Happy New Year’s Eve, sister!

We hope your December was restful and relaxing.  Praying there were lots of joyful moments with family and friends.  Ushering in 2022, we are imagining a new tomorrow.  Praying things are headed to a positive state here in the United States and all around the world.

There were so many moments of disarray in our country.  Riots broke out, COVID created variants, lives were lost in Afghanistan, vaccines were created (along with arguments), and masks were still required.  Through it all, God’s people remained faithful.  Women from around the world contributed their stories of God’s goodness to our ministry.  A court case occurred that could reverse Roe v. Wade, the legalization of abortion, in 2022.  Our staff underwent many changes.

I, Alycia, became the Editor - In - Chief of Tirzah Ministries as we all shifted into new new seasons.  We also received official non - profit status!!!  Yelena is now married, pregnant with her first child, and officially a published author!  Chanel, part of the original team & Board, is now running a small business with her husband and navigating her first year of motherhood.  Our managing editor just welcomed a new baby into the world as well!  This has been a year of joyful transitions, yet challenging, here at Tirzah.  

Throughout all of this change, one thing remains.  The steadfast love of our Heavenly Father.  Seasons may change, but He hasn’t.  Our commitment to a new generation of young women of noble character, rooted in God’s Word, fruitful in good works, and faithful in all things remains the same.  2021 brings changes and additions to our team.  We will continue to bring our daily content, 5 days a week to you.  This year we are working to add to our social media presence and interact with you more!  Last year, we put Yelena’s first published book in the shop!  We hope to continue to add resources for you to grow your faith.  Our desire would be to do writing workshops with y’all, more Bible studies, and Instagram take-overs with mentors that have shaped/influence our lives!

In order to do this, we do need some additions to our team.  If you are interested in writing for Tirzah, email us at tirzahmag@gmail.com today!  We are accepting weekly “Tirzah Testimonies” (60 seconds or less video) for our social media.  This is on-going and email us to share what God is doing in your life!  One of our biggest team needs is for a social media intern.  If you are interested in that, email us!  Thank you for your faithfulness in growing together with us here at Tirzah Magazine and all the years you have committed so far.  Check out our Top 10 Articles below and comment with your favorites and what type of stories you would like to see in the new year:)

FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GODLY MAN

Many of you have likely wondered: “What does a Godly man look like today?” There are numerous articles and books written about this topic, as each writer strives to uncover more of this mystery. Many of these types of lists are written from a woman's perspective, since not often do we hear from guys what their opinion of a godly man is.

WHAT DO GUYS THINK ABOUT MODESTY?

Have you ever walked into your favorite store and seen a skirt you just had to have only to hold it up and see that it was too short? Well, I have. Standing at approximately 5’9, my life has been a constant struggle of trying to find shorts, skirts, and homecoming dresses that weren’t too short. There were so many dresses I would try on when shopping that I wouldn’t even dare to zip up because the dress  barely reached the top of my thighs.

LEARNING HOSPITALITY FROM WOMEN IN THE BIBLE

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a hospitable person as someone who is “friendly and welcoming to visitors or guests.” As a Christian, being hospitable entails being generous, not only with our material possessions, deeds, and also, in Spirit, seeking to further the kingdom as we serve others and please God (Hebrew 13:16).

TIRZAH LEADERSHIP CHANGES (BUT THIS IS NOT GOOD - BYE)

I started this magazine in law school almost eight years ago, and this community has been a constant in my life through so many milestones: graduating law school, my first grown-up job, moving back to my hometown, buying a house, a long single season, getting engaged, and getting married.

SONG OF SOLOMON AND THE SINGLE WOMAN

Lies have been around since Adam and Eve, the greatest one about God and His goodness. As a 30-something single, my heart has been so burdened by the lies the enemy whispers into our ears when we're feeling lonely, when we're afraid that we'll never get married, and we wonder if God really hears our prayers.

SHOULD YOU MAKE THE FIRST MOVE?

Unfortunately for us, the Bible leaves a lot to our own interpretation about how we should date and enter into relationships. We are left with verse after verse about not committing adultery, warnings against sexual immortality, and verses about waiting till marriage to have sex, but we don’t have any verses that explicitly say which gender should make the first move when trying to enter into a relationship. In our ever changing culture that is moving more and more towards women’s rights, how can we expect women to sit by and not make the first move? If women are allowed to fight in the military, certainly we should be allowed to ask a boy out?

THE WORLDS DEFINITION OF LOVE IS NOT GODS

It is hard to say what love really is. Ephesians 3:19 says that love surpasses all understanding. Many people try to define love, but no one knows the exact words to use. Love is complicated. It is stressful, but beautiful. It is unconditional and unexpected. Certain aspects of love can leave someone longing to be wanted or accepted by the people around them.

GROWING ROSES 

One of the topics close to my heart is singleness. I feel for all the single ladies cause that is the path I am walking as well. I can relate to feeling lonely for someone we haven’t met yet, the fear of wondering if we’ll ever get married, to the pain of “why can’t that be me”? I am twenty-five years old, I have never received flowers from a guy, been on a date, or been kissed.

WHAT IF GOD TOLD YOU WHO YOU’RE GOING TO MARRY?

Growing up in a Slavic community, I was raised on a steady diet of stories of miracles and God-written love stories. Our ancestors grew up in the Soviet Union, persecuted for their beliefs; gathering at night to pray - blocking windows with pillows so the neighbors wouldn't hear their prayers and call the KGB; and seeing their fathers, spouses, and pastors shipped off to Siberian work camps. Safe to say, dating or finding a Christian man to marry was truly a miracle. I've heard dozens of stories of women (and men!) praying and fasting for a spouse and then praying for God opening to them or the other person who they should marry - and God did. It happened to my dad. He knew of my mom but had never spoken to her - they went to the same church and had friends in common. But as he prayed for a wife, God showed Him through prophecies and signs that my mom was to be his wife (i.e.,, if she shows up at this bus stop at this exact time, then it's meant to be...and that worked). He wasn't attracted to her, he didn't know her, she wasn't his "type," and he already had his eye on someone else. But he obeyed and 27 years and 10 kids together later, they are still incredibly in love and so blessed.

THE GOODNESS OF SINGLENESS

When I was a freshman in high school, my friend in the youth group made a bet with me that I would be married by the time I turned 25. While the bet was made partly in jest, the lingering idea that I could be married made me hopeful. So I followed Jesus closely throughout high school and college, avoiding the many temptations that encompass the college party scene, assuming the Lord would honor the bet by granting me a godly husband by 25. In my mind, I thought that I had to wait for a few months then God would lead a godly man that looked like Jess Mariano straight to my doorstep.