Finding Hope Through Adversity: A Five Minute Reflection

Preserve

Most Fridays, I join an online Christian writing community, Five Minute Friday. We are given a one-word prompt and write – unscripted, unedited, pure free-write – for 5 minutes. Five Minute Friday is a great place to hone my writing practice. It also allows me to be encouraged by other writers as I write. I will set the timer for five minutes and then write. Here we go! I am excited to invite you in, welcome.

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Preserve

Today after a long time of word loss I cling to the truth spoken over me. I borrow prayers and words from saints of old. I let my mind catch up to my soul at its own pace.

Our sorrows have been the heralds of mercies. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise, for we reckon them to be the deep bass notes of our song. The deeper our troubles the louder our thanks to God, who has assuredly led his servants through all and hath preserved us until now. Our past troubles are no disturbers of our happy worship; they do but swell the stream of oar grateful affection. We put down all our trials into the account, but still we declare our one uncontradicted avowal, that “we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.

Charles Spurgeon

I am continually carried and I don’t think I always knew that was the case. I have never felt like I was falling. I was falling into a deep unknown as I have experienced in this actual season. Summer with its slow charm woos me yearly into a state of awe and wonder. This year it worked hard to show me its usual charm and yet life stood between us like a sift. I can’t say that it was all just bad because that would be lying. The beauty seemed to only arrive softened by grief. It sifted through darkness. It provided a glow of hope. I know for a fact it was placed there to preserve my soul from despair.

I remember at the beginning of summer. I longed for a slow summer. I wanted to find time to do those life giving activities I had set down for too long. Instead I was slowed down in the most real of ways. I was slowed down by life: sickness, loss, rejection, and death. All of that is life at its core isn’t it? Thankfully that is not the whole of it. My sorrow has not closed my eyes forever to the goodness of God. Instead, as Spurgeon says, “it has been the herald of mercies”. I am standing with saints who lamented and yet found hope in the One who preserves us. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet and is thought to have written the book of Lamentations. In it I find the most hope giving verses. They always lead my soul back to hope in the midst of life’s hard intermingled with beauty.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

Lamentations 3:21-24

Gracefully,

P.S. This is my 100th post I will be hosting a giveaway to celebrate over on Substack. Make sure to leave a comment below, on Substack, or both to be entered to win! The price will be a mini care package with a few of my favorite things!

P.S.S. If you are local it would be amazing to see you. I will be sharing on a panel about writing. 

Beyond Books: Exploring Untraditional Formats in Writing
Bassani Theater Off Third 4:00pm-5:00pm

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What a perfect time to start honing your charcuterie skills! I have just the right thing to help you feel ready and confident while you gather. I created this simple and beautiful charcuterie guide for you. In my opinion it’s cute enough to show and then it would always be available for you! Plus, I am always honored to offer you practical content for purposeful and life giving time around the table. Check it out by clicking on the graphic below!

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