Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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

The thrill & pain of hope

December 6, 2017 by Kristin 20 Comments

The nurse asked me how I would rate my ear pain on a scale from 1 to 10. I hesitated. It hurt badly enough to keep me up at night, but I’m sure it didn’t hurt as much plenty of other ailments and injuries people have experienced.

I settled on my answer: 7.

When the nurse practitioner looked in my left ear, she could barely get the tool in to see the ear infection I knew was there. Turns out there were two infections right there together. It was my FIFTH EAR INFECTION in eight months.

Maybe that justifies my 7 on the pain scale.

Maybe not.

Maybe it doesn’t matter.

Pain is pain. My ear hurt and I was thrilled to have relief coming.

And, really, isn’t that the hope when we hurt? We long for relief. We hope for change.

Maybe you haven’t had an ear infection lately. But I’m guessing you’ve experienced some kind of pain recently. Relationships become strained. Accidents happen. Grief lingers. Expectations are dashed. The past can haunt.

Whatever your pain is, I do believe relief can come.

Actually, I believe relief has come.

Isn’t that what this season of Advent is about? We are celebrating Jesus coming as a baby in a manager so He could be the savior of the world while we are anticipating His second coming, which will bring eternal relief from pain.

Jesus brings hope & relief for our pain.

{Tweet that.}

I know, holidays can be hard because grief can rise up amidst the twinkling lights. Pain doesn’t live by the calendar. Sometimes joy and sadness are so intertwined they can’t be separated.

And let me preach to myself for a moment: Pain is pain. Let’s not compare whatever hardship we’re experiencing now to something we’ve walked through before or a part of someone else’s story. Comparison in any area of life is a thief. With pain, we don’t need comparison to steal our relief or the redemption God has coming.

Okay, so maybe redemption isn’t part of my ear infection story. But that day in the doctor’s office I thought about the emotional and spiritual pains I’d experienced. I do believe with my whole heart God has used those times to write a much bigger story full of hope. And that’s where I want to rest when I hurt.

*****

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 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: Porch Stories Tagged With: Christmas, faith

Comments

  1. SUSAN SHIPE says

    December 6, 2017 at 6:07 am

    I like the way you wrote this. I’ve walked through pain-level 10…heartpain. xo

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      Thank you, Susan! Heart pain hurts, that’s for sure!

      Reply
  2. Patricia Krank says

    December 6, 2017 at 6:20 am

    I like this. The relief always comes but it’s hard to realize in the midst of the pain. God is so very faithful!
    Thank you for the link up Kristin.
    Patti

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      Yes, so faithful, thankfully! Thanks for being here, Patti!

      Reply
  3. Becky Hastings says

    December 6, 2017 at 6:35 am

    Such a good reminder not to compare our pain with another’s. It’s easy to think ours is small in comparison, or that they couldn’t possibly understand because ours is so big, but pain hurts. Period. So grateful for grace and redemption! (And that you have some relief from your pain!)

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:55 pm

      I too am grateful for grace and redemption. And I’m glad you’re here faithfully, Becky!

      Reply
  4. Joanne Viola says

    December 6, 2017 at 7:44 am

    Wonderful encouragement –> May we rest in His hope when we hurt for He IS hope. And such a good reminder to not compare hurt & pain but be filled with compassion for others.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:55 pm

      That compassion is part of what God’s teaching me these days. I’m always glad you’re here, Joanne!

      Reply
  5. Debbie Putman says

    December 6, 2017 at 8:21 am

    God’s constant love and faithfulness take the edge of the deepest pain.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:54 pm

      Yes, that’s a good sentence right there. I’m glad you’re here, Debbie!

      Reply
  6. Meghan says

    December 6, 2017 at 8:32 am

    Ouch I hope you get some relief soon. My own son is battling this and we are taking back to the doc today. Thanks for sharing the right perspective here. I pray you have a blessed season and Christmas!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:54 pm

      Thankfully, the ear infection was several weeks ago, and I’m feeling good right now! 🙂 Thank you, Meghan!

      Reply
  7. Rachel Lee says

    December 6, 2017 at 9:48 am

    “Relief HAS come.” Yes! Advent wrapped up in a nutshell. 😉

    Love it Kristin!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:53 pm

      Thanks, Rachel!

      Reply
  8. sue says

    December 6, 2017 at 10:32 am

    pain is pain – you’re right about that. and we have it til Glory – that’s setting our minds on things above – but I forget that “setting” when in pain! Lord have mercy on us all (oh, that’s right He did – Christmas, then Easter.)

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:53 pm

      Yes, and amen! Thanks, Sue!

      Reply
  9. Michele Morin says

    December 6, 2017 at 12:39 pm

    Glad you got relief — and thanks for making a parable of your pain to bring hope to readers who are suffering from hurts that can’t be healed by antibiotics.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:53 pm

      There are all kinds of hurts in this world, and when I had that brief physical hurt I spent some time thinking about all of this. Thanks for being here, Michele!

      Reply
  10. Lisa notes says

    December 6, 2017 at 2:54 pm

    I’ve had ear infections as an adult (but not the past three years, knock on wood), and I know how painful they can be. It’s always hard to guess a number for our pain: if we go too low, they may not take us seriously, but if too high, they might think we’re wimps. ha. Hope you have full relief soon!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      December 6, 2017 at 2:58 pm

      Yes, that’s so true about the association with the number we assign. Thankfully, I’m feeling good. This ear infection was several weeks ago, but during it I had these thoughts, which also came back to mind with the Christmas season. Thanks for being here, Lisa!

      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

Ben found an Easter egg that we hid almost a year Ben found an Easter egg that we hid almost a year ago and never found. So much has happened since then, but the plastic egg remained through all the seasons. Something had opened it, eaten the candy, and left the trash. There’s actually one more out there somewhere. #boymom #reallife #countryliving #weekending #easteregg
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
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.