I met Kristin (finally another one with an (i) instead of and (e)!! 😉 , through the God Sized Dream Team. She has been a source of encouragement to me ever since and I feel so fortunate to have met her. We thought it would be fun to swap “spaces” for a day around Mother’s Day and share a Motherhood post!  She asked me if she could write about one of my favorite topics – music – and how it speaks to a mother’s soul. I am so excited to share her post with you because I know you will be blessed by it like I was!! And make sure you read to the end for a fun surprise! 🙂

Y’all, motherhood can be hard. Yes, I longed to be a mom and then quit the job for which I was trained and educated to dive into this completely new role. My kids are cute and funny {really, whose aren’t, right?} and they are usually quite fun to be around. But, goodness, some days are hard. There are questions and interruptions and messes and not enough hours in the day.

My kids are only 6 and 3, but I know this: When I pile up all the moments on hypothetical scale, the good will well outweigh the bad. I get the feeling I’ll look back on these days that seem long and wonder what happened to them.

Being a mom means I’m also a nurse, teacher, banker, driver, shopper, hostess, scheduler, cook, guide, organizer, communicator, party planner, investigator, and swim instructor. Throw in my kids’ independent {yes, like their momma and daddy …} ways, our individual personalities, our commitments and community, and all the things over which we have absolutely no control. Some days I wonder where the motherhood manual is. And many days I turn up the music and gain some perspective.

I don’t often have large gaps of time to read and study and process, but music has been a way to bring truth into my day. My kids have even been known to sing along with some of these songs as we drive along through life together.

1. Brave – Sara Bareilles
2. Come to Me – Jamie Grace
3. Kings & Queens – Audio Adrenaline
4. Rest Easy – Andrew Peterson
5. Promise of Summer – Jackopierce
6. When We’re Together – Mark Harris
7. While I’m Waiting – John Waller
8. Living in the Moment – Jazon Mraz
9. Whom Shall I Fear – Chris Tomlin
10. Courageous – Casting Crowns
11. Hey Mama – Mat Kearney
12. Your Love Never Fails – Newsboys
13. His Kind of Love – Group 1 Crew
14. Keep Your Eyes Open – Needtobreathe
15. Home – Phillip Phillips
16. Remind Me Who I Am – Jason Gray
17. All Things Possible – Mark Schultz
18. I’m Adopted – Slugs & Bugs
19. Children of God – Third Day
20. Brand New Day – Joshua Radin

This is the soundtrack of my season right now. Some of the songs get turned up and put on repeat frequently. Others calm my soul and remind me my entire to-do list doesn’t have to accomplished today. These songs bring truth as we grow and wait and wonder and teach and build this life. They challenge and remind and proclaim.

What songs are you listening to in your life? Whatever they are, turn them up and embrace where it is you and whoever is alongside you.

Leave a comment below and one of you will be chosen randomly on Monday to get this motherhood mix for yourself – because every new week needs a surprise. As you can tell, these songs aren’t actually just for moms. They’ve just helped out this momma who is trying her best.

Kristin Hill Taylor lives in Murray, Ky., with her husband, Greg, and two kids – 6-year-old Cate and 3-year-old Ben. She can often be found trying to beat her husband in Words with Friends, playing games of Settlers of Catan with her best friends, listening to her daughter’s stories, reminding her son to be careful, or texting her friends. You can keep up with her at www.kristinhilltaylor.com or follow on her Twitter.

Welcome! Glad you are here as I continue to talk about God sized dreams here each Tuesday and link up with other dreamers over at Holley’s site. Have you been there yet? Want to join us?? We’d love to hear how you are chasing after those dreams of yours!

Today we are sharing about how we have taken a small step towards our dream and pay it forward by encouraging others.

I have always said that I want this space to be one of encouragement….and I pray that it is. But I didn’t quite expect that it would be a place where I would find myself so encouraged as well.

There is such an amazing community of believers that gathers here on the WWW. Sharing hurts, being transparent, bringing hope.

I started blogging shortly after a miscarriage I had in 2008. Then it was a “family blog” that I created to get back into journaling that had, for many years, brought me comfort.

I was frustrated and angry and hurt about our pregnancy loss. While it was early….it was still a loss, to me. From the moment I discovered I was pregnant, it was a child of mine and I was so excited.

And then I heard about Angie Smith. She too was facing the imminent loss of their daughter Audrey.  She started a blog to record that journey and have a place to update all of the family and friends that cared about her.

And she had such a grace and a faith in this journey. I was so blessed and encouraged and challenged by her words. By her transparency.  Sure she wanted a different outcome for her daughter, yes she was angry with God – but she didn’t turn from Him.  She ran to the only One that could rescue her from the darkness.

And I knew that if she could do it….well so could I.

Such a blessing she was to me…she doesn’t even know. I was so lost and broken and bitter and I felt that God had abandoned me. But through her words each day I saw hope. I saw the face of Christ  and I wanted more.

I wanted more for myself and my family. I wanted to find this God she talked about, a God that I had long turned away from.

And I found Him….no – He rescued me from myself and reminded me of who He was.

And because of that I want to pay it forward here…to give back what was so freely given to me. Love and grace and HOPE.

This weekend a good friend called me. Someone she is friends with had a miscarriage this past week and was really struggling. This friend of mine knew that I had walked this path as well….she called me to find out how she could best support her friend…the right things to say to offer comfort.

I was so humbled by that call.

My heart breaks for this woman who is now herself fighting the darkness. The “whys”, the pain that only a mother that has lost a child knows. It can feel like a dark and lonely place. But she isn’t alone!

That is why blogging is so important to me…because here, sometimes more than any other place, we find those that have walked the same path…those that have faced the same challenges and walked in the Light.

These hearts, these beautiful souls have found a way to bring light in a dark world…and I am so grateful to each of them. And I hope to do the same.

If you have recently had a pregnancy loss I would love to pray with and for you. Would you leave me a comment and tell me about your story. Sometimes, especially as women, we just need a safe place to share. This is that place!

One of the things that was most helpful to me during my loss was something a counselor suggested I do. She told me to write a letter to the child we had lost…say all the things a mommy would say. It really helped me and provided me some peace during that time.  The post I wrote is here.

How have you been encouraged as you follow your dreams and how are you paying it forward? I’d love to hear!