We need to talk about something that gets wildly misunderstood in the world of healing, growth, and starting over: resilience.

In this solo episode of Diamonds in Dumpster Fires, Melie pulls back the curtain on what real resilience actually looks like—and spoiler alert, it’s not the flawless woman with a coffee mug that says still rising. It’s the kind of strength that shows up messy. It's crying on your living room floor one night and leading worship the next. It's not a personality trait you either have or don’t. It's a practice. One you can choose. One you can build.

We’ve all heard the phrase “just bounce back,” like we’re rubber balls instead of actual human beings with hearts, brains, and tear-stained sweatshirts. But real resilience? It doesn’t look like a movie montage or a perfectly curated Instagram comeback story. It looks like crying on your living room floor, knitting through the quiet, whispering prayers you’re not even sure God can hear… and showing up again anyway.

In this honest and heartfelt episode, Melie gets real about what it looks like to rebuild a life after heartbreak. She opens up about the unexpected path her life has taken post-divorce—wrestling with rejection, untangling old expectations, and learning to heal from the inside out.