Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

The Middle Matters {an Easter post}

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“My corrupt soul wanted to run, fast and hard, away from the hurt that swirled on all sides. I knew in my mind that I was born again – destined for a new, eternal, no-tears-in-heaven kind of life. I knew my salvation was a direct gift from the blood and sacrifice of the spotless, uncorrupted, unstained, untainted blood of the Lamb of God; but in the darkness of night, I couldn’t help but wonder how that knowledge was supposed to help me in the present moment. I could concoct a whole host of scenarios in which the afterlife would be the most amazing, fulfilling, Guinness Book of World Records worthy, mind-blowing, God-honoring experiences where I (Lord willing) would be reunited with lost loved ones. But what about life on this side of the veil, the one we’re all living right now?”

{Megan Nilsen in “A Beautiful Exchange“}

I’ve met people and seen circumstances that make me wonder how I’m supposed to reconcile this life with the eternal life that’s coming. Why wouldn’t someone choose hope when it was right in front of them? Maybe they couldn’t see out of their own despair. Maybe they had been burned by hope before.

I get it because sometimes I feel stuck in the middle.

With Easter coming in a few days, this middle place has been on my mind, but, more importantly, so has hope.

Sometimes we skip over what happened leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and what his death was like because we want to get to the glorious end. We know he rose again and lives forever. But it wasn’t pretty getting there. There was blood and meanness and weakness and physical pain. But there also was endurance and hope.

After being whipped and insulted, Jesus hung on a cross in the middle of two criminals. He died in the middle of day.

The middle matters.

Even his resurrection comes in the middle of the story. While the stone being rolled away is certainly the highlight, it’s not the end.

The middle matters.

How we got to where we are matters, but God doesn’t want us to stay there because the best is yet to come.

The middle matters because of the future we are promised. {Tweet that.} That future includes an inheritance we share with Christ because are adopted into God’s family. We are children of God, made new (2 Corinthians 5:17) and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12).

Maybe you love where you are and who you’re with, like I do. But maybe you’re waiting for whatever you’re dreaming of next, longing for circumstances to change. I’ve been there too.

Tears and pain and endurance and hope are probably part of your middle too. I know they have been mine. Maybe you see God moving. Or maybe you believe God is moving but you’re waiting for evidence.

Wherever you are, this is the middle of the whole story. This is the week to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and celebrate his resurrection because that’s why the middle matters. The redemption and resurrection and celebration only are possible because of the hurt and betrayal and pain that happened first.

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 This is the last post in the Meet Me in the Middle Project. Britta LaFont challenged me during Lent to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here. {You can read all my preview posts about the middle, if you’re new here.}

#ThreeWordWednesday friends, I’d love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you’re not participating in this Lenten project. I’m always so glad y’all are here.


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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. 

 “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’.

Place of Transformation {and a recipe}

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I don’t bake much, but one favorite recipe around here that does happen is Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. The recipe comes courtesy my high school boyfriend’s mom.

It always amazes me I can take mushy, seemingly-no-good bananas and turn them into deliciousness.

Don’t believe me? Try it yourself.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
From Jane Garcia

1 cup margarine softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 ripe bananas that I puree in a food processor
Chocolate chips

Cream margarine, sugar and eggs till light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add dry ingredients and blend well. Then pour in the pureed bananas and mix until well blended. Stir in however many chocolate chips you want and pour into two greased and floured loaf pans and bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

I’ve also discovered the bread freezes well.

I’m reminded how The Middle is a place of transformation. {Tweet that.} It’s in the middle where one thing becomes another, something is changed from the inside out with effort and time, and sometimes it takes some heat to do the job.

I’m talking about banana bread, but I’m also talking about my own heart. Food and faith are intertwined in celebration and the ordinary moments that make life sweet.

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I’m excited to join Britta Lafont for her Meet Me in the Middle Project during Lent, when I’m going to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here or reference Britta’s introductory post.

#ThreeWordWednesday friends, I’d love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you’re not participating in this Lenten project. I’m always so glad y’all are here.


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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. 

 “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’.

Are you tired?

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I’ve watched Rachel fall asleep a few times recently.

At first she looks around, mentally fighting the urge the sleep. She seems to think about what she might miss if she closes her eyes. Then her eye lids flutter open and close, but she’s no longer mentally fighting what she knows she wants. Her breathing changes and then her eyes stay closed. Rest comes.

(Let’s not even talk about how she doesn’t really like to be put down in her crib before 9 p.m. Thank God for the swing, which she’s sadly outgrowing, and her pleasant demeanor.)

I know what it’s like to be in the middle of wanting to rest but fighting to slow down and be still.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

{Matt. 11:28-30 The Message}

Having a baby in the house again after six years has reminded me of how God cares for us, his children.

Rachel needs me to do everything for her – make her bottles, feed her, change her diapers, dress her, buckle her in the car seat, carry her from one place to another. At almost 6 months, she’s able to roll around, slowly getting from point A to point B, and manages to feed herself Baby Mum Mum crackers. But she’s still got a lot to learn and needs me.

God is the same with us. He tends to so many details of our lives, gives us opportunities to take care of things as we mature, and is always teaching us. Like a baby learning some independence, a faith journey is a process of maturing. {Tweet that.}

Regardless of our age or how long we’ve walked with God, we’re living in the middle of new life in Christ and our eternal home. In the middle, we are sanctified, but we won’t be perfected until we call heaven home.

The middle can be exhausting, especially when we try to carry all of life’s details ourselves. In Jesus, there is another way. He wants us to walk with him and learn from him – and that often means slowing down and finding real rest. As we do, our steps become more confident, our faith stronger, and our life freer.

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I’m excited to join Britta Lafont for her Meet Me in the Middle Project during Lent, when I’m going to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here or reference Britta’s introductory post.

#ThreeWordWednesday friends, I’d love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you’re not participating in this Lenten project. I’m always so glad y’all are here.

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This isn’t the first time I’ve written with these verses about the unforced rhythms of grace on my mind. Read other related posts here and here. Obviously, rest is a practice I’m always needing to learn about. 

I’m sharing this post with Dawn Boyer’s new Grace Moments link up. Come join us there for more encouragement. 

Want more insights?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. 

 “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’.