Today’s Five minute Friday prompt word is Could. You can join in the fun here: https://fiveminutefriday.com As a writing community we write for 5 minutes(ish) no perfection or edits, the words just flow.
I could of been a doctor, lawyer or teacher, If I only tried harder at school, I could of been a pastor, minister or missionary, If I decided bible school was my thing. I could be 6ft tall if nature didn't have it's way, 4ft 11" is good enough for me. I could of been rich if I had that one idea, An entrepreneur, celebrity or more.
But coulda, shoulda, woulda is only a mindset, I am rich in ways beyond this world, I have health and family, And most importantly, a God that loves me so.
My identity is in Christ, And nothing else. I am defined by Jesus not anything else. Could does not exist in a person of love and forgiveness. I am who I am, Faults and all, Created to love and share Jesus to all. I could be anything in this world, But I chose to follow Jesus, And do best I can do, to show his love, grace and mercy along the way, Spreading the gospel in every way.
Whatever normal is, it still isn’t here. Stuck in a pandemic with a new season approaching. COVID has made the year go fast and it won’t stop the year changing seasons. So for people like me who love summer and can feel it slipping away here is a poem to help us cling to joy.
It's only late summer, August not quite ended. So why am I letting it bother me so? Stealing my joy with autumn pending.
The nights are getting longer, The daylight hours shorter. Counting down to the shortest day, Instead of making the most of the sun, And all the fun it brings.
Leaves are turning golden brown, And falling all around. The summer heat fading fast, Faithful when in need.
There is no reason I should feel this way, Doom and depression, try seeping into cracks.
Seasons come and seasons go, But my God remains the same. So faithful,providing joy, My strength,my hope,my all.
Whatever the season, Jesus fill me with your joy. Let the dark fade to dust, And light shine all around.
Let the reds,golds and browns of autumn leaves sparkle, Let them crack and snap as we snuggle and jump on them.
May the crisp air bring the stars, Lights leading us home, As we countdown to Christmas, Celebrating your birth.
Summer,autumn,spring And winter, Jesus your our only king, With us every day, helping us find the way, And providing limitless joy.
Today’s Five minute Friday prompt word is Mercy You can join in the fun here: https://fiveminutefriday.com As a writing community we write for 5 minutes(ish) no perfection or edits, the words just flow.
mercy – noun – compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.
I am not going lie or sugar coat things but being a Christian is hard. There are times when situations of the world take control and following God’s will is hard. But we need to lean on him in those times to keep our minds and hearts on track. God is full of mercy and we have to be too, however hard that is.
Lord forgive me as I am not feeling merciful today, This is wrong and not of you. I repent for my feelings but they are struggling to go away. I am left feeling victimised, discriminated against. Give me a heart of love, Full of mercy and forgiveness, To everyone around me no matter what their actions. Let my actions today be from you, mirroring yours on earth. Let me stand firm in your teachings, Filled with your Spirit knowing whatever is going on all around that is nothing compared to losing you. Keep me in your armour and fill me with the fruit of your spirit, And let me show mercy to others as you have shown to me, Let your cross be the picture I carry today. Amen.
Dear Jesus We are not alone, You are with us always through your spirit. You never leave us, even when we struggle to feel your presence. Keep our eyes on you, Through your spirit today, Let our actions reflect you. Let us speak when there is injustice, Let us share your love to the despairing, Let us stand firm when being attacked, And rest in you when we are tired. Let us test all our decisions to ensure they are from you. Take away everything from us that isn't of you. You are our saviour and our God, Let us reflect you today, So all the glory goes to you. Amen
So I saw the word progress pop up and thought “Nah too difficult, to hot think I will leave it”
I then decided to sit in the garden and for lunch and looking at some flowers it made me think about progress.
The flowers in the photo above were brought and picked out by my husband in a garden clearance section for £2. I was obviously very ashamed of these flowers and didn’t think they would last or were worth taking a photo off at the beginning.
The flowers when brought were barely alive. They had one bloom falling off and the leaves were brown and wilted for days. I am now fascinated how they are flourishing and progressing in their blooming. Every time I thought they had fully bloomed they hadn’t.
My plant has progressed through belief from my husband they they were worth saving. Through planting in great compost and nurturing they are reaching their potential.
Remind you of anything?
Dear Jesus I thank you that you love me so much I am worth saving. I thank you that you nurture me and help me achieve all I was created for. Thank you that you never give up on me. You provide my every need. I blossom and bloom not just once but day after day with your attendance. Help me to continue to grow in you. Help me to reach others that feel they are not worth saving realise how loved they are by you, And let them blossom and bloom into a the creation they were born for. Amen
Life seems cheap at the moment. There is coronavirus, racism and now explosions. Unemployment is rising, people are still being expolited and there seems little joy in this world.
Dear Jesus You are our hope. You are our hope when all seems hopeless. Your name is power and freedom, Let people turn there eyes to you.
We pray for strength for all emergency service workers today. Comfort the broken hearted, Heal the sick and injured, Bring peace to the angry, Forgiveness to the bitter.
Your name is power and nothing is impossible for you Jesus. Show the world your impossibleness today and let all the glory go to you.
Dear Jesus, We thank you that you never leave us alone. We thank you that your Holy Spirit is with us always. Please take away everything within us that is not from you. May the fruit of the spirit be abundant in us and grow with each minute. Please let us be strong in you today and may we not grow faint. As your power in us grows stronger, may we become more sensitive to you. Pour out your wisdom and discernment, Let us be your beacons of light. Help us to stand firm and strong on you, our rock. Lord Jesus, you have already won the war, let us live in your victory and freedom today and everyday. Amen
I started this blog because I’m not perfect. As a Christian I know I will never be perfect. I am not here to judge or preach. I just want to encourage others letting you know that you are not alone. That we all struggle with emotions at times.
This week I have struggled. The thing with depression & anxiety is it sneaks up on you. You know you are loved, you trust God completely for every situation and know that he won’t let you down.
But as your standing on your rock, your firm foundation, fully clothed in your armour of God. Your eyes are focused on deflecting all arrows. The wind of destruction is gale force 7 around you, while swaying your eyes are still on the cross.
Depression and anxiety move in. They are sneaky, they know your already focusing on too much and sneak in under your the radar, while your balance is wobbling.
They start whispering in your ear. Making you compare yourself to others. Telling you, your no good. You turn off, try not to listen, then they go for the kill. They use someone else to hit the final blow. In my case this happened at work. Anger rises you lose your cool. You get upset you have failed again.
There’s too much noise in your head, static, lies, anxiety and stress. Depression then kicks the ball into the goal. 1- nil and your not on the winning side.
This is where I start to feel I’m going nuts, off kilter, unbalanced, useless and unhappy. I start to listen to the lies
Worship music is helping but it’s not breaking the chain. It’s sticking a plaster on the pain.
I pray for the spirit it seems so far. I need your fruit that covers this all. More love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. It feels so far away.
In the UK we are still church online. Even though I am not the most social of people, I am starting to miss the church family connection in person, hugs and praying together. We do this online but it’s not quite the same.
I struggle through worship, the sermon I’m a mess. Mainly in tears, praying, repenting desperate for a touch.
The sermon is over, barely heard a word! (I will go back and listen) The thing about our church is though that we communicate during the service and words are read out at the end.
Someone sent in a word today, for someone that needs a difficult conversation at work and that is anxious about this. God’s favour is on you. This sounds like me. Only time will tell. However I lean into God and something happens, something that I have struggled with all week.
Peace.
Peace is with me. God is with me. God is good. The battle may not be over but it is now going in the right direction. Peace is getting stronger and flowing.
May God help you find peace today.
Dear Jesus, You are our rock. The world seems crazy at the moment,like every thing is bonkers. Please stay close with your Sprit, and let your fruit grow within us. Let us be your beacon of light and listen only to you. Steady us when we wobble and stray and keep our eyes only on you. Amen.
Life seems to be a battle at the moment. Too many grey clouds in my head. The enemy has found a crack in my armour, An arrow of lies seeping into my mind.
But lies have no substance, And aren't from my God. A God who sent his Son for me, to die for truth and liberty.
A lie binds and holds you back. It has no basis, no love no future. It wants to keep me chained & depressed. Making me think lifes no good. Making me think I'm no good.
I call out for my saviour, Let him remove the fear, With a cross of love,accepted in my heart so sincere. A weapon to smash all chains, so that I can see the truth appear.
I am more than Ok,happy and blessed. The fuzziness starts to fade in my head, as I remember I am so loved. I am unique, not like you, and for that matter you are not like me, For we are all created and loved individually.
The truth can only smash the lies, As I pray for the fruit of the Spirit, To bring me joy, peace patience and more, And the clouds in my head disappear.
I am a child of God, loved, blessed, free and held. I am only encouraged by all the truth brings, As I open my eyes and let the light in. Let me be the lamp of encouragement, I was made to be.
So if your feeling low today, Know that you are special,loved and free. You are worth EVERYTHING to the one who set you free. Tell the lies you are worth it all the the man who died on the cross for you.
For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.
Less Nuts More Fruit 