Kaitlyn E. Bouchillon's Blog, page 18

look for the light

It isn’t even slightly unusual for me to receive several “stop what you’re doing right now and go look at the moon!!!” texts in one night.

My people know me well. They’ve traveledenough roadswith me to understand the joy their text will bring.

While I was in college, I’d often stop right in the middle of the sidewalk, somewhere in between the library and my dorm room, and tilt my face toward the sky for a good thirty seconds.If the moon isfull and I’m driving, there’s a decent chance I’ll pul...

Two Words for November 9th (And Every Day to Come)

Criss-cross applesauce, pen in hand, I watched the election results come in as I made the first marks in my first journaling Bible.

I flipped back and forth every few minutes, muting the television and praying, then listening and watching it all unfold.

I put the pen down to check Twitter, spent all of eightseconds scrolling, and picked the pen back up because my gosh, it was all just so much. (It still is.)

More praying, less scrolling. More journaling, less panicking.

Rejoice. Pray. Give...

here we are, one year later

For 73 days I sat on a secret.

Which isn’t that long, really, since I waited an entire year before saying anything about my tattoo.

365 days ago I shared the news I had written and rewritten in my head a minimum of fifteen times: So, I wrote a book. (#what)

Not “oh hey, I think I might write a book!” or even “I’m in the middle of writing a book.”

Nope, wrote. Past tense. Over. Done. Complete.

And you showed up strong. You tweeted and messaged and left celebration emoji comments on Instagra...

One Easy Way to Share Your Story Today (Even if You’re Scared)

Do you believe your story matters?

Before it’s all wrapped up with a bow? Right now, in the middle of the mess and the unknown?

In between bills and dreams and the seemingly ordinary?

I do. I believe it does.

If something is tugging inside, prompting you to open your mouth and share, move your fingers across the keys and begin typing, schedule a coffee date and encourage a friend…. but you’re scared, you don’t know where to begin, or you’re convinced your story is still too “in process”?

We...

why I no longer pray for clarity

As soon as a big decision was madelastweek, another presented itself. Because, life. These words, written in the Notes section of my phone over the summer, seemed especially appropriate to share today.

For several months now, too many to count on two hands, I’ve been in a perpetual state of unknown.

I say and think “I don’t know” basically always. (Which is, as you can imagine, super fun andcomforting for a Type-A planner.)

The more time passes, the less I know. The more I learn, the less I...

so yeah, maybe your story isn’t actually over

Two weeks ago I was asked to teach bible study for some of my favorite women in the world. And we should just get one thing straight right away: I used to hate speaking {with every ounce of my being} but now I kinda love it.

Basically I’m a complete mess with it but God always shows up and so it’s kinda really fun.

This past spring and summer, several women from our church gathered together and wrote an eight-week study on Matthew 7:7-11. This past Monday was the first night and I unexpected...

on life and mountaintops and valleys

Giants loom, waves crash and the fire burns.

Can you and I agree not to waste any time pretending that life is a cakewalk or an endless parade of sunshine and unicorns and magical happy moments? Those moments and days and seasons exist, to be sure. They are real and lovely and such a gift.

But let’s be honest, life is also real hard. It’sbeautiful and brutalat the very same time.

I face a giant
In over my head
Help me to look up
I take a deep breath
And take the next step
Though I may b...

The Spiritual Practice of Asking “Where Are You?”

“Be where your feet are.”

Last Tuesday, I sat in seat 3 on row V in a darkened auditorium. Amy Grant was center stage, wearing a long flowing dress and effortlessly displayingwhat it looks like to combine grace, hospitality and wisdom.

She walked onto the stage, said “my job here tonight is to make this big space feel like a living room,” sang a few songs, and then utteredthose five small words.

Be where your feet are.

For several months now, I’ve routinely asked myself, “Where are you?”

I’m...

roots before branches

In a social-media-crazy-world of likes and follows and numbers, I often find myself reaching for the next fill-in-the-blank. We’re endlessly rung-climbing and I’m not really sure where any of us think we’re going. We’re just climbing up and up and growing out and out and working hard to be bigger and better, more this or that or who even knows.

If we’re all trees, it sure can seem like we’re more focused on branches than we are the roots that keep us standing when the storms come, the roots...

stories on the shelf

At any given point, I have up to seven books piled on my makeshift nightstand. If you take into account the bookshelf that is overflowing, the three stacks of books under the bed, the Kindle app that is a bit overloaded and the dozen or so books waiting patiently in the corner of the room, well, you might say that I have a bit of a problem.

It’s September 12th and I’ve read 40 books this year.

Every once in a while, if I truly love the book, I share a good read here on the blog or in my month...