The Layne Less Traveled

I went to a child loss conference in mid April.

And there’s something that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it—

Being in a room full of moms who have lost a child…
doesn’t feel heavy the way people expect.

It feels understood.

You can sit next to someone you’ve never met,
and within minutes, you just get each other.

No explaining.
No filtering.
No trying to make your story easier to hear.

Just two moms…
who know.

And for a moment, you don’t feel so alone in a world that usually doesn’t understand your kind of grief.

But the biggest thing I’m carrying with me is this:

Your child isn’t just your past.
They are your future—because of the hope of heaven.

That hit something deep in me.

Because so often grief feels like everything is behind you…
like the best parts of your story are already over.

But that’s not the full story.

Because of Jesus—
because heaven is real—
because eternity is promised—

this isn’t the end of our motherhood.

We are still their moms.
And one day… we will see them again.

Not as a memory.
Not as a “what could have been.”

But real. Whole. Forever.

That doesn’t take away the ache here.
But it gives it somewhere to rest.

🤍

— Lori
The Layne Less Traveled

Some days in the NICU feel like survival.
The monitors.
The waiting.
The questions you don’t have answers to.
The quiet moments when fear gets loud.
I remember sitting there, not even knowing what to pray anymore.
Not big, faith-filled prayers…
just small ones.
“God, please.”
“God, help.”
“God, don’t leave us.”
If that’s where you are right now—
those prayers still count.
They always did.
Little Fighter, Big God was written for those exact moments.
Not when everything feels strong…
but when everything feels fragile.
A place to meet God in the middle of the unknown.
A reminder that even here—He is near.

If you’re walking the NICU road, or know someone who is,
this devotional is for you 🤍

Available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble

— Lori
The Layne Less Traveled

If you’ve ever wondered how to teach your daughter to pray…
start simple.

That’s exactly why I wrote Brave Girls Pray.

Not to overwhelm her.
Not to make prayer feel complicated.
But to help her learn that she can talk to God about anything—anytime.

Big feelings.
Little worries.
Gratitude.
Fear.
All of it.

Because brave girls aren’t the ones who have it all together…
they’re the ones who know where to go when they don’t.

Now available on Amazon and Barnes &Brave Girls Pray: A 30-Day Devotional for Girls Ages 5-10: A 30-Day Devotional for Girls Ages 5-10: by Lori Layne, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® https://share.google/n6tKin9OU3L0XUu3u Noble 🤍

— Lori
The Layne Less Traveled

Coming Soon 🤍

I’ve been working on something special…
a devotional for boys learning how to pray.

Because boys need to know this too—

They don’t have to be perfect to talk to God.
They don’t have to have big words or “sound right.”
They just need to come as they are.

This devotional will help boys: • Learn how to talk to God in everyday moments
• Build confidence in their faith
• Understand that God listens—always

It’s simple. It’s real. And it’s built for their hearts.

I can’t wait to share this with you and your boys.

Stay tuned 🤍
— Lori
The Layne Less Traveled

I’m so excited to finally share this—

The Layne Less Traveled now has a biweekly radio segment on 12th Street Gospel Radio 🤍

This feels like such a full-circle moment. What started as writing through my own grief and questions has turned into a space where I get to speak life, truth, and encouragement over others walking hard roads too.

Every other week, I’ll be sharing short devotional-style messages about faith, grief, healing, and trusting God—even when it doesn’t make sense.

If you’ve ever felt like your road looks different… heavier… or just not what you expected—this is for you.

I’m honored to be part of what God is doing through 12th Street Gospel Radio and can’t wait for what’s ahead.

I’ll share details on when and how to listen—stay tuned 🤍

— Lori
The Layne Less Traveled

There are days I still don’t understand.

Days where I replay everything.
Days where I wonder why God didn’t step in.
Days where the weight of loss feels just as heavy as it did in the beginning.

And if I’m honest…
faith doesn’t always feel strong in those moments.

But here’s what I’m learning—

Faith isn’t always loud.
Sometimes it looks like staying.
Sometimes it looks like whispering, “God, I don’t get this… but I’m still here.”

You don’t have to have perfect words.
You don’t have to have perfect peace.
You just have to keep coming back.

If you’re in a hard place right now—
you are not behind.
You are not failing.
You are walking a road most people don’t understand.

And God is still walking it with you.

🤍
— Lori
The Layne Less Traveled

3 things I’ve learned about trusting God in grief:

Trust doesn’t mean understanding
1. There are things I still don’t have answers for. Trust means believing God is still good anyway.
2. Faith can be quiet- It’s not always loud or confident. Sometimes it’s just choosing not to walk away.
God stays
3. Even when everything changes, He doesn’t.

If you’re struggling to trust right now, start small.

This season of motherhood looks nothing like I imagined.

There are more appointments than I planned for.
More questions than answers.
More moments where everything has to pause… and I have to adjust again.

I used to believe I needed to have it all figured out to be doing it right.
That if I planned well enough, worked hard enough, trusted God enough… things would feel more certain.

They don’t.

What has changed is me.

I don’t chase perfection anymore.
Perfection is fragile. It falls apart the moment life doesn’t cooperate.

I’m learning to build something steadier.

Consistency.

Quiet, daily faithfulness.
Showing up even when I’m tired.
Loving my kids in the middle of the unknown.
Holding space for both gratitude and grief.
Trusting God with the pieces that don’t make sense… and may never.

This kind of motherhood isn’t polished.

But it’s anchored.

And for this season, that is enough.

I created a podcast for NICU moms and moms walking through hard seasons.

It’s simple.
About 5 minutes a day.
A short devotional you can listen to wherever you are.

In the hospital room.
In the car.
At home when everything feels heavy.

This isn’t about having perfect faith.
It’s about staying connected to God when life feels overwhelming.

If you need something steady to hold onto, this is for you.

🎧 Little Fighter, Big God — A Layne Less Traveled Podcast
Available on Spotify