Women's Retreat
Dates: November 14-15!
Deadline to Register: October 5, 2025
Location: Hilton Garden Inn
1300 Cinema Way, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
Website: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/behcwgi-hilton-garden-inn-benton-harbor-st-joseph/
Women's Retreat Speaker: Melanie Birkey
Hi! I’m Melanie Birky, and I’m so honored to be the speaker for this year’s women’s retreat! I live in Indiana with my husband, Seth, and our three internationally adopted kids—including twin girls who keep us humble and constantly on our toes.
My journey has taken me from the world of martial arts—where I became a five-time world champion and co-owned some of the largest schools in the country—to the world of life coaching, where I now help high-achieving Christian women move from burnout, stress, and striving into peace, freedom, and a deeper connection with God.
Before I became a coach, I looked like I had it all: success, awards, and a picture-perfect life. But inside, I was exhausted and disconnected. When everything came crashing down, God met me with an invitation to redefine success—not by what I achieved, but by who I am in Him. That encounter launched me into the work I do now and the heart behind my coaching program, The Journey to Personal Freedom.
That’s why I’m so excited for this year’s theme: Turning Inward: Finding Everything You Need in God. Again and again, God gently reminds me that this is how we stay grounded and navigate life—with Him, and I can’t wait to explore it with you this weekend as we discover together what it means to work from a place of rest, live loved, and fully walk in God-fidence.
My journey has taken me from the world of martial arts—where I became a five-time world champion and co-owned some of the largest schools in the country—to the world of life coaching, where I now help high-achieving Christian women move from burnout, stress, and striving into peace, freedom, and a deeper connection with God.
Before I became a coach, I looked like I had it all: success, awards, and a picture-perfect life. But inside, I was exhausted and disconnected. When everything came crashing down, God met me with an invitation to redefine success—not by what I achieved, but by who I am in Him. That encounter launched me into the work I do now and the heart behind my coaching program, The Journey to Personal Freedom.
That’s why I’m so excited for this year’s theme: Turning Inward: Finding Everything You Need in God. Again and again, God gently reminds me that this is how we stay grounded and navigate life—with Him, and I can’t wait to explore it with you this weekend as we discover together what it means to work from a place of rest, live loved, and fully walk in God-fidence.