Category Archives: Five Minute Friday

Going Slow

9th June 2021 Lynne Leave a comment

When I started writing this on Friday, we were travelling back from our week away in Devon. We were going slow! In other words, we were stuck in traffic. It wouldn’t be too bad if we were just down the road. But when you had been travelling for 3 hours already with 150 miles still to go and all whilst entertaining 5 kids, going slow was not my idea of fun.

However, there was one thing I had noticed. Nature. When I took the time to look up and look out it was amazing what I could see.

Isn’t it like that with life though? We always seem to be in the fast lane rushing to get to the next item on our agenda. There is never any time to slow down and reflect on what has happened or what we are heading into.

Lockdown seemed to have slowed things down, but only for a little while. It’s almost like we are now trying to race against each other to get ahead in the game again.

But at what cost?

Going slow is not such a bad thing. I mean, if it was fine for Jesus to go slow (and look at how much he achieved) then it’s got to be fine for us, right? Jesus was never in a rush to do anything. He moved at the pace God set for him (and you know how patient we have to be sometimes when we wait for God).

And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.  1 John 2:17

When we rush around at the pace of the world around us, we miss out on what is more important in life. If we had travelled at the speed limit we could have done, I would not have noticed the outside world. Going slow helped me to look up and take notice at the small details around me. Such as, the lone tree standing in the field and the vibrant colours of the field.

When we rush around at the pace of the world around us, we miss out on what is more important in life. Share on X

When we continue at the fast paced speed the world sets us, we become unaware of who or what is around us which we need to recognise. Going slow helps us to notice the people who are standing alone in society around us. Going slow helps us to be more sensitive to the injustices that take place in this world. It helps us too open our hearts and be in tune with what God wants us to see.

Something to think about…

Do you feel like you are living life in the fast lane? Maybe it’s time to go slow and examine what is going on around us. Take 5 minutes to stop and listen to what is going on around you. You may be surprised at the beauty you may see, or the opportunities that may cross your road.

Prayer

Lord, help me to go slow. Alleviate my pulsating heart when it feels too fast. Quieten the business of my mind. Slow down the pace of my life. Help me to see the world through your eyes and to notice when others around me are in need. Amen.

This was written for the Five Minute Friday Community, where a number of writers gather for a weekly writing challenge around a single word prompt and write to our hearts content, but only for five minutes (or there abouts).

This weeks word prompt is ‘slow’. Click here if you want to see what other people wrote. You can also have a go yourself. What do you think of when you hear the word ‘slow ’?

Abuse, Faith, Five Minute Friday

Broken But Not Beyond Repair

29th April 2021 Lynne 4 Comments

I am joining in with the Five Minute Friday writing community this week. I haven’t written in a while. However, when I saw what the writing prompt was there was only one thing that came to my mind. To tell my story. The word prompt for this week is ‘broken’, and I may have spent a little bit more than five minutes. Click here if you would like to read what other people have written.

Broken But Not Beyond Repair

One of our Associate Vicars gave a sermon last Sunday. It was based on the conversion of Saul when he was travelling to Damascus. Saul’s conversion into Paul would have become one of those moments in history that would have been retold over and over again. Saul’s transformation by Jesus became ‘his story’. It was his story that would have changed how Christianity was perceived forever.

Picture this. A man who was condemning Christians so much, he would hunt them down and have them killed. This very same man had such an encounter with Christ that it completely turned him around. He now hunts non-Christians down so he can tell them the truth about Jesus and save them. What a story!

Everyone has a story to tell of how Jesus touches their life. It may not be the flash-out-of-the-sky type of story, but it is a story nonetheless that could change the way a person sees Jesus.

Our Associate Vicar asked us what our stories are and were we willing to retell our stories for others to encounter Jesus. I would like to say yes, but my story is not an easy one to share. It’s also not something everyone would want to hear. But it is a story that will show others there is hope. If there is anything that I’ve learnt over the past year from this pandemic, is that we all need hope.

If there is anything that I’ve learnt over the past year from this pandemic, is that we all need hope. Share on X

What is my Story?

My story is one that tells of a child who felt broken by the effects of sexual abuse. She felt so broken she thought no-one loved her anymore. She felt she didn’t deserve any love. In fact, as she grew older, the shame she carried grew with her.

I couldn’t trust anyone because I felt so broken. I couldn’t even trust a God who loved me no matter what I had been through. The abuse I suffered completely distorted how I viewed God, and myself. Ultimately, it affected my ability to be able to trust Him and anyone else around me.

It’s been a slow process (nothing like what Saul experienced), but over the years God has shown me how much He loves me. He has shown me it doesn’t matter how broken I may feel inside, I am not beyond repair. It’s not been easy, I won’t lie. I still struggle on a daily basis to accept God’s love and to trust Him.

One thing I am sure of though is this…I have God by my side through every step of my journey. He will send me His Holy Spirit, not to make me afraid of what is going to happen, but to give me the strength I need so I can step out and tell my story.

With the help of people who God places around me, my healing will continue and I will keep on growing. In the process, my desire is that my story provides a glimmer of hope for someone else going through something similar.

Something to think about…

Do you have a story to tell? If so, are you willing to share it with someone so they could encounter Christ? If you are a little nervous sharing, why not find a trusted friend to start off with. Telling your story for the first time can be daunting, but with practice it does get a little easier.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the example of Paul in the Bible in the way that you encountered him. Thank you that he was faithful in telling his story to others so that they could encounter you. I pray that you send your Holy Spirit upon us to help us when we need to tell our stories. Give us the opportunities to speak to others so that we can allow them to encounter you just like we have. And if our stories are hard stories to tell, give us the courage to be a voice to those who need to hear. In your name, Amen.

If anything I have written has resonated with you, then I urge you to seek support. Please be kind to you and practice self-care. IF you’re in the US you can reach out to RAINN at 1.800.656.HOPE. If you are in the UK you can email the Samaritans at Jo@Samaritans.org or call them on 116 123 (UK) or 116 123 (ROI).

Faith, Five Minute Friday

God Holds Us In The Hard

18th October 2020 Lynne 6 Comments

Having a baby is not easy. There are countless nappies that have to be changed. And then there’s the never ending feeds. The worst part though is the constant disruption to sleep. Being woken up during the night when you are in a deep sleep is not easy to cope with, especially when a crying child needs settling.

The other night I was woken up abruptly by the sound of one of the twins screaming. No amount of milk or pain relief would soothe her. All I could do was just hold her in my arms tightly close to my chest. I would just keep whispering in her ears, “don’t worry, everything is ok. Mummy has got you.”

Whilst I was holding her and soothing her, I came to the realisation that this is how God is with me. Going through the trials I am facing right now provides a whole heap of pain. It doesn’t matter how much pain relief I try, such as scrolling through Instagram, having a glass of wine or binge watching on Netflix, it doesn’t take away the pain.

What helps to relieve my pain is knowing that God has hold of me during my hard times. He is gently whispering in my ear “don’t worry, everything is ok. Daddy has got you.”

He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart.  Isaiah 40:11

Something to think about…

I love my sleep, very much! But do you know what? I love my babies more. I know the season I am in is a hard one, but I also know it isn’t going to last forever. What does last forever is God’s love and how much He will hold me.

If you feel you are going through a painful time right now, take heart, dear one. Fall into His arms and let Him hold you tightly.

Prayer

Lord, when we are surrounded by so much uncertainty, let us be reminded by the truth that you are the One who is certain in our lives. When we are in pain, hold us in your loving arms and instil in us a peace that only you can provide. Thank you, Lord, for being there no matter what. Amen.

This weeks word prompt is ‘hold’. Click here if you want to see what other people wrote. You can also have a go yourself. What do you think of when you hear the word ‘hold ’?

Faith, Five Minute Friday

Rushing Doesn’t Solve Anything

7th December 2019 Lynne 2 Comments

Today’s Five Minute Friday prompt is quite apt for me. Rush. This is what I always seem to be doing lately.

Rushing here…

Rushing there…

I’m rushing everywhere!

Getting into a new routine with five children and being back at work part time is taking a little longer than I anticipated. Ok, so maybe my goal of getting it right on the first day was a little overstretched.

A mother can dream though, hey?

This morning was just a prime example of everything coming together at once and having no time to sift through it all to see where I am.

The result?

I locked myself out of the house! I have NEVER done this before in my entire life. (First time for everything, hey?)

Three guesses where I left my keys. Pretty much where I always leave them. The funny thing was (and I can laugh about it now…just) I looked there first! I could swear they weren’t in there before.

How many of us go through life rushing around and don’t see what is there right in front of us? We’re constantly seeking something to fulfil our lives and looking for quick fixes. I do this a lot, but then I miss out on a lot too.

This is a great reminder to me about the current season we are in.

Advent.

Advent is a time when we stop for a minute and think about the One who is coming. The One who will provide the answer to everything we are looking for. The One who we don’t have to search very far for. Because guess what? He is right here folks. He has been right here all along.

This morning I was rushing around and suffered the consequences. I didn’t even give myself two minutes to stop and pray for help. The result? A very frustrated mummy! I prayed when I got back and lo and behold I quickly found my keys.

With a little bit of time and a whole heap of slowing down, we may save a lot of time in the long run with not rushing around and missing the point. Don’t miss the point of this season with all the rushing taking place. Take time to think and reflect. You never know what time you would save later on.

I am trying to intentionally slow down this season, in the midst of my hectic life. I need to reflect on what is important. One of the ways I am taking stock is reading through a series by Shelly Miller.

Shelly has thought provokingly written a series for her Sabbath Society called Slow Christmas. She is providing some focus for keeping Christmas slow and intentional rather than rushed and busy.

If you feel you need a little help in slowing down this season so you don’t miss the point of it, I’d like to encourage you to join the Sabbath Society. You will then quietly receive an e-mail each Friday where Shelly shares how we can breath and exhale, creating a sense of calm and peace.

Now, who doesn’t need that in this busy season? Click on this link and it will take you to where you need to join.

Book Review, Faith, Five Minute Friday

Challenge Is An Understatement

25th September 2019 Lynne 4 Comments

Every single day there is a question someone always asks me. It doesn’t matter if I am walking my kids to school, going shopping, or having a routine visit to the doctors. It’s always the same question…

“Are they twins?“

My devious brain wants to reply back with a quick quip…

“No, actually, they are quads but the other two are left at home”.

Instead, I just smile and nod my head. I’m hoping I can get to where I need to go before the next question gets asked…

“They must be hard work. Aren’t they a challenge?“

A challenge is an understatement - looking after twins

When I respond with the fact my babies are actually children number four and five, eyes open wide with shock. I say looking after my other three children when they were younger was more of a challenge than the twins. (I had a three year old, a 23 month old and a newborn by the time my son was born).

How hard is it really?

Often, people ask how hard it must be. My response has been to disagree with what they have said. I bravely put on a smile and make out everything is hunky-dory. However, deep down inside is a completely different story.

Yes, my twins are a challenge. Yes, it is hard work. I don’t want to admit that though. Who wants to admit they are struggling? And when people ask if it’s hard work, do they really want to hear the truth?

Challenge is an understatement

I underestimated how hard looking after twins was going to be. Twice as hard doesn’t even come close to it.

“Having twins is not twice as hard—it’s exponentially more difficult”
Natalie Diaz, author of What To Do When You’re Having Two and CEO of Twiniversity

I knew what to expect with having three children previously…the sleepless nights…the constant screaming…the never ending feeds. Well, I thought I knew what to expect!

Sleepless nights are taken to a whole new level when two babies are crying. The constant screaming is like having surround sound with the volume turned up! And as for the never ending feeds…I never realised how much milk would be needed. And what goes in must come out, right? Well, let’s just say babies seem to have a way of doubling everything that goes in!

It may be a little bit more than twice as hard, but the blessings I have far outweigh the challenges. I get double the smiles and twice as much love. This is what I try to remember when the going gets a little tough. I’m getting a little help to remember this truth by reading through Becky Keife’s new book “No Better Mom for the Job”.

As a floundering mama with bags under my eyes big enough to prove my lack of sleep, I made a choice to stop fixating on a deficit I had no power to change. After all, God is pretty set on the whole twenty-four hours in a day thing. Instead I decided to concentrate on what was fully within my grasp: my ability to give thanks.
I started to retrain my focus from what stressed me about being a mom to what blessed me.
Becky Keife, “No Better Mom for the Job”

Can I suggest that if you need a little encouragement, go and pre-order Becky’s book? Raising little ones is not easy. In fact, it’s down right hard work. Sometimes it feels like it’s a lonely job. Am I right?

You are not alone

Becky writes about the ups and downs of being a mother to three spirited boys, and I love how she makes me feel like I’m not alone in the job anymore.

You’re probably thinking right now that you haven’t got time to have a shower these days, let alone sit down and read a book. You don’t need to worry. Becky knows too well what it’s like raising little ones, so she has recorded an audio version of her book too! You get to hear Becky’s sweet voice for yourself.

As a parent I love receiving bonuses, so this one is a fab bonus…If you pre-order Becky’s book before October 1st you get to receive the Audiobook for free! How awesome is that? Order your copy on Amazon or other online retailers today then head over to NoBetterMomBook.com to redeem your FREE AUDIOBOOK preorder bonus!

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This was originally written for the Five Minute Friday Community, where a number of writers gather for a weekly writing challenge around a single word prompt and write to our hearts content, but only for five minutes (or there abouts).

I couldn’t stick to five minutes on this one though. The word prompt though was “challenge”. You can click here to view what other people have written.

Beautifully Broke

Category Archives: Five Minute Friday