Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Bringing Home More Than Groceries

September 8, 2020 by Kristin 20 Comments

Y’all, meet “Bringing Home More Than Groceries.” I’m breathing a deep sigh of relief that today is here and this is ready for you. I’m also a little nervous as I bare more of my soul to the world. Of course, I want to celebrate too!  

After years of writing and thinking about this book that has morphed from one thing into something else, I finished it while people were socially distant from each other. Talk about irony. But those months at home with a smaller-than-usual community have convinced me more than ever of the importance of this message. I believe in it, and I’m grateful for your support along the way. 

Join me in the grocery store, around tables with friends, and on her beloved porch where she loves to gather people. When I grocery shop, I bring home more than bags filled with cheese, fruit, eggs, and ice cream. There are life lessons, preparations for meals that create meaningful connections, and glimpses of my children as they become who they’re created to be.

Sometimes hospitality is flinging the doors to your home and life wide open for others to enter. Other times it means accepting invitations elsewhere because God has something for you there. Like everything in life, hospitality has seasons. What we do, what we eat, what’s on sale at the grocery, where we go, who comes with us all vary depending on circumstances and seasons – and through it all hospitality is love in action.

Of course, I couldn’t write a book about hospitality with some help from my friends! In “Bringing Home More Than Groceries: Stories About Gathering & Nourishing People,” you’ll also hear stories of hospitality and community from twenty-one of my real-life friends. Come on into the grocery store, in the kitchen, and on the porch where we learn how hospitality heals, nourishes, celebrates, and supports. 

I have a beautiful new landing page for this book, thanks to Mandy Roberson Media. Mandy, Traci, and Amy did a wonderful job bringing together what I saw in my head to paper and the screen. On the book page, you can find a sample chapter, hospitality resources, endorsements, and a playlist. You can buy the book on Amazon ($11.99 paperback; $6.99 Kindle) or from me directly ($10 paperback for local purchase plus $5 if shipped).

Giveaway!

And what’s a celebration without a gift? That’s right! I have a stack of goodies for one of you. Just look at what you’ll win!

  • Your own copy of “Bringing Home More Than Groceries”
  • $25 Walmart card
  • Paperback copy of “Practice Hospitality,” a devotional by Christen Price
  • Anchored Women meal planner PDF from Kayse Pratt
  • Package of 50 paper plates
  • 48 plastic forks and 48 plastic spoons
  • Ghirardelli brownie mix
  • Pioneer Woman set of three mini spatulas
  • Two regular-sized spatulas
  • Travel hand sanitizer
  • Two vinyl tablecloths

The giveaway is open to U.S. residents between now and Monday, Sept. 14. I will randomly choose a winner the following day. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win.

Enter More Than Groceries giveaway here!

I hope you are encouraged by these stories about hospitality, about love in action. And I hope you’ll swing your own doors and heart open to others, accept invitations from others, and recognized we truly are better together.

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Filed Under: books, hospitality Tagged With: books, community, faith, giveaway, hospitality, life, writing

Comments

  1. Mindy Estes says

    September 8, 2020 at 6:51 am

    I loved this book!! I might have to buy one soon!! Such good simple lessons out of ordinary things that I needed reminders of.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 8, 2020 at 8:32 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed it, Mindy!

      Reply
  2. Joanne Viola says

    September 8, 2020 at 7:07 am

    Your book cover is just beautiful and I am sure every word inside is as well!!! Hospitality to me means that our home becomes a place of safety and welcome to anyone who enters. It means we share and extend ourselves, whether it is convenient or not, whether it is dusty or not, whether it is home cooked or ordered out. Hospitality means just being together and loving one another in every season of life. And I would love a copy sent to me from you 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 8, 2020 at 8:32 am

      I love how you describe hospitality! Thank you for always encouraging me! xo

      Reply
  3. Anna Evans says

    September 8, 2020 at 8:16 am

    Hospitality means open hearts, doors, home, tables, shared lives through good times and bad, shared families, warts and all, love and care.

    Congratulations on your new book! Blessings for a fun and successful launch!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 8, 2020 at 8:31 am

      I like your definition of hospitality! Thanks for being here!

      Reply
  4. Hannah says

    September 8, 2020 at 8:20 am

    This is so exciting! Hospitality is willingness to give of ourselves, both to prepare and while others are in our home.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 8, 2020 at 8:30 am

      That’s so true of hospitality. Thanks for sharing in my excitement, Hannah!

      Reply
  5. Mandy Farmer says

    September 8, 2020 at 9:09 am

    I love to play hostess. But while i keep the house basically clean, my husband wants to do a spring cleaning anytime we have guests. It’s kinda put the kabash on inviting friends over. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 8, 2020 at 9:12 am

      Ha! I’m definitely more in the “basically clean” camp! Thanks for being here, Mandy!

      Reply
  6. Sarah Geringer says

    September 8, 2020 at 9:47 am

    Happy book birthday, Kristin! Excited for you!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 8, 2020 at 10:07 am

      Thank you, Sarah! xo

      Reply
  7. Sheri Roper says

    September 8, 2020 at 10:40 pm

    I am praying about “hospitality” being my word and theme of study for the upcoming year. This seems like a sign that I’m on the right track.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 9, 2020 at 2:13 pm

      Oh I love that! I’m glad you’re here!

      Reply
  8. Melody says

    September 9, 2020 at 10:27 am

    So happy for you and can’t wait to read!!!

    Hospitality to me is having a spirit of warm invitation wherever we are but especially in our own homes and spaces.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 9, 2020 at 2:13 pm

      I love your definitely of hospitality. Thanks for being here, Melody!

      Reply
  9. Brandy Lawrence says

    September 9, 2020 at 1:06 pm

    Cannot wait to read!!! Congrats on another book!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 9, 2020 at 2:12 pm

      Thanks, Brandy!

      Reply
  10. Jen M. says

    September 13, 2020 at 7:39 pm

    Making others feel comfortable and welcomed in your home or other place you are with others.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      September 14, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      Yes, ma’am! Thanks for being here!

      Reply

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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.

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I miss … … a few particular friends from whom I miss …

… a few particular friends from whom I’m separated by circumstances, logistics, and distances. 

When I make a friend, I intend to stay friends forever. Of course, life doesn’t always work out that way. 

I don’t miss my kids being young, but I miss the ease of socializing with my friends during that season. It was easy then to meet at the park or go somewhere for lunch. Now there are so many schedules to work around. 

Scheduling time to lunch or get together is still my love language, it just takes a little more work, patience, and persistence now. And sometimes that’s exhausting. But it’s always worth it. 

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I’m proud of myself for … … surviving and t I’m proud of myself for …

… surviving and thriving this school year. I resist change almost all of the time, and the past nine months have been full of so many transitions for our whole family. I know, that’s life, but these changes seem like the kind that will mark us forever. 

My kids navigated new beginnings in kindergarten, middle school, and high school. As a mom, sometimes I’m too close to see the growth, but this year it happened in each of them right before my eyes. They navigated friendship hurdles, embraced new friends, and settled a little more into who God created them to be. Middle school isn’t for the faint of heart, but I feel like I’ve come out of this year closer to my son, so I will take it. 

I’m proud of myself for leaning into where God has me. I’ve grown deeper friendships, invested in my kids’ school as a board member and business manager, and seen God work in our ordinary days. 

Y’all know I’m a summer girl, so I’m proud of myself through getting through the winter and coming into summer stronger and braver. 

#OneDayMay #maydays #livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #summerisbest #bettertogether
I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book I’m honestly surprised I didn’t read this book sooner. I loved so much about it, but I did want some of her stories to be  less repetitive and offer more practical advice for living out “radical, ordinary hospitality.” Rosaria Butterfield defines hospitality like this as sharing what you have in real time, preparing to continually life this lifestyle, and bringing strangers in so they become neighbors who become family. 

I took notes throughout, but especially during the introduction. I came away with an appreciation that hospitality can involve lists, schedules, and habits. I felt encouraged, even if I thought the book could have been organized better to include practical tips and other people’s stories. 

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I am an opinionated person, but I don’t usually share political opinions on social media. People who know me in real life know I value being pro-life, having less government involvement in our everyday lives, defining marriage as God intended it, and being fiscally conservative. As a former newspaper reporter, I still get excited about elections. I admittedly pay a little less attention in the almost 15 years I haven’t been in a newsroom. But I still care and have plenty of opinions. 

I voted today in Kentucky’s Primary Election. I’m thankful for the freedom to share my opinion by darkening some blocks on a paper ballot. 

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Old friends and live music are two of my favorite Old friends and live music are two of my favorite things, so having them together is the best. My friend Aaron and I went to multiple Dave Matthews Band shows together during our college years, so now two decades later it’s fun to do it again as grown ups with our spouses for a band that speaks truth into our lives. 

@needtobreathe put on the loudest acoustic tour I’ve ever seen, but it sure was good! And its encore of completely unplugged songs was especially sweet. 

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… a slow morning that gave me a chance to finish reading a good book right after I fixed my favorite cinnamon toast. 

… some shade to invite me to pick some more weeds around the house. But why doesn’t my Apple Watch count this as exercise? It felt like exercise to me! 

… an appointment with my oldest girl for us both to get our nails done this morning. 

… my youngest girl’s last soccer game of the season, even though the heat made her a little grumpy. 

… pool time, another good book to read, my mom visiting for the second weekend in a row, a little more weeding, and a night at home with no specific plans. 

Happiness is everyday, normal life with my people, especially when it comes with a slower pace after a hectic week. 

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I regretted having to go to sleep last night befor I regretted having to go to sleep last night before I finished this book, so I picked it up at breakfast and didn’t do anything else until I finished it. 

I loved the Alaskan cruise setting, the quick love and understanding between Greta and Ben, and the realistic ways grief changes people. Well done, @jenniferesmith! 

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