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Kristin Sterk

Kristin Sterk

Simple, Grace-Filled Living

Kristin Sterk
Kristin Sterk
Simple, Grace-Filled Living

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Meet Kristin

As a Christ-follower, wife, blogger, author, and advanced heart failure and leukemia patient, my desire is to encourage others in those same roles, through honest and real conversation. May you be inspired to embrace YOUR story of God’s grace in your own life, through simple, grace-filled living.

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Have you ever been with someone who is present, bu Have you ever been with someone who is present, but not engaged? What was the reason? If I had to guess, it was probably their phone. Guilty as charged. When you think of the evolution of the smartphone, it has effected every relationship to some degree for the good and at times, for the bad. I’ve been able to keep in touch with people around the world thanks to social media, email, and blogs. But for the worse, attention that was once given to a child, now is now taken by a screen, squashing the parent/child relationship. So how do we ensure that the phones in our hands, our pockets, on our hips, remain as tools? We don’t owe our phones anything. Or anything on our phones. Tools are meant to be put down. Used when needed. Would you grab a screwdriver from your drawer and just carry it around? If I saw someone walking down the road with one, my antennas might go up! Why don’t we see our phones as the same? Because it’s hard to put down what we rely on. It’s hard to use something responsibly than to not use it at all, isn’t it? So where’s the balance? Long gone are home phones. Communication is often through texting and emails. All things that are practical, useful, and wonderful! But what’s beyond these uses? A virtual world that sucks us in, whose goal is to get us to fulfill our needs through addiction to it. We are relying on our phones to fulfill our needs. But NOTHING in this world, not even a phone, can replace what’s outside of it – our experience in the world God has created. With the people He has given us face-to-face. We are missing the grandness, the goodness, and the greatness of God because our eyes are on a screen. And then we wonder why we don’t feel connected to God? And even to others? I write this to myself. When you look at your phone, do you just see it as a tool? Or as something that is controlling you?
Have you ever been with someone who is present, bu Have you ever been with someone who is present, but not engaged? What was the reason? If I had to guess, it was probably their phone. Guilty as charged. When you think of the evolution of the smartphone, it has effected every relationship to some degree for the good and at times, for the bad. I’ve been able to keep in touch with people around the world thanks to social media, email, and blogs. But for the worse, attention that was once given to a child, now is now taken by a screen, squashing the parent/child relationship. So how do we ensure that the phones in our hands, our pockets, on our hips, remain as tools? We don’t owe our phones anything. Or anything on our phones. Tools are meant to be put down. Used when needed. Would you grab a screwdriver from your drawer and just carry it around? If I saw someone walking down the road with one, my antennas might go up! Why don’t we see our phones as the same? Because it’s hard to put down what we rely on. It’s hard to use something responsibly than to not use it at all, isn’t it? So where’s the balance? Long gone are home phones. Communication is often through texting and emails. All things that are practical, useful, and wonderful! But what’s beyond these uses? A virtual world that sucks us in, whose goal is to get us to fulfill our needs through addiction to it. We are relying on our phones to fulfill our needs. But NOTHING in this world, not even a phone, can replace what’s outside of it – our experience in the world God has created. With the people He has given us face-to-face. We are missing the grandness, the goodness, and the greatness of God because our eyes are on a screen. And then we wonder why we don’t feel connected to God? And even to others? I write this to myself. When you look at your phone, do you just see it as a tool? Or as something that is controlling you?
HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY, Sweet Mazy Grace! I’ll neve HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY, Sweet Mazy Grace! I’ll never forget the day when your daddy and I were told that we could have a baby. We were waiting 8 long years, with lots of tear, so hear that news! And here we are now, 10 years later with you still in our arms. You are such a blessing to so many and we are humbled that God chose us to be your parents. You’ve been through a lot in your 10 years of life with your mama’s health, but as you said to me recently, “Mommy, I’m glad you got cancer because it made me braver.” God doesn’t waste a thing!! If you’re curious about our story and how God miraculously healed my heart so we could have our sweet Mazy, you can read about it in my book, “A Heartbeat of Grace”. The link is in my bio!
Isn’t it wild to think that 5 years ago, we were Isn’t it wild to think that 5 years ago, we were on the brink of months of stay-at-home orders? A time of life where we weren’t shifting from one thing to the next because we had no where to go? One of the things I deeply appreciated about that “unwelcomed” time was well, time to think. Having gone through cancer twice now, it has really shaped the way I view my time andhow I want to live my life. I was forced into a “COVID-type” life of seclusion, “stay-at-home” orders, and daily lived with the fear of getting sick. Ironically COVID was great practice for post-transplant life! But when you’re forced to be at home, minimizing contact with people, it’s easy to just pick up our phones to fill those voids, isn’t it? But here’s the deal: - Have you ever thought when it comes to scrolling, there is no end? So what is yours? - Have you ever considered your phone habits that what you search, actually forms who you are? Where your mind goes, thus your heart and life go as well? - Have you ever thought that maybe we aren’t supposed to know everything? - Have you ever thought about how much you try to control your life with your phone? Where your kids are at? Your heat? Your relationships? Your spiritual life? Your day based on the weather apps? So much of our lives are based on what our phones say. My friend, we are no more in control than we were 100 years ago. Even though we think we are! We lost so much “control” during COVID, or at least we thought we did. I thought I lost so much control during my cancer treatments because my life felt so out of control. But guess what? I was no more in control before cancer than I was during. And I’m no more in control now. How many of us are trying to be like God? Holding a phone in the palm of our hand instead of releasing control to the One who holds EVERYTHING in the palm of HIS hand? Why carry something we aren’t meant to carry? Give it all back to Him. No phone will ever replace His sovereignty. COMMENT BELOW 👇 with your thoughts!
Have you ever thought about that? How we are neve Have you ever thought about that? How we are never NOT being shaped by something? Okay, let me get rid of the double negative. WE ARE ALWAYS BEING SHAPED BY SOMETHING. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Either we can conform to the world and be shaped by it, or we can be TRANSFORMED by renewing our minds and being shaped by God. One is definitely easier than the other, isn’t it? It’s easier to be conformed to the patterns of this world, for this is where we live. But we don’t have to stay stuck here! We can be TRANSFORMED by the word of God, by immersing our minds, our thoughts, our actions, our pursuits, our dreams, and holding them up to the light of the gospel, transforming us into the likeness of him. So how do we do that? Stop scrolling. Social media is an indefinite trap. The more you scroll, the faster the scrolling, and the longer, looking for something to satisfy. It NEVER WILL, except to shape us into someone that is world-conformed, not God-transformed. Social media was never created to satisfy our desires – only GOD can. Immerse. Check your bags at the door. All the things we want to take from the world into our walks with Christ, we have to check them at the door. Instead, we need to go to God with nothing in tow, but with open hands, immersing ourselves in HIS will for our lives. Pray. We can sometimes go into prayer thinking we can change God’s mind, but in the end, it’s us who are changed. Prayer shapes us. Prayer changes US. Prayer transforms us into the people God has called us to be – in communion with Him. As we seek His will, His desires become ours. Prayer creates this relationship and changes us to look more like the Savior. What is shaping you? What are you conforming to? What are you allowing to transform you? Is it the world and all things horizontal? Or is it God and all thing vertical? Let the light of Christ transform so that we can all become someone who looks like HIM.
Two northerners hit the Valley of the Sun this wee Two northerners hit the Valley of the Sun this weekend! The beauty that surrounded us was absolutely breathtaking in Arizona. The number of times we were bent over laughing, are too many to count! So thankful for this time away with @brihoekstra and for our husbands who held the forts down. God’s artistry is just so magnificent whether it be the intricacies of a snowflake or the grandeur of a mountain. His hand is in it all and celebrating this one year mark post-transplant, reminds that his hand is in the intricacies and grandeur of our lives too. Being able to hike and do the things we did, is a gift I never want to take for granted. His mercies are truly new every morning.
The start of a new year always promises new beginn The start of a new year always promises new beginnings. New ways of doing things. New habits. New this, new that. I think it’s healthy for us as humans to have these moments – times to sit back and think forward. Where are we going in life? What do we want to be doing? What do we want to change? Where could we change? All of these questions are healthy and help propel us to become better reflections of who God is, in this sanctifying process. At the turn of the year, many often start a new Bible reading plan, devotional, or study. Me too! I think that’s what we should always be striving for. But here’s the thing. Are we merely going through the motions as Christians in doing devotions, acting as if it’s our duty? Or are our hearts craving Him? Wanting more and more of Him? Over the past couple of years, this is where I have been challenged. It’s easy to check something off the list, but is what I’m reading, really changing my life? If it’s not, then I need to look at what I’m reading and how I’m reading it. If we want our lives to change, we can’t just merely listen and read. We need to DO. If all we are doing is checking off a box, then the message is falling on deaf ears – as if we didn’t hear it at all. If I claim to be doing my devotions and no one sees a difference in my life, that’s kind of a mixed message, isn’t it? Now don’t get me wrong, we all grow in different ways, at different times, through different circumstances. You will find fault in me. MANY faults. But if we claim to be Christians, diligently doing our devotions and allowing His Word to penetrate deep into our hearts, then our lives and habits will be different. It’s a GUARANTEE because that’s what God’s Word does. It changes you. It changes me. So this year, I encourage you to not merely go through the motions, but let the Word of God infiltrate every part of your life, so that others may see the beauty of a life lived in and with Christ. If you have a recommendation for a devotional, study, or plan, let me know! I’d love to create a list for everyone!
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