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 Blue} Their words are Jesus to me

August 29, 2013 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I emailed some friends a plea for prayers last week because I felt desperate and judged and frustrated. I was a little worried when I hit send that my friends would ignore my ramblings or perhaps even judge me more than the stranger already had. Most of these people I emailed have been in my house. We’ve watched each other kids. We’ve loved and disciplined and laughed and cried and broken down and built up and dreamed together. A couple people are online friends who have been on a God-sized dream journey with me and I figured the extra prayers wouldn’t hurt.

I shouldn’t have been surprised when I got texts, emails and phone calls saying: I love you. I love your family. The fact you care what kind of mom you are makes you a good mom. You are not alone. What do you need?

My friends held me up. They continue to spur me on. They continue to pray. They let me ramble clustered emotions.

_______

And then that same day I sent the vulnerable email, I turned up the radio {because, really, if it’s louder, won’t it drown out the frustrations with truth?} and heard song after song that I felt was for me.

“Hello, my name is child of the one true King/I’ve been saved, I’ve been changed, and I have been set free” :: From “Hello, My Name Is” by Matthew West

“I wanna live like there’s no tomorrow/Love, like I’m on borrowed time/It’s good to be alive” :: From “Good to Be Alive” by Jason Gray

“We can’t pretend to see the ending or what’s coming up ahead/To know the story of tomorrow/But we can stay close to the One who knows/We can trust our God/He knows what He’s doing/Though it might hurt now/We won’t be ruined” :: From “He Is With Us” by Love & The Outcome

“Step out on the edge/Don’t be afraid of it/And when you feel the rain/Call his name/He’ll find your in the hurricane” :: From “Hurricane” by Natalie Grant

_______

During the past couple days I’ve read in Ephesians about how we’re adopted as God’s children and he lavishes glorious grace upon us. And I’ve read more truth as I’ve clicked on links throughout the big ‘ole Internet that makes the world seem kind of small, really.

“Hope for Spicy Families” by Jen Hatmaker :: “One of my favorite truths from Scripture is that condemnation is a trick of the enemy, not the language of the heavens. Shame is not the rhetoric of redemption, so if we are a slave to it, we have moved outside the protective covering of mercy. And it is harsh out there, debilitating actually. If your inner monologue is constantly critical, endlessly degrading, it may be time to move a few feet back under the umbrella of grace. For there the yoke is easy and the burden is light. Then we can breathe and assess our own parenting with the same kindness we extend to others. You are doing a wonderful job. Parenting is mind-numbingly hard and none of us will be perfect at it and all of us will jack a thousand parts of it, and somehow, against all odds, it will still be enough.“

“Stop Second-Guessing” by Jennifer Camp :: “Stop pondering the ways you need to do life differently. Stop second-guessing where I am and what I love doing with you and how amazing and beautiful I’ve made you to be.”

_______

I shouldn’t be surprised. These songs and articles echo what God has been speaking to my heart. They seemed a little out of the blue to me, but God promises he’s with us. And I’m choosing to believe these songs and words and friends are Jesus in my life. 
________


I’m sharing this hod-podge post with Kristen Strong’s Out of the Blue series, which has reminded me God is always working. 

Want more stories? Like 152 Insights on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’. Subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

  • 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, community, faith, life, music, quotes

Comments

  1. Jennifer Camp says

    August 29, 2013 at 7:53 pm

    I saw you in my FB feed and hopped on over to say hi! Oh, friend, your words are balm for my heart. I am in this place, too. And I needed these beautiful reminders you've shared here. Yes, again and again. Thank you. Love you.

    Reply
  2. Mindy Estes says

    August 29, 2013 at 8:18 pm

    You are so not alone in having days like that. And I too have also discovered on those days if we just pray and worship and listen for Him, he will show up in the smallest things. Such as something a child says or in songs!

    Reply
  3. KristinHillTaylor says

    August 29, 2013 at 9:56 pm

    This adoption journey has been such a rocky ride – and we're only at the beginning! Thanks for your comment, Mindy!

    Reply
  4. KristinHillTaylor says

    August 29, 2013 at 9:56 pm

    I'm glad you hopped over. I'm going to email you soon. 🙂

    Reply
  5. KristenStrong says

    August 30, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    Beautiful, Kristin. Hooray and thank you Jesus for friends who got your back and songs that got your soul.

    Just love you, girl. xo

    Reply
  6. KristinHillTaylor says

    August 30, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    Thank you, Kristen. Your words are sweet inspiration to me.

    Reply
  7. DeanneMoore says

    September 1, 2013 at 1:57 am

    I had friends that lifted me this week as well. I was vulnerable and they extended grace. Such a gift from God. Linked next to you at Kristen's 🙂

    Reply
  8. KristinHillTaylor says

    September 1, 2013 at 3:12 am

    I'm so glad you experienced that kind of community this week. It's certainly a blessing! Thanks for visiting over here. 🙂

    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 high school girl who never forgets, our middle school boy who has no fear, and our joy-filled first-grade 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

  • How to enjoy motherhood
  • How & why to travel with kids
  • From snow to sand
  • Books of 2022
  • How to enjoy winter days at home

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

The world feels heavy & broken because it is. Pare The world feels heavy & broken because it is. Parenting has me at my max emotional capacity because it takes much soul and mental work. Spring soccer season started in the cold tonight. 

Even so, God is good and wants us to live abundantly here on earth while we wait for heaven. This week that looks like church league basketball games, dinner with friends, apologies, sideline encouragement, prayers, middle school humor, theological conversations with friends, tears, and laughter. 

Now it’s time to rest and do it again tomorrow. These are the rhythms of grace and goodness, heaven and earth, sorrow and joy. 

#livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #soccermom #thirdchild #momlife #reallife #faithlife #PorchStories
I sat on my porch beneath a blanket and finished t I sat on my porch beneath a blanket and finished this book today. Yes, I’m fully invested in this Cuba saga involving the Perez family. “The Last Train to Key West” by @chanelcleeton is the third in the series. I have the fourth on hold at the library for pickup on Monday. 

I wasn’t sure I was going to love this one as much as I did Cleeton’s first two, but it was a slow-building story that turned stormy. I loved how the three women were in Key West for their own reasons, developed meaningful relationships as they navigated their lives, and managed to survive the storms of their lives and an actual hurricane. 

The historical fiction story offers hope:

“It’s strange how your life can change so quickly, how one moment you can barely eke by, desperation filling your days, and suddenly, out of the unimaginably horrific, a glimmer of something beautiful can appear like a bud pushing through the hard-formed earth. There’s so much broken around us; maybe all we can do is try to fix each other, do what we can to preserve these precious moments in a world where there is so much sadness and loss. … Maybe some would say my dreams are too small. Perhaps they would dream of railroads that go over the sea, great, wonderful things. Maybe others want riches and jewels, a chance to travel the globe. For me, this is enough: A corner of paradise in this wretched world that I am able to call my own.” — Helen in “The Last Train to Key West” by Chanel Cleeton

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #historicalfiction #weekending #favoritethings #choosingJOY #bookquotes #bookreview
This morning there are three “holes” in Wright This morning there are three “holes” in Wright Road after the creek flooded it overnight. The Calloway County road department responded quickly and is working to pack in various kinds of gravel so it will passable again soon. I’m thankful for their work, but these Band-Aids aren’t an actual solution. 

Wright Road needs a permanent solution for when Wildcat Creek rises. A bridge seems to be the best idea, so the creek can rise and flow beneath the road rather than flowing across it and washing out the gravel on top of the culverts. 

I know it’s an expensive fix and would take local government working with state government, but I wonder how many times the road has to break before it can be truly repaired.

#callowaycounty #kyweather #kentuckyweather #countyroads #countryliving #reallife #murrayky
In a week filled with all the parenting emotions, In a week filled with all the parenting emotions, God has provided conversation with friends who understand, new mercies, a few walks and talks with a friend, and cinnamon rolls on a rainy Friday afternoon. I’ve been reminded when we are vulnerable and share our real lives, friends bring truth and goodness — often in ways we don’t expect but bless us anyway. 

#bettertogether #createdforcommunion #reallife #momlife #weekending #parenthood #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully
People ask when I have time to write. The truth is People ask when I have time to write. The truth is I like to make time to write, but sometimes it happens in the cracks of my days — at Panera, in the Notes app on my phone, at the library before I pickup my kids, or while I’m waiting on kids at activities. This week I edited my manuscript while Rachel practiced soccer. 

#momlife #writerlife #selfpublished #bloggerlife #authorlife #soccermom #thirdchild #createdforcommunion #bettertogether #favoritethings
I needed this weekend. The UK Wildcats didn’t I needed this weekend. 

The UK Wildcats didn’t win this afternoon like I had hoped. But following our house full of people on Friday night, I’ve spent a lot of time on my couch, under a soft blanket, with a book, while I watch #MarchMadness. 

Yesterday I pulled “When We Left Cuba” by @chanelcleeton from my to-be-read stack and then realized it was the second in a series about the Perez family. Thanks to @libby.app, I was able to get “Next Year in Havana” immediately. 

I finished it today during commercials and timeouts. And now I’m going to start “When We Left Cuba” as another basketball game also gets going. 

#KHTreads #basketballseason #weekending #bookstagram #reallife #booklover #librarybooks #KindleOasis #Kindlebooks #favoritethings
What a fun night! Basketball is best with friends What a fun night! Basketball is best with friends and food. So thankful for all these provisions and others in my life. Oh and a Cats win is icing on the cake. 

#MarchMadness #weekending #basketballseason #bettertogether #choosingJOY #BigBlueNation
You know it’s #MarchMadness when Greg Taylor pos You know it’s #MarchMadness when Greg Taylor posts on Facebook — and a picture at that! — and puts his radio/TV degree to work figuring out how to improve the viewing setup. 

#reallife #basketballseason #wifelife #choosingJOY
I had no idea just how deeply I would be affected I had no idea just how deeply I would be affected while studying Genesis 1-2. Going back to the beginning and seeing how God created, ordered, and filled the earth has been exactly what I didn’t know I needed, especially as a mom. 

For quite a while now, I feel like I’ve been living a day at a time. I used to be able to see my life in larger chunks of time and anticipate and prepare accordingly. Now, I slap things on the calendar and then deal with them as they come. Navigating life with two teenagers and a first-grader is the best and hardest thing I’ve ever done.

Honestly, this moment-to-moment living has been good for me and helped me rely on the God who created the stars and rivers that still exist in our world. Focusing on where I am helps me take slower steps, trust God to provide, and remember I’m not in control. I’ve felt an internal shift with my relationships — with my husband, kids, and friends. I’ve felt behind on laundry and dishes and piles of papers. But I’ve also felt a refreshed nearness to God. 

I’m going to rest here while believing God created life and light when there was only darkness and continues to order my days. 

#livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #faithlife #preceptstudy #genesisstudy #genesis #beginnings #reallife #PorchStories
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorites

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2023 Kristin Hill Taylor | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM