Chasing Blue Skies

encouragement for every season of life

  • Home
  • Kristen
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Back Roads to Belonging
    • Girl Meets Change
    • Serving You (for military wives)
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram
  • Archives
  • Free
    • for everyone
    • for military spouses
  • Contact
The Full Circle Anniversary and Learning to Pay Attention

The Full Circle Anniversary and Learning to Pay Attention

in Change· Courage· Faith in Action· Family· Marriage

If you follow me on instagram or read my (in)courage post yesterday, you know my husband and I took a trip to…
Read More

Share24
Tweet3
Pin2
29 Shares
What I Learned in June

What I Learned in June

in Change· Creativity· Family· Marriage· What I Learned

Hello again, dear friends! Well, I’d say the above picture pretty well sums up our thoughts about summer. I hope and…
Read More

Share4
Tweet
Pin1
5 Shares
When You Can’t Be with Those You Want for the Holidays

When You Can’t Be with Those You Want for the Holidays

in Faith in Action· Family· Friendship· Gratitude Attitude· Holidays· Hope· Marriage· Military

That Thanksgiving looked and tasted different, its colors muted and holiday food a bit bland. I still cooked cornbread dressing…
Read More

Share69
Tweet11
Pin3
83 Shares
On This Memorial Day: A Free Gift for You {or Someone You Know}

On This Memorial Day: A Free Gift for You {or Someone You Know}

in Faith in Action· Family· Friendship· Giving· Holidays· Hope· Marriage· Military

On this Memorial Day, I am over here honoring our brave men and women of the United States military. Their…
Read More

Share453
Tweet36
Pin132
621 Shares
In Which We Resemble Dharma & Greg :: at (in)courage

In Which We Resemble Dharma & Greg :: at (in)courage

in (In)Courage· Marriage

Somewhere around 1997, the newlywed us would watch Dharma & Greg, and we would laugh like crazy. Mostly because much…
Read More

Share
Tweet
Pin
0 Shares
The Hard Work of Love and Marriage

The Hard Work of Love and Marriage

in Encouragement· Faith in Action· Marriage

I answer the knock on the practice room door in the basement of the music building, and I assume it’s…
Read More

Share
Tweet
Pin7
7 Shares
  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

On Instagram

This week brought to you by family heart-to-hearts This week brought to you by family heart-to-hearts around the fireplace, tulips on the table, and my first trip of the year to the garden store. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Never underestimate the ministry of flowers for you and your family. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
"Home is never simply a threshold you cross. It is a place you make and a place that might make—or unmake—you. In this halfway space, we would begin to learn the costs of stepping into the role God first gave in a garden: to be, like Adam and Eve, the makers and caretakers of a particular place." ⁠⁠
~Christie Purifoy (@christiepurifoy), in her stellar book Placemaker ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
#backroadstobelonging
Holler if you're a fellow expert at coming up with Holler if you're a fellow expert at coming up with worst-case scenarios and making plans to divert them. ⁠⁠ 📣
⁠⁠
In this particular case, I thought I had foreseen every possible problem. I took measures to ensure the best possible outcome. I’m not talking about anything outlandish or expensive. Rather, I used good ol’ hard work and productivity to take care of things responsibly.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
And then came the turn of events only God saw coming, and all my forethought and “responsible planning” didn’t amount to a hill of beans. I didn't asked for or want this outcome, but it was what I had.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Yeah, it's easier for me to daily assess the risk of doing something than to lean into trust.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
I write more about this at my second online writing home, @incourage. Visit the link in my profile to read more. 💛
I belong where it will snow in April (and May!), b I belong where it will snow in April (and May!), but where spring always comes, eventually. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Where do you belong today?⁠⁠
⁠⁠
#whereIbelongWednesday
Remember my post from a few weeks ago about our fr Remember my post from a few weeks ago about our friend Ryan, a USAF vet, who lost all all feeling and control from mid chest down due to a sudden spinal stroke?⁠⁠
⁠⁠
This is his wife, Rebecca, and she is one of my dearest friends in the whole wide world.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Sometimes when a change comes that turns our world upside down, God works through others to turn it right side up again.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
This gal has surely been a turn-the-world-right-side-up gal in my life, and now I'd love it if *we* could help do the same for her.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
As Ryan undergoes physical therapy and rehab in the spinal cord unit of the VA hospital in Denver, we would like to help Ryan and Rebecca defray the many costs not covered by insurance following this spinal stroke, such as:⁠⁠
⁠⁠
▫️Outfitting Ryan and Rebecca’s home for needs regarding Ryan’s limited mobility.⁠⁠
▫️An outfitted vehicle that’s wheelchair accessible.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
These needs and several more are on Ryan and Rebecca's own dime, and they cost a shockingly WHOLE LOTTA DIMES. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
If you're interested in helping with these needs and/or sharing about it with your people, please check out the link to our fundraiser in my profile.⁠⁠☑️
⁠⁠
Swipe to see a pic of Ryan and Rebecca and a pic of the GoFundMe page.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
And on behalf of Ryan and Rebecca, thank you for your continued prayers!⁠⁠❤️
⁠
Follow on Instagram
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 Kristen Strong · Site by Design by Insight · Chasing Blue Skies Logo by Aliza Latta