Kristen Strong
Kristen is a work-in-progress daughter, Air Force wife, enthusiastic mama and freelance writer. She is a joy hunter-downer who writes of looking upward for fresh-air encouragement at Chasing Blue Skies (http://chasingblueskies.net) and at DaySpring's (in)courage (http://incourage.me). She and her husband David have 3 precious young'uns, twin sons (age 12) and a daughter (age 8). Kristen and her family enjoy their home under the wide-blue-skies of glorious Colorado.
Homepage: http://www.chasingblueskies.net
Posts by Kristen Strong
When the Dark Times Come Looking for You
Dec 1st
Oh. You. Darling. Thangs. You know how to encourage this Mama. Thank you for lovin’ on me through your comments to my last post. They made me cry in all the right ways. I shared them with my husband and we are both so grateful for you!
Encouragement like yours is one kind of antidote to every illness. Like a tide rushing in, it immediately soothes. I hopscotch around Isaiah for more encouragement and land on this passage:
“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places.”
Isaiah 45:3
Scary movies aren’t my friends and I sleep with a light on. I More >
What Every Bit of Bad News Holds
Nov 29th
Isn’t it interesting how we dread and look forward to something at the same time? This described me earlier as my man and I drove to the neurosurgeon’s office in downtown Colorado Springs. The last two doctor’s appointments delivered ambiguous news, and in my book ambiguous news is bad news. It raises lots and lots of questions. However, this one was supposed to give us answers, and in my book answers are {in one sense} always good news. Even unfavorable answers win over murky uncertainty. The uncertain middle drives me to distraction.
Later on, the doctor manipulates the plastic model spine while More >
I Love You More Than Pecan Pie
Nov 21st
Last week was one that had me behind before opening my Irish green eyes on Monday morning. Sick kids, multiple doctor appointments, traveling husband, school projects and makeup homework due~ it all formed a cocktail for crazy. The to-do list flew out the window. But ya know what? In the end, it didn’t matter. The earth wasn’t knocked off its axis and none of us were any worse for the wear.
I’m figuring out all the changed plans and re-arranged to-do’s are life, not interruptions to life. Life is the crazy.
Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for More >
When You Feel the Hot Breath of ‘If Only’
Nov 18th
When I get bad news, sometimes my mind begs to rewind to the previous day before my skippy little world took a tumble. And when I start traveling down that road, it’s only a {short} matter of time before all the ‘if onlys’ want to saddle up and join me.
“If only this had gone that way, we wouldn’t be here.”
“If only we had acted differently, we could have avoided this.”
I’m convinced ‘if onlys’ are the enemy’s henchman. They don’t just saunter along next to me making suggestions. No, they chase me down all the while shouting and condemning til my More >
It’s Not for You :: at (in)courage
Nov 14th
You bet your boots I know what it is to pine away for something big. When you desperately want that big thing to be yours, a yes or no answer is straight up God’s provision. But sometimes? You find yourself daydreaming about owning a particular little thing, something you could get on your own {whether it’s good for you or not}. I’m talking about just such a thing at (in)courage today. And inquiring minds wanna know: What little thing do you want but don’t have because it’s just not met for you?
Because It’s No Small Gift
Nov 11th
This man is my better half, he gives big and loves hard in his actions-speak-louder-than-words kind of ways. Duty calls close to home and far away, and he always answers. Our family doesn’t know what tomorrow brings, but we do know we rank at the top of his priorities. Though circumstances change with the winds, he is a steady oak who lives what he believes.
I am unabashedly biased, but our servicemen and women are some of the best folks on God’s green earth. I’m thankful for all those who do what they do so I can do what I do. It’s no More >
Friendship: When You’re *Not* the New Girl in Town
Nov 9th
She talked in quiet tones as she circled her finger around her coffee cup, telling me of a struggle in her new town,
“I’ve met some sweet women whom I enjoy, and I’d like to be better friends with them. But they already have an established group of friends. I feel like the ‘it’ll do’ girl. Ya know, when I’m around them, ‘it’ll do’ to talk to me. But they won’t go out of their way to include me. They’re not mean or unkind. It’s just that there are only so many hours in the day, and these women already have More >
You: The Big Name Game Changer
Nov 7th
If I’m participating, I’m part of the change. ~ Kristen Welch
In this land of bigger means better and grand means important, it’s easy to think we have to sign up for bigger and grand to make a difference. And if you could throw in a little famous, that would be super swell. Our pastor talked about this very thing yesterday when he read this passage from Acts, the one that describes how the early church chose a few good men to feed a group of overlooked widows:
They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, More >
