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I don’t know about you, by my email inbox has seemed extra cluttered these days. Maybe it’s from all of the email lists I ended up on from my holiday shopping. Or maybe I’m proving to be an easy target for Instagram ads. Either way, it feels like I’m being flooded with emails that I don’t even want to read.
Read MoreRecently, I have become more aware than ever that I can’t do everything, fix everything, and resolve everything on my own. You’re probably thinking, “Well Kristen, it only took you 29 and a half years…” At least, that’s what I think God would be thinking if He was sarcastic. But thankfully He’s more gracious than that.
Read MoreFor the next year, my friends and my classmates, who had now heard the story of my chickening out, poked fun at me for being too scared to ride. You know how middle schoolers are. But despite their teasing, I didn’t care what anyone thought. I didn’t want to ride the roller coaster. I was confident in that decision, and I let the teasing continue. I think back to this memory now, and I’m honestly pretty proud of 13-year-old Kristen. But then I also think, “If I didn’t care what people thought of me then, why do I care so much about what they think now?”
Read MoreSomething I’ve struggled with over the years is putting a lot of stock in what other people think of me. I’ve always been concerned with making sure people like me, that I get along with others, and that people have a positive perception of me. After all, who doesn’t want to be liked? Who doesn’t want other people to think and say nice things about them? We all want those things, right?
Read MoreOver the past couple of weeks, I have become more aware than ever that I can’t do everything, fix everything, and resolve everything on my own. You’re probably thinking, “Well Kristen, it only took you 28 and a half years…” At least, that’s what I think God would be thinking if He was sarcastic. But thankfully He’s more gracious than that.
Read MoreFor what remained of the school year, my friends, and my classmates who had now heard the story of my chickening out, poked fun at me for being too scared to ride. You know how middle schoolers are. But despite their teasing, I didn’t care what anyone thought. I didn’t want to ride the roller coaster. I was confident in that decision, and I let the teasing continue. I think back to this memory now, and I’m honestly pretty proud of 13-year-old Kristen. But then I also think, “If I didn’t care what people thought of me then, why do I care so much about what they think now?”
Read MoreAs much as I desire to please my parents, and as much as I want them to agree with every decision I make, I've learned over the years that pleasing my parents is not my ultimate goal in life. That's not why I was put on this earth. No, I was created in the image of God to follow Jesus, obey His Word, love others the way He loves me, and carry out His will for my life. Pleasing my parents in doing so is just icing on the cake.
Read MoreToday’s key verse is one that I’ve begun to memorize over the past few months, because people-pleasing is a HUGE struggle for me. And if I’m being really honest, that struggle has felt intensified over the last few months.
Read MoreSomething I’ve struggled with over the years is putting a lot of stock in what other people think of me. I’ve always been concerned with making sure people like me, that I get along with others, and that people have a positive perception of me. After all, who doesn’t want to be liked? Who doesn’t want other people to think and say nice things about them? We all want those things, right?
Read More