Welcome to the final Five Minute Friday blog link-up of 2018! 

It’s been such a joy to serve this fabulous community for yet another year. Whether this is your first time here or your 101st time here, I hope you feel warmly welcomed and supported. 

For more info on how the link-up works, click here. 

After this post I’ll be taking my annual two-week break from the link-up over Christmas and New Year’s and will be back in action with another one-word prompt going live at 10pm EST on Thursday, January 10th, 2019. 

This week’s FMF writng prompt is: WITH

Ready? GO. 

This past Sunday, our church had its annual Christmas concert. Two of my three kids participated in a few pieces, including a duet in which they performed from the stage in front of the whole church, one playing her flute, the other playing his baritone. 

I got choked up thinking about the fact that my mom and dad and sister were not there to see them. 

Toward the end of the evening, my 13-year-old daughter stood in the front row of the adult choir, right next to her best friend. They bought matching dresses the same day to wear especially for the occasion. 

The third song the choir performed was called “Immanuel.” Near the end of the song, I drew my breath in as they sang, “If God is with us, who can stand against us?” 

It’s so easy for me to feel discouraged when “the whole world” can seem against us as believers in Christ. It can feel very lonely an isolating at times, to be in the minority as one who believes. 

But as the choir sang with confidence and strength, I let my eyes scan the individuals standing on stage. They believed, too. We are together. We are all part of the same body, not just arm in arm, but one in Him. 

So the next time I’m feeling down and discouraged by the faithlessness and lostness of the world, I hope I remember that line: “If God is with us, who can stand against us?” 

Immanuel. He has come down. God is with us. 

***

P.S. Here’s the song if you want to listen:

On a side note, the “Books I Read in 2018” Special Edition Link-up is still live through Saturday, December 23rd!

Join the link-up with your own list of books you read this past year, and check out the lists and recommendations from other people here:

Books I Read in 2018

Join this week’s link-up by clicking the blue “Add Your Link” button below, and be sure to visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave a friendly comment! 

Have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year, friends! I look forward to seeing you back here on January 11th, Lord willing! 

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