I am preparing this Friday 5 just before I take Chris into hospital for a cardioversion, right now we are all a little apprehensive. But this whole thing has got me thinking, so many of us are overcomers in one way or anoither, so many have amazing stories to tell of God's faithfulness in adversity. And so I bring you this Friday 5;
1.Have you experienced God's faithfulness at a difficult time? Tell as much or as little as you like...
2. Have you experienced a dark night of the soul, if so what brought you through?
3. Share a Bible verse, song, poem that has brought you comfort?
4. Is "why suffering" a valid question?
5. And on a lighter note- you have reached the end of a dark and difficult time- how are you going to celebrate?
Bonus- anything you wish to add....
Sorry if this has been a little heavy I will try to lighten up soon!!!
Let us know in comments if you play and we'll trek on over.
Even better, post a direct link to your blog entry in your comment using the following formulation: <a href="the url of your blog post goes here">what you want the link to say goes here</a>
For a complete how-to, click here.
Edited to add:
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS! THIS IS AN AMAZING GROUP.
Chris came home this evening, we will go back on Monday, more news over at my blog
I got to this a little late and won't be able to post till I get home from work (the Nasty NYS bureacracy won't let me access my blog from work!) How rude!)
ReplyDeleteBut go to to my blog to enjoy a little Shabbat music from Debbie Friedman!
Sally, this was challenging, but very thoughtful. I am interested in reading what others have to say.
ReplyDeleteI played mine here
here along with a Youtube video to accompany it.
Sally, praying for Chris, you, and your family, and those who care for him.
I played here
ReplyDeleteThank you for your prayers for Chris- we have just spoken to the hospital he will go to theatre after lunch.
Sally, you have my prayers.
ReplyDeleteChris is in my prayers Sally, thank you for the Friday five.
ReplyDeleteHere's my play.
Hmmmm, maybe I will respond to this in a post someday. I am so much more acquainted with the absence of God than the presence of God that I am a bit taken aback by these questions. Let's just say that Mother Teresa is absolutely my hero this month.
ReplyDeleteSally, I too am praying for Chris and for all of you.
I'm in,with a few reminders of some tough times
ReplyDeletePrayers for Chris, Sally.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are here!
Deb
I played.
ReplyDeleteOk, I played random chaos.
ReplyDeletesally, prayers for Chris and for your family...
ReplyDeleteSally, your family is in my prayers today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sparking this play.
Wow - powerful stuff. Praying for you and Chris, Sally.
ReplyDeleteMy play is at my blog.
Thought provoking questions Sally. Many prayers for you, your family, Chris, and all the medical staff.
ReplyDeleteHere is my overcoming
I played . It will be worth your while to read the story at the bottom. I share a great overcoming story from someone I met in my CPE experience.
ReplyDeleteThis one took me to places I hadn't revisited in a long time.
ReplyDeleteI played for the first time in a long time! Been way too busy moving. Click here.
ReplyDeleteI walked through the valley of the shadow here
ReplyDeleteAnd Sally, yes prayers for Chris and you and your family today.
Sally, our prayers are with you and Chris!
ReplyDeleteI played here this morning. I needed to remember God's faithfulness today!
I've done it here.
ReplyDeleteGood one, Sally! Praying for you all.
i wasn't sure i was up to the challenge but i found it healing. thanks sally!
ReplyDeletei look forward to coming back after i get the kids to school and reading the other responses.
too much too say on this one... but i kept it short because my coffee's cold. here it is!
ReplyDeleteThis was a good set. I played over here.
ReplyDeleteI played here.
ReplyDeleteGod's peace and healing, Sally and Chris.
A serious friday five to be sure, but really this is where the rubber hits the road in the life of faith.
ReplyDeleteMy answers are here.
Peace,
Susan
I played after not playing for a long time! Im glad to be back and playing again! Check it out at www.prayingontheprairie.blogspot.com.
ReplyDeleteI played.
ReplyDeleterevhrod.blogspot.com
Praying for Chris...
ReplyDeleteI'll play later today.
food, fashion, furnishings but no fasting on Friday...
ReplyDeleteI played here
ReplyDeleteSally, my prayers are with you and Chris.
Sally, Chris and all of you are in my prayers. This was a very thoughtful, challenging and timely F5. I played here.
ReplyDeleteI played here
ReplyDeleteFirst time....
So much, such a big thoughtful F5 Sally. Prayers with you - and I'll have to put off my post until I can really spend some time. So I'll post later tonight. Have a wonderful Friday all.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sally, for this thought-provoking Five. You'll find mine here.
ReplyDeleteI played here.
ReplyDeleteI really played here
ReplyDeleteyou can really tell it was first time....
My prayers are with you and Chris, Sally.
ReplyDeleteI played here
Thank you, Sally, for this thought-provoking and soul-searching Friday Five.
ReplyDeleteI played here
I played here, but I couldn;t figure out how to embed it and the instruction hotkey wasn't working. I tried my best
ReplyDeletehttp://xarite.blogspot.com/
Funny thing, in the time I struggled trying to embed the link, someone called and offered me a job.
God is Good!
Sally, My dad had his second cardioversion about 3 weeks ago. He's doing good--waiting for a follow up procedure next week. Hopefully it will go as smoothly for Chris. I couldn't link to the "how to" page and can't remember how to do it...so just follow this =) http://revrochelle.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteHot key repaired! Thanks for letting us know, teacher lori, and congrats on the job offer!!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, here's a direct link to teacher lori and one to Rochelle!!
Praying for both Sally and Chris...
ReplyDeleteThis was a timely friday five for me. I played here
Hm...let's try that again.
ReplyDeletehere
Sally, hope allhas gone well with Chris. Prayers are being sent. I'm on late today.
ReplyDeleteThis was hard but a good way to reflect on what we often rush away from once it's over. So,I played here!
I worked here. Answering the questions today was difficult.
ReplyDeleteSally, you, Chris, and your family are in my prayers.
COunt me in!
ReplyDeleteALso I posted some reminisces. 15 years ago I was prepping for seminary on this day
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have only found RevGalBlog Pals recently, and I don't have a blog. It Is Saturday morning here, and time to try and get Sunday's service into some kind of shape. But your Friday Five intrigued me.
1. I found leaving the country town we lived in to move to Sydney to train for Ministry very challenging, and at times felt like giving up and going back to people and places and roles that were familair. Journalling reminded me of why I was there, and of God's presence.
2. My husband and I had been trying to have children for a few years, I fell pregnangt on our first IVF cycle - 2nd pregnancy - which turned out to be our second ectopic. well meaning Christian friends told me ot was God's way of teaching me, or letting me know I wouldn't be a good parent, or .., . I felt like this God was not worth knowing, was not real, or was not interetsed on my situation, or all three. as I had grown up in a non-Christian home I thought the whole Christian thing had been a mistake. But then our wonderfully pastoral Minister told me God wanted to hold me as a parent holds a child, and to cry with me. I now have a very different image of God.
3. this week's lectionary psalm is PSalm 139, which I note is a favourite for a few other people. there is a hymn in our hymn book based on this psalm writen by Ian Robertson Pitt-Watson. but then my favourite changes with the day!
4. all questions are valid. they may not be comfortable, but if they are honest they are valid .
Bonus: On a retreat, about 10 years ago - I had an experince of handing over our having, or not, children to God. I spoke with one of the Ministers, and wrote a liturgy. 6 of us, on the riverbank as the sun rose, symbols and scripture, and sacrament. followed by a BBQ breakfast in the backyard.
now see if this works!
I read the questions this morning but didn't have time to post answers that take this much thought. After I read the questions, I read a sermon by Frank Fisher that is posted with permission on my blog under the Friday Five post that you can read here
ReplyDeleteLast (probably), but not least!
ReplyDeleteHere you go.
Sally, I am very much thinking of you, and praying for Chris. This is a very good Friday Five.
ReplyDeleteI played herein the wee hours of the morning.
Thank YOU Sally. Here's mine, ala Saturday am.
ReplyDelete