Kristen Strong - Back Roads to Belonging: Unexpected Paths to Finding Your Place and Your People

Its time to trade in the lie of being left out for the truth that theres a place where you were made to belong! Dont know how to get from here to there? Kristen is the kind of guide who will pick you up with coffee in one hand and a bouquet of real, honest stories in the other and drive you there in person, with music and laughter blaring all the way. This book is your instant invitation to belonging. All you have to do is accept it.

Lisa- Jo Baker , bestselling author of Never Unfriended and Surprised by Motherhood

This book is an invitation to sit on a front porch swing with Kristen Stronga woman who truly knows how to encourage and who understands what its like to feel alone and finally find your hearts real home. Ive considered Kristen a dear friend for years, and now Ill also think of her as my wise and helpful Belonging Mentor. Take a seat, turn to the first page, and you will too.

Holley Gerth , bestselling author of You re Already Amazing and Fiercehearted

Maybe this sounds like you: youre on the isolating back roads of lifemiles away from where you want to beand feeling like youll never find your way, like you ll never really belong. Along comes our friend Kristen, who deeply understand the struggle you face. She is a trusted companion who will point you to the One who is on those back roads with you. This book contains unforgettable lessons on belonging as well as specific action steps to help you find peace on days when it seems like youre all alone. Dont miss this book!

Jennifer Dukes Lee , author of It s All Under Control and The Happiness Dare

Back Roads to Belonging is a gentle, walk-beside-you companion for those longing for community and connection. The phrase back roads says it all. This is no strident, finger-wagging book. This isnt a book of instant solutions. It is a loving message from a friend who has been there and back again and speaks to us in a voice that is folksy and friendly, wise and warm. Now I understand that back roads, though they require patience, attentiveness, and a willingness to walk a quieter way, also offer beautiful views and intimate encounters. Kristen shares her own hard-earned wisdom and the wisdom of many others in order to remind us that no matter how far we wander, we can never wander outside of Gods love.

Christie Purifoy , author of Roots and Sky and Placemaker

Kristen s generous voice , using storytelling that is both hilarious and poignant , offers us the comfy cushion on the couch and the best throw pillow to hug against our fluffy spots as she scooches over to make room for our fears , our insecurities , and our we don t belong feelings , and then she leans in close and whispers in the pages , Belonging is woven into our being . It is a gift for us all , nothing asked , nothing earned . Back Roads to Belonging invites us to explore those woven places with Kristen , a trusted companion , who s picked at the threads herself and discovered a God who s stitched a masterpiece in each one of us and called us beloved .

Alia Joy , author of Glorious Weakness

We were created to belong, yet so many of us feel like we dont. On the outside looking in, we hold on to a hidden ache, wondering what defect we have that keeps us from being invited in. Our only option is to try harder, offer more, do whatever it takes. Or perhaps stop trying, stop caring, stop feeling. But what if there is another option? Kristen Strong shows us there is! Filled with stories we can relate to and powerful truths we need, Back Roads to Belonging shows us an uncommon path that leads to the place where we already belong.

Renee Swope , bestselling author of A Confident Heart and former radio cohost for Proverbs 31 Ministries

Kristens book is a wonderful testimony to the power of belonging. In a time when so many are held back by uncertainty, wrestle with insecurity, and are confused about their identity and calling, this book provides a neededand deeply practicalpath forward: rest and contentment in Jesus. Kristens words are deep and brimming with honesty, humor, and a realness that youll love and relate to. I found myself refreshed, challenged, and inspired.

Dominic Done , author of When Faith Fails: Finding God in the Shadow of Doubt

Who hasnt wondered, Do I belong here? And who hasnt staked her entire identity on the answer to that question? In Back Roads to Belonging , Kristen vulnerably tells her own stories of feeling out and finding her way in ... but maybe not in the exact ways youd think. Kristen shows us the view from the back roads, which require us to first belong to ourselves and to God before we will ever experience belonging with others. Finding our seat at the table is fulfilling, to be sure, and Kristen beautifully reminds us that our chair was there all along.

Leeana Tankersley , author of Begin Again

Our hearts ache for a place to belong, yet so often our fears and insecurities keep us from the journey God intends. With biblical insight and practical encouragement, Kristens grace-filled and powerful storytelling compels us to take the slow route to our own place of genuine belonging. The more I read Back Roads to Belonging , the more I want to find that place. Definitely a recommended read.

Jen Schmidt , speaker, host of the Becoming Conference, author of Just Open the Door , and founder of the Balancing Beauty and Bedlam blog