had perished. The service, which began back in 1995, was birthed out of the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council. The organizers of this year’s Broward service, including Broward Health, Healthcare for the Homeless Consumer Advisory Board, […]

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Restore Conference 2016 Shines a Light on Human Trafficking

Melissa Presser
30 Nov 2016
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There are approximately 20 to 30 million slaves in the world today. According to the U.S. State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80 percent are female and half are children. Even more alarming is the number of children in foster care who have made their way into the sex trade. The Restore Conference held November 18 at Journey Church in Boynton Beach worked to combat that, shedding light not only on the global effects of human trafficking, but highlighting the issue in our own communities. The conference brought together people of […]

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67 Florida Women Journey to the Mountain for Freedom Challenge Wyoming

Melissa Presser
1 Jul 2016
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In January of 2012, the Freedom Climb began with forty-eight women from seven different countries. These women climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and were on a mission to raise funds to help oppressed women and children around the world. From the peak of that tall mountain, millions of dollars were raised and hearts were inspired to change the world on behalf of those victims. With God’s hand pushing them forward, Freedom Challenge expanded its boundaries in 2015 to open its arms to more women who wanted to help. Not only did women begin to climb mountains around the world, but they also […]

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Prescription Drug Misuse among Seniors: Start the Conversation

Melissa Presser
3 May 2016
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There are many conversations that sons and daughters must have with their parents as they age. Children must plan for all aspects of their parents’ care. But one conversation that often gets missed is a discussion on the many prescription drugs that seniors often take and their ability to remember to take them. It is an issue deeply buried and rarely talked about, but one that must come into the light. According to a recent study performed in 2015 by Home Instead Inc., one in five seniors who take five or more prescription medications said they experienced challenges in taking […]

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Adopting from Colombia: The Road to a Forever Home

Melissa Presser
1 Apr 2016
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When Nidia M. Sica, Director of Social Services and International Programs for Adoption by Shepherd Care (ASC) speaks about the agency’s Colombian exchange program, you can’t help but feel God’s love. Adoptions by Shepherd Care which began in 1980 has expanded its reach and God’s calling to care for the orphan by bringing children from Colombia right here to the United States for a one of a kind Summer Program which allows families to meet the children and the children to meet potential adoptive families. “The program is especially focused on Colombia because of the social crisis which is currently […]

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Bearing Witness: Exposing the Reality of Modern Day Genocide

Melissa Presser
1 Mar 2016
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It was not so long ago that six million Jews perished in the Holocaust at the hands of the Nazi regime. Many stayed quiet for so long — until it was too late. Jewish people lost entire families — mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. Entire communities were wiped out. And since that great atrocity, the world has been educated on the reality of evil and mass murder. It is for this reason that the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. continues to shout, “Never again!” and has not only taken on the great task of educating the […]

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