Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Peace in the Process
    • Bringing Home More Than Groceries
  • Contact

Out of the Wilderness

February 11, 2009 by Kristin Leave a Comment

(This post was inspired as I did a lesson in “Walking by Faith: Lessons Learned in the Dark” by Jennifer Rothschild. I’m doing this Bible study with some women at church. And while faith is a broad subject, hearing lessons from a blind woman has offered many practical analogies that have spoken to me.)

“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. … For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land … and land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing. …” –Moses to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 8:2, 7

It took the Israelites 40 years (and two attempts) to make it to their Promised Land. The faced obstacles + complained along the way. Yet they learned God is faithful — to his people + his promises. Through the wilderness, they were refined. Then when their journey ended, God was still with them. Always.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” –Moses to Joshua and the Israelites in Deuteronomy 31:8

So our journey wasn’t 40 years, but the time we spent trying to conceive was like a wilderness journey for us. The medicine that helped me ovulate worked well enough that my cycles became regular. But it made me emotionally crazy. And we still weren’t getting pregnant. I had an exploratory surgery that revealed my tubes were blocked, thanks to my new diagnosis of endometriosis. More of the same medicine, hoping that with one unblocked tube, the process could work. More emotions. Still no pregnancy. Another procedure later revealed both tubes were unblocked. We considered it a hopeful sign. But, still, something wasn’t working.

We visisted a reproductive endocrinologist in Nashville. He did more tests, which meant more blood work, and spoke truths about the miracle of conception. That’s what I still remember: To conceive a baby is a very perfect process in that everything in the woman has to be right while everything in the man has to be right too. At the same time. Any imperfections in our complicated bodies could disrupt the process. It reminded me that new life is a miracle.

He was encouraging in that he didn’t provide us false hope. Not that nobody meant to, but their hopefulness was based on their knowing our desire to have a baby. While I appreciated that kind of support, I really was a place in my journey that I needed the specialist’s practical truth, which turned out to be: “I believe your best chance to become pregnant is through in-vitro fertilization.”

At that moment, I felt a peace in my heart.

Not peace I wanted to do in-vitro, but because of what Greg + I had decided before the appointment: If the doctor said in-vitro, we were going to pursue adoption. So hearing the doctor say “in-vitro” was like God guiding us down a new path.

There still was uncertainty, but we had peace. We didn’t know how/when we’d meet a birth mother. We hardly knew anything about the adoption process. We didn’t know how we’d have the money to pay for the process. But we trusted our Guide.

And he led us to our Promised Land. To our daughter.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: adoption, faith, quotes

Comments

  1. Teaque says

    February 11, 2009 at 11:44 pm

    As always – I admire you for sharing something so personal. There were even a few posts I hadn’t read from way back when. I loved the one about the birth mother – and the Catherine connection – made me cry. I think all your writing will be so helpful to Cate when (and if) she becomes interested in her birth mother. And of course – praying that there will be another adoption story for you to tell.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let’s Connect

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our ninth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear sixth-grade boy, and our joy-filled kindergarten girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

Subscribe for Updates

Recent Posts

  • Books of 2022 … so far
  • Helping adopted teens belong
  • Laundry talk
  • Brave Ben & his broken heel
  • Fifteen

#PorchStories button

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

While the big kids went bow hunting yesterday, Gra While the big kids went bow hunting yesterday, Gran-Gran, Grandmom, and I took Rachel to @countrybumpkinfarm. It was perfect for her. She fed animals, played by herself, made friends, and played some more — for 3 1/2 hours. I found an Adirondack chair and finished my third book of the trip. 

#wisdells #wisconsindells #thirdchild #momlife #choosingJOY #favoritethings #88daysofsummer #summerisbest #wisconsin
These three went bow fishing today. Cate wasn’t These three went bow fishing today. Cate wasn’t even sure she wanted to go and the shot one right in the mouth — something the guide said he’d never seen in his 20 years of bow fishing! 

#momlife #wisconsindells #wisconsin #88daysofsummer #firstborn #boymom #girlmom #bowfishing #wisdells
We are having fun — and some forced sibling love We are having fun — and some forced sibling love — at @wildernessresort in Wisconsin Dells. We’ve played at four water parks here since we arrived yesterday afternoon. 💦

#WildernessWI #WildernessResort #roadtrip #88daysofsummer #TeamTaylor #reallife #wisconsin #wisconsindells #wisdells
Nothing like starting a road trip by finishing an Nothing like starting a road trip by finishing an @elinhilderbrand book. I’d held off reading “Winter in Paradise” because the premise that a father’s death exposes his secret life hits way too close to home. But, really, fiction books can be therapeutic. 

I appreciated the raw emotions of a wife, two brothers, and others learning of tragedy and processing the ripples of that moment. Of course, who doesn’t love a story set in the U.S. Virgin Islands? AND it’s this the first in a three-book series, and I’ve got the next two ready to go on my Kindle. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #kindlebooks #kindlepaperwhite #roadtrip
My kids had a yearbook signing party today. And ki My kids had a yearbook signing party today. And kids today don’t know how to sign yearbooks. Cate, my rising sophomore, says it’s because they have phones to take photos and text each other. She’s probably right. 

But the whole conversation and experience took me down memory lane. So much so, I got these yearbooks from my high school days off my bookshelf and read notes. Admittedly, I can’t remember a few people who proclaimed what a great friend I was and I never called some people who wanted to KIT — that’s Keep In Touch, kids — and left their phone numbers (and pager number in one instance!)! 🤣 

I also proceeded to text the three friends (well, really, five, because two girls married two guy friends of mine) with whom I do actually KIT. I have their numbers saved in my iPhone, thankfully. We have made grown-up memories together. We message and try to see each other. My husband knows their maiden names. 

Truly, how has it been 25 years since I graduated from Oldham County High School? I’m sitting on the porch now, rememebering how faithful God has been and thinking about how high school seems like a lifetime ago but also like yesterday. 💙

HAGS, everybody! 

#memorylane #highschool #livingfaithfully #yearbooks #choosingJOY #reallife
Cat nap! 💕 #catsofinstagram #thirdchild #napt Cat nap! 💕 

#catsofinstagram #thirdchild #naptimeshenanigans #PorchStories #reallife #88daysofsummer #summerisbest
A weekend mostly at home meant I read this domesti A weekend mostly at home meant I read this domestic thriller. I’ve always seen @diane.chamberlain.author’s books, but this was the first one I read. I’ve already downloaded others to my Kindle. 

Living with a secret is all Eve Elliot knows. Her life unravels when she confesses to what she knows and there are ripple effects for her husband and two daughters. I thought I had it all figured out and then there was another surprise right at the end! 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #kindlebooks #kindlepaperwhite #booklover #weekending
Little fish 🐠 big pool 💦 happy place ☀️ Little fish 🐠 big pool 💦 happy place ☀️

#poolpeople #thirdchild #88daysofsummer #choosingJOY #PorchStories #weekending #momlife
Well, COVID has changed our vacation plans. Honest Well, COVID has changed our vacation plans. Honestly, it’s hard to believe two-plus years later, and COVID is still interrupting all kinds of things. I know it’s a privilege to travel, but there’s still disappointment. Regardless, we can’t board a cruise ship in Canada on Monday to go to Alaska when my boy tested positive for COVID last night. (Yes, twice. 🤦🏻‍♀️)

But the real point of this post: we are regrouping and going to Wisconsin Dells next week. I’m excited to see somewhere new, even if it’s not what I’d been planning. Let’s be honest, the logistics to get to the cruise were already a lot, so maybe this closer-to-home trip is meant to be right now. 

Anyway, who has been to Wisconsin Dells area? We found a condo and have a list of things going, but I’m accepting all entertainment and restaurant recommendations.

#wisconsindells #reallife #covid_19 #covid #momlife #88daysofsummer #summervacation
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorites

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2022 Kristin Hill Taylor | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM