Welcome to the first Five Minute Friday link-up of March 2023!
Each week we gather around a single word prompt and freewrite for five minutes flat.
Learn more about the link-up and how it works here.
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: REACH
Setting a timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.Â
At five feet, four inches, I’m not exactly what people would classify as tall. Some may even say I’m vertically challenged. Certainly those who have seen me climbing the grocery store shelving units to reach that bag of chips on the very top shelf. For my husband, of course. Ahem.
Thankfully the Lord blessed me with a teenage boy who is now nearly six feet tall. I frequently call upon him to hand me things that are out of my reach. Of course he gladly obliges every time I ask.
Needless to say, my reach is limited.
During my recovery period from a recent surgery, I became even more aware of my limitations. Over time as I started to feel stronger and gain mobility, I gradually returned to some of my normal activities. One day a few weeks after my surgery I tried to reach into the washing machine to take out the clean clothes and transfer them to the dryer.
That was a mistake.
The Lord quickly reminded me of my own physical weaknesses and inabilities.
On my own, I could never reach Him. I am wholly incapable of reaching out to God in my own strength.
In His infinite grace and unending mercy, He reaches out to me, not the other way around.
“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.” ~ Psalm 18:16
While my arms are far too short, “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear” (Isaiah 59:1).
Praise God for His everlasting arms that reach for us in spite of ourselves.
STOP.
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** COMING SOON **
My next book, Share Your Story: The Transforming Power of Telling Others What God Has Done, releases on Tuesday, March 14th!
JOIN THE MAILING LIST TO GET NOTIFIED WHEN IT’S AVAILABLE
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Join the link-up with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, REACH, below, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:Â
I tried to reach up to Lord God,
stood on tippy-toes, I did,
but my method sure was flawed,
and although I thought He hid,
He was really waiting for
my understanding of my pride,
at which point He’d unbar the door,
and with a laugh step to my side.
“You really thought that you could game
the love I had from the beginning
for you, when I knew your name
from first pitch of the first inning?
Dude, please do not be a jerk;
just relax, and let Me work.”
linky isn’t working….
I love it when the prompt is an every-day word. So exciting to see the direction each writer takes.
I hope your recovery from surgery goes quickly and smoothly. In the meantime, let someone else reach for the laundry. Thank you for the word today and link up!
I’ve had similar experiences trying to do something that I physically couldn’t. Good reminder that we can’t reach Jesus on our own either.