Happy New Year! Welcome to our first Five Minute Friday writing prompt link-up of 2023!
After a three-week break, it’s so nice to be back. I’ve missed you all! I hope you’re as eager to write together as I am. 😉
If you’re new to the Five Minute Friday community, an extra special welcome to you! Be sure to join our email list so you don’t miss any fun announcements. If you need more info about the link-up and how it works, visit this page.
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: RECEIVE
Setting a timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.
I’m a self-professing “doer.” My husband says I can’t sit still. I like to be doing things — or better yet, multiple things at the same time. I also tend to be a giver and a “helper,” falling into that 2 – 1 – 9 triad on the Enneagram, for anyone who may follow along with that trend. I like to serve. I like to do things for other people. I’m not very good at letting other people do things for me.
So, this past three weeks have been challenging for me. I had surgery on December 21st, and I’ve had to rely on other people to serve me. I’ve been (mostly) confined to a recliner as I recover, with abdominal incisions, muscles, and organs that need time to heal.
For the first four or five days after my operation, I couldn’t even raise or lower the foot rest on my recliner by myself. As I eventually became more mobile and less sore, I started to test out other seating arrangements temporarily. At one point I was sitting at the dining room table and realized I need a pen. In my “natural” state, I would have most definitely gotten up to get a pen myself — and I almost did. Then I realized it would require me to stand up and sit down again (two movements that have been rather uncomfortable) one more time than necessary. So I hesitantly asked my husband to get up and get me a pen.
It’s hard for me to receive from others. And yet, by doing everything myself, I suppose one could say I’m denying another person the opportunity to serve.
More importantly, though — if I’m unwilling to humble myself and admit my need for help, how will I ever admit my need for a Savior?
Ultimately, I must admit my complete inability to do anything on my own (whether healthy or in recovery), confess my utter dependence on the Lord, and receive the free gifts He so lovingly and willingly offers.
STOP.
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My friend Becky Kopitzke from The Inspired Business Co is offering a
FREE bootcamp training
over three days next week:
January 17, 18, 19
Daily topics will cover:
Tuesday, January 17: How to create the right offer for your audience
Wednesday, January 18: How to build an automated sales funnel
Thursday, January 19: How to power your sales through automated emails
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Next, it’s time for another Writing Accountability Group!
Join me and several other writers for eight live writing sessions on Zoom in February:
Hope to see you there!
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Join the link-up below with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, RECEIVE:
Delighted that you’re on the mend, Kate!
Those who know me do believe
that my pride’s never on the shelf,
and rather than humbly receive,
I’d rather do it by myself.
It’s not that I am loathe to trust
the quality of others’ work;
no, the answer is I’m just
a hardheaded arrogant little jerk
who really wants to sign his name
to everything within his reach,
which sounds (and truly is) quite lame,
but that’s the kind of stuff they’d teach
where I was ‘spensively trained
and, apparently, de-brained.
Three minutes flat, and thus emerges Truth. Yuck.
Always impressed by what you’re able to produce and accomplish in such a short time, Andrew! 🙂
Glad to see you back and on the mend, Kate!
Happy New Year!
Thanks, Sandra! Happy New Year to you as well!
I’m glad you’re recovering well, and I agree – I also find it hard to receive help from others but it is important that we do.
Thanks, Lesley! Good to see you here. 🙂
I’m so sorry you went under the knife! May God continue to bring you healing. Your point about having the humility to receive assistance really struck home today as we enter a new cancer journey. I need to do better at receiving.
Oh, Anita, I’m so very sorry to hear this news. May the Lord strengthen and uphold you for all that lies ahead. Much love.
Yes, so many of us suffer the need to be independent and self-sufficient, which really does need relearning in order to receive fully from God.
I’m sorry you had to have surgery, but trust that you will now be much improved as you take on a full recovery.
God doesn’t waste any opportunity to teach us what we need for the heart surgery too – as those malignant pests like pride and other poisonous roots have to go.
Stay blessed and highly favoured in all He has given you to do. Thank you.
Amen, Dawn! And thank you so much.
Ugh, it can be so hard to ask for help, as I found out when I had knee surgery in the summer! Glad you are recovering, and praying that you can graciously receive help, that your family takes good care of you, and that your healing comes along quickly!
Thank you, Kym!
“Come to Me. all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. “ (Matthew 11;28-30).
This is a meaningful verse to me even today because it expresses God’s desire for us to receive His grace, His undeserved favor and empowerment to live purposeful, victorious and abundant lives that are free from worry or anxiety and incessant unproductive striving. This verse was a life saving and comforting verse for me when I was in my early twenties experiencing the joys and sorrows and stresses of college life. Although my experiences during my young adulthood were generally exciting and rewarding because I met interesting intelligent people and formed close friendships with some of them, and I enjoyed learning about my subject area, these college years were also a source of stress, disappointment, and deep sorrow as I set unrealistic goals that were not specific for me and which I was not able to fully complete and as I experienced hurtful, devastating or destructive relationships that wounded me deeply.
As we begin a new year, many of us make lofty resolutions or goals that most likely we do not keep or fulfill for a long time: to lose weight, to eat healthy wholesome foods and abstain from “junk” foods, to be wiser and more self disciplined with respect to our finances or our spending to have better higher paying and more powerful jobs., etc. Although these goals inspire us to lead better more productive lives or become a better version of ourselves, they can become idols or be a source of distraction in our spiritual growth walk if we allow these goals to consume us emotionally and occupy an inordinate amount of our time and efforts such that they take precedence over our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What if instead of striving to achieve a goal or dream, we instead receive the gift God gave us by sending His Son as a propitiation for our sins and to reconcile us to Him (John 3;16). By receiving Jesus into our hearts and pursuing Him wholeheartedly, we automatically receive all His spiritual gifts; we are co-heirs with Jesus and receive all that He has including His authority and His righteousness to lead us and empower us to lead holy, abundant and fulfilling lives. Further, when we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we also receive victory or freedom from addictions and old mindsets that deter or hinder us from meeting or fulfilling God’s purposes (John 8:32). In summary, when we receive Christ into our lives by faith, we receive His grace, His favor and power to complete all His purposes which are the highest and specific goals or dreams He has for each of us. We receive His perfect rest, God’s Shalom Peace , in exchange for our endless unproductive striving. In short, we receive the highest good in our lives:
“He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor,”. (Proverbs 21:21)
Oh Kate! I’m sorry about your surgery, but all I can think of is, this is a good opportunity for you to let someone serve you for a change. I don’t know yet about the enneagram, but I know what it is to be a helper. If you are a helper there is no such thing as bored, idle, or wondering, “what can I do since there’s nothing to do.” For now, pretend there is nothing to do except have nothing to do. Praying right now that you are healing and the your recovery is complete and swift.
Thank you Jane! xx