I’ve said these words more times than I can count:“This wasn’t supposed to be my life.” You know how it is. You imagine how your life will be, what it will look like, and just like the movies, you get to live happily ever after. And then it doesn’t.And you don’t. It. Blows. I always […]
Author Archives: Kristen
When Healing is Slow
For the past 7 years, March has been a tender month for me. Seven years ago, my youngest son, Jude, was 11 months old. One March Day, I went in to check on him during a nap and discovered him unconscious. He was medflighted to Children’s Hospital where we spent 3 weeks for treatment and […]
Relearning Love
February is full of hearts, flowers, and conversations about love. Everywhere you look, there are reminders of what love is supposed to look like. But for many of us, love hasn’t always felt simple—or safe. For a long time, I believed love required endurance. I thought loving someone meant staying quiet, trying harder, and pushing […]
Starting Over Without Erasing the Past
January always comes with a lot of noise. New year. New goals. New habits. New you. I used to really love that idea. A lot of days, I would much prefer my past to have never happened. There was good in there. But there have also been some bad memories. Memories I would much rather […]
Holiday Grace: Finding Peace in Imperfect Seasons
The holiday season has always been a lot for me. It’s supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but it certainly hasn’t felt like that in past years. My grandma passed away in the early morning hours of Christmas Day in 2002. Every year, there’s still a little ache that shows up […]
Cultivating Gratitude (Even When It’s Hard)
It’s that time of year when people start sharing what they’re thankful for. You’ve probably seen the posts — every day in November, someone lists one thing they’re thankful for. I think it’s great. I don’t exactly participate, but I love the concept. The thing is, I don’t want gratitude to be something I only […]
When God’s Plan Feels Silent
There are seasons in life where God’s plan seems crystal clear — and then there are seasons where His silence feels louder than anything else. Those quiet stretches can stretch our faith in ways nothing else can. I’ve walked through a few of those seasons, and each time, God has taught me something new about […]
Grace in the Middle of Hard: A Conversation With My Daughters
Healing conversations can come in the most surprising moments. One such conversation came a few nights ago while driving home from a football game. It was just me and my girls. Initially, I told them I wanted a bit of quiet time on the drive home because I had the beginning of a headache. Well, […]
The Quiet Strength of Single Moms
What is strength? If we’re talking in the physical sense, we may imagine people with large muscles, or competitors in Strongman competitions lifting impossible weights. If we’re talking about emotional or mental strength, we might picture someone carrying a heavy load without ever seeming to break down. But I don’t believe that’s the full truth. […]
Becoming Beauty from Ashes
This past week, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting—mostly looking back over the last year or so. I’ve been thinking about everything that’s happened, the good and the bad, and noticing God’s hand in all of it. In just a couple of weeks, I’ll begin classes for my master’s degree program. Saying that out […]
