Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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I Love You Just Because {review & giveaway}

August 1, 2016 by Kristin Leave a Comment


“Three very different bear cubs liver together in one place,
Each chosen for these parents by God of love and grace.
And when the cubs ask why they’re loved, their parents often say,
‘We love you just because you are God’s gifts for whom we prayed.’”

“I Love You Just Because” by Donna Keith is a book about a bear family, but those opening lines reminded me of my own family. We are a family of five put together through adoption.

While I was reading the book to my 6-year-old son and then sitting by my 9-year-old girl when she read it, they each talked about which bear they are like in the story. I loved the sweet conversation about how God put us together to be a family. We talk about that regularly, but I love any book that prompts more of that.

ABOUT THE BOOK :: Through cute illustrations by Alison Edgson and rhyming text, “I Love You Just Because” will help little ones understand their parents’ love for them doesn’t have to be earned. With the same friendly bear family from Donna Keith’s first two books — “I Love You All the Same” and “I Love You Even When” — the sweet story of this book will remind you that family members love each other … just because.

This 20-page board book is for children 4 to 8 years old and was published by Thomas Nelson on June 7, 2016.

Learn more about this book and others on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Learn more about Donna Keith on Facebook.

GIVEAWAY :: One of you can win your own copy of “I Love You Just Because,” thanks to FlyBy Promotions. This giveaway is open through Sunday, Aug. 7 to U.S. and Canadian residents. Use the Rafflecopter widget for multiple ways to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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My kids have a copy of this cute book that we reviewed and there’s a copy for one of you, thanks to FlyBy Promotions/Propeller Consulting. I received this book in exchange for a review, but these thoughts are our own.

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Reading & applying Bible together {a review & giveaway}

May 17, 2016 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I had a complete meltdown this past weekend. I argued with my husband in front of my kids and then cried when we had a family pow wow to regroup. My husband prayed over us all and I cried some more. As much as I wish the ugliness didn’t happen, I hope my kids takeaway one truth: We all need Jesus.

Even Mom. Perhaps especially Mom.

And that’s why I love resources that help families focus on this truth. We live in a society that is saturating our kids’ minds (and our adult minds!) with so many things that don’t matter in the big picture. It takes intentional effort to come together and focus on what matters.

The new “ESV Family Devotional Bible” from Crossway helps do that. With devotionals sprinkled throughout the family-friendly Bible, there are topics and questions that are relevant to the truths that matter. It’s all set up in way that you could read the Bible together in a year. But even if you’re less organized about it, this Bible will spark conversations that are worth having.

That’s certainly a better way to remind your kids we all need Jesus – and it may even ward off any forthcoming meltdowns and arguments!

ABOUT THE BOOK :: The “ESV Family Devotional Bible” is designed to help families read and apply God’s Word together. This full-color edition features the complete ESV text interspersed with engaging illustrations and gospel-centered devotions related to key Bible stories — guiding families through the entirety of God’s Word over the course of a year. Each devotion also includes discussion questions and suggestions for additional reading.

This hardcover Bible with 1408 pages was published by Crossway (April 29, 2016). Learn more at Crossway’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

GIVEAWAY :: And there’s a copy for one of you! Use the Rafflecopter widget below for different ways to enter. The giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents through Monday, May 23. A winner will be randomly selected the following day.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The League and the Lantern {a review from a 9-year-old girl}

May 12, 2016 by Kristin Leave a Comment

My oldest girl and I love books. It’s like our love language, really. Multiple people gifted her books for her birthday last week and we both almost always have a book with us. She’s been into discovering new books lately, so we were all about the opportunity to review “The League and the Lantern” by Brian Wells.

Well, she’s going to review it, and I’m going to share some other points with you.

So, here it is, from Cate, who is finishing third grade, turned 9 last week, and reads well above grade level ::

“The League and the Lantern” is a very good adventure story.

I like that Jake has a lot of questions and he’s looking for the answers. He likes adventuring and has good friends. Lucy know how to fight really well. She’s my favorite character because she likes things to be causal when people question why these seventh-graders are alone with no supervision. T.J. always makes up weird stories when police officers or adults are nearby ask why they’re alone.

There is a bunch of bad guys, police officers, and suspicious people – some who are Jake’s best friends. Jake’s Uncle Gabe even goes missing and they try to track him down. While they try to track him down, they make other exciting discoveries.

I hope there are more stories because I like the characters and their adventures. (Spoiler alert from Mom: There are more adventures coming from this new author.)

FROM THE PARENT :: “The League and the Lantern” helps inspire reading because it’s the beginning of an adventure series your kids will want to read. Plus, there’s educational value with the 140 key vocabulary words hidden throughout the story and historic sites that are part of the setting.

Lessons in family, friendship, mercy and compassion are ones parents long for their kids to learn. And those lessons go beyond the pages with the buy-one-give-one campaign to get books into the hands of kids who cannot afford their own copies.

ABOUT THE BOOK :: “The League and the Lantern” is the first book in a new adventure series for middle-school readers. It all starts when a dangerous organization invades Jake Herndon’s seventh-grade sleepover. He escapes along with two new classmates, Lucy and TJ, only to face a 48-hour fight for survival on the streets of Chicago. The kids unravel a mystery dating back to the Civil War, and an incredible secret about Jake’s family. Along the way they learn unexpected lessons about courage, family and friendship.

“The League and the Lantern” became a reality through a Kickstarter campaign. It is a 282-page hardcover book aimed at readers 9 to 14 years old published by Republic Ink (May 16, 2016). Learn more at the book’s official website or its Facebook page.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :: Brian Wells is a concerned dad who couldn’t find quality entertainment for his kids. He has worked and produced 15 TV movies for the major networks, and this is his book debut.

GIVEAWAY :: And one of you can win a copy of this book! Use the Rafflecopter below for multiple ways to enter this giveaway, which is open through next Thursday, May 19 to U.S. and Canadian residents.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks to FlyBy Promotions/Propeller Consulting for the copy of this book that Cate reviewed and the copy one of you will receive in exchange for this post. The opinions here are mine (and Cate’s!). If you have won a prize from FlyBy/Propeller in the last 30 days or have won the same book from another blog, you are not eligible to win.

Subscribe to get new posts and/or a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog in your inbox. When you subscribe, I’ll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

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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 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.

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I sat on my porch beneath a blanket and finished t I sat on my porch beneath a blanket and finished this book today. Yes, I’m fully invested in this Cuba saga involving the Perez family. “The Last Train to Key West” by @chanelcleeton is the third in the series. I have the fourth on hold at the library for pickup on Monday. 

I wasn’t sure I was going to love this one as much as I did Cleeton’s first two, but it was a slow-building story that turned stormy. I loved how the three women were in Key West for their own reasons, developed meaningful relationships as they navigated their lives, and managed to survive the storms of their lives and an actual hurricane. 

The historical fiction story offers hope:

“It’s strange how your life can change so quickly, how one moment you can barely eke by, desperation filling your days, and suddenly, out of the unimaginably horrific, a glimmer of something beautiful can appear like a bud pushing through the hard-formed earth. There’s so much broken around us; maybe all we can do is try to fix each other, do what we can to preserve these precious moments in a world where there is so much sadness and loss. … Maybe some would say my dreams are too small. Perhaps they would dream of railroads that go over the sea, great, wonderful things. Maybe others want riches and jewels, a chance to travel the globe. For me, this is enough: A corner of paradise in this wretched world that I am able to call my own.” — Helen in “The Last Train to Key West” by Chanel Cleeton

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #historicalfiction #weekending #favoritethings #choosingJOY #bookquotes #bookreview
This morning there are three “holes” in Wright This morning there are three “holes” in Wright Road after the creek flooded it overnight. The Calloway County road department responded quickly and is working to pack in various kinds of gravel so it will passable again soon. I’m thankful for their work, but these Band-Aids aren’t an actual solution. 

Wright Road needs a permanent solution for when Wildcat Creek rises. A bridge seems to be the best idea, so the creek can rise and flow beneath the road rather than flowing across it and washing out the gravel on top of the culverts. 

I know it’s an expensive fix and would take local government working with state government, but I wonder how many times the road has to break before it can be truly repaired.

#callowaycounty #kyweather #kentuckyweather #countyroads #countryliving #reallife #murrayky
In a week filled with all the parenting emotions, In a week filled with all the parenting emotions, God has provided conversation with friends who understand, new mercies, a few walks and talks with a friend, and cinnamon rolls on a rainy Friday afternoon. I’ve been reminded when we are vulnerable and share our real lives, friends bring truth and goodness — often in ways we don’t expect but bless us anyway. 

#bettertogether #createdforcommunion #reallife #momlife #weekending #parenthood #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully
People ask when I have time to write. The truth is People ask when I have time to write. The truth is I like to make time to write, but sometimes it happens in the cracks of my days — at Panera, in the Notes app on my phone, at the library before I pickup my kids, or while I’m waiting on kids at activities. This week I edited my manuscript while Rachel practiced soccer. 

#momlife #writerlife #selfpublished #bloggerlife #authorlife #soccermom #thirdchild #createdforcommunion #bettertogether #favoritethings
I needed this weekend. The UK Wildcats didn’t I needed this weekend. 

The UK Wildcats didn’t win this afternoon like I had hoped. But following our house full of people on Friday night, I’ve spent a lot of time on my couch, under a soft blanket, with a book, while I watch #MarchMadness. 

Yesterday I pulled “When We Left Cuba” by @chanelcleeton from my to-be-read stack and then realized it was the second in a series about the Perez family. Thanks to @libby.app, I was able to get “Next Year in Havana” immediately. 

I finished it today during commercials and timeouts. And now I’m going to start “When We Left Cuba” as another basketball game also gets going. 

#KHTreads #basketballseason #weekending #bookstagram #reallife #booklover #librarybooks #KindleOasis #Kindlebooks #favoritethings
What a fun night! Basketball is best with friends What a fun night! Basketball is best with friends and food. So thankful for all these provisions and others in my life. Oh and a Cats win is icing on the cake. 

#MarchMadness #weekending #basketballseason #bettertogether #choosingJOY #BigBlueNation
You know it’s #MarchMadness when Greg Taylor pos You know it’s #MarchMadness when Greg Taylor posts on Facebook — and a picture at that! — and puts his radio/TV degree to work figuring out how to improve the viewing setup. 

#reallife #basketballseason #wifelife #choosingJOY
I had no idea just how deeply I would be affected I had no idea just how deeply I would be affected while studying Genesis 1-2. Going back to the beginning and seeing how God created, ordered, and filled the earth has been exactly what I didn’t know I needed, especially as a mom. 

For quite a while now, I feel like I’ve been living a day at a time. I used to be able to see my life in larger chunks of time and anticipate and prepare accordingly. Now, I slap things on the calendar and then deal with them as they come. Navigating life with two teenagers and a first-grader is the best and hardest thing I’ve ever done.

Honestly, this moment-to-moment living has been good for me and helped me rely on the God who created the stars and rivers that still exist in our world. Focusing on where I am helps me take slower steps, trust God to provide, and remember I’m not in control. I’ve felt an internal shift with my relationships — with my husband, kids, and friends. I’ve felt behind on laundry and dishes and piles of papers. But I’ve also felt a refreshed nearness to God. 

I’m going to rest here while believing God created life and light when there was only darkness and continues to order my days. 

#livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #faithlife #preceptstudy #genesisstudy #genesis #beginnings #reallife #PorchStories
My friend @ashleelyoung told me about this memoir, My friend @ashleelyoung told me about this memoir, but I knew nothing about Sutton Foster or her story beforehand. She’s a TV actress and Broadway singer and dancer who processes her life — complicated family life, love, loss, spotlight, infertility, adoption, motherhood — by creating. She creates in the kitchen, on stages, with yarn, with paint, with her hands, and with her mind. But her story really is all the experiences and emotions that inspire her creative work. I enjoyed this one. 

#KHTreads #memoirs #bookstagram #booklover #audiobooks #audible #bookreview
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