Wow, is it really the end of April already? How did I miss that?

Anybody else feel cheated out of a whole month? 😉

In any case, I’m thrilled to have you with us for another week of Five Minute Friday — the place where fingertips fly over keyboards, and encouragement is spread lavishly across screens and time zones.

To learn more about the Five Minute Friday community and how it works, click here!

Since we’re about to flip the calendar page over to May, I want to share two special deals with you just in time for Mother’s Day:

First, have you heard that Lisa-Jo Baker’s Surprised by Motherhood is only $2.99 for the Kindle version through April 30th?

If you don’t have a Kindle, just grab the free Kindle reading app and you’re good to go! AND … you can even gift this book to a friend or three via e-mail! SUCH a good deal!

Speaking of moms, KraftyKash has some beautiful necklaces with custom birthstones up for grabs. Order by May 1st to be in time for Mother’s Day:

Aren’t these new necklaces from Krafty Kash beautiful? And the birthstone charms can be ordered separately in case you want to keep adding to the necklace!

AND … Use code katemotaung to save 10% off your order!

OR … Sign up to for the Krafty Kash mailing list, and get 25% off your order!

PLUS … if your purchase is $40 or more, mention my name, and you’ll receive a free gift!

How fun is that?! Deadline for Mother’s Day orders is May 1st.

[Tweet “Check out these new Mother’s Day necklaces from @kraftykash! Use code katemotaung for 10% off!”]

Visit Krafty Kash to see all the options!

And now, it’s time to write! 

This week, we’re writing on the prompt:

[Tweet “This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt is: PASS. Come join us! #amwriting”]

Setting my timer for five minutes, and … GO.

Have you ever just had one of those weeks where everything seems to be a challenge? When you’re hit with a  barrage of trials, one after the other, and you ask yourself, “When will it ever end?”

Or maybe it’s one particular hardship that just keeps going and going, and every morning you wake up hoping it will all be over, or maybe you’ll realize it was all a bad dream, until your feet hit the floor, and you know it’s for real.

When I’ve faced seasons of persistent frustration, it helps me to ask God for a little perspective shift.

I turn to His Word and page through until I find promises that speak of His enduring, unchanging character, like this:

[Tweet “”The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” ~ Isaiah 40:8”]

I read verses like 2 Corinthians 4:15-17 and remind myself that this too, shall pass — and in the meantime, it’s making me stronger:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:15-17

[Tweet “Going through a trial? Remember: This too, shall pass. In the meantime, it’s making you stronger.”]

I glean hope and strength from Isaiah, when he writes:

When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze. ~ Isaiah 43:2

It may not feel pleasant at the time — okay, it never feels pleasant. But God is doing a refining work in us. And the best part? We can rest assured that the ache is only temporary. He’s prepared a place for us that will never perish, spoil or fade — a place with no more tears, or crying or pain. Hallelujah.

STOP.

[Tweet “Join us as we #write for five minutes on the prompt, PASS!”]

Disclosure: Affiliate links used in this post. 

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