Hey there!
Welcome to another edition of our weekly Five Minute Friday blog link-up, where we write fast and free for five minutes flat on a single word prompt.
Want to know more about how it works? Visit this page to learn more.
If you’ve been around for the past few weeks, you’ll know that we’re in the middle of the Influence Series — a series of twelve video interviews discussing themes and topics from the book, Influence: Building a Platform that Elevates Jesus (Not Me).
Affiliate links used in this post.
This past Monday and Wednesday I shared interviews with Shannon Popkin and Kristie Anyabwile on the topics of comparison and sifting motives, respectively. So much wisdom and encouragement shared by these women!
Check out the Influence Series page to catch up on any interviews you’ve missed, and stay tuned because we have four more amazing conversations to share with you in the next two weeks . . .
To go along with the theme of these past two interviews, our FMF writing prompt for this week is: SEARCH
Ready to write? Set your timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.
As much as I know the truth and I know how I should think, I still catch myself in bouts of discouragement over issues that hold no eternal weight or value.
Especially when it comes to the writing life, it’s so easy to look from side to side and compare my own successes and opportunities or lack thereof with those around me, instead of fixing my gaze on Jesus.
Even though I know that numbers don’t matter and I even co-authored a whole book about building a platform that elevates Jesus not me, I can still get caught up in the stats and sales and measure myself with worldly standards.
I have to read my own words to myself — and even more so, read The Word to realign my thinking and remind myself to fix my eyes on things above, not on earthly things.
Because as so many of us know, our hearts are deceptive and our motives can play tricks on us and change direction in a heartbeat.
So I keep this prayer close:
“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
~ Psalm 139:23-24
STOP.
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Those numbers and stats are so easy to get lost in, aren’t they? I try not to. I use a lot of positive self-talk, and reminding myself that I have an audience of One. But I confess to getting the greenies at times :/.
I once thought that cash,
and maybe also fame,
could make me a flash
bloke, worthy of the game.
I built up a ‘persona’,
whatever it bloody means,
but it was just a loaner
from my opium-dreams.
The real me lay within,
buried like a corpse,
under miles of sin,
beyond the furthest dorps.
And then God dug down,
and raised me…with a crown.
‘dorp’ is Afrikaans for a small rural town.
Kate, remember the words the Lord spoke to me in the 90’s, “You just write, I’ll take care of the rest.” One of the questions we will be asked at our judgment will not be, how many followers did you have? Remember.
Ooh that is so good, Susan. It’s following Him that we’re after, not who is following us following Him.
Jennifer, that is exactly right. It is that area of tension between obedience and self-will!
Search, lurch, perch…
This is how my adhd mind works.
It doesn’t stop, it’s in constant motion.
It’s akways searching for the thing of the moment.
Search for my keys, search for my purse, search for the title of the song I just heard.
Search for my phone…
Search for the meaning, behind her tone.
Search for the newest gadget, search for my little one’s jacket.
Search His word to find my way.
Search for words I want to pray.
Search for a way to slow it down.
Search for a purpose to use the energy that abounds.
Great psalm and prayer! Thanks for keeping it real!