February replay + two lock screens for you
Strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow.
Annnnnd the thread just continues to weave itself through, month after month after month after month.
“Hope plays the long game.” (June)
“Hope is not a liar.” (August)
“We hold onto hope, even in the darkest of dark. Not because it erases our pain, but because it points to a better end, not the bitter end.” (October)
And then, repeated on the call multiple times, words to hold onto when you’re in the blur, the fog, or the unsteadiness of change: Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. (February)
I’m absolutely certain we talked about hope on our unrecorded December hangout chat, reflecting on 2023 and talking about 2024. But it was absolutely there, recorded and available for replay in the 4 most recent All The Things author calls + book club . . . a gentle reminder that keeps coming back, a refrain to help us remember that hope is woven throughout and Hope will hold.
So, as a little end of the week, start of a new month, late night gift because why not—two lock screens, to put a reminder of Hope on the screen that will be seen all throughout the day.
(And this one, because sometimes it’s so hard to see . . . and yet still, Hope is there, always woven through and carrying through.)
To download a lock screen:
Hold down on an image above until there's an option to “save photo." If you have an iPhone, go to Settings –> Wallpaper –> Choose a New Wallpaper –> All Photos. Select the image and then shrink it (think: the opposite of zooming in). This will allow the full image to show.
For those who were able to join live, 1) it was so good to see you! and 2) I hope you were encouraged in the middle of your own change, expected or surprising, that you are not alone. If you’re catching the replay, I hope you see it too — Goodness like breadcrumbs every step of the way, even in the twists and the turns we never saw coming, still—hope.
God has not lost sight of us in the midst of change. We aren’t missing to Him. Thanks be to the Unchanging One, He wasn’t caught off guard by the change that took us by surprise.
Some of the things we talked about on our February call:
The cover design (a bee to honey 😍) (also, that it’s evergreen—genius)
Navigating change that we didn’t choose or want, but find ourselves in the middle of
Looking through the lens of God working through our change, not in spite of it
What led Kristen to the story of Joseph, and what we can learn from his story in regards to change, unwanted and surprising struggles, injustice, rejection, waiting, and redemption
“No weapon formed against you will prevail” . . . it doesn’t mean the weapon won’t be formed, but that those that are will not ultimately succeed.
The one offensive weapon we have
Difficult change might be a chapter of the story, but it won’t be the last chapter of the story
The shadow side of good change
Words and promises Kristen held to through moves and difficult relationship changes
“God can always orchestrate a turn-around or a rescue.”
What Kristen would go back and tell herself, 10 years after writing GMC
When it’s just you and Jesus and change, aka when no one is there to walk it out with you
If Jesus was lonely (and/or surprised by being lonely)
The hope found in this truth: God knows the end of the middle you’re walking through. He sees the timeline and the gift of being in the middle (even if it’s an actual mess) is that if it’s the middle, it isn’t the end.
What to say to — and ways to be there for — friends who are going through change
The kindness that can be found in even the smallest of details
SNEAK PEEK: Kristen’s next three books (!!!) + how y’all played a part in the fall release without even knowing it. (Yeah, remember those IG Stories in our private account, the ones with crying in the car + a deadline + writing about something still so tender and painful without any tidy bows or beautiful endings + the rainbow appearing overhead? That? Now you know. 😊)
P.s. Here’s the picture I talked about near the end of our call, so you have the visual!
More good words from Kristen:
A number of y’all shared how timely Girl Meets Change was for you, so I want to be sure and point you to Kristen’s devotional, When Change Finds You. We talked a bit about it — and Back Roads to Belonging — on the call, but if you’re interested in learning more, here are direct links to make it easy!
I have both on my bookshelf, but if you prefer audiobooks, Kristen reads each one! (Bonus: If you have Audible Plus, Back Roads to Belonging is currently free there.)
AND → For the sake of time, I didn’t bring up Kristen’s new Instagram series called Friendship Confessions . . . but if the title intrigues you (mmhm me too), follow along on Instagram for more!