When you wake in the morning with first thoughts of
fear for tender lives in your care,
or with the day’s tasks
racing past your face on a hopped-up assembly line,
or with pain over that relationship
or horrible misunderstanding,
and all you can do is sort of groan-pray-worry;
when you sit in the dark quiet and feel your own
weakness press like a heavy hand on your chest,
and you wonder how you’ll muster this day;
when you wonder if you matter and if you’re
even noticed, and if you’ve made
a terrible mistake,
and you can’t stop thinking about that hurting
soul or all the murky, lurking what-ifs.
When you doubt — you are loved,
when you question — you are loved,
when you don’t want to rise up out of bed — you are loved,
when you struggle with the unanswered and
the daunting do’s — you are loved,
when you realize your weakness or recognize your strength — you are loved.
It’s simply who you are.
When your life feels small almost to disappearing,
when your heart is hurt near to crumbling,
when you want to remember hope, but it feels lost in the folds —
you are loved, held,
known,
enough.
Well, you just never know what five minutes will hold. Happy to be joining the Five Minute Friday community at Kate Motaung‘s place again, for the first time in SO long, with today’s prompt: WHEN.

This week’s prompt took me down trails I didn’t want to go. Your poem on WHEN is lovely. I am your neighbor here on #FMF
I’ve been there too…down the trails I didn’t want to go. This writing process is certainly mysterious, no? Happy to have met you today.
I keep playing this song on repeat this week… and this post – well, it keeps beat with the song and oh my how beautiful it is! “You’re a Good, Good Father” is playing… literally… once again, right now – because – of course! “You’re a good, good Father. It’s who You are. It’s who You are. It’s who You are. And I am loved by You. It’s who I am. It’s who I am. It’s who I am… http://youtu.be/x0gwz_IDY7w xoxo
I haven’t heard that song, Karrilee. Must check it out! Thank you, friend, for your faithful presence here (when I manage to write!) and for the gift of your loving enthusiasm, delight in friendship, and tender, authentic following after Him. Can’t wait to see you in April. xoxo
Beautiful!
Thank you, dear Kate. So lovely to see you here. Grateful, as always, for your gracious hosting of FMF.
This is gorgeous!
Oh, thanks so much for your comment, Bronwyn. (I do love your name!)
How your heart of love spills over on this page here, friend. Always. Thank you for these words of hope and presence. And Sici’s picture? Stunning and creatively artistic. Please let her know. xoxox
Thank you, precious soul. I love you. I know — isn’t my girl talented? (*proud mama gush*) I will let her know you said so. xoxo
Where was this taken by your talented sici? What a gift – to be loved.
She took it at the Chinese Gardens downtown with my mama last year. She’s such a natural. :-)
Always so good Ashley. I have to get back to #FiveMinuteFriday. I miss this bunch, the prompts…the love.
Thank you, dear Lisha. I miss #givemegrace. Hope to be back again soon. Love to you, friend.