This post is for Five Minute Friday, a community of writers who use a one-word prompt to write for five minutes with no planning or editing. Today’s word is “she.”
She wants to be more kind and gentle with her children, so she tries harder.
Only to realize trying harder leads to more failure, more shame, and more guilt.
She wants to try softly and tenderly, the way of Jesus, but how?
She turns to her Father, the source of compassion, kindness, patience, and gentleness.
He shows her the way. Leaning, trusting, abiding.
Can a heart that learns to rest really be a transformative heart?
The heart that’s stone does not become transformed, it never changes. But a soft, tender heart of flesh is one that’s more malleable, moldable by God himself.
She knows that pride and insecurity lead to her own self-criticism. Is the answer really in laying down instead of standing up straighter, prouder?
It starts with the heart, you can only pour out what you receive. What has she received?
Forgiveness, love, mercy, grace, purpose, compassion, patience. God is a gentle and understanding Father for those that turn to Him.
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This is just so beautiful!
Thank you for reading!
so grateful He is always willing to show us the way. He is so gracious and makes us gracious too.
Always praying to imitate His lovingkindness!
WOW! That was so incredibly beautiful! I wish I could write a beautiful message in just a few sentences… but I realize each of us can take the same word in write in so many different ways and God used snd blesses all of us who are willing to share. Thank you Natalie.
❤️Terri
#12 FMF
Thank you for your sweet comment! Praying the message is a blessing to someone!
A heart that’s stone can never rest,
can never ever thrive
until it steps forth on the quest
to one day be alive,
and life is quite a scary thing;
a living heart can bleed!
And a warming pulse can bring
that which a stone won’t need,
a Love than dries the salty tears,
a Touch that eases pain.
It’s true that through far longer years
a stone heart may remain,
but sheer endurance cannot give
the blessings we were born to live.
That is just beautiful! What talent you have to put words together like that!
I was so blessed by this!! Thank you!! Deirdre FMF#2
Thank you Deidre!
“It starts with the heart, you can only pour out what you receive.” All the amens to this. Instead of striving to summon up something within ourselves that doesn’t exist, we go to God, the source of everything we need. Beautiful words, Natalie!
Go to God, that is the answer. Thank you!
good question. Can we only give what we have received? I don’t know. I know people who have only received pain in their lives and yet… they live out something more because they don’t want others to deal with what they have dealt with. It’s an interesting question to ponder.
You are definitely right! I think it has to do with our inner monologue. The way we talk to ourselves is the way we talk to others, from my own experience. If I’ve allowed myself to receive forgiveness and love, then I can give that out too. But if all I give myself is criticism and shame, then that’s what I pass on to others. I loved that you asked that question, now I can think about that more.