About the Author

Kristen Strong, author of Back Roads to Belonging and Girl Meets Change, writes as a friend offering meaningful encouragement for each season of life so you can see it with hope instead of worry. She and her US Air Force veteran husband, David, have three children and live in Colorado...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Kristen,
    What a sincere and uplifting manifesto. I read over it thinking of my friends and how I could do better on each of the promises. Just last night I got together with what I call my “Perseverance Posse”. We’ve been through so much with each other and I am blessed that our cord of friendship remains strong. They are my family and I don’t know what I’d do without them. I am guilty, however, of giving my best to strangers and reserving the not so great for family, so I thank you for the nudge to make and keep these promises. I love the image of taking pieces of others brokenness and weaving and cementing it into our own heart…may just be a project we will have to do together as a reminder of our commitment to each other. As always, great encouragement, Kristen!
    Blessings sweet friend,
    Bev xx

    • I am Margaret reeves trying to get to where I can place a order I want a picture for my daughter it is a wooden picture about daughter please

    • Oh, I could do better, too, Bev. For sure. But it shows my heart’s goal, and it’s good reminders for me as much as anyone!

      So thankful you’re here sweet lady!

  2. “The right heart holds everything together.” What a great truth, and so gospel-oriented. We can’t paint this kind of love on from the outside and hope it will stick. So thankful for my friends who do this for me and who inspire me to this kind of faithful love.

  3. “broken & poured out…”(Luke 7:37), your writing causes me to remember how amazing it is that we should be called His friend & then He empowers us to be a friend to others! God will pick up ALL the broken pieces of our lives & put us together with His amazing grace. I pray that as you continue to bless others that our Father God will continue to bless you & all those who receive through your truth. James 2:23 tells us….He calls us friend….GLORY!

  4. With your permission I want to print this manifesto and frame it so I can read it daily to remind me of the friend I want to be.
    The Bible tells us that if we want a friend we must first be friendly. I pray that we can become friendly to all we meet even if it is just a smile. One never knows who might need one at that very moment.
    Thanks for the reminder. I love the T-shirt saying “if you can be anything, be kind.”

  5. Kristen, I completely love the illustration of the broken plates and shards mosaics! And thank you for the friendship manifesto. So many good takeaways there!

  6. Kristen,

    Absolutely love the manifesto. I pray I can be that kind of friend to my people. This world desperately needs those kinds of people. It has become so divisive, crazy & unfriendly. I had dinner Tuesday (4/17) with “Final Five”. We worked together 3-5 years. We’ve been through heartache, pain, & loss. I worked hard at finding a date to bring us all together for what may be a final time. One gal is moving to NC. We all have lives to live, families, jobs, etc. Still I make the effort to stay connected with them. We need each other. We are a safe place for each other. Everything is shared-good, bad & ugly. God made us for community. He expects/commands us to be there for each other. Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. We need to take the shards of each other’s lives & try to piece them together & make a beautiful mosaic of true friendship.

    Blessings 🙂