Hi friends!
It’s the middle of October, and I have three important announcements to share with you this week, so bear with me!
First, I will be taking a medical leave from Five Minute Friday during November and December.
I’ll be traveling to Cape Town, South Africa on October 25th and having surgery there on November 3rd. Lord willing, I’ll be back in the States in mid-December, which is right around the time we usually take our two-week annual holiday break from the link-up.
So . . . that means we only have two FMF link-ups left in 2025! (Apologies in advance for the disappointment!)
Here’s a snapshot of what’s to come:Â
October 31st: Final FMF link-up of 2025
November: NO Five Minute Friday link-ups
December: NO Five Minute Friday link-ups
January 9th: First FMF link-up of 2026
Thank you in advance for your grace and understanding!
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This week’s FMF writing prompt is: REAL
Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.Â
First, I want to thank all of you who so graciously commented on my post last week, and to those who prayed. I really appreciate your kindness.
I hesitated sharing what I did last week because of the potential triggering effects for some, and because I usually try to be more hopeful in my public posts. I felt bad being such a downer, and I even apologized for my tone in my post.
But then our long-time FMF friend Andrew included this line in his comment:Â “Never apologize for being real.”
It made me think.
How many times am I plastering on a smile and saying “I’m fine” when I don’t really feel fine?
Pretty often, I’d say.
I don’t like to be a burden, don’t like to create conflict, just want to keep the peace and make sure everyone else is happy.
But at what cost?
We’re doing a study on prayer at our women’s Bible study at church, and I’ve been reminded about how honestly David shared his own emotions in the Psalms.
He didn’t try to sugar coat it before the Lord or anyone else.
He was honest with both God and his readers — and as it turned out, both parties could handle it.
I’m thankful for the handful of people I can be “real” with, and I’m thankful for the gracious responses I receive from this community when I share vulnerable posts like I did last week.
This Christian life is not meant to be solitary nor superficial.
We’re one body, and we’re in it together.
STOP.
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My first important announcement was my upcoming medical leave, and here is
Important Announcement #2:
I’m having a one-week FLASH SALE on my books!
Choose any two books from the list below for just $22
(free shipping, U.S. mailing addresses only):
GET YOUR DISCOUNTED BOOKS HERE
Sale ends Wednesday, October 22nd
All proceeds from this sale will help with my upcoming travel and surgery expenses.
Thank you in advance for your support!
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Important Announcement #3
The Hope*Writers Community is NOW OPEN to new members!
This doesn’t happen very often, so check it out now before the doors close!
Feel free to email me with any questions you may have about Hope*Writers if you’re thinking of joining.
I’ve been a member for many, many years and have found great value within that space.
Affiliate links used in this post
And now . . . it’s time to write!
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Join us with your own five-minute freewrite using the blue Inlinkz button below, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:Â
They say that I cannot be real,
that there must be another answer.
They ask, How Do You REALLY Feel,
being slowly killed by cancer?
You cannot be okay with it,
your protestations must be lies.
You must throw, inside, a fit!
I can see it in your eyes!
I do not know what they see,
but what they see just isn’t there.
It’s just that I have learned to be
a spirit on the air,
committed not to paths I’ve trod,
but rather to My One True God.
Andrew. Thank you.
Kate, I just read last week’s post, and I’m sorry for the loss of your friend. Thank you for being real in your post. I think it’s important that we can be honest about the difficult and painful things because we all have them. Praying that your trip and your surgery go well.
I agree with Andrew 100%, and I thank you for being vulnerable with us. I wonder about your need for medical leave. Whatever you are facing, may God provide strength, healing, and encouragement to you each step of the way.
Real and true are not the same. Not. The. Same. We can choose real. Yes, David chose real. He also chose true. I want to, too! To declare the praises of Him, while all is falling around my ears. To find His glory in the real bc His glory is always true. God. Show me how to be real and true!!! Show me how to be real with you. I’m tired of trying to be what I’m supposed to be. Tired. Tired. You know the real, true me you created me to be. Help me see the real, true me not the supposed to be me. I’m tired. I confess. I don’t know how to see it. Give me your eyes. For you have called me out of darkness into your marvelous light to declare your praises! Be God. And help me stop being you and be the me you made me to be.
Praying your surgery and recovery goes well.
We will miss the inspiration around here!
Thank you so much, Jerralea! And guess what? Andrew has offered to keep the FMF link-ups going in November and December while I’m out, so you can head over to https://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com during those months if you’d like to keep writing in community. 🙂