On a recent visit to America, I wanted to pick up a small gift for each of our Braverly women. But I'm a person who doesn't like to just give any old gift–I want the gift to carry a meaning, to be unique or special to the person receiving it. So I was racking my … Continue reading Promised Peace
Author: kristyjmikel
Take a Seat, I’ll do the Dishes
On nights like tonight, I relish at the fact that my back hurts from standing over my small kitchen sink for nearly an hour doing dishes. Just hours before this I was hustling around at the grocery store grabbing oranges and rambutan, peppers and tomatoes, chicken and limes–a perfect plan in place for making taco/burrito … Continue reading Take a Seat, I’ll do the Dishes
Courageous Journeys
What defines a courageous journey? There are a lot of words floating around on this idea of courage, bravery, or fearlessness, but what is it really? How do you define it? Better yet, how do you live a life of courage? One of my favorite movie trilogies is The Lord of the Rings. Yeah, I'm … Continue reading Courageous Journeys
Walking in the Miraculous
I'm a words person. I love words, deeply value them even. So it's no surprise to me that the Lord most often speaks to me through a specific word or phrase. Let me explain. Years ago, I remember a moment of sitting down with the Lord and praying, "Lord, speak to me whatever specific word(s) … Continue reading Walking in the Miraculous
Time for another “Goodbye”
Our first pic as Kate was traveling to move to Thailand for 9 months. Living life overseas as a missionary, there’s one thing you get used to fairly quickly. Honestly, it’s my least favorite thing to “get used to,” but it takes the top of the list nonetheless. This life contains a lot of goodbyes. … Continue reading Time for another “Goodbye”
Pressed But Not Crushed
I didn't intend to be silent for so long. I set out for this to be a place to continue to tell story, to unpack the very things the Lord and I have been walking through together - because chances are, I'm not alone on the journey. Chances are, someone else has felt something like … Continue reading Pressed But Not Crushed
To the One Who Says “I Can’t”
To the one who says "I can't"... You are stronger than you know. More able than you have believed. Destined to be great where you're met with the most fear. To the one who says "I'm just"... You are creative, beautiful, and a dreamer who was made to soar. Uniquely equipped with a calling only … Continue reading To the One Who Says “I Can’t”
Here’s to looking back…
“I take back everything bad I ever said about the Israelites!” I love reading in the Old Testament. As a kid, I loved hearing stories from the Old Testament. You’ve got your classics like: the Creation story, Abraham & Isaac, Noah’s Ark, Moses & the burning bush, Joshua fighting the battle of Jericho, Joseph and … Continue reading Here’s to looking back…
To Be Honest…
One of my biggest fears is disappointing others. It’s a fear that has controlled much of my life - the way I respond in situations, the amount of things I choose to carry, where I put my “yes” and my “no”. I hate the thought of letting someone down, of not meeting their expectations. I’ve … Continue reading To Be Honest…
A Bit of My Heart
People always ask me, "How did you get to where you are? Why southeast Asia?" To be honest, southeast Asia wasn't part of my original plan. (See my previous post.) But as for how I got here, it really is as simple as I quit my job in America and got on a plane. The … Continue reading A Bit of My Heart
On A Journey Home 