Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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{Giveaway} A Lifelong Love

October 27, 2014 by Kristin Leave a Comment

In the middle of “A Lifelong Love” by Gary Thomas, I read paragraphs aloud to Greg. They reminded about where we’d been or our friends’ current marriage struggle. The words were true and offered hope that people can change.

“Pursuing a more intimate union means wrestling with how radical this notion is that two people become one. This pursuit, through glorious, will go against every selfish fiber in our being. Many people want intimacy in the abstract more than they want it in reality – we want the benefits of being known and loved, but we hate the process of dying to ourselves that it takes to get there. … Once you get married, everything changes. Everything. Even something like sin becomes a shared burden. Nothing is faced alone. There is no dividing up, because you can’t divide one person without killing him, and you can’t divide spouses without killing the marriage.”

{Gary Thomas in “A Lifelong Love” – page 190}

I’m so grateful I’m not the same person Greg married 12-plus years ago. I’m sure he’s glad too. There were some hard years in there – mostly because I didn’t know how to love like Christ loves. Of course, I still haven’t mastered it but I’ve come a long way.

And that’s what Gary Thomas’ book is about. “A Lifelong Love” encourages people to make intentional choices in their marriages and equips readers with truths that can help them thrive in their marriages and lives. The subtitle alone prompts a question worth asking: What if marriage is about more than just staying together?

Oh, the possibilities.

“A Lifelong Love” builds on Thomas’ “Sacred Marriage,” which shows how God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy. Now, be encouraged to change the world around you, starting with your home and overflowing into the other places you go.

ABOUT THE BOOK :: Discover how to live out a sacred marriage. You believe your marriage has eternal purposes. you long for it to reach beyond your home and encourage others. But what does it look like to have a spiritually intentional relationship in the midst of dirty dishes, work deadlines, and car pools? This book includes discussion questions for couples. Hardcover. 316 pages. Official website.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :: Gary Thomas is writer-in-residence at Second Baptist Church in Houston, a frequent guest on Focus on the Family and FamilyLife Today radio, and a popular speaker. His award-winning books, including The Sacred Search, have been translated into over a dozen languages and together have sold more than a million copies worldwide. Thomas and his wife have been married 30 years and have three children. Author website. Twitter. Facebook. 

AND A GIVEAWAY :: One of you will win your own copy of “A Livelong Love” by Gary Thomas. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter. A winner will be selected randomly Friday, Oct. 31.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
________

Many thanks to FlyBy Promotions/Propeller Consulting LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winner and opinions are 100 percent my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a copy of the book to review.

Want more stories? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

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Filed Under: books, FlyBy Promotions, giveaway, Greg, marriage, review

Comments

  1. Kayse Pratt says

    October 28, 2014 at 2:15 am

    We've been married for 5 years, and loved Sacred Marriage. This one looks amazing – I would love to read it!!

    Reply
  2. kasmith03 says

    October 28, 2014 at 2:39 pm

    We have been married 18 1/2 yrs! Wow how is that possible?! I wish I had taken time to read books like these in the beginning, may have avoided so so many difficult times! 🙂

    Reply
  3. KristinHillTaylor says

    October 28, 2014 at 3:00 pm

    Your story is one that's encouraging to me about overcoming and trusting God. And I'm right there with you – I missed some opportunities early on with books like these. It's good to see you here, Kristin!

    Reply
  4. KristinHillTaylor says

    October 28, 2014 at 3:00 pm

    You have so much more wisdom than I did five years in. 🙂 Glad you entered to win, Kayse!

    Reply
  5. KristinHillTaylor says

    October 28, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    Yes, me too, Lori! Sounds like you and your husband are committed though, despite the obstacles that have come with military life. I love how you share your story!

    Reply
  6. Leslie says

    October 28, 2014 at 6:57 pm

    Hi Kristin! Heath and I just celebrated 10 years this month!! What a journey it is to be made one together in Christ! I will always give God all the credit because His third strand to our 3 cord marriage is what keeps us strong. I read probably every solid marriage book I could get my hands on during our dating relationship and engagement, but I must say I need just as much wisdom now as ever! Now that we're (newish) parents, we face different struggles than before.
    I love your blog and what you share with us all!
    Blessings,
    Leslie

    Reply
  7. KristinHillTaylor says

    October 28, 2014 at 7:01 pm

    Ah, yes, parenting … it throws another entirely different element into marriage. But with God as your foundation, you'll make it. Thanks for your comment and kind words. I'm glad you shared here, Leslie!

    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 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.

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I’ve worn a favorite sweatshirt that says “Let I’ve worn a favorite sweatshirt that says “Let heaven and nature sing” twice this week. I may not be singing Christmas carols anymore, but I still felt the depths of winter this week. The sweatshirt seemed right. 

The sun didn’t shine much this week, although seeing on Friday as we wrap up the work and school week was welcomed. It’s mostly been cold and gray. It’s felt like winter. 

A lingering tension needs resolution and understanding, but honestly the gap between seems so vast. I crave slow time at home and meals around our table. I miss some friends and was reminded of the heartache that can come with community, but I also felt the deep appreciation of friendship and remembered the beauty of sharing this life with others. I was excited for an invitation and easily accepted it. I started a new habit (hopefully) walking with a friend. 

While driving through my days, I remember how uncertainty is what makes me look up. I remember my Creator when I am slapped in the face with the reality I’m not actually in control. I remember (again) to surrender. 

Goodness happens in the gray of winter. Life may look and feel different, but new life is always preparing to break through the cracks of the ground. The gloom that tempts us to look down doesn’t last long when we believe the sun will break through the icy trees and the fog will lift. 

This is hope. Even in winter. Thank God for it all. Let’s let heaven and nature sing. 

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I heard mixed reactions about this book from two d I heard mixed reactions about this book from two different friends, but I enjoyed it! 

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It did get a little slow in the middle, but the end and beginning are quite good! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #kindlebooks #kindleoasis #readersofinstagram
This about sums up motherhood: My teenage girl in This about sums up motherhood: My teenage girl in the middle rebounding and playing hard and little sister photobombing the moment! 

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This girl has been complaining of a sore throat th This girl has been complaining of a sore throat the last couple of days, but she hasn’t had a fever or any other symptoms so I kept telling her she was fine. Truth be told, she a bit of a hypochondriac and generally happy, so it’s hard to tell if she sick sometimes. 

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I’m thankful for access to medical care and an unexpected night at home.

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I really loved this book! “Life is the stuff th I really loved this book!

“Life is the stuff that happens in the cracks between your plans and expectations.” — from “One Night on the Island” by @josiesilverauthor 

The writing is excellent, the setting works well, and the story unfolds in some predictable but sweet ways. I also think it was the right book at the right time for me. 

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The first book of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

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#KHTreads #audiobook #booklover #bookstagram #Audible #memoirs #bookreview
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