Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

Breathing easier in the mountains

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I’ve been unpacked for a couple of weeks, but I’m still thinking about Colorado.

For my 40th birthday in May, Greg planned a trip for us to go to Colorado. We postponed the original June plan a couple of months because the beginning of summer was hard for me. But we flew out three days exactly after I turned 40 on what was also our 17th anniversary to see some friends and some mountains. I’m grateful for the way Greg knows me and knew I needed this trip at this time.

While I love planning trips, part of the joy of this gift is Greg mapped out our route and planned the general itinerary. We sat down together one night to book flights, hotels, and some activities for our four days in Colorado. I’d never been and was happy to go this way!

Monument / Colorado Springs

After breakfast at Snooze in Denver, we headed to Monument, just north of Colorado Springs, where my high school friend Dustin & Shelley (well, Dustin and I have been friends since middle school …) live. They fed us at a delicious, local Mexican restaurant called La Casa Fiesta, where I learned about calabacitas, before giving us a tour of Garden of the Gods.

Pikes Peak

Greg drove up to the summit at Pikes Peak, which is 14,115 feet high. The drive between mile markers 13 and 16 was particularly tense, but we parked at the last shuttle lot at mile marker 16 and took a shuttle to the top, where there was construction happening for a new visitors center. Even so, the views were amazing. We were at the top around noon and it was 50 degrees, compared to 80 degrees at the same time in Colorado Springs.

Breckenridge

The drive from Pikes Peak to Breckenridge might have been my favorite stretch of highway. The meadows and little towns between the mountains were lovely. I kept taking pictures of this drive (and all the others) and the images just don’t do the reality justice.

(But you can see all my attempts at capturing this lovely state here.)

We stayed at the River Mountain Lodge in downtown Breckenridge and really loved the hotel. The location was perfect and the room was spacious yet cozy. We didn’t get to explore downtown Breck as much as we had hoped because it was raining by the time we got there. We did eat a delicious meal at Blue River Bistro.

The next morning we had breakfast at Columbine Cafe and then rode the gondola up a mountain to where there were summer activities on what would otherwise be a ski slope. We took a chairlift up farther and an alpine slide down.

Idaho Springs

We didn’t get much time in Breckenridge because we had an early afternoon whitewater rafting reservation with Colorado Adventure Center in Idaho Springs. We did the beginner trip and really enjoyed the trip in the creek that’s fed by snow runoff and was still 38 degrees.

Estes Park

After rafting, we headed toward Estes Park, mostly on the Peak to Peak Highway, which was a gorgeous drive through and around and up and down mountains. We got there in time for dinner at The Grubsteak and dessert on the strip of downtown shops. Greg had ice cream in a homemade chocolate chip cone from the Danish Cone Factory and I had the best taffy I’ve ever tasted from Purple Mountain Taffy.

We stayed at a quaint hotel called Nicky’s Resort at which I wish we’d had more time to eat and relax. In the morning, we ate cinnamon rolls at a Cinnamon’s Bakery and then headed into Rocky National Park. Greg drove us along Trail Ridge Road, which is the highest continuously paved road. The highest point of this road that meanders right through mountain tundra is 12,183 feet. Once again, the temperatures on top of the mountain were about 30 degrees colder and prompted us to put on sweatshirts.

We spent some more time walking around downtown Estes Park. We lunched at Bob and Tony’s Pizza before I discovered Cliffhanger Used Books, where I could have spent even more time than I did. We drove around Estes Park taking in some more lovely views before we headed back to Denver, where we visited with our college friend Sarah before heading to the airport to fly home.

Conclusion

The road trip really worked for us, giving us time to take in views, listen to music, and talk about whatever came to mind. I really loved Colorado and already hope to take my kids back someday, perhaps even spending more time in each location.

I’m a details person, but the great big mountains and views of all these different places in just four days were good for my soul. I felt like I could breathe easier (figuratively, hello, altitude) and remember my place in this great big world while enjoying the adventure with my husband.

Welcoming a new (school) season together

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Well, they’re off to seventh and fourth grades! (The youngest, who, of course, jumped into another photo, is headed to Mother’s Day Out tomorrow.)

As my family of five sat on our porch eating our hod podge dinner Sunday night, Greg asked us what we had learned this summer. Sunday nights are always bittersweet for me as I transition from a weekend mentality to preparing for the week ahead, but this was the last one before school started today so extra feelings were surfacing.

I loved that Greg asked the question, though.

Our answers ranged from food discoveries to my more emotional answers about grief and belonging to books we loved to practical solutions around the house. We joked and remembered and listed joy after joy.

Here are some of the things we learned, collectively and individually:

  • Grief is complicated and affects one’s sense of belonging. (Read more about belonging.)
  • Springs of water can come through an asphalt driveway and make quite a mess. (Any solutions to this one welcome …)
  • Trapping wasps is possible but they’re still sneaky enough to make their homes in small places they aren’t wanted.
  • Burgers are delicious cooked in a cast-iron skillet on the stove. So are steak bites.
  • New-to-us book series and authors are always welcomed. One child and I read a lot of fiction books, which is no surprise. And another child learned the joy of reading when we limited TV and other screens. (I have been devouring Colleen Hoover books. Cate found a new-to-her series called “The Unwanteds.” And Ben has been reading like never before.)
  • Hospitality heals. I know this, but I was invited in when I needed a break from initiating plans. (Read more about that.)
  • Home is where I needed to be many of the #88daysofsummer, but now I’m looking forward to some trips this fall.

We learned plenty more about each other – as a family and individually. And I’m in the midst of processing grief and anxiety and motherhood, but, for now, I’m grateful God gave me a fresh perspective and ushered us into a new season of life and school together.

Tell me, what have you learned this summer?

Seasons of belonging

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Even in my favorite season, I’ve hit some bumps. I’m enough of an extrovert that I’ve always created the community I crave. But, honestly, I haven’t had the energy to invest in relationships, so this summer has been filled with my few closest friends and whoever invited me into their life.

Kristen Strong’s encouragement and guidance in “Back Roads to Belonging: Unexpected Paths to Finding Your Place and Your People” helped me find my place in my own season of letting roots sink in more deeply while learning new things, processing how sorrow and hope can co-exist, and finding renewed perspective in belonging right where I am. She’s spurred me on to seek God’s beauty and adventure right in front of me. While doing so, God filled my soul when I feel empty and reminded me of his promises for me and my place with Him.

One of the gifts this summer was a Bible study my friend Megan hosted. Honestly, I shy away from regular commitments in the summer, but I knew when she asked me about it in the spring that I wanted to go. I didn’t anticipate backing off from some of my usual invitations to others. I didn’t realize sorrow could lead to feelings of not belonging. I didn’t know at the time I would need for someone to welcome me in. (Plus I’ve learned a lot from studying Hebrews.)

This summer has definitely been a season of growing down, letting roots sink in more deeply while learning new things about myself and my family. My tendency is to make plans and invite people over and fill the wide-open spaces. But this summer I drew the circle a little smaller and found fresh perspective in belonging right where I am.

“The specifics of how we relax in this growing down season aren’t important. Using the time and not wasting it is. This is not the time to fret about growing up or out to be seen in our belonging place. This is the season to be known by growing down, to build a stronger sense of belonging that is rooted in Christ, in whom our closeness overshadows our place here on earth.”

– Kristen Strong in “Back Roads to Belonging”

Kristen’s words in that paragraph and her whole book came when I needed them most. I preordered “Back Roads to Belonging” long before this season and then I received a copy for being on the launch team. It’s one of those books that literally feels good to hold and figuratively feels good for your soul.

I actually gave my early copy away to my friend Becky who moved at the end of July because she’s been important to my belonging — to this season, to this community, and to Christ. (I also gave her a copy of the mix I made for myself because I needed to hear truths of about how sorrow & hope could mingle together. Here’s that playlist, if you’re interested.)

My friendship with Becky surprised me in the sweetest ways this summer because I didn’t see all our conversations and time around tables coming. But God knew. He knew I needed her wisdom and authenticity. He knew she needed to belong in a different way too. He knew things we haven’t even learned yet because that’s how he provides and sustains us in our eternal belonging.

I’m grateful for my own back roads, Kristen’s words, and the belonging that happens here. As my kids head back to school and we fall into a different routine, I’ve still got belonging on my mind. So here’s to saying yes to others, welcoming others in even when it looks different than expected, and believing hospitality matters because it helps heal.

So, in Kristen’s words: “When you believe you’re in a season of wandering around a barren belonging landscape, may you know you don’t wander purposelessly. God is aware of every bump and bend, and Jesus walks with you through every setback and delay. May you never stop participating in your own life, even through the mystery — because God is moving for you in your life. May you remember Jesus was brought outside so you could be brought inside forever.”

About the author & book

Kristen Strong, author of “Girl Meets Change,” writes as a friend offering meaningful encouragement for each season of life so you can see it with more hope and less worry. She and her U.S. Air Force veteran husband, David, have three children. Together this military family zigzagged across the country (and one ocean) several times before settling in Colorado Springs, Colorado. You can find her at her website, DaySpring’s (in)courage, and on Instagram.

“Back Roads to Belonging” is a 208-page paperback published by Revell (Aug. 6, 2019).

Giveaway

And I’m sharing a copy of this book with one of you. Thanks for being here and sharing pieces of your story. Use the Rafflecopter below for various entries. I’ll randomly choose a winner Tuesday, Aug. 13.

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