Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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

Full-time purpose

March 8, 2017 by Kristin 20 Comments

“Why don’t you have a job, Mom?” my inquisitive 9-year-old girl asked recently.

She’s been asking all kinds of questions about my life before she can remember. She’s wondered about my college days, about my newspaper reporter job before she was born, and her babyhood. I knew the inquiry about my lack of a job was an information-gathering prompt and not an assessment on how I spent my time.

But the question still gave me pause and prompted me to think about purpose.

Honestly, I’m grateful not to have a normal job. If I went to an office or a newsroom like I used to, I would miss out on some things with my kids and wouldn’t have time to do other things I believe I’m called to do.

I manage three vacation rentals at nearby Kentucky Lake and volunteer with my kids’ school and local crisis pregnancy center. And, of course, I write here. Only some of that brings in part-time income, but all of it is part of my purpose in this season.

Each week, Kate Motaung hosts Five Minute Friday and last week’s prompt was PURPOSE. When I saw the prompt during the weekly Thursday night Twitter party, I had intentions of writing, but I couldn’t focus my thoughts. But then Cate’s question came. And in church a couple of days later someone read Romans 8:28 – one of my all-time favorites.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Purpose.

I may not have a full-time job.
But I have a full-time purpose.

{Tweet that.}

I’m a wife, mom, friend, writer, property manager, volunteer, and adoption advocate. Greg’s business as an attorney has been blessed in ways that free me to not have a normal job. And that’s pretty much what I told Cate when she asked me why I didn’t have a job.

Jobs can be fleeting, but purpose, even while it can change with life’s seasons, is more lasting and intertwined with who God created us to be. I hope my girl recognizes that and strives to put her identity where it matters.

*****

I know it’s Wednesday, but I’m linking with Kate Motaung and the Five Minute Friday crew anyway. 

*****

Kristin Hill Taylor - 3 Word Wednesday
 Loading InLinkz ...
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this 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: Five Minute Friday, Three Word Wednesday Tagged With: life, motherhood

Comments

  1. Susan Shipe says

    March 8, 2017 at 6:04 am

    And, YOU, my young friend, are doing THE BEST WORK. Colossians 3.23 an Ecclesiastes 9.10 (((xo)))

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 8, 2017 at 7:20 am

      You’re the best encourager, Susan. Thank you. xo

      Reply
  2. Michele Morin says

    March 8, 2017 at 6:15 am

    Wise words, and I learned (the hard way) last summer when I decided to spend the summer working full time while my teacher husband was home that even though my “baby” was 14 and everyone was pretty well taken care of, my heart was still here at home.
    Great experiment, but it won’t be repeated this summer.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 8, 2017 at 7:19 am

      There are definitely seasons we have to do different things, but I’m always glad when God redirects us to what truly matters. Glad you’re here, Michele!

      Reply
  3. Becky Hastings says

    March 8, 2017 at 6:15 am

    Oh, how deeply I needed to hear these words today! I’ve thought about this job vs. purpose idea a lot recently. It’s difficult to untangle feelings and perceptions and expectations from those words, isn’t it?

    I loved this: “information-gathering prompt and not an assessment on how I spent my time”

    How often I consider the question an assessment of me. Sometimes I suppose it is. But I don’t have to let it be.

    Thank you for encouraging my heart today!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 8, 2017 at 7:18 am

      I’m so glad you could be encouraged, Becky! Oh, yes, there are so many tangled thoughts & expectations, especially for Type A people driven by productivity like me. Enjoy your day and whatever purpose it holds!

      Reply
  4. KellyRBaker says

    March 8, 2017 at 6:33 am

    “I may not have a full-time job.
    But I have a full-time purpose.”
    Love it! So true!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 8, 2017 at 7:15 am

      Thanks for being here, Kelly!

      Reply
  5. Dawn says

    March 8, 2017 at 7:03 am

    Purpose…such a weighty word. I have been handling those words gently as of late, looking at them through His Word more deeply. Sometimes we slow down so we can focus on the purpose and other times we speed to catch it, but I love the reminder that we are in the midst of pursuing a purpose-FULL life, no matter what we are filling our days with.

    You have me thinking…

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 8, 2017 at 7:15 am

      Purpose really struck me this week too, and then it kept coming up in my life. I love thinking about how you said “pursuing a purpose-FULL life …” Yes, that’s exactly what I want. Thanks for the encouragement, Dawn!

      Reply
  6. Tara says

    March 8, 2017 at 10:26 am

    I didn’t think I had seen you linking up at FMF yet. So fun to see today’s post then. I forgot that you used to be a newspaper reporter. My college degree is communications with an emphasis in Journalism. That Romans verse is one of my faves too.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 8, 2017 at 1:58 pm

      We’ve had a lot going on lately, so I was glad when the PURPOSE words finally came, even if they were a few days late. 🙂 I’m glad to learn we have even more in common, Tara! Thanks for being here.

      Reply
  7. Joanne Viola says

    March 8, 2017 at 2:27 pm

    Kristin, I love this post! I remember very well the first time I had to write down “Housewife” as my occupation. I felt like what I was doing did not amount to much although it was very much what I wanted to be doing. I am so grateful that God was quick to show me the most important job of all was right in front of me. I have never regretted the decisions I made. And somehow I know…. neither will you as they are each so precious!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 8, 2017 at 7:56 pm

      I really love this life I’ve got, but the Type A always wants to label things. 🙂 I’m grateful for your sweet encouraged, Joanne. Thanks for being here.

      Reply
  8. Liz Rigby says

    March 8, 2017 at 3:53 pm

    Awesome way to show your daughter the worth and validation we can have without working a “9-5”! Thank you for hosting this linkup.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 8, 2017 at 7:58 pm

      We have a lot of conversations around here about where our identity should be rooted, but it’s so easy to get distracted by all the good things that may not actually be meant for us. I’m grateful God has shown me some of this so I can pass it along to her, hopefully. Thanks for being here, Liz!

      Reply
  9. Tiffany Parry says

    March 8, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to spend those early (and busy) years living out my purpose of full time mom, etc. – because etc. fills up way more time than one originally thinks. 😉 I wouldn’t trade them for the world and I truly believe those years at home set the foundation for an incredible relationship with the young man we’re raising now. Amen – you have such value and purpose in ALL you do, and I’m so grateful you share a slice of it here with us.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 8, 2017 at 7:57 pm

      Ah, yes, setting a foundation for what’s next. I love how God doesn’t waste any seasons and uses them all for His good and our good. Thank you so much for your encouragement, sweet friend. I’m always glad to see you here. xoxo

      Reply
  10. Shauna Blaak says

    March 12, 2017 at 1:10 pm

    Hi, Kristin. It’s my first time here and I’m hanging onto the phrase “better late than never”… We were neighbours last week at FMF and I only just came now to read your post.

    Loved this: “I may not have a full-time job. But I have a full-time purpose.” That’s the perfect response to questions about stay-at-home-moms. I’ve got four kids; two are away at college now and the younger two are in high school. Staying at home was a financial sacrifice for sure, but I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. Thanks for the great reminder!

    Shauna (your fashionably late neighbour in FMF#89)

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      March 12, 2017 at 3:08 pm

      Better late that never is welcomed around here! Glad you stopped by, Shauna!

      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 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.

Learn more about my story here.

Subscribe for Updates

Recent Posts

  • Hope at home with Dolphin Island
  • Hello, March!
  • 3 Ways to Boost Our Kids’ Confidence
  • Songs of Hope
  • Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First.

#PorchStories button

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

Shout out to the Calloway County Road Department f Shout out to the Calloway County Road Department for repairing our road in LESS THAN A WEEK! #countryliving
This past year has been full of lots of closures a This past year has been full of lots of closures and road blocks as we’ve all navigated #socialdistancing and the #coronaviruspandemic. But more recently my life has involved more pivoting, regrouping, adjusting, and waiting in daily everyday life.

I’ve waiting for the insurance company to handle the repairs that need to be done so my van trunk can open again after a guy rear-ended me at a stoplight last week. I’ve been making decisions to finish a renovation at our lake house, which also had a flooring issue complicated by recent flooding. I’ve been driving different routes while our road gets fixed. I’ve been parenting kids in different seasons that require different things from me. I’ve been watching friends carry heavy burdens. I’ve been processing what belonging looks like right now. 

The road we expected to take may be closed, but there’s another way. And the unexpected may even be the better way. Grief and hope, frustration and gratefulness, sadness and joy all can come alongside us in the same moment as we navigate our way through.

I’m feeling hopeful today, even though the circumstances haven’t really changed. My trunk still won’t open. There’s still warped and destroyed flooring. A propane gauge is broke and misled me. Friends are still hurting. But we’re still journeying through life and all its surprise curves.

#reallife #PorchStories #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #countryliving #bettertogether
It’s hard to believe it was a year ago this week It’s hard to believe it was a year ago this weekend we were at the #OVCtourney in Evansville with thousands of Racer fans a week before the world shut down. Here we are again, circumstances are incredibly different, but we are still rooting for our #Racers. 💛 #WeAreRacers #RacerNation @ovcsports @racershoops #TeamTaylor #roadtrip #socialdistancing
☑️ Second dose of a covid vaccine. I’m thank ☑️ Second dose of a covid vaccine. I’m thankful for hope of returning to some version of “normal.” #socialdistancing #covid_19 #covidvacccine
After lots of time at home the past month, we wer After lots of time at home the past month,  we were thankful for a family-friendly movie I got to screen from the comfort of our couch. My husband, mother-in-law, and I may have liked it more than the kids, but we also were glad for some clean entertainment to share with the youngsters in the house.

“Dolphin Island” is a heartwarming feature film about 14-year-old Annabel who lives with her fisherman grandfather on an island paradise. They operate a nonprofit marine research and conservation center. She is surrounded by an extended family of loving but quirky neighbors and her best friend, a dolphin named Mitzy. 

Everything changes when her maternal grandparents arrive with a shifty lawyer to bring her back to New York. Annabel and her friends navigate these circumstances to prove that love conquers all.

I've got a review & giveaway #ontheblog. #linkinbio #familymovie #movienight #bloggerlife #DolphinIslandMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork #giveaway #moviereview #TeamTaylor
As February ends and March begins, we are thankful As February ends and March begins, we are thankful for a house on higher ground, where we’ve been sheltered from so much this month. We’re thankful there’s another way out, and the school taxi commute is only about five minutes longer than usual. We’re thankful for health and each other and God’s goodness and provisions even when – perhaps especially when – we have no idea what’s around the next corner.

I'm recapping our crazy February #ontheblog. #linkinbio #bloggerlife #countryliving #socialdistancing #reallife #momlife #choosingJOY #livingfaithfully #PorchStories #documentyourdays #documentlife
This season was interrupted by covid & snowstorms, This season was interrupted by covid & snowstorms, involved  re-scheduling practices & games while sharing the gym with the other teams, and happened when we weren’t sure it would. Through it all, we are so thankful for these girls’ friendships, their coaches, and the hard work everyone gave. 💛 #socialdistancing #momlife #basketballmom #girlmom #covid_19 #wintersport #basketball @ncca.lions
Y’all, this is (was?) our road after yesterday’s insane amount of rain. The almost 4 inches in the morning did this. I’m thankful for house on higher ground and another way out, even if we have to wind around country roads to get where we are going. #countryliving #reallife #kentuckyweather #choosingJOY
Happy, happy 70th birthday to my wonderful mother- Happy, happy 70th birthday to my wonderful mother-in-law. We all are especially happy to celebrate her life this year after her recent quadruple bypass heart surgery and recovery. 🎉 #weekending #TeamTaylor #birthdaygirl
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorite Places & Projects

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2021 Kristin Hill Taylor | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.