<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Surrendering]]></title><description><![CDATA[Ministry for encouraging the hearts of women.]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/my-blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:00:43 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.kristenhepner.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Wrinkles ]]></title><description><![CDATA[I won’t tell you how old I am, but I am old enough to have a grandbaby, a few wrinkles, and get a little nervous when I sneeze. If you know, you know.  So when I see a well-done advertisement that contains a dramatic before and after picture of a lady who used a little bit of cream under $20 and looks 15 years younger, I click on it.  Judge me if you need to make yourself feel better.  The aforementioned link will take me to a page warning me I’m leaving the addictive platform and usually...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/wrinkles</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a930dc6ca5c20d7201f4848</guid><pubDate>Sat, 29 Aug 2026 16:55:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2894e42c498c475ba7c21b3e77575feb.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Community ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Currently, I am in the beautiful season of life where I have drivers living in my home who don’t mind going to the store for me. Some people love to shop; I am not some of those people. I would rather do just about anything than go to ANY store ending in “mart”. So, I will get a text message from time to time that says, “Hey Mom, I am headed to the store, need anything?” Isn’t that so kind of them!?! And because I try to utilize all the blessings the Lord sends my way, I immediately send them...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/community</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a8c20bc27effade82b0b280</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 10:48:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_e5f42d07a3124ed88be9c30951998d09~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Hope]]></title><description><![CDATA[From a quick google search, hope is defined as, “an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes.” Our society often views hope as crossing fingers, coins tossed into wells, making wishes, or the happen chance of irony. As believers in Jesus, hope can be understood by knowing and believing in the character of God.             Time and time again, we see promises of hope in His Word. Isaiah 40:31 ~ But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/_hope</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a4e3a1363d657a917a1e17d</guid><pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:55:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_98f47080e8c74585989b2a7e654d6e82~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[24 Years]]></title><description><![CDATA[Look at those kids…just looking down those trusses… They didn’t know… They didn’t know the importance of the foundation they would need… They were just enjoying life…living each day to eat, drink, and be merry… Because they didn’t know where those trusses would lead them… Through meadows so beautiful it would take their breath away… Over waters so rough they felt like they would be tossed off those tracks… They would expand the line to the other side of the world… And add a few more of their...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/24-years</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0ef65a8fa816dacc7b94c4</guid><pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:21:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4117a_cf746f936d224b2a861e3c6ad931d685~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Perfect Weather]]></title><description><![CDATA[I went on a walk today. Currently, the weather is perfect with the temperature being 72°, and the sun shining warm on my shoulders accompanied with a cool breeze to keep everything just right. Everywhere I look there are azaleas blooming and the newness green of spring is on the tips of every tree. It’s breathtaking really. It's funny how sometimes our moods don't match the weather. Nevertheless, the Lord has given us this beautiful creation so that we can open our eyes and our hearts to what...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/perfect-weather</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69db8d3e43e56f31776d9150</guid><pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:20:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_e6c08a9eb8fb4bc28210a4ff39466df3~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Close the Gate!]]></title><description><![CDATA[My Ducks 	It was the 1 st  of April when I unwilling acquired a flock of foul. Ten chicks and two ducklings to be exact. They were the...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/close-the-gate</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68c94742eb24891320b8f552</guid><pubDate>Tue, 16 Sep 2025 11:24:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4117a_7701dca57c5c4fd6b4d71d3ee59fe23d~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Lesson to Wait]]></title><description><![CDATA[My baby turned seven years old this summer. For those of you who do not know me, that is a significant milestone. I became a mother at 20...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/a-lesson-to-wait</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68bcb7e18c49b59a19703219</guid><pubDate>Sat, 06 Sep 2025 22:45:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_263030e4d70d4f868d57c45ab08e63db~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Squirrels]]></title><description><![CDATA[There is some type of air rifle gun sitting beside the back door. It is intended for the squirrel that continues to invade the chicken...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/the-squirrels</link><guid isPermaLink="false">687cf56419f1db2c0b52e15d</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Jul 2025 13:56:18 GMT</pubDate><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Anniversary Thoughts]]></title><description><![CDATA[To my man, This month marks our 23rd anniversary. Twenty-three years of doing life together, of being each other’s person, sharing all...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/anniversary-thoughts</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6848732ae699f36c875e4646</guid><pubDate>Tue, 10 Jun 2025 18:22:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4117a_03085a5ef4d840b9958fbe871011671c~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Letting Go]]></title><description><![CDATA[Tomorrow my daughter is graduating from high school. Two days later, she is leaving to work at a Christian camp to serve the One who made...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/letting-go</link><guid isPermaLink="false">682b146392900f67eb5f4ee1</guid><pubDate>Mon, 19 May 2025 11:24:53 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4117a_ddec3f06ebba4c579891dfea44285d1a~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Potter and the Clay]]></title><description><![CDATA[*I had to write this for a class I am taking, but I thought it may encourage others.. “But the pot he was shaping from the clay was...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/the-potter-and-the-clay</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67f68f862ced550cf807309b</guid><pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2025 15:19:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2772befa53b543218aa8b138944c829c.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Overcoming my Inner Critic]]></title><description><![CDATA[It all started as I was innocently pausing to text a friend about some matter of logistics. Being in the zone and getting things done...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/overcoming-my-inner-critic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">670ad26163214eea755f0992</guid><pubDate>Sat, 12 Oct 2024 19:53:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6d67d1d687014cd2a0655b744edc387f.jpg/v1/fit/w_653,h_490,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Happy 18th Darcie Ann]]></title><description><![CDATA[Song credits: My Little Girl by Tim McGraw, Slipping Through My Fingers by Abba, My Wish by Rascal Flatts, A Father's Blessing by...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/happy-18th-darcie-ann</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6676f7cedfece89529d92021</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Jun 2024 19:01:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4117a_fbc485026a1b4f1bbdd58d96142a5e13~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Few Questions...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Who am I? What do I stand for? What makes me happy? What gives me life and purpose? How do I want others to view me? What does God want...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/a-few-questions</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6651fc6a45a680a22d7111c0</guid><pubDate>Sat, 25 May 2024 15:05:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_692d2d494e336376456a67~mv2_d_5184_3456_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Still the Same]]></title><description><![CDATA[After working for 15 years as a cross-cultural minister, then returning to my home country as one lady put it “as a normal person”, the...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/still-the-same</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65dbdb5e406d1478c8cd9fc4</guid><category><![CDATA[Life]]></category><category><![CDATA[Family]]></category><category><![CDATA[missions]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4117a_a8078497fa5f44f385ce02e3ebfe6a83~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_684,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Taking Off the Mask]]></title><description><![CDATA[Time for some real confessions. When I was 30ish, I MAY have stated that I would let my hair go gray…um, I don’t. It’s not that I do not...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/taking-off-the-mask</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6623e92c8c58de19b044e238</guid><pubDate>Sat, 20 Apr 2024 16:37:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d7693a9cc85747c9aef3160e74bf34b4.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[An Unexpected Visit ]]></title><description><![CDATA[There was a knock on the door and as any good Southern woman, you opened it and let them in. You told them to excuse the house, the one...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/an-unexpected-visit</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65ea2826a32c76e6d06afc7c</guid><pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2024 20:55:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/056e2cc0d46f4f01ae713483910b2502.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Familiar]]></title><description><![CDATA[I’ve spent the past 15 months trying to understand my thoughts and feelings. All it took for clarity to come, was one day back in the...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/familiar</link><guid isPermaLink="false">654839f420913cca67e8a347</guid><pubDate>Mon, 06 Nov 2023 01:10:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4117a_06581b973b7343c59382f84b88b99233~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Different]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of Josh’s favorite quotes is by C.S. Lewis and it says, “Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when we look back...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/different</link><guid isPermaLink="false">64b9450361ae80d466f8cd41</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Jul 2023 14:30:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/b4117a_7381c8885bd7438b9aa345d5e4166588~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Our Living Water]]></title><description><![CDATA[I’ve been thinking a lot about water lately; and in so many ways. One way that I am constantly reminded about water is that my daughter...]]></description><link>https://www.kristenhepner.com/post/our-living-water</link><guid isPermaLink="false">647f230d9f1121c164ccfc27</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Jun 2023 12:22:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9824e3f3ba3a43eaabd89194d5ce55d7.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Kristen Hepner</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>