Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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{God-sized Dreams} The Dreams

January 8, 2013 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I’ve written some abstract posts about dreaming as my mind and heart sorted through the ideas and thoughts. Consider this my attempt to outline those dreams. Holley Gerth‘s words of prompting and encouragement, for which I’m thankful in this new year, have inspired this process.

The Mission 
I believe God has created and called me to communicate stories from my own life and others’ lives for families to know God as the author and creator of every detail through writing, promoting and serving. 

Do you have a mission statement? If not, here is an awesome, practical guide.

The Dreams

  1. Pursue publishing a non-fiction motherhood book I’ve been writing.
  2. Continue praying God would lead us to a birthmom for our third adoption. 
  3. Build an on-the-side freelance business.

God-sized dreams aren’t about size. They’re about trusting God as you follow him in what he has for you to do. What do you sense God calling you to do this year?

“(God) gave us the ability to take action because he wants us to freely move forward rather than him forcing our steps. … God can handle the big. When you start out, it’s okay for your part to simply be the small.” 

{Holley Gerth  in The “Do What You Can” Plan}

The Next Steps {The Book}
I’ve taken some steps already. My four best everyday friends have a copies of my rough draft. My friend of 22 years and my mom have their copies too. Three professional journalists — a dear friend I made as I was leaving the newsroom and she was coming in, the columnist who mentored me just as I was choosing my college and career path, and my hardest yet favorite professor — have my words in their hands too. And a stranger I connected with through Holley Gerth’s Dream Team has it in her inbox.

Sure, I want them to edit it for grammar and sentence structure, but I also want to know what they think about the format and concept. Does it work? And where do I go from here? Do I need more? Should I research self-publishing? Once I start hearing back from them, I’ll go from there and see where it takes me.

The Next Steps {Adoption}
We have our home study updated, although it’s not going to be valid that much longer. Thankfully, updating it again isn’t a big deal. We believe God wants us to expand our family with a third adoption. We have no idea how or when. So we’re waiting.

Meanwhile, we’ll continue telling people our story, which includes the hope of meeting a birth mom. This is one of those dreams is totally out of my control.

The Next Steps {For Hire}
Most of what I’ve done promotions wise has been volunteer at this point. Since quitting my job as a newspaper reporter, I’ve helped a state senate candidate I believed in, written press releases for a local political party and the private school my daughter attends that I hope expands, begun and continued managing and promoting our two vacation rental lake houses, helped friends promote some events, organized three concerts {Shaun Groves and Slugs & Bugs … twice}, designed wedding programs for relatives and invitations for birthday parties, bridal showers and baby showers for myself and friends, and planned numerous birthday parties and events.

I’d like to channel some of that experience into an on-the-side freelance business that I’ve named KHT Promotions. I have self-taught graphic design, photography and scrapbooking skills I can incorporate. I love to use social media. Honestly, I’m not sure what the next steps are, but I’m guessing they’ll involve promoting my promotions company. I do have a Facebook page that I’ll need to be more active on.

But, until then, I leave you with this:

“… Goals aren’t ultimatums; they are simply directions. We are in charge of them — they’re not in charge of us. Goals can be changed, adjusted, or dismissed any time. … Pursing a goal gets us moving, but it’s still God who determines our ultimate destination.” 

{Holley Gerth in The “Do What You Can” Plan}

________

Read more about God-sized dreams at Holley Gerth’s blog. Want more? Subscribe to get “Insights” in your inbox. Or follow me on Twitter.

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Filed Under: adoption, faith, God-sized dreams, writing

Comments

  1. Jessica Stinson says

    January 8, 2013 at 1:33 pm

    Cheering you on every step of the way, Kristen! I am so honored to be on this journey with you and believe that we are in for BIG things in 2013. XXOO

    Reply
  2. sonyamacdesigns says

    January 8, 2013 at 2:46 pm

    You go girl … I love the way you mapped it all out … we have several skills in common and I also love that!

    Reply
  3. Ashley Wells says

    January 8, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    You've got some amazing dreams! I'm excited to watch them unfold as you pursue them!!

    Reply
  4. A Journey For Life says

    January 8, 2013 at 8:10 pm

    Praying for all these amazing things going on for you!! So glad we have connected and can't wait to meet you in the live. You are a very inspiring person!! Oh and we used the Mad Libs style to do mom missions in a mom's Bible study group, it was awesome!! I am have Holly's book, just now need to find time to read it.

    Reply
  5. Anne says

    January 8, 2013 at 10:39 pm

    Praying for those next steps! I'm inspired by your clarity and vision. Keep pushing and pursuing! Can't wait to see what doors open.

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth Anne May says

    January 9, 2013 at 1:57 pm

    Great job here! I love how clearly you've laid out your plans and how you're "going for it" not just in your writing, but also in starting a new business. Congrats on sharing and pursuing your own God-sized dream.

    Reply
  7. Jenn says

    January 9, 2013 at 11:22 pm

    inspiring reaidng your dreams.. excited for you as you persue them!

    Reply

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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.

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Old friends and live music are two of my favorite Old friends and live music are two of my favorite things, so having them together is the best. My friend Aaron and I went to multiple Dave Matthews Band shows together during our college years, so now two decades later it’s fun to do it again as grown ups with our spouses for a band that speaks truth into our lives. 

@needtobreathe put on the loudest acoustic tour I’ve ever seen, but it sure was good! And its encore of completely unplugged songs was especially sweet. 

#NTBlive #needtobreathe #bettertogether #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully #weekending
Happiness is … … a slow morning that gave me Happiness is …

… a slow morning that gave me a chance to finish reading a good book right after I fixed my favorite cinnamon toast. 

… some shade to invite me to pick some more weeds around the house. But why doesn’t my Apple Watch count this as exercise? It felt like exercise to me! 

… an appointment with my oldest girl for us both to get our nails done this morning. 

… my youngest girl’s last soccer game of the season, even though the heat made her a little grumpy. 

… pool time, another good book to read, my mom visiting for the second weekend in a row, a little more weeding, and a night at home with no specific plans. 

Happiness is everyday, normal life with my people, especially when it comes with a slower pace after a hectic week. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #soccermom #KHTreads #momlife #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #poolpeople #PorchStories
I regretted having to go to sleep last night befor I regretted having to go to sleep last night before I finished this book, so I picked it up at breakfast and didn’t do anything else until I finished it. 

I loved the Alaskan cruise setting, the quick love and understanding between Greta and Ben, and the realistic ways grief changes people. Well done, @jenniferesmith! 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #kindlebooks #booklover #kindlepaperwhite #reallife #weekending #recommendedreads #poolpeople #amreading
Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of s Happy Friday! 🎉 We’ve got four more days of school next week and then it’s #88daysofsummer! Obviously, we’re ready. ☀️ 

Here’s to a refreshing weekend with much anticipation of what’s to come! #weekending #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #thirdchild #momlife #summerisbest #poolpeople #PorchStories #maydays
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’ve already bou ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve already bought three copies of “Glad You’re Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences” by @walkerhayes and @craigallencooper to gift to specific friends. I’ve referenced this story in conversations this week and will likely recommended it for years to come. 

This story is about two seemingly different guys befriending each other because their kids were on the same baseball team and their wives became friends. They kept showing for each other, encouraged each other, and changed each other for the better. In fact, their friendship was the catalyst for Walker deciding to follow Christ. 

Give me Applebee’s on a date night, a real-life story of how we are eternally better together, and an audiobook that makes me want to drive and I’m a happy girl. I’m fancy like that. 

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I’m majorly behind on laundry, dishes, emails, a I’m majorly behind on laundry, dishes, emails, and to-do lists. Birthdays, a field trip, end-of-school things, squeezing in some friend dates, and just general life with three kids have occupied much of my time. But my friend @whitneyrscott at @blushsalon did tend to their shaggy hairs. So check! 

#momlife #reallife #girlmom #boymom #maydays #siblinglove #livingfaithfully
What I’m wearing … I don’t wear in jewelry, What I’m wearing …

I don’t wear in jewelry, but I love having bracelets that mean things to me. 

Today my friend Monica and I talked to our oldest daughters’ high school health class about adoption. My other friend @megandelaneythomas invited us because she recently taught about the reproductive system and wanted the class to hear about adoption as an option. We talked about adoption as a process, redemption to broken circumstances, and picture of God grafting us into his family. We shared resources and advice on counseling for abortion, befriending people who have made different relationships choices, and parenting regardless of how God builds a family. 

I left that high school health class thankful for @ncca.lions and the opportunities my kids have had to learn about real things in the context of the gospel. I’m also grateful for this adoption bond Monica and I share with our kids who are the same ages. I’ve always said, adoption is relational to its core, far beyond just bringing a baby home. That circle widened a little today, and I’m glad to welcome others into pieces of our story. 

Also, how fun are these bracelets @katie_cunningham85 gave me last week for my birthday? Today seemed like the perfect time to wear them along with my Romans 8:28 reminder — “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Things working together for the good in Christ doesn’t mean easy or convenient. But it does mean all the details and relationships matter. I’m forever grateful for how God built my faith and my family through adoption. Wearing these sweet reminders is good for my soul. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #adoptionislove #adoption #PeaceInTheProcess #authorlife #bettertogether #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #firstborn #girlmom #boymom #reallife @scott_monica_bidwell
Another new book from a popular author that was ex Another new book from a popular author that was excellent! @harlancoben is a great suspense writer, and this is among his best in my opinion. It picked up with an old character and references another character from another book. But this story is well done even without those details. 

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I’ve read many @lisascottoline books, and this o I’ve read many @lisascottoline books, and this one is definitely at the top of my list. I didn’t know much about it going in, but I especially loved the WITSEC portion of the storyline and the suspense that unfolded about what happened to the Bennetts. 

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