When God's Word Becomes Personal - Melissa Paredes | Faithly Podcast

Today on the Faithly Podcast, Alicia Lee welcomes Melissa Paredes, Senior Director of Content Marketing at Wycliffe Bible Translators USA, for a meaningful conversation about Bible translation, motherhood, and the life-changing power of Scripture. Melissa shares how growing up as a Wycliffe missionary kid in the Philippines eventually led her into work telling the stories of what God is doing through Bible translation around the world. She explains why translation is ultimately about helping people encounter Scripture in the language they think, dream, and pray in, and reflects on witnessing a full Bible dedication that took 66 years to complete. Their conversation becomes deeply personal as Melissa shares how God’s Word became her anchor while navigating her son Rory’s developmental challenges through seasons of uncertainty and grief. Through it all, Melissa shares how she learned to trust God more deeply and to see both motherhood and ministry as callings to steward rather than control. Website: https://www.wycliffe.org/ 00:00 Introduction: The Passion Behind Bible Translation Work 00:26 Bringing God's Word to Every Language: Wycliffe's Mission 01:17 More Than Marketing: Storytelling God's Global Work 02:15 Five Ways to Participate: From Prayer to Service 07:05 Why Bible Translation Matters: Understanding the Need 09:55 Bible Dedications: Celebrating 66 Years of Faithful Work 14:56 When Motherhood Didn't Go as Planned: Rory's Diagnosis 19:05 Every Word a Victory: Rory's Journey with Apraxia and Autism 21:42 Baptism at Seven: When a Child Overcomes Fear for Jesus 32:13 Clinging to the Rock: Scripture as an Anchor in the Storm 36:33 The Unexpected Gift: Loss, Transition, and Choosing Family 38:06 From Personal Pain to Global Passion: How Rory's Story Fuels the Mission 39:00 A Once-in-History Moment: Why Now Matters for Bible Translation 42:29 The Next Generation: Raising Kids Who Own Their Faith 45:56 Beyond Your Borders: Teaching Kids About the Global Church Follow us on social media: Website: https://faithly.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefaithlyco/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithly.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/faithly/ X: https://x.com/faithlyco