Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

Sharing lives & gifts

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November is National Adoption Awareness so I wanted to combine my loves of adoption and hospitality in today’s post. Truly, adoption taught me much about hospitality as we navigated three similar but different open adoptions, accidentally built a community of other adoptive & foster moms, and continue to teach our kids about the value of sharing our lives.

This is a fun post! I’ve got an edited excerpt from “Bringing Home More Than Groceries: Stories of Gathering & Nourishing People” to share with you. And then I have THREE GIVEAWAYS (!!!) of my books plus so many goodies from other mommas in my adoption community.

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Some of the friends I see the most in this parenting season are other parents from my big kids’ school. We chat at pickups, sit next to each other at games, carpool to field trips, and bring treats to the same classroom parties. We invest in our kids’ lives but come away with a deeper community too. So then we also make plans to see each other in the summer when our lives aren’t revolving around the school calendar, celebrating birthdays together and confiding in one another when we’re having hard days. Of course, all this looks different these days, thanks to COVID-19.

Investing in friendships with like-minded moms has helped me navigate motherhood. Sometimes this is a weary job! But raising kids is a worthwhile investment that takes time over the course of lots of seasons. Galatians 6:9 is a good reminder for me: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

I’ve heard this before, but it struck me in a new way when I was stretched among three parenting seasons. These words reminded me that with each conversation, boundary, ride home from school, and correction, I’m investing in my kids and the life we’re building together for God’s glory. Having friends in similar parenting seasons, as well as ones a few steps ahead of me, reminds me all the mental energy we’re investing is worth it.

More recently, parenting has involved conversations about cell phones, sleepovers, and vacations; discipline regarding grades and attitudes; and training and establishing habits. Yes, you can play basketball; no, you can’t have a cell phone. Yes, you can go over to her house after school, but you can’t spend the night.

I’ve talked with like-minded friends, many of whose kids are my kids’ classmates, and discussed with my husband, who thankfully lives on the same page with these things. Articles have affirmed why my kids won’t have cell phones anytime soon and why we don’t do sleepovers, but they’ve also reminded me living counter-culturally is hard but not beyond where God has called us, especially if we bring others with us.

My others have come as I befriended my kids’ friends’ parents, but also through engaging in shared activities with others. I have a group of fellow writer friends who first gathered online and then at my lake house for a retreat. We talk and text on Voxer almost every day. We came together initially to share each other’s writing and products, but we ended up praying together through lots of hard situations, discussing various parenting seasons, sifting through theological questions we didn’t always agree upon, and sharing details of our daily lives. We still root each other on in our craft, but we also consider each other dear friends.

I also have a group of Bible study girls. We sat down at the same table as part of a larger group, but as we studied scripture together, we shared pieces of our lives. We’ve had playdates at the park with our young kids and gathered at my pool when Bible study is on summer break. A few of those girls were among the first people with whom I shared my complicated grief when my dad died. Delana could be our mom and loves to cook for us. We sent gift cards to Leslie when she miscarried a baby and to Tara when she was sick. We prayed for kids and decisions and families. We recommend books to each other and check in on each other when we’ve gone too many days without touching base.

These groups of friends began on specific common ground and have continued to be a foundation in my life because we went beyond that initial reason for gathering. Maybe it’s not writing or studying the Bible. It could be any hobby or interest that brings you together with others you may not have otherwise known.

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Now for the THREE GIVEAWAYS! I asked in my Adoption Together group about possible gifts to share with y’all and so many people responded that we’re going to have two giveaways for people who live in the Murray, KY area and another for someone who lives elsewhere:

GIVEAWAY ONE!

GIVEAWAY TWO!

GIVEAWAY THREE!

Use the Rafflecopter widget below before Friday, Nov. 13 to enter to win one of these packs of goodies! The first two prize packages are for folks in the Murray, KY area and the third is for any U.S. resident.

Enter giveaway here!

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This is the second in a monthly series about why hospitality matters in every season. Be sure to download the free printable with ideas about how to welcome others into your home and your life regardless of the season.

A tween novel where mystery & truth meet

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My two kids who know how to read have been reading all summer. I love raising readers and I love finding books that fit into our family culture. I’ve got a new fiction book for tweens to share with y’all.

“The Case of the Missing Person” is a fiction mystery geared toward tweens. The main character, 12-year-old Sera Craven, learns the joys and responsibilities of having a family after she’s adopted from Colombia, how social media can be both helpful and hurtful, and the truth that life’s mysteries don’t always go as expected. Author Kathleen Guire also does a good job incorporating realistic transitions that come with adopting – both for the new kid in the family and the ones who are making room for a sibling.

My own tween, Cate, who is 12, enjoyed reading this book too.

About the book

When Sera is adopted from Colombia, there’s a whole new batch of mysteries for her to solve. In “The Case of the Missing Person,” this Nancy Drew-loving tween and her best friend Mandy are itching to solve a big mystery. Join them as Sera attempts to navigate social media and discover some clues about her long lost Colombian friend, Isabella. Celebrate with her as she learns the joy of having a family. You don’t want to miss the plot twist at the end!

About the author

Kathleen Guire has a heart for orphans, hospitality, and encouraging women. She and her husband, Jerry, have a big family with seven kids – four of whom were adopted as a sibling group from Poland. She writes at The Whole House and has other books available on Amazon. Keep up with her on Facebook and Instagram.

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Cate and I read an early version of this book and are happy to review it now that it’s available. These opinions are our own.

Glory is just around the corner

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“Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.” — 1 Peter 4:12-13 (The Message)

Adoption built my faith and my family.

As I became a momma in this way I didn’t expect, I prayed for God to use our story to encourage others. While we were navigating the adoption process the first two times, I knew hardly anyone who had adopted or was adopted. Now, a momma of three kids who came to us through private, domestic adoptions, I also have a community of moms who understand.

This online community is the answer to my prayers. Yes, it’s one of the ways God is using our story, like I prayed for, but it’s also been a blessing to me as I navigate parenting. Within this community, I’ve often quoted 1 Peter 4:13 from The Message: “This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.”

Regardless of where people are in the process, I want these other moms to remember we’re in these adoptions and this life together. And the glory really is coming. This online community has been a safe space where we share prayer requests, resources, and updates. Some of us get to gather around real-life tables for lunches and watch our kids befriend one another.

That’s how I began the devotion I contributed to “Faith, Hope, & Connection: A 30-Day Devotional for Adoptive and Foster Parents.”

About the book

Are you a foster or adoptive parent needing hope for this complex and sometimes lonely journey? Do you love your kids but feel discouraged? Are you misunderstood by people around you?

In “Faith, Hope, & Connection: A 30-Day Devotional for Adoptive and Foster Parents,” you’ll find real, often raw, stories from adoptive and foster parents in the trenches; scripture and faith-filled hope, pointing you to Jesus; and honest reflections speaking courage to your soul and reminding you that you are not alone.

This devotional is written by 30 authors, all foster and adoptive parents, who offer a window into their own lives and families. You’ll recognize yourself time and time again in their words. “Faith, Hope, & Connection” is a treasure-trove of wisdom and grace for foster and adoptive families.

This 141-page paperback was independently published by The Adoption Connection for The Refresh Conference in February 2019.

About the editors

Melissa Corkum is an adoptee and adoptive mom. She and her husband are parents to six kids by both birth and adoption. Their open door policy has blessed them with lots of honorary family members along the way. They are Empowered to Connect Parent Trainers. She hates cleaning and loved extra-crispy fries. Find her online at her website, The Cork Board.

Lisa Qualls is a birth mom and adoptive mom. She and her husband have 12 kids by birth and adoption and even more through foster care. As a Trust-Based Relational Intervention practitioner, she walks alongside families with kids from “hard places.” She loves hosting big family dinners but hates grocery shopping, which is a problem. Find her online at her website, One Thankful Mom.

Together they host The Adoption Connection, which includes a website, podcasts, and Facebook group to support adoptive and foster families.

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I received a free copy of this devotional for being a contributing author, but I’ve already recommended it to others because I believe we are better when we encourage each other with our stories. If you’re looking for other adoption resources, I compiled a list of those too.