Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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

Embracing this day

July 6, 2016 by Kristin 1 Comment

I’m glad to welcome Alecia Simersky to the blog today as we continue talking about embracing change this summer. Alecia and I connected through the God-sized Dream Team when we helped with Holley Gerth’s book launch. She has since become of the executive editor of the God-sized Dream website for which I’m a contributing writer. 

Oh, how I’ve enjoyed reading the previous guest posts Kristin has welcome to her site this summer on change. Like many of them, I don’t enjoy change. When change comes a knocking on the door of life I go into full resistance mode. I’m always telling myself, “Alecia, put on your big-girl panties and move on!”

I’m in a season of change. And change is not something I do well. I’m more comfortable with sameness – I like routine, I like to know what to expect.

Years ago, when my son began kindergarten, I felt devastated inside. I knew once he started school the years were going to fly right on by, just like they had with my oldest daughter who was four years older than him.

I cried a little everyday leading up to his big day. And when the time came to get up and prepare my son for his first day of school, in the early morning hour of my quiet time, God laid one simple verse on my heart. “This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

I stood at my front door and watched both kids hop onto the school bus with my eyes misted over with tears and repeated the words, “This is the day the Lord has made…” over and over.

As a family we have moved eight times. (You would think I was accustomed to change with our life!) However, each move pushed me out of my comfort zone and I was forced to make a new home among strangers.

My faith grew and stretched with each new transition. {Tweet that.}

God went before me and more than provided and answered prayers. He brought new friends for the kids and myself. With new church homes and Bible study groups, my social circle grew along with my faith and assuredness of His goodness.

Change has forced me to accept …

I can’t keep my kids little – though I’d LOVE to!

I can’t halt mother time from making me older or my normally dark hair from becoming gray! (I wish!)

And I haven’t been able to stop the moves, though I have fought, cried, and prayed against each one.

I had to come to a place in my heart to accept change as the way of life. {Tweet that.}

Once again, I’m finding myself in a new season of change. (We aren’t moving!) The days keep pressing forward and next year my daughter heads to the high school to finish her last three years of school (hold me). My son officially puts his elementary years behind him and moves up to the middle school. Sigh. And, I’m looking for full-time work outside the home for the first time in 14 years.

This is A LOT of change! I want to hold my babies tight and forbid them from getting older. I want to snap my fingers and grow a beautiful lush green money tree in my back yard that magically makes finances less stressful. Because, unfortunately, the type of writing I do doesn’t help pay the bills.

I’m stepping forward into our new season of life with excitement and trepidation. Yes, life changes and new seasons of life bring new adventures, and God simply reminds me each day, “This is the day I have made, so rejoice in it and be glad.”

_____________________


Alecia Simersky is wife to Trey and mom to Keeli and Jackson. She likens her life to that of a gypsy since they have moved eight times in 15 years. They now live in a place she lovingly refers to as God’s-country, Auburn, Alabama. She is quiet by nature, introverted, quirky, and fiercely loyal. In her free time she loves to write and does so at her personal blog and is the executive editor of the God-Sized Dreams website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

_____________________

152 Insights to My Soul


An InLinkz Link-up


Alecia mentioned the other summertime change posts. Well, you can read them here: Susan Shipe shared about summertime fun. Melody Hester offered advice for navigating new seasons. Tiffany Parry shared about the joy that comes with freedom. You can also download The Summer Not-To-Do List I made for you, if you haven’t already. 

Subscribe to get new posts and/or a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog in your inbox. When you subscribe, I’ll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

  • 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: guest post, life, Three Word Wednesday

Trackbacks

  1. Freedom: A Poem and a Prayer - Words, Photos and ArtWords, Photos and Art says:
    May 29, 2017 at 6:41 pm

    […] linking up with: #GiveMeGrace, #LetUsGrow, #InspireMeMonday, #CoffeeForYourHeart, #ThreeWordWednesday If you like the post feel free to […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Freedom: A Poem and a Prayer - Words, Photos and ArtWords, Photos and Art 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

  • Nine Ways to Go for God
  • 20 years of marriage!
  • God always finds them
  • 5 skills to raise kids well
  • Cheesy, breezy Wisconsin Dells

#PorchStories button

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

I took a break from my work & chores to read yeste I took a break from my work & chores to read yesterday and I’m so glad I did. I had to stay up late to finish it last night. 

First of all, don’t judge this book by its cover, which I don’t like. (I’ve seen another cover for this same book, so I really don’t understand!) 

Anyway, I loved the story of first love and loss and reconnection told in the dual now-and-then timeline. I thought the end was a little abrupt, but maybe that’s just because I wanted a little more about Macy and Elliot. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #88daysofsummer
Today I’m thankful for a productive stretch of t Today I’m thankful for a productive stretch of time making my way through a to-do list, this view from my kitchen window, a little more Summer Break with my kids, a book that has me distracted from other things I “should” be doing, and lots of wide-open space in our day. 

#mondaymotivation #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #countryliving #momlife #reallife #88daysofsummer
We’ve taken our older kids on short-term mission We’ve taken our older kids on short-term mission trips and hope to go on more. They’ve served locally. We support missionaries. We want our kids to be open to wherever God calls them and incorporating missions into our small-town life is one way we, as parents, have hoped to teach that. 

I’m incredibly thankful @hardinbaptistchurch comes alongside us with the same message. The middle and high school @hardinstudents spent the summer looking at different aspects of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. Youth minister @cbright2 spent the last Sunday of the series looking at nine practical ways that students – yes, even middle and high schoolers – could participate in and pray about going for God. 

Chase shared these 9 Ways to Go with students' parents, and I asked him for permission to share them with you because even as an adult I want to remember to live on mission – even right where I am. 

9 WAYS TO GO FOR GOD: https://bit.ly/9WaysToGo

#linkinbio #ontheblog #bloggerlife #momlife #churchlife #faithlife #livingfaithfully #missions #missionminded #youth #teenagers #parenting #parenthood
“Writing is what makes me happy. Writing, even, “Writing is what makes me happy. Writing, even, is how I feel I contribute to the world. Reminding people of what’s important. Letting them escape the harsh parts of life, even if it’s just for a few hours. Helping them feel happiness through watching happily-ever-afters unfold. Remembering truths. Recalling their self-worth. Loving others. Living well. Learning. I want to do that.” 

And, let’s be honest, love stories about writers make me happy too. “Meet Me in the Margins” was cute, predictable, and a good way to escape for a little while. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #authorlife #librarybooks #poolpeople #weekending
This is the only picture I took tonight. You can’t tell, but there was a porch full of people talking, more kids playing basketball, and another group around the kitchen table. We covered a lot of ground in our conversations. Nobody cared that I didn’t have hot dog buns or tomatoes for the burgers. I ran out of paper plates and am happy to hear the dishwasher cleaning all the “real” plates. I’m grateful for come-as-you-are community, where we share real life. 

#88daysofsummer #PorchStories #livingfaithfully #morethangroceries #choosingJOY #bettertogether #reallife #hospitalitymatters #poolpeople
While Ben had a great week at @memgrizzyouth camp While Ben had a great week at @memgrizzyouth camp with some school friends, the girls and I soaked up some more of summer with our friends. 

#88daysofsummer #boymom #bettertogether #girlmom #momlife #reallife #choosingJOY
I’m getting ready to get in my van again to pick I’m getting ready to get in my van again to pick up a kid from basketball camp. It’s the third time today I will have driven from my house to somewhere else and back again. And this is still Summer Break, when things are supposedly a little slower. 

My friend @marycarver gets me. She knows us moms spend a million hours a week taxiing people to school and sports and church and friends’ houses and errands and appointments. And maybe we linger longer before coming in the house with arms full of groceries and bags and papers and books … because we just need a minute. Or maybe we answer some texts before we pull away from the store and catch up on phone calls while we drive or show up early to pickup to read a book that has captured our attention. 

We spend a lot of time and accomplish much in our cars. Mary knows this and is giving us the encouragement we need in her new book, “Prayers from the Parking Lot.” It’s a perfect size to keep in your car or purse. Each of the 50 reflections are practical and inspiring and meet moms on the go right where we are. 

Preorder this gem now so you have it the next time you have a few extra minutes in a parking lot, school pickup line, or waiting room. It officially releases next week and is available from @revellbooks on Amazon and wherever else you buy books. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #momlife #reallife #livingfaithfully
20 years married. 💛 I’ve learned a million t 20 years married. 💛

I’ve learned a million things in these adult years, but I keep thinking about this one this today: Celebrate the good things. 

This world is so noisy, decisions and situations clutter our brains, and there’s so much heartache. But there’s also goodness. And our married life falls into that category and is a testimony to God’s faithfulness. It hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been sanctifying and life-giving. 

(And it deserves a second post today.)

We celebrated today with a lunch date, some love notes, the two bouquets he surprised me with a day early, some chocolates I left in the car too long but rescued and restored them from their melted state, and dinner out as a family. I’ll take it. I will take every ounce of goodness on an ordinary day that marks what feels like a big-deal accomplishment. 

#marriage #TeamTaylor #anniversary #bettertogether #reallife #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #wifelife #momlife
In the past year, I learned Greg doesn’t like pa In the past year, I learned Greg doesn’t like packaged taco seasoning and bought my engagement ring on sale at a pawn shop. This after I’ve been wearing the ring for two decades and made taco meat more times than I could even begin to count.

With that, happy 20th anniversary, husband. I’m glad we can still learn things about each other after knowing each other for more than 24 years and being married for two decades. 

Being in our 40s celebrating 20 years of marriage together seems like such a grown-up accomplishment. But it also seems like exactly where we are supposed to be. Let’s keep adventuring and learning together. Let’s go celebrate, maybe with tacos! 

https://kristinhilltaylor.com/2022/08/20-years.html

#linkinbio #bloggerlife #marriage #TeamTaylor #reallife #wifelife #anniversary
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorites

Categories

Archives

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