Welcome to this week’s edition of the Five Minute Friday link-up! We’re so glad you’re here.
Here at Five Minute Friday, we freewrite for five minutes flat on a one-word writing prompt. Whether you have a blog, post your writing to a social media account, or keep it tucked away in a journal or on a napkin, the point is that you write!
If you’re curious about how the link-up works, you can learn more here.
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This week’s FMF writing prompt is: SAY
This morning I went to the funeral visitation for a friend’s husband, who died suddenly and unexpectedly on Saturday at age 55. As soon as I pulled into the parking lot of the church, my breath caught in my throat as I saw the hearse parked by the front door.
I parked my car, walked inside, and immediately got choked up.
How could this happen?
I can’t even imagine.
The first familiar face I saw was a mutual friend of the woman whose husband died — they’re best friends with each other, and this friend has been sleeping in a love seat at the grieving woman’s house all week.
As soon as I saw her, the tears came. We locked eyes, walked toward each other, hugged, and cried.
What could we say?
What happened was awful and tragic and shocking.
I turned and greeted my friend who had lost her husband. I hugged her and cried and all I could think to say was, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
What do you say to someone experiencing such a tremendous loss?
I’m better at writing than speaking, and I was honored to have the opportunity to pen two separate gift books especially for people experiencing heartbreaking situations like this.
Two days before I was planning to announce the release of these books, I received news of my friend’s husband’s sudden passing.
What do we say?
Here are two humble offerings that I hope and pray will bring some measure of comfort and hope to those who are experiencing trials difficult times:
Introducing
Letters to Grief: Finding Healing and Comfort
and
101 Prayers for Comfort in Difficult Times
As a sneak peek inside, here’s a two-minute video of me reading the first letter from the book, Letters to Grief:
I hope these books are a blessing to you!
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Join the link-up with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, SAY, below, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:
Yeah, Say Hey Willie!
That catch really hurts,
and though it looked real silly,
I’d not wanna be Wertz.
It shoulda been a double,
falling right by the wall,
but you busted up his bubble
when you made that awesome call
to turn and run up to the fence,
ball behind you, coming fast,
and the moment was intense
when at the very, very last
you stuck out your golden glove,
to greet Mr. Spalding from above.
Three minutes thirty five, and I never thought I’d write a sonnet about Willie Mays’ over the shoulder catch that robbed Vic Wertz of at least a double.
Kate, I’m thankful for the time to come back to your 5-Minute Friday space. Thanks for hosting it each week. I’m still pretty new here but your word prompts always give me a reason for writing about something different.
Congratulations on your books! I listened to your reading and you did a wonderful job. It must be challenging to read something so personal on camera. I love how God has brought fruit from your grief. May He do that for many of us as we navigate the sorrows of this life, buoyed by His hope.
Congratulations on your books! I’m sure God will use your words to bring hope and comfort to lots of people.
well done on the books, I hope they prove useful for those needing them. FMF19
Utta-say?
How darling your little voice, your little face, your little manner of speech.
Is this how the Father feels of me?
What delight might He take if I asked Him to repeat Himself?
Utta-say?
I believe He wants to be heard and that He has grace when I miss it the first time.
Thank you, Father, that you cherish me. When I’m not sure what you have said, be that through doubt, or forgetting, or listening to the noise of the world, thank You that You, have grace to tell me again.
Amen.