Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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

Melody Hester: How God Makes Beauty

November 29, 2017 by Kristin 20 Comments

In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, I’m sharing stories from other adoptive families. Having these other adoptive moms share pieces of what God has done in their families through adoption is one of my favorite parts of my book, “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family,” so I wanted to give you have a peek into the community of adoptive mommas God has built in my life.

Today’s guest is Melody Hester. We’re online friends who connected through blogging and then adoption. She considers infertility, miscarriage, and adoption to be painfully beautiful crucibles that brought her closer to Jesus. She blogs about life at www.lifeisabowlofwedgies.com.

*****

From the time our kids were babies we would recount the day we brought them home from the adoption agency. Complete with detail that included sounds – sound of the phone ringing when we “got the call” and unfortunately even the sound of the police siren pulling us over because we were so excited to get our new baby home that we were speeding. Ooops!

For months and years after we would tell the story the same way and the kids picked up on all the parts of the story so that it soon became their story to tell.

As our children got older the story stayed the same and wasn’t shared as often but harder questions came up along the way. Sometimes it would be in the middle of our son building Legos on the floor. He’d say, “Why would anybody give up their baby?” Other times out of the blue he would point to a random woman and say, “Could that be the lady whose tummy I grew in?”

For adoption to be talked about
openly is a beautiful thing.

{Tweet that.}

They don’t ask these questions in the middle of reading a book on adoption. It’s always when you least expect it and out of nowhere. But it should tell us that these are thoughts going through their minds even when they’re not saying it. So for it to come out in the open is a beautiful thing. Embrace it and don’t be afraid to talk about it.

Innate feelings of rejection and abandonment are natural for anyone and especially that of an adopted child. And no matter how positive you are about the birth parents situation (and we are very positive focusing on the loving decision she made to place through adoption) and no matter how quickly you bonded and are loving toward your children, they may feel a deep sense of abandonment that they might not even be able to express in words.

The ages of six to twelve are important years in developing identity. In these years you might have difficult but good conversations. Life Science class will ask your child to write down their recessive and dominant genes. They might be the only one in class with a blank paper. That’s hard. But redeem this difficult moment for a better understanding of our true identity being in Christ alone, not our genetic makeup. We are image bearers of Jesus Christ. Before they were born God knew what they would look like and where they would call home and who they’d call Mom and Dad. That’s just awesome!

Oh, and what about the people in the Bible who were adopted? We talk about them a lot, too. Moses and, of course, Jesus – we forget about that sometimes, don’t we?

I now look back on some of the hard conversations with our children and I’m thankful we chose to talk through them. Even the times we had no answer, and the pain and wounds were raw. Prayer covers you through those times.

Once your child is adopted into Christ’s family that also is a beautiful thing. Our son said, “Hey, I’ve been adopted twice now!” when he became a Christian. Over time I saw a confidence build inside of him. As his faith grew in Christ so did the assurance of his identity as a believer and as a part of our family. And isn’t that what we desire most? For our kids to walk closely with Jesus on this earth as His adopted children.

*****

I shared stories from Makenzie Shewcraft, Monica Bidwell, and Caitlin Dunbar as well as a piece of Ben’s adoption story earlier this month. All of these stories are included in my book, which is available at Amazon.

*****

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: guest post, Porch Stories Tagged With: adoption, community

Comments

  1. Michele Morin says

    November 29, 2017 at 6:56 am

    Yes! I love it when my son’s best buddy celebrates “Gotcha Day” with his family. The adoption story is just part of their family’s landscape and we are blessed in the process!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      November 29, 2017 at 7:14 am

      I love that! I’m glad you’re here, Michele!

      Reply
  2. Candace Playforth says

    November 29, 2017 at 7:05 am

    I love that your son said he had been adopted twice. What beautiful memories and thoughts he holds for the gift of adoption, Melody. Thanks for sharing your story.
    And thank you for this space to gather this morning, Kristin! Have a great week :).

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      November 29, 2017 at 7:14 am

      Isn’t that great?! Glad to see you here, Candace!

      Reply
  3. Debbie Putman says

    November 29, 2017 at 7:13 am

    We all struggle a little with identity. Your recognizing your son struggles more than most must be comforting to him because he knows he can share and still be loved.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      November 29, 2017 at 7:15 am

      I think it’s so important to recognize whatever variables factor into identity struggles for our kids (adopted or otherwise) and have those conversations that point them to Jesus. I’m glad for Melody’s example too. Glad you’re here, Debbie!

      Reply
  4. Joanne Viola says

    November 29, 2017 at 7:24 am

    Every story so unique and beautiful! So much for us to learn about adoption both in this life and in our spiritual ones too!

    Reply
  5. Melody says

    November 29, 2017 at 7:41 am

    Such a joy to be sharing here today Kristin. Your book has inspired me and I love your heart! My daughter wants to meet Kate – I so wish we lived closer. I don’t have an adoption support group/network here and I can see her wanting to relate to someone else in her similar God-ordained adoption plan. She’s processing this very different than our son and reading my own post today has reminded me I need to initiate more conversation than I have lately. Our son would talk about it – she not so much. Oh the daily wisdom we need and by Gids grace can have when we ask for it in faith. Thanks for inviting me in to share on your front porch. The sweet tea is fabulous!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      November 29, 2017 at 3:48 pm

      You’re such a blessing, Melody, and I’m honored to share your words. It’s the opposite here – Cate talks much about her adoption and Ben not much. But that’s like anything with parenting, kids each have their own approach to processing circumstances. I look forward to the day we can hang out in real life. xo

      Reply
  6. Barbara H. says

    November 29, 2017 at 7:57 am

    It’s so much wiser and better to share a child’s adoption story from the beginning instead of having a shocking “reveal” when they’re older. That gives them so many more years to process it while at home with the people who can best answer their questions in love. So neat your son saw the spiritual parallels about being adopted.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      November 29, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      Yes, I definitely agree with you. Glad to have you here today, Barbara!

      Reply
  7. Becky Hastings says

    November 29, 2017 at 9:07 am

    I love the encouragement to talk openly about adoption. It’s not a secret to be hidden in the dark. And it’s for everyone to talk about, respectfully, kindly, even questioning. Embracing the beauty of adoption is good for everyone!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      November 29, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      Most anything is more beautiful in the light, that’s for sure! Thanks for being here, Becky!

      Reply
  8. SUSAN SHIPE says

    November 29, 2017 at 9:51 am

    Linked up late! Adoption in the Bible – I love that!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      November 29, 2017 at 3:46 pm

      Isn’t that great to think about! And there’s no right time to link up – just glad you did. 🙂

      Reply
  9. Lisa notes says

    November 29, 2017 at 10:51 am

    What a beautiful attitude: “Hey, I’ve been adopted twice now!” Thanks, Melody, for sharing this part of your journey. I, too, think it can be such a positive to be open about the adoption process. My friend’s adopted daughter (22 yrs old) has been tracking down her birth parents the past two years, and finally this year she succeeded. It has brought everyone such joy. I know not every story ends that way, but I’m thankful for the ones that do.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      November 29, 2017 at 3:45 pm

      Yes, I like those kinds of stories, and I’m so grateful to have relationships (even if they’re not consistent) with my kids’ birth moms. Thanks for being here, Lisa!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Comfort in Familiar or Unfamiliar Surroundings - Words, Photos and Art says:
    November 29, 2017 at 7:33 am

    […] #InspireMeMonday, #Glimpses, #LMMLinkup, #MomentsofHope, #TrekkingThru, #TellHisStory, #porchstories, […]

    Reply
  2. How to Practice Your Enneagram Number says:
    November 30, 2017 at 6:32 am

    […] with Brenda, Debbie, Kristin, […]

    Reply
  3. Six Things I Learned in November says:
    November 30, 2017 at 8:42 am

    […] Melody Hester: How God Makes Beauty […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Kristin 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

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
I need to work, but I want to read. 📚 #KHTread I need to work, but I want to read. 📚

#KHTreads #booklover #readerproblems #bookproblems #bookstagram #librarybooks #reallife
I read my 6-year-old daughter "The Prodigal Son" s I read my 6-year-old daughter "The Prodigal Son" story from "The Jesus Storybook Bible" before bed recently, and God reminded me of some things. 

“Jesus told people this story to show them what God is like. And to show people what they are like. So they could know, however far they ran, however well they hid, however lost they were – it wouldn’t matter,” author Sally Lloyd-Jones writes. “Because God’s children could never run too far, or be too lost, for God to find them.”

I was teary when I finished. While this Bible story was retold for children, the words brought to mind when I decided to follow Christ on Jan. 20, 1996, after hearing someone speak about The Prodigal Son during a Chrysalis weekend. 

I nailed some sins to a wooden cross in the sanctuary, representing surrender. I remember thinking of the beauty of the father welcoming his lost son home, understanding how the younger son thought he could hold together his own life, and relating to the older son who stayed and did what he was supposed to and found himself not quite willing to celebrate his brother’s homecoming. 

I told Rachel an abbreviated version of that story of being a 16-year-old girl hearing that story and making a decision that truly changed my life. 

Here more than 26 years later, I’m thankful God welcomes me home over and over again. I’ve surrendered and squandered and sulked, and God keeps opening his arms, which led me to salvation initially and continually prompts surrender. 

Read GOD ALWAYS FINDS THEM #ontheblog at kristinhilltaylor.com. #linkinbio #bloggerlife #livingfaithfully #thirdchild #momlife #faithlife #choosingJOY #bedtimeshenanigans
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorites

Categories

Archives

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