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10-Point Check-Up for Your Relationship, Part 1
This month, James and I will celebrate our five-month anniversary! Each month, we’ve started the habit of doing a check-up on our relationship. It’s nothing formal, just a moment to pause and ask each other if we’re driving the other crazy yet. I’m glad to report that we haven’t! In all seriousness, though, I appreciate this check-up, because it invites honesty, transparency, and a chance to make misunderstandings right early before something becomes a larger issue. Did you know that I Corinthians 13 provides a check-up list of its own? If you replace the word “love” with your name, you have a basic check list of the behaviors you need…
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Why Your Dreams Require Band-Aids
You have a dream, right? So do I. We probably have more than one, maybe even dozens. If your dream isn’t brand new and you’ve started taking steps to pursue it, you’ve likely discovered that the path to fulfillment is something like the field of poppies that Dorothy had to cross to reach the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz. Those poppies sure look pretty, but [spoiler], the wicked witch has poisoned them to keep Dorothy from reaching her goal. Hopefully none of us are picking our way through a field of poison poppies today, but if you’re like me, you might be buying some Band-Aids. Case in point…
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Uncommon Adventures: An Interview with Author Jessica Lippe
Please welcome author Jessica Lippe to the blog today! I’ve had the privilege of contributing to Jessica’s Christian e-zine for teenage girls, Girlz 4 Christ, and when she shared that she’d written a travel book for Christians, I wanted to learn more! As she told me, age doesn’t matter in travel, so whether you’re a young adult or young at heart, you can be encouraged by this book. Enjoy this interview and check out Uncommon Adventures, now available. What prompted you to write this book, and why do you think it’s timely for Christians today? Jessica: I’ve met other Christian travelers, but they seem to be few and far between.…
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Box Jumps in the Writing Life
When my husband and I joined a gym together, he introduced me to the box jump. In theory, it’s simple, a metal platform that you jump on with both feet at the same time. You can move to higher levels as you advance in ability. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. In theory, publishing is simple too. You have a great idea. You write it down on paper. You publish it, and it becomes a New York Times’ best seller. And you laugh. Of course, publishing doesn’t work that way. Mastering the box jump isn’t so easy either. In fact, it has many parallels with the writing life.…
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How Can You Hear God’s Voice? Lessons from the Lake
How many of you want to hear God’s voice? That’s not a trick question. Any believer would give a wholehearted yes! By “hear,” I’m not referring to an audible voice but perhaps peace or clarity in a situation where we feel unsure or fearful. Maybe we’re struggling to see God’s hand or wanting to simply find the reassurance of His presence. However, before we can hear God’s voice, we must first be prepared to listen. This first step is one we often forget and maybe why we often fail or become frustrated in our conversations with God. We’re too busy doing all the talking or perhaps just plain too busy…
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2 Name Changes that will Transform Your Life
What’s worthwhile often isn’t easy. In an earlier interview, my friend and marriage mentor Tami Myer reminded me of this truth about relationships when she said, “Marriage is not easy, but the best things in life never are.” While marriage is certainly one of the best things in my life, I didn’t realize that changing my name would be one of the “not easy” parts. Although the Knot cites that keeping one’s maiden name is a growing trend, I’m an old-fashioned girl. I opted to change my name, but I had no idea how painful the process would be. (The Knot also provides a helpful checklist for the majority of…
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Your Heritage Can Start Today
This summer has been special for my brother and me, because for the first time, we were able to introduce our spouses to our family camp in New Hampshire. This place of our childhood holds so many memories and history we wanted to share with them. It’s also the same place that inspired the setting for Secrets Beyond Lake Winona’s Shore. Going to camp always feels like stepping backward into time. There’s the small wooden cottage my great-grandfather built, the generations of chipmunks my grandfather taught to eat out of his shirt pocket, the memories of family reunions from years past, and the collection of family pictures on the walls. My heritage.…
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Everyone’s Going to Prom but Me
Have you ever complained or even silently whispered, “Everyone’s going to prom but me”? “Uh, Kristen,” you say. “Prom season is over.” To that, I reply, “You’re right. I’m not really talking about prom.” Last week, I had the chance to catch up with one of my close friends for the first time in a while. She asked how marriage is treating me, and I told her we’re doing great. Life is just overwhelmingly busy, and I don’t have time to do all the things I want or think I should. Plus, I confessed that I need to get off social media. It just makes me feel “less than” when…
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Dear Student Me: A Thirty-Something’s View on College
The last two months have been a blur with the wedding, honeymoon, speaking event, and travel. In addition, I also started a summer college class for my teaching re-certification, because that’s just how the timing worked out. But when is life not busy? However, I’m making the best of the course about technology in education, which is actually quite interesting. Besides, having a student ID again has its perks. Who knew I’d be claiming student discounts at thirty-something? In all seriousness, though, this going-back-to-school experience has shed a new perspective on college that, if I could, I’d share with my teen- and twenty-something self. Maybe you’re in college or know…
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Wedding Day Joy: Stories Behind the Photos
Our wedding photographer recently shared our photographs, and I currently feel like a little kid who is about to overdose on Christmas cookies. It’s the feeling of, “Please, please, someone share this goodness with me because if I eat any more by myself, I’m going to burst!” So this week, I’m sharing this happiest of snapshots into my personal life. Maybe saying so is cliche, but James’ and my wedding truly was the best day of my life, next to my choice to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. Some Humor Joy overshadowed the entire day, and I’m also grateful for the humor dosed throughout. For starters, my now-husband…
