Welcome to our weekly Five Minute Friday blog link-up!
If you’re new to the link-up, click here to learn how it works.
Before we get started with our five minute free write, I have some exciting news to share with you:
1) This coming Wednesday, May 16th, I’ll be offering a free live online training along with Dan King from Fistbump Media. We’ll be chatting about:
4 Fundamentals of a Remarkable Online Writer’s Platform
SIGN UP HERE TO JOIN THE FREE WEBINAR
[Tweet “Sign up here for this free training on 4 Fundamentals of a Remarkable Writer’s Platform”]
Hope to see you there!
This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt is: INCLUDE
[Tweet “It’s Five Minute Friday time! Join us as we free write for five minutes on the prompt, INCLUDE.”]
GO.Â
I’ve often wondered what to include in certain aspects of my life.
I’ve wondered what to include in my suitcase before moving to Africa.
I’ve wondered which stories I should include or not include in my memoir.
Pretty much on a daily basis, I wonder which tasks I should include in the limited hours in my day.
In each of the above examples, I’ve regretted choices that I made. I should have packed warmer clothes for winter in South Africa. There are stories I wish I had and hadn’t included in my book. Even this morning, I got sidetracked by something largely unimportant and wasted a solid hour that I could’ve spent on something more productive and profitable.
But one thing I’ve never regretted is choosing to include other people in my life. Even if relationships get messy sometimes, even when some become high maintenance, the Lord always, always uses other people for good in my life — whether it’s through direct encouragement, or through sanctifying me in areas I lack, like patience, compassion, selflessness, and empathy.
As I look back over the intricate web of relationships that God has spun all around me, I’m so grateful for the many ways He has blessed me with the gift of being part of His body. It is no small thing to be part of the body of Christ.
[Tweet “”It’s no small thing to be part of the body of Christ.” ~ @k8motaung”]
When you consider the people that the Lord has used in your life, what words come to mind? For me, it’s all gratitude.
For the long-lasting, deep-rooted friendships, and for the one-time encounters at the grocery store, I thank God for the gift of others.
STOP.
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Book Recommendation
All the Colors We Will See: Reflections on Barriers, Brokenness, and Finding Our Way
Affiliate links have been used in this post. Thanks in advance for your support!
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Share your own five minute free write on the prompt, INCLUDE, below — and don’t forget to register for this free training on the 4 Fundamentals of a Remarkable Online Writer’s Platform, happening Wednesday!
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I love the way you say that God uses people in your sanctification process. That’s me. That’s what I need this summer.
Include. Yes! I’d like your prayers to be included as I head to Malawi this summer. I’ve never been to Africa Kate, so this is a first for me.
And thanks for offering the upcoming webinar!
Just got Patrice’s book – can’t wait to dive in!
I’m grateful I can INCLUDE you in my list of online good friends!
I love how you began your post, especially the part about which tasks to include. I definitely need to think ahead more at the very beginning of the day about this. I also appreciated how you wrote about how you have never regretted including others. People who need people are the luckiest people of all. I can’t help but think also that even people would with annoying habits which get under our skin are just as important. Thanks for sharing!
Amen! So grateful for the communities and relationships God has placed in my life.