Hello!
Welcome to our weekly edition of the Five Minute Friday blog link-up! Each week I provide a one-word writing prompt for participants to free write for five minutes flat and share their work with the online community.
To learn more about the link-up and how it works, CLICK HERE.
We’re in for a special treat this week, as author Niki Hardy is joining us to celebrate the release of her book, Breathe Again: How to Live Well When Life Falls Apart (affiliate links used in this post).
CLICK HERE to purchase on Amazon
(affiliate link)
I “met” Niki online a few years ago, and it has been such a joy to watch this book grow from a seed of an idea to a fully published project.
Niki is passionate about helping people thrive in the midst of difficult circumstances, not just survive. She’s witty, honest, funny, down-to-earth, and full of wisdom.
And guess what? You can get a FREE chapter of her new book!
Just text BREATHEAGAIN to 66866 to dive into the book today!
In celebration of Niki’s book release,
this week’s Five Minute Friday writing prompt is: AGAIN
Here’s Niki:
What the heck, God? After all I’ve done for you? Are you mad at me or something?
The questions tumbled out of me as the news that I, like my mum and sister, had cancer.
They were both gone. Was it my turn?
Cancer, that family heat-seeking missile of death, had locked in on me.
Again, the questions, rage and fear poured out of me.
I thought you came to give me abundant life. This doesn’t look abundant or full to me. My life’s falling apart. Where are you?
When we find ourselves barely surviving a life we didn’t sign up for, we can either stand and fight or turn and hide. I did both, depending on my energy and emotions.
Until eventually I learned that life doesn’t have to be pain free to be full and God has more for me, for us all, no matter what life throws our way.
But I forget.
So, He reminds me, again.
I love you not because of who you are but whose you are.
Breathe me in. I am the very breath of life. I am here and will never leave you.
And I remember.
I’m learning to breathe again.
***
When life falls apart what we so desperately need is a friend who’s been there, a way to discover that life doesn’t have to be pain-free to be full, and then a road map to go live it. With plenty of her English humor and loads of practical advice Niki helps you do just that. Breathe Again is part BFF, part spiritual cheerleader/coach, and 100% down-to-earth and is for anyone suffocating in a life they planned or imagined. Find Niki at her website, on Facebook, and on Instagram.
Buy the book HERE: https://thebreatheagainbook.com/
Download the first chapter for FREE: https://nikihardy.lpages.co/breathe-again-first-chapter-download-stand-alone/
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Lastly, just a reminder that this weekend is your
LAST CHANCE to register for the FREE online FlourishWriters Conference
You’ll get to hear from 33 writers, editors, literary agents, and publishing professionals over the course of 7 days, starting August 12th!
SIGN UP NOW for the FREE FlourishWriters Conference
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Join the FMF community with your own five minute free write on the prompt, AGAIN:
Praying for you, Niki. I’m there, too.
A sonnet for you
When first I found malignancy,
I thought His face had turned away,
leaving me to cancer’s piracy,
with nothing left to do or say.
I dreamed a fight I’d face alone;
where, then, His Mighty Hand and Heart?
was this a sentence, to by death atone
for a dropped line, a misplayed part?
And then the whisper in the night,
“Be still, My dear beloved fool,
for it’s you who’ll onward bear My light,
lit by cancer’s fell lamp-lighting tool.”
Thus life’ redeemed, however grim,
in the way we honour Him.
I am reading the book currently and it is so good. I have laughed and cried, and been greatly encouraged.
This was a fun, engaging prompt. Thank you!
I could use some advice for how other people approach commenting, if someone has a moment. What do you do when you’d like to comment, but it requires signing up for an account or something like that? I feel like I already have so. many. accounts. I don’t really want another one. Do you just move on to the next blog post, or sign up anyway? Thank you!
My go to song is “Learning to Breathe” by Switchfoot. It’s an oldie but one that honestly brought be me back to a relationship with Christ! Yes, God so wants us to Breathe Him in daily for restoration, renewal, and importantly rest. Lovely book!
that’s a hard one… to learn to breathe again after such news.
Again:In September 2013 I found out I had lung cancer. Threes different kind in my left lung. I didn’t want to have Surgery because I didn’t think I could live with a partial lung. Again on September 13 2013 I was on my way to the hospital to have Surgery to have the left part of my lung removed.I ask again why is this happening to me God.I said to God I didn’t sign up for this I can either stand-up and fight or turn and hide. God told me to standup and fight to be pain free to again me full of life because God has more for me to do in life. I again thank God for me ring there with me and show me He loved me and He had plans for the rest of my life and that he wasn’t done with me.I am cancer free.