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Sheretta

January 25, 2012 //
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The power of a run. It’s illustrated by the connection I have with Sheretta.

Sheretta is a shy woman, almost 26, single mom and just moved out of a homeless shelter. Sheretta is also a Member of Back on My Feet. Yes, the kickass organization I work for.

In March 2011, I went for my first run with Sheretta. We literally got stuck running together because we’re the same height, same pace, same sense of humor. Starting out for a two mile run, I would ask Sheretta about life… no response. About her kids… one word answer. I have vivid memories of running through the streets of downtown Dallas in utter silence, not because I didn’t have anything to say (HA!), but because I knew I didn’t need to.

Today, we can’t stop talking. She knows my heart, she knows my love for laughter and she definitely knows I’m not the best babysitter.

I’m not writing all of this today to ask for money (that’s my day job). I am writing this today - and you can see what D Magazine wrote about Sheretta - because we need to turn her new house into a home.

In December 2011, Sheretta moved into a three bedroom townhome. Today, she is still sleeping on an air mattress with her angels, Taylor and Tylor. With two kids under the age of five, Sheretta’s family needs a whole lot of everything!

  • Two twin size beds
  • One full/queen size bed
  • Dining room table and chairs
  • Dressers, one for each member of the family
  • Two desks
  • Lamps
  • Shelves
  • Curtains
  • Rugs
  • Chairs

I am personally renting a truck on Saturday, January 28th to help pick up donated, low-cost items. If you have an item which you would like to donate to Sheretta, Taylor (five year-old girl) and Tylor (two year-old boy). Please email me at kristenkouk@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

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Categories kristen, life, running

Alfred

October 24, 2011 //
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Saved a life with some paper hats from Dollar General. 

Whole-hearted prayers were whispered today. Chest exploding, soul strained, burning SOS signals up to Him. Never felt more like a vessel. It wasn’t me speaking. It couldn’t have been me speaking, because I know exactly what I would’ve said. I’ve said it before about my brother and it sounded something like… you selfish sonofabitch.

With the events of today, questioning of His plan has seriously infiltrated the brain. Why couldn’t you give me someone to walk with through this?

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Not to sound prideful, but I did rock the situation despite some minor internal freak the eff outs. I know You hand me things I can handle. And I can. But Batman has Alfred dude.

Maybe I’m not giving enough credit to the ones I called today. Parents, friends, experts. They collectively make up my Alfred. But I highly doubt they would all fit in the queen size bed for a sweet cuddle sesh.

Not inferring that a significant other would have made things easier today, but it kind of would have.

K

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Categories dating, kristen, life

The List: Marathoner

September 7, 2011 //
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I am glad this post is about delayed gratification because it’s taken me a month to actually start and finish it. Boatloads has happened this month future husband. I have a greater understanding of who you are after struggling with pastoral advice, debating aggression with my community group and ultimately deciding my fifteen year old sister knows much more about Christian dating then eHarmony.

Actual conclusion after sisterly discussion…  I have been dating giraffes. Giraffes are ungodly men. I know the cutest giraffes. I can approach giraffes. I understand how giraffes are wired. I can seduce a giraffe. I’ve aced the giraffe test. Bunnies are godly men. I began this journey (writing The List) knowing that I wanted to marry a Christian, but with little clue on how to attract a bunny. Bunnies are an enigma. I don’t know what they look like or what they like to do. I don’t know where to find them. I don’t know how to act or flirt. I don’t even know how to let them open the door without having a self-reliance meltdown.

But much has been revealed to me wise grasshopper blog reader. So expect a boatload of additions to The List in the near future. Thanks to my church home, I’ve found a boatload of badass Christian men.

You have to be a marathoner. Literally would be awesome, but spiritually and mentally are required. You will train for marriage like training for a… well, a marriage. A lasting, healthy, ripple causing, ground shaking marriage between two equals pursuing Christ together. You will model endurance, faith and stamina. You will know the finish line is worth the effort.

I will wait for you. See both here and here for my favorite reminders. And in the meantime, I’ll attempt to walk the talk. I will train for marriage and parenthood. (That’s right, readers… parenthood. Fostering and adoption have been placed on my heart.) I will invest in myself and others.

Before we go on our first date, I will:
a// dive into prison ministry and take steps towards sharing with those that need a reminder of God’s grace
b// lose twenty pounds and run a half marathon to remind myself I am strong in other ways
c// quit drinking for one month and in doing so, destroy an idol and become more Christ-like
d// continue ministering to and supporting my parents while learning from them

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”

Oh, and…
e// write a complete list of detailed must-haves for my future husband

K

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Categories dating, life, running, the list, values

Big Compassion Boat

August 6, 2011 //
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“Well, maybe you’ll meet a doctor.”

Because that’s why one would consider a life changing dedication to a cause which affects thousands in dire need, to meet a doctor. Peepaw owes me an apology.

Poopaw? He freaked out in the not good way; the way when you question your parenting toolbox after your daughter confesses she wants to give up a salaried position for “no good reason.”

Here’s a darn good reason.

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

For those readers that have the same issues with guilt as I do and automatically assumed someone done did me wrong, I’m referring to a different kind of mercy and interpreting the aforementioned verse with this definition of mercy in mind… alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed.

A perfectly random and hypothetical example of a merciful act like performing more than 56,000 operations that are free to patients such as cleft lip and palate, cataract removal, straightening of crossed eyes, orthopaedic and facial reconstruction. 

Barriers to serving this mission?

1) Convince parents that I am merely God’s temporary wealth manager. It ain’t my money. Plus, I’ve had a history of bad financial decisions. 2) Convince myself that I am one big tool. I am merely God’s skilled tool to service those deserving mercy while floating on one big compassion boat. 

Clearly, genius has turned into madness.

K

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Categories life, values

The List: Generosity

July 12, 2011 //
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Our God is generous. Tonight’s lesson from The Porch underlined what I’ve been practicing (read: attempting to practice) in my everyday life. I’ve been handing out cold water bottles when I see a need in an alley with a baby stroller full of beer, giving someone change for a pay phone (if those still exist) to call for a ride and donating cleaning products to a friend of mine for her new snazzy apartment.

This is the beginning of a series, The List. I’m hoping for it to outline the qualities I seek in a future husband. Enumerating characteristics does not mean he will materialize before my eyes, I understand. However, with my history of poor decisions, these thoughts are a crucial piece of my self-imposed relationship recovery.

Proverbs 11:25 “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

I want a husband that is generous. A man who gives his time, his wealth and his resources to others because gifting others praises God. I don’t want him to donate because it makes him feel better about himself or to impress others. I also don’t want to have to initiate this giving, it must be inherent. I want him to fully dedicate himself to a cause. A passionate man, driven to improving the welfare of others. The male version of Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act II.

K

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Categories dating, kristen, life, the list, values
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