Category: Five Minute Fridays

Beloved: Dearly Loved; Dear to the Heart

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
This is love: not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
(1 John 4:9,10 NIV)
 
 

I started writing love letters again. I have been writing at God for quite a few years now in my journal, but for the next forty days, I sensed my Beloved invite me to write him letters.

A dear friend, Lynn D. Morrissey, wrote a book about this idea: Love Letters to God: Deeper Intimacy through Written Prayer.  I picked up the book to read in sips, a few pages a day as I journey toward the most heart wrenching love story ever.
 
 

The story of a man, who used to live in heaven, and then took on flesh to live among us. A divine man loved by the Father.  The same Father who loved you and me so much, who gave his one and only to become sin for us. And Jesus not only took on our sin, but also suffered the penalty of sin: death.

A death that demonstrates the best love ever offered. To be called His beloved is to be treasured beyond compare. So I am attempting these days to write daily love notes to this God-Man-Spirit. The funny thing is I’m not sure how to address Him. And I’ve told him so. I’ve tried “Dear Jesus” and “Father God” and “Dear Friend” or “Lord Jesus” and they all are familiar, but not quite clear enough, when speaking to a Triune God.

Then today, this word “beloved”, was offered. And it seems to encompass the Father-Son-Spirit love that I long to express to HIm.

Beloved- I have been thinking of you today and how much you love me. I am yours and amazingly, you call me your own. Intimacy is frightening, yet to be close to you is really my heart’s deepest desire. I love you. I look forward to rekindling our love through letters. Love you-Kel
 
 
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Posted on by kelrohlf 12

Afraid: Filled With Fear, Concern or Regret


Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you
with My righteous right hand.
(Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)



 
Linking up with Five Minute Fridays, a place where we are given a word and a challenge to write for five minutes.
 
“Unscripted. Unedited. Real.”
 
GO.

Afraid not! This time I will not be taken in by your lies, your false promises, your glittery temptations and your morose bodings. You are a liar! A murderer from the beginning! You birthed fear. You took away the fear of God and introduced the fear of what ifs.

What if? What if, I don’t listen to you? What if, I stop my ears up with truth, sound proof my heart with the Word of God? What if, I choose to walk by faith and not by sight? Will fear still prowl alongside me, sneering at my resolve?


Of course! Of course, fear will be trailing me, hounding me, breathing down my neck the rest of my life.

However, God is. God of Awe and Wonder. My Shield. My Strength. Even though fear is hot on my heels, My Protector is before, behind, around, and inside me. I will not be afraid.

And by the way, I’m not even talking to you anymore. I’m running to the Savior. He is the True and Living One. He renews my mind, refreshes His mercies daily and keeps me in Perfect Peace.

And even if, one little worm of fear wriggles into my mind, I will praise the LORD, maker of all things. Restorer of Hope and Love that Never Grows Old. Love casts out fear!

STOP.
Posted on by kelrohlf 4

Again: Once More

All these whom we have mentioned maintained their faith but died without actually receiving God’s promises, though they had seen them in the distance, had hailed them as true and were quite convinced of their reality. They freely admitted that they lived on this earth as exiles and foreigners. Men who say that mean, of course, that their eyes are fixed upon their true home-land. If they had meant the particular country they had left behind, they had ample opportunity to return. No, the fact is that they longed for a better country altogether, nothing less than a heavenly one. And because of this faith of theirs, God is not ashamed to be called their God for in sober truth he has prepared for them a city in Heaven.
(Hebrews 11:13-16 J.B Phillips)
 
Linking up with Five Minute Fridays, a place where we are given a word and a challenge to write for five minutes.

 
GO.
Again. I hear a simple, direct voice, say: “I have a plan for your life. It’s meant for your good, not your harm. A future and a hope.”  I am relieved. I go to the book where the words were first written down by a weeping prophet. In this version it says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare, and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)
 
My eye falls on the word welfare, which has a footnote. Welfare means peace. Peace, well-being, that’s what I want.

Then I wonder, what’s the context? I’ve rehearsed that single sentence to myself for comfort again and again, but I want to know why God said it in the first place. Go back to the beginning of the chapter. Jeremiah sent a letter to the exiles in Babylon. There was some confusion. Was their exile temporary or was it for seventy years? Who should they listen to? Some were saying this won’t last; God won’t really make you stay there for seventy years. Jeremiah sends word to clarify.

Yes, God did say seventy years! And while you’re there, multiply, don’t decrease. Don’t wither up in despair. Live! Get married! Make babies! You are coming back to Jerusalem and you will need people to repopulate the Promised Land. And while you’re in the city of your captivity, pray for the welfare of that city. Because if you do, guess what, it’s welfare directly benefits your welfare.

That’s a real life example of praying for peace for your enemies.

Again God turns everything upside down on its head. Don’t believe the liars or the scoffers. God will keep His promises. Jesus will return again. And in the meantime, pray for the welfare of your city, the place of your exile, while you wait. And live again!
 
STOP.
 
 
Posted on by kelrohlf 8

Snapshot: A View of Something Brief

Five Minute Friday

A place where writers take five minutes to write about a word, and then link up over at Gypsy Mama to read and comment on each other’s offerings. Today’s Word is Dive.

GO.

I know this dive, where low light illuminates the green felt table. The next customer swings open the screen door, a bell rings announcing their entrance. The door slaps shut. A few heads swivel from the bar.

She walks over to the counter, surveys the line-up. Orders a drink and asks “Anyone up for a game?” The guy at the end of the bar nods. They each grab their drink, placing it on a nearby table. She digs for a quarter out of her faded jeans. Places it in the slot, pushes it in and kerplunk. Solids and stripes roll into place.

She pulls them out one by one and her opponent racks them up. He places the cue ball at the opposite end of the triangle made up of alternated stripes and solids. She smiles at him. He takes his cue and pulls back his elbow sliding the stick towards the white ball, which he expertly cracks into the triangle busting up their symmetry, and sighs when not one falls into a pocket.

She steps up and takes her turn. She leans over and eyes the orange solid in line with the cue ball, nods toward the side pocket and drops her first attempt to win this game. She positions herself and starts clearing the table of solids. Her opponent leans on his stick watching her prowess, waiting for his turn to show her a thing or two. She misses.

He drops a purple striped one into the far corner pocket. They take turns until it’s just the eight ball and the cue ball and two players wondering who’ll have the last say.
STOP.
 
You may be thinking that this post is quite a bit different than my usual offerings. And it is. I decided to take this five minute write as challenge to capture a place with words. One of my desires this year is to hone my fiction skills, which means developing scenes, characters and plots. So today, I chose to use my five minutes to practice one of my skills. I would love feedback as to whether this snapshot put you in the place or not.
Posted on by kelrohlf 8

Stay:To Remain With

Stay the course. Don’t get off track; keep your eyes on Me the author and finisher of your faith.

Don’t let setbacks discourage you. Start what you finished. Stay with me, baby, we’ll go far.

Won’t you stay…just a little bit longer…say you will

It’s hard to rest, to remain, to abide, to be still…I wonder…I wander…I want to move.

I find staying in one place difficult…but it is good for me, I know.

Slow down, pace yourself, you are trying way too hard…you have a choice

You can stay or go…but I’d rather you stay…simply be…enjoy this…trust…rest…be…

Please stay with Me….just a little bit longer…say you will
 
. . . weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5b NIV
 
 
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Posted on by kelrohlf 9