Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Three Word Wednesday :: Inside-Out Transformation

May 13, 2015 by Kristin Leave a Comment

On Monday afternoon, I already knew my week wasn’t going to look anything like I expected. My daughter had strep throat, my mother-in-law was on call to pick up Ben from school if we didn’t get out of the pediatrician’s office in time (which we didn’t), one appointment was postponed 10 days, another appointment was rescheduled from the previous week, neither of my first two childcare options were available to help me during a meeting later in the week, my own head and throat were feeling the effects a normal Kentucky spring, my husband had an unusually busy week …

I’m sure you understand.

We have all have Mondays like that. And sometimes Wednesdays too. Really, it doesn’t matter what day it is.

There are chores and kids and families and jobs and projects and deadlines and field trips and birthday parties and appointments and fevers and sports and thunderstorms and whatever else fills our days.

Sometimes I find myself wanting information on the whens and wheres and hows and whys of life. So many times I start out the week thinking my calendar is offering an accurate picture of life. It never does. Real life doesn’t fit into tidy boxes and our pre-scheduled time. {Tweet that.}

On Monday, my phone was dinging with texts between phone calls and I was scribbling new things on my calendar. And then I remember what really matters: God wants to transform me. It’s an ongoing, everyday process. And it doesn’t always means the Creator of time lets me in on the information and plans I want.

Transformation is greater than information. {Tweet that.}

I love thinking about how God is the perfecter of our faith. We can’t be perfected – as in the maturing process – without submitting ourselves to God. Although that’s indeed such a relief for those of us who want to keep trying to be better and do more, it’s still hard. It still requires approaching the throne of grace over and over and over and over again.

Especially on Mondays that offer surprises for the week. Especially on Wednesdays that have us weary. Especially on the weekends when we embrace rest.

“Who we are in our identity has been made perfect by Jesus once and for all. But our behavior is in the process of being perfected in him day by day.”

{Holley Gerth in “You’re Loved No Matter What”}

And that’s the transformation that matters, the one that changes us from the inside out.

Romans 12:1-2 is about not being conformed to this world. I especially love it from The Message:

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life — your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life — and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

In other words, focus on God and he’ll perfect you — perfect as the verb, not the adjective.

________________

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Filed Under: books, faith, life, motherhood, quotes, Three Word Wednesday

Comments

  1. Karen Brown says

    May 13, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    Kristen- This is so me. I want nice and tidy. I want to know and plan. But God uses the messy and unknowing times to transform me. You shared so beautifully, as always, friend. Thanks for using your gift to encourage others. This post blessed me- now, I'm gonna go read it again. And maybe again… xoxo

    Reply
  2. Alecia Simersky says

    May 13, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    I'm so sorry Kate has strep! And did I see that you may have it too? Prayers for all to be well quickly! After having kids I had to make peace with the fact that my days and weeks were no longer going to look the way I thought they would. Looking back now I see what a refining process those days were, still are! I do love that version of one of my favorite verses.

    Reply
  3. Beth says

    May 13, 2015 at 2:21 pm

    This is just so good, Kristin. And I love how He never done with growing and transforming us to be more like His son. Hope everyone gets healthy soon. Love you. xoxo

    Reply
  4. Katie Reid says

    May 13, 2015 at 2:50 pm

    Thank you for these thoughts on letting God perfect us!

    Reply
  5. Susan says

    May 13, 2015 at 6:58 pm

    Kristin, one of my prayers when praying for people is, "Might information become revelation." Because THEN it changes people!!!

    Reply
  6. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:25 pm

    Ah, I love that and may be using that too! Thanks for sharing that here, Susan!

    Reply
  7. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:25 pm

    I gotta remind myself, you know? 🙂

    Reply
  8. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:26 pm

    Health is much improved here. These Kentucky allergies are messing with my head, but it's getting better. And Cate is back to herself too. Thanks for being here with kind words. Love you, friend.

    Reply
  9. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:27 pm

    I thought I might have strep too, but I don't. I just have a head full of congestion from Kentucky allergies. This happens every year. Ugh. And Cate is better, so that's good. Yeah, kids certainly help with lessons in letting go of control and expectations! 🙂 Nothing has been as sanctifying as motherhood has been for me!

    Reply
  10. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:28 pm

    So glad you could be encouraged, Karen! Thanks for your kind comment. xoxo

    Reply
  11. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:29 pm

    I'm glad you got some down time. Hope your people stay healthy – these allergies are crazy right now. This transformation message is one I need to remind myself of, so I'm glad you were encouraged too.

    Reply
  12. melody hester says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:30 pm

    I can really relate to this right now. God is refining me. I'm wanting to "get it" you know – like really come away with what he wants me to understand about him and about me in relation to him.

    Reply
  13. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:31 pm

    I totally get wanting to get it. That's where I am too, my friend.

    Reply
  14. Kim Adams Morgan says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:34 pm

    Transformation is what gets each one of us closer to Jesus. I think if the lessons He wants us to learn were easy, we wouldn't get as much out of them. I know this is true for me. He is the perfecter of my faith. Love your graphic, Kristin. Has me dreaming of the beach. Hope your daughter is feeling better.

    Reply
  15. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:37 pm

    You're right – we wouldn't hold onto the truth if it was easy to come by. That pictures in my graphic is from Castlepoint, New Zealand – such a beautiful place I got to visit in August 2009. It's what came to mind this week when I wanted a pretty image. 🙂 Glad you're here, Kim!

    Reply
  16. Tiffany says

    May 14, 2015 at 12:46 am

    I can so relate to that want to know what's up ahead and be able to prepare. But when I really think about it, that would mean missing out on the chance to lean into God and yes, be transformed by the minute to minute changes He orchestrates in our life. So blessed He isn't willing to leave us in the same spot! Hope your kiddos are on the mend and you are hanging in there. Hugs, friend. xo

    Reply
  17. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 14, 2015 at 12:31 pm

    I'm right there with you – seeing my natural tendencies and the blessings God gives when we lean in. We're feeling better around here, thankfully. So glad you're here, Tiffany!

    Reply
  18. Lisa notes... says

    May 14, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    Love this, Kristin:
    "Transformation is greater than information." As one who loves information, I have to remind myself that not only do I not need to know everything, I'm better off learning to live with the unknown and the unexpected. It forces me to depend more on the Lord.

    Reply
  19. KristinHillTaylor says

    May 14, 2015 at 9:21 pm

    Amen. I'm right there with you learning (and appreciating!) that. Thanks for coming here, Lisa!

    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 eighth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear fifth-grade boy, and our joy-filled preschool girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

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I drive the same routes over and over. I know wher I drive the same routes over and over. I know where I am likely to see deer — even if I have to look closely. God sure did camouflage these creatures for this time of the year when trees are bare. 

I think about how everyone is going through some things. We are journey through lives, our paths crossing as we navigate circumstances and feelings people can’t always see. But we should know they’re there. 

Maybe we are waiting to fall in love or have a baby or get a new job. Maybe we are in the midst of grief from a friendship falling apart or a business decision providing in ways we never expected. Maybe decisions are haunting us or stumping us. Maybe we are anxious about the future or facing our past. Maybe we aren’t sure what’s next. 

There’s a million little and big things we face that not everyone we meet can see. The situations and emotions are camouflaged while we survive daily tasks, caring for our people, and figuring out how to adjust once again to whatever life throws our way. 

I don’t know what you’re facing, but I am certain you’re not alone. Your story won’t be camouflaged forever. The seasons change. New life comes. The deer usually travel together through the woods along my routes, and I’m convinced our lives are best when we journey together too. 

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Romantic comedies have fit my mood lately. I reall Romantic comedies have fit my mood lately. I really enjoyed this story and the characters’ history being woven into their current circumstances. I did have to skim some sex scenes that didn’t add much to the story for me. #amreading #romcombooks #bookstagram
I’ve loved Cate’s school experience at @ncca.l I’ve loved Cate’s school experience at @ncca.lions, a small but growing classical, Christian school. I knew there were both advantages and sacrifices of keeping her in a small class for middle school and agonized over possibly moving her to a bigger school. I only considered moving her because I wasn’t sure what her classmates, some of who are freshman this year, were going to do for high school. But they stayed, and we stayed. Now she’s an eighth grader in a class of nine. 

A couple years ago, I prayed for more girls. God gave her class two. Sometimes people move on, and sometimes people move in. But this sweet class of eighth and ninth graders has been faithful — to each other, to our school, to an unknown future. They’re paving a way for the students behind them, including my other two kids. 

God has been kind to my momma heart and given me some assurances she is where she’s supposed to be. One of these provisions is a basketball team that has become competitive with the other teams we’ve gotten to play. It’s more than just some games, though. I’ve watched my 13-year-old daughter become more confident on the court and in life. I’m grateful for her friends and their shared love of this game. I’m thankful for where God has us. 

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Meanwhile, little sister has a loose tooth that she won’t wiggle, avoids using to eat, and won’t let her siblings pull. We’ve bribed, threatened, and failed to persuade.

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In addition to the much-needed TLC, I also got bangs. After a few days, I can say I love them. The resident teenager at my home doesn’t like this — and she tells me daily. I tell her I don’t care whether she likes them because I do and it’s my hair. She also didn’t like the tennis shoes I bought a few weeks ago. Again, I do, so who cares. 

Anyway, it’s Friday! So let’s do some #fridayintroductions around here. Tell me three things you’re loving these days. I’ve already mostly told you mine: 

1️⃣ My bangs. I’ve included a picture of the fun waves that Whitney gave me at the salon and the more likely normal styling — by that I mean blow drying and some minor straightening to train the bangs. 
2️⃣ New tennis shoes, which are gray & purple Brooks Launch 7, if you’re curious. My nail color accidentally matches them. 
3️⃣ The teenager in my house. I’ve been giving her grief about her dislike of my fashion choices, but I really love being around her. Honestly, she’s the easiest kid in my house right now. 

✨ Bonus current love: Who can tell me what TV character inspired my hairdo? If you know, then that’s also the TV show I recently binged and am eagerly awaiting new episodes. 

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