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Fresh Air for Your Friday

in Authors Extraordinaire· Fresh Air Friday· Fun Stuff

SunlightandMountains

As this first week of February comes to a close and you long for that missing glimmer of spring, may you linger in the rest and quiet  found in winter. And may you remember that not only do the waves and wind know the name of Jesus, but so do the cold and biting snowstorms. And whatever our circumstances this season, may we steady our daily rhythms by staying in rhythm with Christ.

What I’m Reading (or Will Be Reading):

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Screen Shot 2015-02-05 at 10.40.08 PMThe Beauty of Grace: Stories of God’s Love by Today’s Most Popular Writers by Dawn Camp. This book is chock-full of gorgeous writing by beloved writers such as Holley Gerth, Ann Voskamp, Lysa Terkeurst, and many others. (And by some kind of miracle, yours truly here has a piece in it, too.) Not only does this devotional style book offer encouragement through words, it offers encouragement through photos taken by the incredibly talented Dawn Camp. Her photos in this book (and on her blog) are glimpses into the heart of heaven’s hallways. No exaggeration, friends. Find your own copy of The Beauty of Grace at Amazon, B&N, and DaySpring.

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Hope for the Weary Mom: Let God Meet You in the Mess by Stacey Thacker and Brooke McGlothlin. I’ve just begun reading this one (I’m in Chapter 3), but already I’m thrilled to have been met with truth-saturated encouragement. Brooke is a mama to two boys and Stacey a mama to four girls, and both of these gifted writers deliver in this book exactly what you would expect to find: Literal hope for tired mamas everywhere (and all us mamas said amen). This beautiful book is available wherever books are sold. And bonus: if you purchase Hope for the Weary Mom before February 9th, there are some fantastic offers in it for you. Check those out here. 

What I’m Wearing:

GreenEvysTreeHoodie

This hoodie from Evy’s Tree. I’m not gonna lie: They don’t give these babies away. But you know what? This Reece hoodie is the softest, most comfortable hoody I’ve ever owned. Truth. And you know what else? It fits my monkey arms with room to spare. Glory hallelujah because no naked wrists! I got this one on sale after Christmas, so it was about half off. If you would like to give an Evy’s Tree hoodie a try, they still have several styles on sale–although in limited sizes. (The one above is only available now in an x-small. Boo.) (Which, by the way, is not the size I have. Heh.) Just for kicks, check out their new spring line, too. Beautiful!

Who I’m Following:

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Farming Grace blog by Anne Marie Detavernier. An Army wife currently stationed in Texas, Anne Marie and I go waaay back as blogging friends. Her new blog, Farming Grace (formerly known as Household 6 Diva), is full of encouragement in areas ranging from homeschooling to gardening to practical family helps. She also writes amazing posts related to the military life and deployment. Ann Marie has an etsy shop full of handmade soaps which I LOVE. I adore this lady, and once you get to know her you’ll adore her, too.

What I’m Listening to:

On repeat.

I’ll see you tomorrow with a new post, friends. Have a wonderful weekend! xo

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Filed Under: Authors Extraordinaire, Fresh Air Friday, Fun Stuff

« What I Hope You Don’t Feel Pressured to Do
When February’s Love Brings Loss »

Comments

  1. Leigh Ann says

    February 6, 2015 at 3:39 pm

    Thank you! Following Farming and passed it on to a friend who needed to hear that message.

    Reply
    • Kristen says

      February 6, 2015 at 4:12 pm

      Wonderful, Leigh Ann! xo

      Reply
  2. Beth Williams says

    February 6, 2015 at 4:19 pm

    Thanks Kristen!

    Dawn Camp’s book sound very interesting. I may have to check it out!! Love the music and will definitely check out the blog!

    Here in E. TN we haven’t had much winter to speak of. The weather gets chilly 18 degrees, but then up in the 40-50s this weekend. Not much snow if any this year! We are blessed!

    Now I’m deciding and praying about jobs. Should I/can I keep my current job and learn/train myself to do nursing stuff or should I shuck the job and move on! Also praying for my aging dad who has mental health issues off and on.

    Blessings to you and yours! Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  3. Stacey Thacker says

    February 6, 2015 at 4:22 pm

    So that day at the cupcake shop when I cried and cried, this is what the good Lord had in mind. Can you believe it? He is so good to say no. And yes. And no. He uses it all. Thanks for sharing “Hope”.

    love you! but you know that!

    -stacey

    Reply
  4. Dawn Camp says

    February 7, 2015 at 12:03 am

    Kristen, thank you for sharing this, friend! Thank you, thank you for being a part of it.

    Reply
  5. Shawnelle Eliasen says

    February 10, 2015 at 11:22 pm

    Congrats on The Beauty of Grace… I’ll look forward to reading it! Thanks!

    Reply

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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. ⁠⁠
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Never underestimate the ministry of flowers for you and your family. ⁠⁠
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"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." ⁠⁠
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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. ⁠⁠ 📣
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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.⁠⁠
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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.⁠⁠
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Yeah, it's easier for me to daily assess the risk of doing something than to lean into trust.⁠⁠
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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?⁠⁠
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This is his wife, Rebecca, and she is one of my dearest friends in the whole wide world.⁠⁠
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Sometimes when a change comes that turns our world upside down, God works through others to turn it right side up again.⁠⁠
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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.⁠⁠
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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:⁠⁠
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▫️Outfitting Ryan and Rebecca’s home for needs regarding Ryan’s limited mobility.⁠⁠
▫️An outfitted vehicle that’s wheelchair accessible.⁠⁠
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These needs and several more are on Ryan and Rebecca's own dime, and they cost a shockingly WHOLE LOTTA DIMES. ⁠⁠
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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.⁠⁠☑️
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