SAME

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--SAME

Five minutes to free-write about it

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This week's prompt made me think of how often I automatically respond, "same old, same old," when people ask me what's new. In fact, I even did it today while catching up with a friend over the phone.

It is true that most of my days are filled with the same old, same old grueling schedule that leaves little to no time for anything else. However, I cling to the hope and anticipation that it won't always be this way. 

Meanwhile, I know that even though I may not be able to control the same old, same old grind facing me each day, I can change the way I experience it by changing my perspective. And so every morning during my quiet time, after I thank God for the gift of a new day and for watching over me and protecting me while I slept, I ask Him to give me strength to make it through my day, and show me new ways of looking at the things I need to do and better, more creative ways of doing them. Then it won't be the same old, same old anymore, even if it is. Does that make sense?

CHOICE

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--CHOICE

Five minutes to free-write about it

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Whenever the topic of choice comes up, my mind immediately conjures up all the poor choices I made when I was young that led me to where I am today. Why is that?

I'm sure that somewhere along the way I must have made good choices too, but those memories seem to lie hidden way beneath the surface of wherever my memories are stored.

I do, however, vividly remember one good choice I made. The very best choice of all, which was the choice to turn my life over to Jesus and accept His gift of salvation. It was a choice I could only have made by the grace of God and through His relentless pursuit of me.

I was on a very dark path which I thought was the right one, and where I was quite content to be, even persuading others to embark on it as well. But that was one misguided choice the Lord prevented me from following through with to its disastrous conclusion. 

I am thankful beyond words that God did not leave me where I was, convinced that I had all the answers and that the lie I believed in was the truth. I am so grateful that He interceded and opened my eyes to the folly of my ways.

My five minutes is up, but if you are interested in knowing the details of that improbable rescue, you can read about it in my memoir, Sincerely Wrong: An Improbable Journey.

COVER

 

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--COVER

Five minutes to free-write about it

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Two things popped into my mind when I saw this week's prompt, COVER. 

The first was Peter's exhortation to us in 1 Peter 4:8 (NLT) -- Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

The other was a song I've been hearing on the radio a lot recently -- "Yes, Jesus Loves You, and I'm Trying" by Jason Gray. 

 

It seems I needed this reminder that God loved us so much--all of us--even those I find most irritating and annoying--that He sent Jesus to die for us on the cross so we could be forgiven of our sins and redeemed by the covering of His blood. It reminds me to look at the log in my own eye instead of the speck in the eye of a friend (Matthew 7:4). It reminds me that none of us is perfect and people's flaws and failings (my own included) do not determine our identity.

Before today, I had just focused on the first couple of verses of this song, which I could totally relate to because the words echoed how I feel about certain others in my life. However, when I looked up the rest of the lyrics before writing this post, I was surprised by the last verse, which gives it quite a different twist. 

It’s like the song says it begins right here with the man in the mirror
If I hope to love my neighbor well 
‘Cause I’ve lived long enough to learn the faults I find in others 
Are the same things I don’t like about myself 
My shame goes on parade when I need someone to blame
But grace whispers my name 
God help me speak these words into the parts of me I’m hiding 
“Yes, Jesus loves me, yes Jesus loves me, oh yes, Jesus loves me, and I’m trying.”

REVERSE

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--REVERSE

Five minutes to free-write about it

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Oh how I wished I could reverse the time I woke up this morning. What a shock to see that it was already 12:30 PM.  I don't recall ever having overslept that late before. Not even back in my college days.

There was so much I had planned to try and cram into my day, and now half of it was already gone. Since there was no way to reverse the hours lost, I chose to reverse my thinking instead and put my trust in God and His alternate plan. 

Looking at my life in retrospect, I must admit that even in those times when it did not seem to be the case, His track record for having had a better plan than mine has been 100 percent. And so it turned out to be today as well.

I've been trying to reverse some of the damage I've done to my body by exercising and eating healthier, but I still don't get anywhere near enough sleep, and I think God allowed today's deep sleep to happen to show me how important it is to get enough rest, and what a huge difference it can make.

When I looked in the mirror while brushing my teeth, I was surprised to see how much bigger and brighter my eyes looked. That was certainly an unexpected reversal of what I had come to believe was normal. Not only that, but I had more energy, a little spring to my step, and my pain level was surprisingly diminished as well. 

This gives me hope that if I make a habit of getting a good night's sleep to the rest of my efforts, some of my other issues may be reversible as well.

THROUGH IT ALL

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--THROUGH

Five minutes to freewrite about it

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The first thing that popped into my mind when I saw this week's prompt was an old song, Through It All, written and composed by Andraé Crouch.

 

Life can be rough, and I've had my share of highs and lows, but even in the darkest valley, Jesus has always been right there with me, through it all.

One of the darkest storms I ever experienced was a near death experience over seven years ago when I went to the Emergency Room feeling short of breath and wound up intubated, heavily sedated, and hooked up to a ventilator, with acute heart failure and double pneumonia. 

There was some speculation as to whether or not I would be able to pull through, and I am convinced that were it not for God's grace and the strong, unwavering faith of the army of prayer warriors  who battled the forces of darkness surrounding me and fought the fight for me, I would not be here today.

Some of the most important lessons the Lord has ever taught me took place during those 27 days I spent in the hospital and the lengthy recovery period following. Not only did He work through this experience to reveal Himself as Jehovah Rapha, healer of my physical body and emotions, but He also taught me about love, friendship, and the power of intercessory prayer.

While still in the hospital, I felt inspired to write Oil Of Myrrh, a testimony to God's goodness, and the way He worked in my life through what started out looking like an insurmountable event. A free PDF is also available by double clicking on the image of the book cover on my sidebar.