Feature Friday: Back Roads To Belonging by Kristen Strong // Book Review

I am a big reader. I usually have at least two books going at one time, sometimes more. Once in a while, you read a book that really impacts you and you just know you have to share it with everyone else. This is one of those books.

At one time or another, shifting seasons in family, friendships, employment, and communities will bring each of us face-to-face with the feeling of being on the outside looking in. Because we are made for connection, this will often lead us down one of two roads. Either we will hop on the popular but crowded highway that asks us to do whatever it takes to get noticed, or we'll stand still, paralyzed by the fear that we're not important, loveable, or worth other people's time and attention.

But what if there is another way? With an understanding voice that will speak into your own circumstances, Kristen Strong walks beside you along the less traveled but more satisfying third way--the back road way--to belonging: remaining in Christ and relaxing into the unique role God has for you. Along the way, you will learn simple, doable actions that not only will help you feel and know that you belong but will welcome others in as well.

My Review

It's superficial, but I am a sucker for a great cover. This one is so unique! The material is textured, which really enhanced the water color illustration and then there's the beautiful lettering. Someone did a wonderful job with this cover. I just had to mention it!

I think everyone seeks to belong. Look at all the "squad goals" and "crew" and "tribe" posts on social media. We are made for community and we crave it. When we're young, it's relatively easy to find. We're in school, sports, music, theater, art. The people we do things with become our belonging place. But then we grow up. Maybe it's still not too bad in college, because there are groups you can join, ready made community. For those who don't go to college, or when we are done with college, what does belonging look like? How do we find that community? This wasn't taught in school and so we flounder around, lonely, and wondering what it's going to take for us to feel like we have a place.

Kristen Strong gets it. As an Air Force wife, she's moved all over the place. New place, new people, starting over again on the outside. Through this book, she uses personal examples, stories from others, and Biblical characters to show what finding a belonging place looks like.

There are three sections: Wandering, Finding, and Inviting. Belonging is not a "one and done". We are journeying on these "back roads" our whole lives because our belonging places are changing. When you graduate from high school or college, your belonging place changes. When you get married or have kids, your belonging place changes. When your kids grow up and you're an empty nester and a grandparent, your belonging place changes. With the seasons of our lives, the groups we are a part of will change. This is a concept I'm just now starting to grasp and accept.

When life changes and we find ourselves without a place of belonging, it's time to "find". This requires action. You can't find if you're not looking. You have to be out there seeking, asking, joining in. If you sit at home and wonder why no one is reaching out to you, go out and find! This is hard and scary for many of us. I'm an introvert, so strangers are not really my thing, but I know that I need community and I'm going to have to take steps to find it.

Once you've found a belonging place, now it's time to "invite". There are others who are still at "find" and you can be a part of bringing them into their belonging place. Remember how you wished someone would approach you? Now be that person for someone else.

There were so many chapters where it seemed like Kristen was writing exactly about my life. I kept underlining and highlighting things and sometimes, something would just stop me and I'd think, "this is what God has been teaching me and showing me". It would be phrased in the perfect way to bring my thoughts all together.

Despite social media (which is good and has its place), people are lonely and missing community but don't know how to find it. This book provides a way to start. It teaches you how to go about finding your belonging place.

Don't lose sight of two things: your belonging place is never set in stone. It will change, but ultimately, your belonging place is in Christ, and He never changes. He walks these back roads with you and you will always belong to Him.

 I do have to say, on occasion there was some little thing that pricked me as maybe off. Nothing that I can pinpoint for sure to give an example and certainly nothing to make me not really like this book and recommened it. I think it was usually in the Belonging Blessing section.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own. A favorable review was not required.