Welcome to the first Five Minute Friday link-up of the month of June!
If you’re in the northern hemisphere I hope summer is upon you. And to those readers and FMF community members in the southern hemisphere, I hope the winter will be mild and bearable! 🙂
If you’re new, learn more about the link-up and how it works here.
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This week’s FMF writing prompt is: CRITICIZE
Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.Â
Did that writing prompt make you twitch a little? 🙂 Do you feel uncomfortable just by hearing the word “criticize”?
This past week I had the privilege of hosting a small group of women in my home to watch a livestream event shared by my friend and fellow author, Shannon Popkin, to celebrate the launch of her latest book, Kinda Judgy.
Oof. Did that sound relatable? I know I’m kinda judgy.
Shannon is a gifted Bible teacher, speaker, and author who has written several books (including one we co-authored together!). She speaks all over the country and around the world, encouraging women to live like the Bible is true.
The livestream included a fabulous teaching about the story of Simon in the Bible who judged the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair (see Luke 7:36-50).
Those of us who were viewing were challenged to consider our own critical spirits and how often we are quick to judge and criticize others without all the evidence and without the authority to do so.
I would definitely encourage you to watch the replay if you missed it!
The whole evening was a great reminder to humble ourselves before the Lord and acknowledge Him as the only true and righteous Judge who continues to give grace over and over again.
STOP.
Click here to learn more about Shannon’s new book, Kinda Judgy
Photo courtesy of Shannon Popkin’s website, www.shannonpopkin.com
Affiliate links used in this post
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Join us with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, CRITICIZE, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:Â
My spirit holds no criticism
for in my travels I have found
a truth, and not a witticism,
that I’m the coolest guy around.
I make The Fonz look like a geek,
and next to me, Rambo’s a wuss;
noblesse oblige won’t let me seek
to throw the dweebs beneath the bus.
Instead, I gently rise above
and by my example show
(given in the deepest love)
that they’ll never ever know
how to live the Groovy Book;
up to me, they’ll always look.
Since the same story with Simon came to. mind, just in a different gospel :), I am thinking this is a book I would love to read. Going to watch the replay in a little while!
Criticism is so complicated! If we are in a bad mood or lack confidence we can take criticism in the wrong way and actually hate the person who is perhaps trying to show us a better way. Thank you for your words and the link to the replay. Blessings! (FMF#3)