It’s time for our next edition of the Five Minute Friday link-up!
If you’re new, a special welcome to you. You can learn more about the link-up and how it works here, and be sure to join the FMF email list to get the weekly writing prompts delivered to your inbox!
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: SCARED
Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.Â
This morning, my husband told me I’m one of the most scared people he knows.
But he also said I haven’t always been this way.
I mean, I traveled from Michigan to South Africa alone when I was twenty years old, for goodness’ sake.
I’m not sure what has changed in the past twenty-plus years (hormones, maybe?) but I do catch myself entertaining irrational fears and being scared to try things that wouldn’t have bothered me when I was younger. (Old age, maybe?)
But a few months ago, we were reading a passage of Scripture during our family devotions and one line stood out to me.
In context, Jesus said the words after His disciples frantically woke him up in the middle of a storm while they were at sea, and Jesus was asleep in the boat.
He asked them, “Why are you so afraid?” (Mark 4:40)
I’m sure I’ve read this story many times over the course of my life, but for some reason on this recent occasion, those five words have stayed with me:
Why are you so afraid?
So now, when I catch myself feeling scared or fearful, the Lord often brings this question to mind and I ask Him to help me realign my heart and increase my trust in Him.
If He is the ultimate King of the universe and nothing happens apart from His control, then why am I so afraid? Do I not believe that He is able to turn every situation into good for those who love Him — even the difficult and scary ones?
May the Lord increase our trust in Him and help us to fathom even just a fraction of His immeasurable power.
STOP.
** Related Post **
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Also, I’m so pleased to share the news that my book, Letters to Grief, has been named a finalist for the ECPA 2025 Christian Book Award!
See the full list of finalists here
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Join us with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, SCARED, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:Â
Yes, of course, im really scared,
in fact, it’s terrifying,
for I am simply not prepared
to face the act of dying.
Yes, I know life will go on
in a better place,
and surely some will find me gone
as quite the act of grace,
but I’m not ready for the change,
the pain of the transition.
Perhaps the Good Lord might arrange
an extension to my mission
so I don’t need to think about
stuff that I can do without.
The Non-Closing Shower Door:
When the shower door wouldn’t close all the way,
If I was careful, i thought I’d be safe;
But when I stepped out, I knew for sure
That there was water all over the bathroom floor.
So when Angela came to do cleaning for me,
I asked her to have a look and see
What the problem is with the shower door,
Why it won’t close all the way anymore.
I’m very scared of falling, you see,
And I try to prevent that happening to me.
The bathroom floor is not a safe place to land
And there are no rails I can hold onto with my hand.
Angela quickly put in a call
And together we filled out a report
To give to my case manager, who
Would hopefully know the best thing to do.
She called me up the very next day
And told me she contacted the Real Estate,
And they were going to give me a call
When someone could come to fix my shower door.
But Thursday passed and Friday did too
And still noone has called, I don’t know what to do,
Sponge baths are the best answer for me now,
But I need to wash my hair before Sunday somehow.
I’m very scared of falling, you see,
And I try to prevent that happening to me.
The bathroom floor is not a safe place to land
And there are no rails I can hold onto with my hand.
My friend Christine said to me
That if it isn’t fixed by sunday, she would see
If her brother was able to come over then;
He may get my shower door working again.
But now I stay showerless, waiting for
Someone, anyone, to fix my shower door.
And showerless I will remain until or unless
A friend or neighbour lets me use theirs, out of kindness.
I’m very scared of falling, you see,
And I try to prevent that happening to me.
The bathroom floor is not a safe place to land
And there are no rails I can hold onto with my hand.
[Note: as a totally blind person, i rely on others to help me when something goes wrong in the house. Usually, I get the help I need, but sometimes it takes a while].
“If He is the ultimate King of the universe and nothing happens apart from His control, then why am I so afraid?” A very good question. Thanks for the reminder.