Welcome to this week’s edition of the Five Minute Friday writing prompt link-up! Each week we gather around a single word, set a timer for five minutes, and freewrite with abandon. No edits, no overthinking, just write!
You can join with a post on your own website or a post on social media, or keep your writing to yourself in a journal or a private file on your computer.
Click here to learn more about the link-up and how it works.
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: NOISE
Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.
My husband is South African, and he grew up in a household that was accustomed to noise. They seem to thrive on it, actually. I’m talking the radio playing around the clock, the television playing at the same time as the radio, and people in the house and outside talking at the same time as the radio and TV playing.
When we visited for six weeks in 2018, I was still working remotely and I had to purchase noise-cancelling headphones ahead of our trip so I could get some work done while we were there.
I, on the other hand, thrive on silence. 😉 I work from home and I can go the whole day without talking to anyone (besides myself) and without playing any music or turning on the TV. It just doesn’t bother me.
But I’ve come to realize there are other types of “noise” that fill my mind even if it’s not audible. I let the “voices” of social media and news outlets crowd my thoughts, often leaving little room for me to quiet my mind and seek to hear the Lord’s direction and guidance in my life.
Instead of going to Him first in prayer, I too often try to solve problems my own way, or turn to others first for advice before seeking His will.
As countless avenues fight for our attention, may the Lord help us to discern which voices to quiet and which ones to elevate, ultimately tuning our hearts to hear His voice above all else.
STOP.
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FEATURED RESOURCE
Are you looking for a resource to help you quiet your mind before the Lord as a Christian writer?
Here are 31 Prayers for Writers to help you align your mind and heart with His Word and will:
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Join us with your own five-minute freewrite on the writing prompt, NOISE, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:
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Died and went to Heaven and got sent back. Expecting a silent meditation garden?
Yeah, dream on.
You want to know what Heaven's like,
the tools the Lord employs?
Well, put your finger in ear's dyke,
'cause He just loves noise,
the kind you hear on playgrounds,
and NASCAR races, too,
and He really loves the sounds
from a shofar-playing Jew.
Now I am used to quiet,
and meditative spaces,
but God, He just don't but it,
and filled my heart with graces
that in my recent Near-Death Thing
made me dance, and ye Gods, sing
"As countless avenues fight for our attention, may the Lord help us to discern which voices to quiet and which ones to elevate, ultimately tuning our hearts to hear His voice above all else." Amen, Kate. Amen!
This topic of noise and quiet has been on my mind and heart this year, so it was a very apropos prompt!
It sure is difficult to negotiate the quiet space when the other half (and kids) seem to thrive on full-time noise! I feel it too. I'm blessed to have my own little sanctuary in the house that I can retreat into when needed. :D