Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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

Church of the Small Things

October 4, 2017 by Kristin 18 Comments

I know God’s will for my life. That’s what I remembered while reading “Church of the Small Things” by Melanie Shankle. Of course, I laughed as she told stories that made me think we’re friends.

But, really, most importantly, this book reminded me that I know God wants me to follow Christ as I embrace the life He’s given me and through it all He’ll change me from the inside out so He can be glorified. Of course, the circumstances and details of this change moment by moment because I don’t live in a bubble all alone. But God uses it all to that ultimate purpose.

“The bottom line is,
she didn’t do the glamorous thing;
she did the faithful thing.”

— Melanie Shankle in “Church of the Small Things“

{Tweet that.}

Honestly, just saying that aloud makes me take a deep breath and loosen my grip. Knowing I’m in the midst of God’s will frees me from trying so hard to get to the next big thing. Believing He had a purpose in all the small, everyday things lets me rest in the One who truly holds it all together because when I get really tired when I try to control it all.

“Church of the Small Things: The Million Little Pieces That Make Up Life” is made up of stories about the seemingly small things in life that change us from the inside out. Melanie makes “Friday Night Lights” references, tells stories like friends would tell sitting on the porch together, and brings it all back to our faith in the God who weaves all the moments together.

“The truth is, we can spend our lives waiting for the big thing to happen, the dream to come true, the thing that will change everything. And then it happens and it’s nice, but guess what? No matter where we go, there we are. The world tells us that true success is a certain amount in your bank account, a certain number of cars in your driveway, maybe that all kinds of people know your name and you write a book that inspires an entire theme park and a line of collectible figurines. But true success and prosperity come when you are right where God wants you to be, doing what he has called you to do.”

— Melanie Shankle in “Church of the Small Things“

If there’s an author who can make me cry and laugh on the same page, it’s Melanie Shankle. I recommend this book and then highly suggest you follow that up with her three previous books, if you haven’t read them yet: “Sparkly Green Earring: Catching the Light at Every Turn,” “The Antelope in the Living Room: The Real Story of Two People Sharing One Life,” and “Nobody’s Cuter than You: A Memoir about the Beauty of Friendship.”

About the book

Is my ordinary, everyday life actually significant? Is it okay to be fulfilled by the simple acts of raising kids, working in an office, and cooking chicken for dinner?

It’s been said, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away.” The pressure of that can be staggering as we spend our days looking for that big thing that promises to take our breath away. Meanwhile, we lose sight of the small significance of fully living with every breath we take.

Melanie Shankle tackles these questions head on in her fourth book, “Church of the Small Things.” Easygoing and relatable, she speaks directly to the heart of women of all ages who are longing to find significance and meaning in the normal, sometimes mundane world of driving carpool to soccer practice, attending class on their college campus, cooking meals for their family, or taking care of a sick loved one.

The million little pieces that make a life aren’t necessarily glamorous or far-reaching. But God uses some of the smallest, most ordinary acts of faithfulness — and sometimes they look a whole lot like packing lunch.

Through humorous stories told in her signature style, full of Frito pie, best friends, the love of her Me-Ma and Pa-Pa, the unexpected grace that comes when we quit trying to measure up, and a little of the best TV has to offer, Melanie helps women embrace what it means to live a simple, yet incredibly meaningful life and how to find all the beauty and laughter that lies right beneath the surface of every moment.

This 224-page hardcover is published by Zondervan (Oct. 3, 2017). Learn more about the book at its website.

About the author

Melanie Shankle writes regularly at The Big Mama blog and is the New York Times bestselling author of three previous books. She is a graduate of Texas A&M and loves writing, shopping at Target, checking to see what’s on sale at Anthropologie, and trying to find the lighter side in every situation. Most of all, she loves being the mother of Caroline, the wife of Perry, and the official herder of two wild dogs named Piper and Mabel. The five of them live in San Antonio, Texas.

*****

I received a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for being on the launch team. This review is full of my own opinions.

*****

Kristin Hill Taylor - Porch Stories
 Loading InLinkz ...
  • 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: books, Porch Stories Tagged With: faith, life, review

Comments

  1. Joanne Viola says

    October 4, 2017 at 6:28 am

    Like you, I have so enjoyed every one of Melanie Shankle’s books and will be ordering this one as well. We need books which remind us to be faithful in the small things because many times, they truly are the big things in disguise 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 4, 2017 at 4:03 pm

      Yes, indeed! Life is sneaky like that sometimes. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Becky Hastings says

    October 4, 2017 at 7:04 am

    Loved this book! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 4, 2017 at 4:02 pm

      There are so many good books right now! I’m glad you’re here, Becky!

      Reply
  3. Michele Morin says

    October 4, 2017 at 7:24 am

    I have yet to read one of Melanie’s books. Thanks for sharing this one. She (and the book) sound amazing!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 4, 2017 at 4:01 pm

      Her book on friendship called “Nobody’s Cuter Than You” may be my favorite, you know, if I had to pick one. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Debbie Putman says

    October 4, 2017 at 7:25 am

    I’m adding this book to my “must read” list!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 4, 2017 at 4:01 pm

      Yay! Hope you love it, Debbie!

      Reply
  5. Lisa notes says

    October 4, 2017 at 9:50 am

    This sounds like such a delightful book. I feel like my whole life has been just a series of small things, but that’s okay! 🙂 It’s good stuff. Thanks for sharing this, Kristin.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 4, 2017 at 4:00 pm

      Totally okay! I have a quote in my house that says, “One day we’ll look back on the little things and realize they’re really the big things.” Thanks for being here, Lisa!

      Reply
  6. sue says

    October 4, 2017 at 12:35 pm

    I love the quote you wrote – that we reach our dreams, theme park and all, and that is not what counts. I want to be and do what counts -I know you do, too! thanks for sharing, Kristin.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 4, 2017 at 4:00 pm

      Indeed! Thanks for being here, Sue!

      Reply
  7. Katie | My Joy in Chaos says

    October 4, 2017 at 4:09 pm

    Oooh, I’m adding this to my reading list and just submitted a request to the library to purchase it. Thanks, Kristin!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      October 4, 2017 at 4:10 pm

      Good call! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Melanie says

    January 25, 2021 at 10:55 am

    Does anyone know why she changed the title of the book?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      January 25, 2021 at 12:55 pm

      I noticed that too, but I’m not sure why.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Hurricanes R Us – Adventures in Florida says:
    October 4, 2017 at 6:53 am

    […] with Holley, Kristin, […]

    Reply
  2. Hope in God With Each New Day - Words, Photos and Art says:
    October 6, 2017 at 10:50 pm

    […] linking up with: #porchstories, #LMMLinkup, […]

    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

  • Happy birthday, Ben!
  • Favorite Christmas Gift Ideas
  • How to teach kids to take care of home
  • Shadows at Dusk
  • Fighting For the Soul of Your Child

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

DAY 6: ONE THING YOU’RE SAYING YES TO IN 2024 fo DAY 6: ONE THING YOU’RE SAYING YES TO IN 2024 for @anchoredwomen's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

As I think about transitioning into the new year, I am committing to saying yes to God, my family, my church, and my closest friends. Everything else is up for debate. Saying yes to the nearest and dearest is most important to me. When I say yes to my kids’ schedules and needs, that means saying no to other things, but I’ve learned these priorities are what keep me present in this season, right now, with a husband of more than two decades, a 16-year-old who drives herself places, a 14-year-old boy, and an 8-year-old girl. The seasons change quickly, so I want to say yes to this one, right here where God has me. 

#newyear #livingfaithfully #wifelife #momlife #reallife #seasons #motherhood
DAY 5: SOMETHING THAT WAS A CHALLENGE for @anchore DAY 5: SOMETHING THAT WAS A CHALLENGE for @anchoredwomen's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

(Yes, I know, I went quiet there for a few days. I'm back!) 

I love having older kids, but our family encountered a challenge this year for one child as adoption trauma, genetics, hormones, school stress, and medicine side effects collided for a perfect storm of mental health challenges. We’re still sorting through it all, waiting for an appointment that we hope brings direction for the next steps, and taking it one day at a time. 

We are forever grateful for our everyday friends who have walked alongside us so well. This challenge has interrupted many things, but we’ve also learned a lot about ourselves. One of the greatest joys is knowing my three kids with different personalities and preferences as individuals, and this challenge has magnified that and reminded me how blessed we are, even on the hard days. 

#bettertogether #friends #friendship #momlife #reallife #adoptionislove #adoption #teenagers #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #faithlife
We had the best time cheering for our varsity girl We had the best time cheering for our varsity girls at the KCAA Holiday Classic in Independence, KY, on Friday and Saturday. And our girls brought home the first place trophy after an exciting, intense 53-51 overtime win against Oak Ridge Christian Academy last night. 

Cate was named to the all-tournament team and had her most-ever 19 points (and two chipped teeth!) in the championship game. I’m so proud of her and her friends. And to think she hadn’t played organized basketball until four years ago. In fact, @ncca.lions girls played in its first game four years ago yesterday. Look how far they’ve come!

Here’s to such a fun 4-0 start to the Lions fifth season of girls basketball. Go Cate! And go Lions! 💛

#basketballseason #highschool #momlife #weekending #documentlife #thisis16
DAY 4: SOMETHING THAT WENT REALLY WELL for @anchor DAY 4: SOMETHING THAT WENT REALLY WELL for @anchoredwomen's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

Spring Break 2023 was the first time we vacationed with friends. We all boarded Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas for a week of sunshine and fun. It was such a great time – so much so we hope to do another cruise with the same friends sooner rather than later.

#reflectandrefresh2023 #newyear #reflections #bettertogether #favoritethings
DAY 3: ONE BOOK THAT IMPACTED YOUR YEAR for @ancho DAY 3: ONE BOOK THAT IMPACTED YOUR YEAR for @anchoredwomen's Reflect and Refresh Challenge

“The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Restless Age” by @mrdanielgrothe . I posted about this book before, but I read it on a whim after hearing someone reference its theme on a podcast. And I loved it so much. It echoed so much of what God has been teaching me in my small-town life. The tenth chapter — Stability in Friendship — is basically a summary of my book, “Created for Communion.”

I don’t read a ton of non-fiction, but when I do the messages tend to matter in my life, and this book is no exception. “The Power of Place” is one that will encourage me for many days to come. 

#KHTreads #bookstagram #bookshelf #bookstack #books #bookreview #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookblogger #socialmediachallenge #CreatedForCommunion #holyfriendships #bettertogether
DAY 2: BEST NEW DISCOVERY as part of @anchoredwome DAY 2: BEST NEW DISCOVERY as part of @anchoredwomen's Reflect & Refresh Challenge

I love to haul around a sort of big bag (aka purse) so I can have all the things with me in the car, but I don’t want to haul that bag into stores or short errands. I had a Lululemon crossbody bag that was about the size of a fanny bag that I really loved, but it was pale pink and always looked dirty. This year I discovered an off-brand crossbody bag on Amazon that is even better than the Lululemon AND IT’S $20. And it’s so easy to just throw in my big bad when I don’t have it slung over my shoulder.

https://amzn.to/3sSWwHa

You’re welcome!

🎁 If you're looking for other gift ideas, I put together a list of some of my favorite things, including this handy bag! bit.ly/KHTgiftideas

#reflectandrefresh #socialmediachallenge #favoritethings #reflectandrefresh2023 #giftideas #bestbag #linkinbio
DAY 1: ONE THING YOU’RE GRATEFUL FOR Is it chea DAY 1: ONE THING YOU’RE GRATEFUL FOR

Is it cheating if I say I’m grateful for my own book?! I don’t say that in a conceited way, but I say it because the book – the actual pages and the process – really sums up what I’m grateful for this year. 

The longer answer is this: My community of people is among the greatest blessings in my life, and I’ve seen that so clearly this year. 

I had the idea to write a book about biblical friendship. I had no idea I’d love the process of studying friends in the Bible as much as I did. God was so good to keep leading me to different stories and truth. Sermons echoed what I was learning. My real-life friendships were enhanced and I became keenly aware of the importance of friendship – both with God and others – in my own life. 

My dear friends & pastor Katie & Kory Cunningham wrote the foreword, Mandy Roberson and her fantastic team at @marketrefinedmedia helped bring my book to a beautiful reality, and so many friends shared their stories in the pages. The whole researching, writing, and publishing experience was wonderful. 

Since I published “Created for Communion” in September, I’ve been in the trenches of a dear friendship in my life shifting in ways that are both part of life and hard to accept. My teenagers have walked through their own friendship tensions. And our family has been in a hard season this fall that I haven’t been able to share publicly yet those in our everyday life know details and have walked alongside us so beautifully. 

In a year of changes and shifts, I’m grateful not to be alone and see the goodness of God. 

I’m joining Kayse Pratt from @anchoredwomen for this annual Reflect & Refresh Challenge. Yes, I’m a day late, and that about sums up my life these days.

#reflectandrefresh2023 #reflectandrefresh #newyear #socialmediachallenge #reallife #bettertogether #authorlife #CreatedForCommunion #friendship #holyfriendship #author #book #bookstagram #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #linkinbio
A few weeks ago, I learned I’m allergic to trees A few weeks ago, I learned I’m allergic to trees, grasses, weeds, dust mites, mold, cats, and dogs. No wonder I always feel like I have unnecessary fluid sitting in my ears! So today I started allergy shots. Here’s to hoping it helps! 

#allergies #allergyshots #countryliving #reallife #thisis44
‘Tis the season for @sophie_cousens, apparently. ‘Tis the season for @sophie_cousens, apparently. Scroll to see how @timehop reminded me today. 

I finished her newest book, “The Good Part,” last night. I read it in a couple of days — so that tells you how I felt about it. 

I don’t usually like stories that have time travel or leaps, but this book worked well with its “13 Going on 30” vibes. 

Perhaps it’s my age (44), but I remember being a teenager and young adult just wanting to get to the good part of life. Of course, since then I’ve walked through trials and griefs of many kinds. Would I want to skip them? Of course! But I also know those struggles and challenges have shaped me. 

Anyway, back to the book. I loved the characters & their relationships with one another, especially the friendships that spanned all the parts of life. 

Obviously, I recommend all of @sophie_cousens’ books.

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #kindlebooks #bookreviews #books #weekending #favoritethings #timehop
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorites

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2023 Kristin Hill Taylor | Site by MRM