Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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

  • From snow to sand
  • Books of 2022
  • How to enjoy winter days at home
  • How to cook new recipes
  • How to have fun as a family

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

I know, “everyone” is reading “Spare” by P I know, “everyone” is reading “Spare” by Prince Harry. But I also keep hearing different opinions about it. So here’s mine!

I am intrigued by the royal family and I liked watching “Suits,” just so you know my very loose interest. I had also watched the @netflix documentary Harry and Meghan released. 

Short answer: I really enjoyed listening to this book. 

An heir, then a spare. Deep grief as a child when his mom dies that he doesn’t really confront until he’s older. An institution that governs every decision in his life yet doesn’t protect him when he felt like he needed it. That’s some heartbreaking makings of a good story. And I appreciate Prince Harry telling it — even though I’m sure parts were incredibly difficult. I also appreciate why he and Meghan did what they did and are trying to establish new, different roots. 

Ultimately, this book is about death and life and all the moments in between. I’d recommend listening to it because his voice is a good one. 

One minor, silly complaint: There are 232 chapters, although they’re numbered starting with one in each of the three sections. That makes the audiobook not flow quite as well as it would otherwise because most of them are just a few minutes long. 

I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I’d love to hear what you think because, you know, everybody is reading it! #KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #readersofinstagram #audiobooks #audible #princeharry
We are all in for basketball season! Tonight was @ We are all in for basketball season! Tonight was @murraystateuniv Spirit Night at the @memgrizz game. We had some pre-game fun with friends, watched the Grizzlies come back from 19 down to win, and witnessed Ja Morant’s triple double.

#memphisgrizzlies #basketballseason #NBA #TeamTaylor #bettertogether #weekending #favoritethings #RacerNation #MurrayState #WeAreRacers
Cheering for our Racers — and, really, most ever Cheering for our Racers — and, really, most everything in life — is more fun with friends! What an awesome atmosphere at the CFSB Center today with a Murray State win, Ja Morant in the arena, and more memories.

#RacerNation #MurrayState #collegebasketball #basketballseason #bettertogether #WeAreRacers
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. 

#countryliving #latergram #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #reallife #weekending
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! 

I liked the backward timeline, although I was uncertain about how it would work until the end. Some of the twists and connections were so good! 

I also liked the bigger ideas Gillian McAllister tackles: We miss things when we are living our life at our normal pace. What if we could go back? What would be notice that would change our reality? And, of course, perhaps, there would be unintended consequences. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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! 

Honestly, parenting has been hard lately. Nothing major. But so constant and always adjusting. 

Even so, I love watching them on the court and in life. There is so much excitement and goodness among the repetition and exhaustion. 

This is real life. And those are our 10-0 Lady Lions out there. 🦁💛

@ncca.lions #momlife #reallife #basketballseason #momconfessions #livingfaithfully #girlmom #firstborn #thirdchild
I finished studying Colossians today with my Prece I finished studying Colossians today with my Precept group. Paul wrote this letter to an established church that was still growing and learning and maturing in the faith — like us all.  I really loved this study because it spoke right into my life with encouragement for knowing Christ, walking in wisdom and truth, praying continually, letting peace rule, and giving grace. Plus Paul deeply loved his people. 

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” — Colossians 2:6-7

Too often I step out of God’s presence for two minutes while are loading up the van in the morning or I’m rushing kids to bed. Too often I don’t surrender my fleshy desires and feelings to the One who holds this whole wide world in His hands. Too often I think my plans are worth holding onto tightly. Too often I think I can bring peace to my household, minivan, or dinner table. 

But real peace passes all my understanding. It rests in God’s wisdom and knowledge alone. How amazing we have access to that, thanks to Jesus. How easily I forget where I’m rooted. 

I want to let peace rule — in my home, in my head, and in my heart. 

Today while I was driving, I noticed how lovely the road, land, and sky looked. But today was really windy, like feel-it-move-my-vehicle and knock-over-trash-cans windy. It almost felt deceptive with the beauty before me, but, really, that’s like life. 

Sometimes it seems I have it together. People know my gifts of organizing information and people. I show up on time and am responsible. But so many thoughts and feelings are swirling in my mind. I replay conversations and fight against the same insecurities from the previous day. 

I feel both lovely and like my swirling mind could knock me over at any moment. And that’s why I needed God, particularly through His words through Paul to the Colossians. 

#livingfaithfully #faithlife #churchlife #reallife #countryliving
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. 

The folks at Aligned Health took care of her this afternoon and are treating her for strep or whatever bacteria is making her throat look and feel rough. 

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

#momlife #thirdchild #reallife #momconfessions #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #sickday
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. 

#KHTreads #romcom #romcombooks #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #readersofinstagram
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorites

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2023 Kristin Hill Taylor | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM