Fierce Marriage: 31 Day Pursuit

This past Valentine’s day I decided to get Jacob some German chocolate truffles and a study that would not only cultivate his soul and deepen his relationship with Christ but it would serve as a tool to strengthen our understanding of each other, our special bond and our quickly approaching marriage.

To start off a blog about what love looks like and feels like, I must say that I’m thankful for Jacob and the kind of man he is and chooses to be. He was not only excited about doing the study with me but at times, he became more disciplined to get into the book which helped inspire me to keep trucking through the chapters and learning more about how God designed marriage to be.

This is praiseworthy to me because Jacob is praiseworthy to me. There are a lot of men in the world who would have just laughed at a book like this but because of both his excitment and serious understanding of its purpose, I was able to flourish and my heart grew more soft. That in itself helps me know, yet again, that he is the man I have been waiting for.

Because we live such busy lives and have a long engagement, Jacob and I have been slowly digging into our 31 Day Pursuit Challenge books. The books in of themselves were written to compliment each other with their corrsponding days but its a seperate read for both the husband and the wife.

After finally finishing the challenge, I can say with both hands down that I’m thankful for this time. I’m learning how to love Jacob in ways he best feels loved, it’s pushing me out of the mindset to treat my relationship with him as something commonplace and its uprooting places in my heart where my sense of “self” is so strong, stubborn and destructive. This book was both painful in dealing with my own truths and yet healing for the special relationship that’s in the bond of marriage.

One of my favorite ideas learned through this study and others is that when a man feels respect- the woman feels loved. It is a beautiful cycle and when it’s in action both feel life, love and contentment. Because when a woman doesn’t feel loved, she tends to not respect her man. And when a man doesn’t feel respected, he tends to close off love/affection for her. And vice versa, the two have to work together. However, those “rules” sound, its easy to overlook them but wow are they important when it comes to how a man and woman were specially created.

So I want to challenge you to pickup a copy of both the husband and the wife 31 Day Pursuit books! Yes, the books were desiged for those already married of which Jacob and I aren’t fully yet. But I did find that it was possible to tweak parts of the book that are strictly for marriage. So I do recommend this book to those who are engaged and are about to be married. I, however, would not recommend this book to you if you are either single or dating. But will say that the wait is worth it, press into God and look forward to my future blog post on the joys/struggles of singleness (I have a whole lot to say on that one).

Wishing you all well!

-XOKriss

Bloomington, Indiana

If there is one thing I know how to do, it’s finding ideas and planning trips! At least I’m banking on that fact!

This time around I took a day trip with my best friend Heidy! I love the short window of time you get in a day trip. It helps you focus on exactly where you want to be.

For my trip with Heidy, I honestly just wanted to get in some solid girl time with her. There is something irreplaceable about Heidy and the friendship she offers up with her full heart.

It’s this heart that made me instantly want to be friends with her this time last year! And its a turning point that lead me to ask her to be a bridesmaid in Jacob and I’s wedding this coming fall- and might I add it’s in 135 days!

But back to our day! Last Saturday we left town around 11 a.m. and made the hour ish long drive to Bloomington, Indiana. I have always loved the drive because of the winding roads and just my general interest in living in Bloomington. We left town around this time too because it would set us up to getting in around noon and getting our fill of Thai food!

One of my favorite places to eat in Bloomington is the Siam house. I almost always go here for lunch if I’m visiting and I can guarantee that I have always gotten the pineapple curry. Its just the best combination of savory, sweet and spicy with that medium heat!

With full, happy bellies we started on a walk that would end up stretching about 3 miles (and I wasn’t even mad). We avoided the college party goers scene for some courthouse views and mini shops.

But the funny bit about us two ladies is that the thoughts of dessert doesn’t usually stay too far away! And that is even more true whenever we kept passing by shops with pastries and chocolates. So we wanted to find sugar stat!

We chose- drum roll- Rainbow Donuts! With a name like that and options such as donuts, cupcakes, cookies and coffee- how could you go wrong? The thing that makes this shop different is that their products are all vegan. And even though we’re not vegan, we still like to try new things!

However, my last experience with this shop wasn’t the best. I had a mixed berry glazed donut that just came off sour and dry. This time around I got two donuts to double my liking chances! One was a wild strawberry donut and the other was a cookies and cream donut. I liked the second best but I don’t think I can officially say I’m sold on their donuts.

After we got our donuts in their cute brown paper sack we headed to where we were going to eat them- Hopscotch Coffee.

Hopscotch is another place I’ve been to in Bloomington but this time it was kinda a first too. We went to their roasting building a couple of miles away from their sit down coffee shop.

I knew I would just love it for its A-frame nature, its minimism and the pop of my favorite color orange! And it didn’t disappoint.

The funny part though is that after walking that far to get there, it dawned on us that we actully wanted to sit down and talk with our coffee and donuts! So we made out like a baby and went to their other location!

To get there we took the B-line trail, photobombed a wedding, smelled all of the gross scented white flower trees and I got in some cute pictures of H.

The day ended with hunting for new journals at Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx, a sunset drive home and talks of planning a overseas trip in our future together! Fingers crossed!

Thanks for always being good to me Btown!

XOKriss

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Where to even begin! This past weekend I went with my darling best friend Emily to Fort Wayne, Indiana for a girls weekend trip. She was the driver/navigator and I was the “things to do” planner, even more proof that we just fit well in each others lives!

The trip started Friday afternoon when I drove to Em’s house then we finished the trip together to Fort Wayne. On our first night of the trip we went to a Rend Collective concert at a local church in the area. I love the opportunity that I get whenever a band tours and I get to experience them, their music and the deep passion they have for what they do. And it becomes amplified whenever that band is a Jesus loving band.

I’ve been a fan of Rend Collective for a few years ever since I heard their song “Lighthouse” on a local radio station. Whenever I heard it at the time I was going through a somewhat dark season of my life. It was dark and felt uncertain at times but the song reminded me of God’s goodness, His provision and just the fact that He does see me, He see’s us all of us in our highs, lows and even when we thought we didn’t exist to Him.

After the concert we went back to our Best Western hotel room to get all geared up to enjoy a soak in the downstairs hot tub. The funny bit was that when we got there we met three, and then eventually four, drunk on wine lady bowlers. We all talked about where we are all from and hearing that they knew about both Em’s and my hometowns made me smile with how everyone truly is connected in one way or another.

After that chill yet social time in the hot tub, and also whenever our “max hot tub time” ran out, we went back upstairs to pass out and fuel up for our busy busy Saturday!

First on our list was, of course, brunch because that’s just what girls do. We had so many options in Fort Wayne for coffee shops that also had a menu fit for a foodie. Our pick ended up being Fortezza Coffee, and I’m so glad.

Whenever I was in Grand Rapids I met and fell hard for caffe miels! Partly because of my love for nutmeg and partly because miel’s just sound like you’re meowing. So when we first got to Fortezza I was kinda bummed because they didn’t have that as an option on their menu. However, the barista looked rad, and how could he not be with his “filter coffee, not people” tee. So I just asked if I could still order one. Of course he said yes and my morning just got even better.

Emily and I ended up picking the same coffee and breakfast sandwich. She had never tried a miel before but loved the idea of the nutmeg. Long story short- she loved it! Our coffee was served and then our food followed.

After brunch we wanted to wander but not at the expense of freezing. Naturally we went to the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory that was about a five minute walk away. Ticket prices were great and we both ended up agreeing that it was one of the best Conservatories we had even been to. My most favorite moment was when we reached the very back of the greenhouse. There was a desert room that was filled with cacti and succulents. And the temperature was the cherry on top. It was dry, cool and the glass ceiling let in the most beautiful sun-rays. We ended up lounging on two benches and just talking about life, dreams and our general thought processes as of late.

A little friendship fun fact about Emily and I is that we are both going to school for the same thing, which is Art Therapy. I mean we both are in that season of “is this really what I want because grad school,” but truthfully that shared experience makes my heart so happy even if things seem a little unsure. I think the lovely bonus of that mutual career goal is that we just end up having a lot in common. So whats a potential Art Therapist to do on vaca? But go see some art.

However, like some planning goes the gallery ended up being closed. But the kicker is that the building itself is a work of art. Meaning that the front, sides, back, courtyard and even the roof was covered in street art and murals. I even peaked through some windows and the back fence to prove it!

After an impromptu photoshoot with the outside faux flower installation, we got to serious business and ordered some “snoop” burgers from Bravas. That burger is now in my top 3 favorite burgers. It was just so rich and somehow creamy. And with my decision to pair it was a house coleslaw, I tell you what! The shop also just was overall chill and in a quiet part of town. It just felt cozy as Emily and I enjoyed the pure silence that comes from loving what you’re eating.

With the hustle and bustle of a busy, adventurous day, Emily and I decide to head back to our hotel to wind down. Between comfy clothes and our own separate queen sized beds, we kicked back for a couple of hours before finishing our saturday with another coffee/tea run at Conjure Cofdee, thrifting, getting sushi for dinner and relaxing with the lush products that Em picked up for us.

On our Sunday Funday we decided to keep the spa like feelings from the night before, going. Because of my inability to sleep much past 9 a.m., I woke up around then and just laid in bed thinking about the weekend and wondering if Emily was alive. Ha! Just kidding! I had just forgot that she burrows under her blankets in her sleep. When she got up we went downstairs to load up on the continental breakfast. I got a collection of scrambled eggs, steel-cut oats with some honey glazed granola and raisins plus one of the pears I brought with me for the weekend. We brought it all upstairs and had breakfast in bed while watching a couple of episodes of The Office.

With how all good things come to an end, we packed up our bags, got in the car and headed out. But the kicker is that we weren’t heading home just yet! About fifty minutes southwest of Fort Wayne is Upland, Indiana. And honestly I have been meaning to visit for a really long time. My best friend from high school choose to go to Taylor University and from there she met her man, had two gorgeous babies and settled in.

One of the places that she devotes a lot of her time to is a coffee shop called The Bridge Cafe. She is the head barista, baker of all things yummy, photographer of the coffee shop and has a place on the shelf to show her personal photography (plus probably so much more)! So to say that I was kinda stoked to finally be there, visiting her, trying my first lavender caffe miel- was wonderful!

You can see her work at https://www.birchandolive.com/

& Back home we go!

Thank you for sitting in on my storytelling time! The weekend brought a lot of good conversations, rest, exploring, food and drink and it all makes me wish I had named my blog something like- this freakin blessed life. Because I count myself incredibly lucky.

I hope you all are well!

XOKriss

Grand Rapids, MI

This past weekend I traveled up to the mitt and spent some much-needed time with my best friend Ashley.

On our first full day together I got some much-needed extra sleep, had brunch with Ashley and her husband Jake and then us ladies headed out to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. They were having a month-long butterfly exhibit in which hundreds of butterflies are free to fly around from flower to flower. Sadly none of them decided to land on us.

Ashley and I have been friends for a couple of years and our friendship has seen us through so many different seasons in each other’s lives. One thing I value about our connection is that I never have to fear to be me. I am far from perfect and I have my fair share of good days and bad days. But with Ashley, I can always count on open arms and the warmest of hearts. I definitely encourage you to find her on Insta @mrs.ashley.lewis and hint hint it’s a good time too because she is preggers!

After getting a dose of butterflies, plants for days and a little too warm for my bodies liking, we headed out to Madcap for coffee and conversation. Meeting up with someone over coffee will always be a favorite pastime for me. It warms my soul in ways that few things can and allows time with that one person, for a true connection to be had.  And goodness did we have fun talking!

^In this picture, I just really enjoyed seeing this man enjoying where he was and how peaceful that looked for him.

Our day ended up in some delicious Thai food at Bangkok Taste Cuisine in downtown. I ordered red curry with coconut milk, various vegetables and chicken (spoiler alert: I’m not vegan but I’ll blog about this topic later)! Best part was that the order was so large that I could take half home to eat for breakfast the next day.

And I sure did! Sunday morning dawned and we were all up to get ready for church. Ashley had taken Jake to church earlier that morning because he is in the praise band, then came back for some downtime at the house with me. I always miss my church and the family I have found there whenever I am away. It makes me think about ways in which I could go deeper and be more of the body of Christ. But with that said I still enjoyed my time at The Well that Sunday morning and the life that it spoke into my life.

After church, we indulged in donuts for lunch. A whole meal spent just eating donuts = the life! I think the best part about it was where we were at. We got our donuts from the shop Cindy’s Donuts and Ice Cream but when we got there the Sunday crowd was definitely gone and we got to enjoy the whole place to ourselves. This feeling of calm and peace would be exactly how I would sum up the whole trip. I feel like it gave me a break from my norm, gave me perspective and -my favorite- gave me some wonderful moments with great people!

Till Next Week!

XOKRISS!

Tea & Getting to Know Kriss

My name is Kristen Marie Cutter. I currently live in Central Indiana. My days tend to be filled with some of my most favorite things like my fiancé Jacob, our fur babies Tyson (dog) and Phoenix (cat), some of the best friends and family a girl could ask for, a camera, a pair of travelers legs and a heart that is full of joy. I truly feel like I am living the best life.

A lot of my days are also spent either at work or at school. I work as an assistant at my local library while I am going to school full-time. My areas of study are in both psychology and fine art. Next spring I will be graduating with a major in Psychology with two minors, one in fine art and the other in counseling. After graduating I plan on continuing into grad school to become an Art Therapist.

This path has been my goal for a couple of years now. Before that, I had taken 3-4 years off between High School and College so that I could really find myself while traveling my country and a little outside of it. That time was everything I needed to then focus in on the future and the life that I truly wanted and that fit who God created me to be.

My relationship with Jesus Christ is at the epicenter of everything I do, it’s what makes it worthwhile for me. Some could claim that He doesn’t exist, but whenever you do come (metaphorically) face to face with Him- there is nothing else that makes more sense than that moment. And it’s that moment and those daily moments with Him that drives me. To publish an “about me” without that truth would be like saying the earth doesn’t need oxygen.

Whenever I’m not at work or school, you can always count on me taking pictures. I can’t help but see things and want to capture them, to hold onto them forever. I think I first started doing this because I felt as though my memory isn’t like other people’s or that really I’m plain forgetful. I feel like major moments in life slip out of my memory but moments like 3 years ago at a cafe in Berlin, Germany, stay with me forever. I remember sitting there and feeling the warmth of my cup in my hand and the sweetness of hazelnut spread on a piece of crusty toast but somehow forget going to Disney for the first time when I was a child. Life is funny like that, isn’t it? Some things stay with us forever while the rest just turns into personal history.

So this blog will be forever a place for all past things to exist for forever, for beautiful and simple moments to be highlighted and for honesty to ring true. This blog is from me to you and for all of the moments frozen in time.

XOKRISS