Category Archives: Five Minute Friday

PRAISING GOD FOR A HEART OF WORSHIP

August 30, 2013 3:28 pm , 2 Comments ,

Fort c™tire d'altitude ˆ Douglas et Tsuga

I was in my early thirties the year I had the most darkness around me. I couldn’t seem to escape it until I began seeking Christ more wholeheartedly.

As I began learning to keep my gaze fixed upon Jesus rather than on my problems, I could see light at the end of the tunnel. Through prayer and fellowship with Him, the light began flooding out the darkness.

In those quiet moments of stillness and seeking, as I bowed before the Creator of the universe, I was overcome with the vastness of His being. Now sixteen years later, I realize that it was while experiencing painful trials that I was given a true heart of worship.

“A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the true (genuine) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers.” John 4:23 (Amplified Bible)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Worship.”

The picture was downloaded at stockfreeimages.com.

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Five Minute Friday: Last

August 23, 2013 12:46 pm , 6 Comments ,

Amy's Pictures 934

I had heard people proclaim, “I’m mad at God!.” But I had never experienced it myself until one summer evening. I had felt abandoned by the Lord at times, but this was different. I laid my head on my pillow one night and said, “Jesus, I’m mad at You.”

There was a breakthrough I needed in my life and it just wasn’t happening on my time table. So I blamed it on God. After several minutes, I fell asleep.

I woke up eight hours later thinking, “How ridiculous for me to be mad at Jesus. He’s the only One who can truly rescue me. Being mad at Him won’t help anything.” Within minutes of waking, I prayed, “Lord, forgive me for my silliness. Please forgive me for being mad at You.”

Right there, while lying in my bed, I said, “Lord, I surrender everything to You.”

Previously, I had surrendered parts of my life to Him and had been following Him for years and years. This was different though. It was a defining moment for me. It was the last time I ever tried to do things without His help and guidance.

And guess what? I received the breakthrough I was waiting on within weeks. At last, my life was permanently on the course that leads to abundance and beauty, leaving disappointment behind forever. I realized the day I surrendered everything to my Creator that I am free at last to live in His abundant peace forever until Christ returns.

“The thief only comes to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 (NASB)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Last.”  Today, I wrote for about nine minutes, trying to find a good stopping point.

Photography Credit: Christa von Borstel

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REJOICING IN SMALL BEGINNINGS

August 16, 2013 3:42 pm , 6 Comments ,

We were ecstatic when my husband Michael was hired by a small German company after a two and half year season of him being without full-time work. But as we began to ponder the details, we realized that it wasn’t exactly what we had planned for. After all, my husband had returned to college and worked tirelessly earning a Biomedical Engineering degree. We had expected to have a better salary, better benefits, and most definitely hadn’t planned on Michael having to live in Germany for three months of training.

Without medical coverage for me and the kids, Michael worried that he may have been making a mistake by accepting this job. I wondered, “How in the world will I handle everything with my husband in another country?” After some time of wrestling with God, we surrendered to what we believed was his divine plan for our family, but not without reservations. It was hard to let go of our concerns without all of the dots connecting.

Still, we moved forward with faith. As I trusted God, I could hear His encouraging voice in my spirit. He reminded me of a scripture in Zechariah. “Do not despise small beginnings…”

Looking back, I am beyond grateful that I chose to trust God during that season of small beginnings. If we had not, our family would have missed, perhaps, the greatest blessing of our lives. Within months of Michael accepting the job with the German company, it was bought out by one of the largest corporations in the world. We were blown away by the medical benefits, the increased salary, the opportunity for promotion and growth. Who would have dreamed that our obedience in following Christ in the small things could lead to such grand, new things?

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Small.” Today, I wrote for about twelve minutes, trying to find a good stopping point.

 

Five Minute Friday

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NO LONGER LONELY

August 9, 2013 6:09 pm , 2 Comments ,

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I sat down at the dining room table and began sobbing as I faced the realities of the moment. There seemed to be multitudes of stresses in my life, and I felt all alone. I had taken the easy road and allowed a wall to go up between my husband and me that seemed to be ten thousand feet thick. It was in 1997 when I hit rock bottom.

I was desperate for Jesus. Through deep prayer, God showed me that I needed to forgive my husband in the same way He had forgiven me.

As I began to open my heart up again to my husband, he began to open his heart up to me. Brick by brick, Christ began taking down the wall that had kept us from the intimacy we both longed for.

The love we once had in our youth began to grow like a young, delicate plant, and eventually grew into a strong oak tree. Because of Christ, our lonely days are over. After twenty-eight years of marriage our love grows deeper with each passing year.

“My beloved is mine and I am his…” Song of Solomon 2:16 (NIV)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Lonely.” Today, I had a hard time finding a good stopping point. I wrote for about ten minutes.

Five Minute Friday

Posted in: Five Minute Friday, Marriage

BOLDLY SHARING MY STORY WITH STRANGERS

August 2, 2013 1:22 pm , 6 Comments ,

The Hope of Your Healing

On an ordinary day, in a check-out line, I turned around and saw sadness in the eyes of two women. They were wearing religious attire with their heads covered. I could see brokenness and fear coming from deep within their souls. I sensed within my spirit that Christ wanted for me to share a little of my story.

“If you haven’t met Jesus yet, He’s amazing,” I said with zeal.

I boldly shared my faith in Jesus not because I was condemning their lives. I shared that day and I share every opportunity I get—for one reason only—I want others to taste the amazing love of Christ. I want every person I come into contact with to know Him intimately, to know His love, to see how His story is truly the greatest, most life-changing story every told.

“For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.” Philippians 1:20 (NLT)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Story.”

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Five Minute Friday: Broken

July 26, 2013 4:20 pm , 4 Comments ,

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It was after I became an adult that I realized how broken I was. My daddy had left our family when I was a thirteen-year-old, and the wounds were hidden deep in my soul.

After unsuccessfully searching to find comfort through acceptance of people and staying busy, I found healing through communing with Christ. An intimacy with God began growing that changed me eternally. I am no longer broken.

Christ reached into the depths of my soul and healed me wound by wound. Because of the undying, unwavering, perfect love of Christ—I am whole. His love restored me.

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:19 (New Living Translation)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Broken.”

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Five Minute Friday: Belong

July 19, 2013 4:26 pm , 6 Comments ,

grandfather and grandson with cloud

In the nineties, while enduring many hardships in my life, I wondered where God was. Had He disappeared when I needed Him most? Had He left me in my time of need? I had lost all sense of purpose. I was battling hopelessness until one day the Lord spoke so clearly to me in my heart, I created the universe, I can certainly fix the problems in your life.

Hope came flooding into my soul. And step by step as I prayed and trusted Him, Christ began putting all the broken pieces of my heart back together, creating a beautiful masterpiece out of my life. He freed me from despair and brought me to a place of knowing that no matter what happens on this earth, while following Him wholeheartedly, I will live in His peace and always be right where I belong.

“Some will say, ‘I belong to the Lord;’ others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and will take the name Israel.” Isaiah 44:5 (NIV)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Belong.”

The photo was downloaded at istockphoto.com

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Five Minute Friday: Present

July 12, 2013 3:56 pm , 4 Comments ,

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It’s tempting to live life focused on the past or worrying about what lies ahead in the future. While my mind sometimes wanders and I think about those things that steal my peace, the Lord whispers words to my heart that keep me focused on what is eternal.

Be still and quiet every day so that you can hear My voice. I will give you what your soul is yearning for if you keep focused on Me. Don’t look back to the past. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Simply walk with Me and live in the present moment. Savor what I am giving you in the present and enjoy every single breath I am giving you.

His words are what draw me into living in the present moment.

“You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. What is life? You are a mist that is seen for a moment and then disappears.” James 4:14 (God’s Word Translation)

I’m linking up for Five Minute Friday where Lisa Jo Baker and other awesome people write for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is: “Present.”

The photo was taken at Dauphin Island, Alabama. There’s something about the beach that beckons me to listen closely to the voice of God.

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Five Minute Friday: Beautiful

July 5, 2013 1:28 pm , 6 Comments ,

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His presence makes my heart melt. His voice makes excitement rise up in my soul. His love is the only thing that makes me sing, dance and laugh. He is everything to me.

He has become the breath that keeps me going. He makes me feel safe. He makes me feel wanted. He makes me feel treasured and valued.

Jesus makes me feel complete and perfectly beautiful in every way.

“You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.”  Song of Songs 4:7 (New Living Translation)

It’s my second time to join Lisa Jo Baker in the Five Minute Friday challenge of writing for five minutes flat with no self critiquing or no striving for perfection. This week’s prompt is, “Beautiful.” Again, the words trickled into my mind and I wrote a very short post.

I pray that you will feel more beautiful than ever and allow Christ to sweep you up every day into His strong arms of love.

The photo was downloaded at stockfreeimages.com.

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Five Minute Friday: In Between

June 28, 2013 7:11 pm , 6 Comments ,

Amy's Pictures 098

In between the moments that I am in Your presence, Father, I am lost.

I am fully alive when I stay connected to You. I am more than a conqueror when I stay close to Your heart. I am whole as a woman when I walk with You and commune with You. I am everything I need to be as I learn to trust You and live in oneness with Your Spirit. Why do I try to do things apart from You? Help me, Lord, to live every moment completely interconnected and surrendered to You. Amen.

“Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who has loved us.” Romans 8:37 (Weymouth New Testament)

Today, I spontaneously decided to join Lisa Jo Baker in the Five Minute Friday challenge. The rule is for everyone who participates to write for only five minutes on the same prompt. This week’s prompt was, “In Between.” I must be a slow thinker because very few words came to mind in five minutes. I pray that you all will have fewer in between moments and more in the Spirit moments.

Five Minute Friday

 

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