JULY 2025 – Catching Our Breath, Running Our Race

We’re sitting in Glendive as we write this—well, one of us is sitting. Keira’s out doing her sister’s hair while I’m holding down the fort and catching up on some writing. We missed June’s update, so this one’s pulling double duty for both months. It feels good to pause and reflect for a moment because the last few weeks have been full tilt.

We got back to Kona from New Zealand on June 1st. The first few days were spent debriefing Keira’s Discipleship Training School with YWAM—processing what God did over those months and finishing that chapter well. After that, we finally exhaled. Twenty days of rest. Time with the kids. Slow mornings. Beach days. Long talks. We needed it. After six months of outreach, travel, and nonstop motion, our souls were hungry for some Sabbath. And Hawaii, as always, gave us space to breathe.

But by the end of June, it was time to hit the road again—this time back to Montana. We landed on June 26th, just in time for the memorial service for my grandfather, Bob Taylor. He passed shortly before we left New Zealand, and the memorial had been planned a month out. It meant a lot to be there, to honor his life, and to reconnect with extended family we hadn’t seen in years.

From there, we rolled right into the 4th of July celebrations and my mom’s birthday on July 5th. Backyard volleyball, fireworks, the kids and their cousins running wild—and the newest family highlight: my parents’ newly installed backyard pool. That thing might just be the best investment they’ve ever made. Swimming, cookouts, and plenty of laughs. It’s the kind of summer rhythm that makes Montana magic in July.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Taylor family gathering without some competition. This year’s volleyball tournament ended in an upset—Keira’s team beat mine. No further comment. My brother-in-law Tanner had just bought a “Top Dog” trophy to kick off a new family tradition. He was on my team too… so, naturally, the other team earned the glory this year. The trophy stays at my parents’ house, but each year, the winning team gets their names etched into it—a humble reminder of who reigned supreme. This year, it’s not us.

After that, we headed east to Glendive to visit Keira’s side of the family. I ended up hopping in on a last-minute job with my brother-in-law Chris at his company, Iba Drilling. They were short a guy and had a cathodic protection well to drill in North Dakota, so I tagged along and helped where I could. Mostly, I drove one of the vehicles—just glad to be in town at the right time to lend a hand.

Now we’re back at Keira’s parents’ place, soaking in these last few days of Montana summer. The kids are thriving. Keira’s reconnecting with her sisters. And I’m finally catching up on work—including getting this blog post out.

Through all of this—the travel, the transitions, the celebrations, the unexpected moments—we’ve just been reminded again of the Lord’s kindness. His timing has been so evident. From being back just in time for Grandpa Bob’s memorial, to getting a stretch of rest we didn’t even realize how much we needed, to showing up right when Chris’s crew needed an extra set of hands—none of it was accidental. It’s like He went ahead of us and carved out the way.

We’ve seen His faithfulness in the quiet and in the chaos. He’s been teaching us to slow down, to notice Him in the little things, and to remember that He’s not just present when we’re in “ministry mode.” He’s present when we’re laughing with cousins, swimming in the backyard, or driving across the plains of North Dakota. He’s always near, always good, and always working—even when we’re just catching our breath.

We’ll post some 4th of July photos with this one—because that really was the heartbeat of our July. Cousins, chaos, color in the sky.

Thanks for following along. We’re praying you’re finding rhythms of rest and joy too.

—The Taylors

“The Lord is faithful in all His words and kind in all His works.” —Psalm 145:13b (ESV)

Prayer Request:
As we head into August, we’re shifting back into ministry mode in Kona. Pray for clarity, fresh vision, and grace for our whole family as we step back into leadership and gear up for the next season.