Singles and Single-Again
Throughout her career in full-time ministry, one consistent theme that Michelle J. Goff has taught on, and a conversation she has promoted, is for single and single-again women.
It is one of the most neglected populations in our churches. Yet over 50% of the population in the U.S. is single (never married, divorced, or widowed). These stats and more information to equip you in these conversations can be found in One Single Reason: Conversations with Single Women, now also available as an audiobook!
Singles Classes in 2004, Venezuela
When the East Caracas congregation hosted the area-wide Ladies’ Retreat, special classes were offered for the single and single-again women during the breakout time. Michelle taught the young women about what it meant to live as a faithful Christian young woman. The single-again women were reminded to trust God completely and recognize how He walks with us, through all the stages of life.
“Single and Lovin’ It, Mostly” in 2015
The Parkway Church of Christ in Sacramento, California, hosted the Wonder Woman Conference. Michelle was invited as a keynote speaker, and also to teach a series of breakout classes for single women. This was the first time Michelle introduced the title, “Single and Lovin’ It, Mostly.” A phrase that has always generated interesting reactions and healthy conversations, it is also the title of the first chapter in One Single Reason: Conversations with Single Women.
Research Team for One Single Reason
In 2019, Michelle recruited Rachel Baker and Liliana Henríquez to be her research partners through the surveys, interviews, and other information gathering steps of the process. They had a goal of releasing the book in late 2020, but Michelle’s health and the global pandemic delayed some of those plans.
Write, Edit, Repeat
The level of rigor and academic standards adhered to throughout the surveys, interviews, research, writing, and editing processes paralleled those of a doctoral dissertation. While Michelle did not receive any academic accolades for her efforts, she affirms that the greater reward is the affirmation it has been for single and single-again women, as well as the impact it has made by facilitating conversations across our churches and our kitchen tables.
One Single Reason: Conversations with Single Women is more than a book on Christian Dating and Relationships. However, that was the Amazon category in which the book reached #1 status the first weekend of its release.Readers across the U.S. Receive Their Books
Men and women have been blessed to share in the joy of joining the conversation. With God seated at the head of the table as the prominent guiding voice, they have been able to hear the echoes of single women’s voices across the pages, as well as Michelle’s voice through her own stories and struggles. Are you ready to join the conversation?
Spanish “Singles Book” Release
Una sola razón: Conversaciones con solteras was released a few short months after its English counterpart. Pictured are Nilaurys García and Liliana Henríquez in Bogotá, Colombia. They were both part of the Spanish pilot group for the book that met virtually and provided feedback before the Spanish version was published. Unlike the other Bible study books that allow readers to literally “be on the same page” when they are studying together, much of the data and cultural considerations were different between North American English-speakers and Latin American Spanish-speakers. While the Scriptures and Michelle’s stories are the same, many of the contexts and quotes shared are from a Latina’s perspective.
Single-again Women Gather Weekly
Originally equipped through a different Iron Rose Sister Ministries small group Bible study, a small group of women, including Tonda Reeves, deepened their relationships with God and with one another. After Michelle moved on to study with another group, Tonda and the other women continued… They started another IRSM book study and invited other women to join! This growing group of single-again women have been a tremendous support for each other in life, in Bible study, and in prayer.
One Single Reason Small Group Book Study
Michelle has been privileged to participate in several small groups who have studied through the book together. Six of the eight women in this small group, meeting in Searcy, Arkansas, represent women in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 60s. They are single, never married, and single again. They have all learned so much from each other, especially how to support one another and understand more of another’s perspective and experiences.
Bonus FYI: One Single Reason is not only available as a paperback, but also as an eBook AND an audiobook, read by the author. For more information…
That concludes our Singles and Single-Again passport page. Be watching our 10th-year-tour page for more passport pages!