Five Minute Friday: Listen
There is an amazing group of women who I’ve gotten to know over the last year. We all come together on Thursdays night for the #fmfparty on Twitter. We chat, share chocolate and coffee, talk about our day, our dreams and challenges. And then we come together to write, here, all sharing words on a single prompt that connects us together in spirit. And I come to read, their words touching me deeply, moving my heart and stirring my soul. I am awakened and challenged, offered hope and joy, all the while longing to know this one more.
As I read your words, do I listen to your heart?
As I read your words, do I hear the depth of your pain and the rush of your joy?
As I read your words, do I walk away knowing you more than I did the day before?
As I read your words, I listen and I ask the Holy Spirit, What is in the heart of this one who comes to share so bravely. And as I receive your words, I allow them to sink deep into my soul. I want to know, What moves your heart?
Friends, I am here for you. I am leaning in closer. I may not be able to listen with my ears, but I will listen to you with my heart.
Barbie, what a great focus on fostering community through listening. Any time you’ve ever commented on my blog, I have always felt you truly read and are listening. You do a wonderful job of that. And thank you for inspiring us all to do the same.
Awe, thanks so much Caroline! I appreciate you!
Beautiful post, Barbie!
Thanks Jennifer! Praying you have a blessed week.
Blessed to have found you through blogging. Your heart for community and Jesus is contagious. You warm my heart Barbie! Thank you so much for being so faithful in your writing. You are amazing!
Thank you Rebecca! I am blessed to have you here.
You are so beautiful!! Love you
Oh Jennifer! You make me blush! Ha! I love you girl!
You are a sweet listener and I am grateful for you Barbie. Love that red cup of coffee!
That red cup of coffee is a stock photo that I could literally drink from! Love you my friend. Have a beautiful weekend.
Ever the encourager, Barbie. Such a beautiful heart that you listen with, too.
Love you Missy girl! Have a blessed weekend!
Barbie, this is such sweet simple post yet it brought such a rush of tears to my eyes. I love that God brought us all together so that we could listen to the heart on the other side of the screen. Thank you for always sharing your heart with us and taking the time to listen to ours,
I love this community. So thankful God lead me here! Have a beautiful weekend friend!
What moves my heart? Hmmm.
That moment when God’s word comes alive for my day and moment. Honesty and real relevance from the heart of another and discovering a sisterhood. Having my words make a difference in someone’s day.
Is this FMF a closed group, Barbie? I ask and I’m not even on Twitter…. 😉
Oh Diane, no! You should join us. Visit lisajobaker.com and read through the Five Minute Friday posts. We have the #fmfparty on Twitter every Thursday beginning at 11PM (East Coast time). Then Lisa posts the word prompt each Friday on her blog just shortly after midnight. If you have any more questions, let me know. We would love to have you join us!!!! You would write some amazing posts in five minutes!
Oh girl…. you and I… one day! One day, my friend… face to face and heart to heart and however He brings that about I am all over it! Love you sweet Barbie!
I just got the giggles, because I am believing for this day, where I can reach out and hug you and really hear your heart . Oh girl, let’s make it happen! Hugs!
Isn’t that what we all want, really? To be not only listened to, but to be heard. Really heard. What a neat post!
Thanks Rachel. I so appreciate you stopping by! Blessings!
Barbie, you are a true blessing to me in the blogging/community world. You have a spirit of Jesus and for uplifting others. Love you!!
Ashley, so thankful to have found you through blogging. Your heart for Jesus has touched my heart deeply. Have a blessed weekend.
What a lovely heartfelt and touching post Barbie. Reading your words remind to slow this heart and mind of mine down. To lean in closer even if that means I’m doing less but with being more fully present.
Oh, that’s how I want to be, fully present, giving my full attention to whatever I am doing in the moment. Thanks Wanda for stopping by today!
🙂 Barbie, this was wonderful! I feel the same way, I was thinking about posting a list of the FMF friends I’ve been reading and responding to comments from for the last few months. It’s been so wonderful!!
Oh do the list! That way I could visit some others. It’s hard to get around to everyone, but I really try to visit as many as I can throughout the week. Love that I get to do community with you. Have a blessed weekend AJ!
You’re the best!! It’s so fun to be in community like this wehre people are really listening and hearing one another. I am so grateful to be a part of this with you!
I feel the same way Debi! It’s such a blessing that I get to be in community with so many amazing women! Hugs!
I love that you listen with your ears but also with …your heart.
Love,
Debbie
Debbie! Thank you for stopping by today. Love seeing your beautiful face here!
Love that cup of coffee…but I love you because you’ve offered this new blogger some encouragement when you didn’t have to- thank you friend. Love that you listen with your heart and then reply with kind words.
So thankful I can encourage you! I appreciate you stopping by for a visit. Have a beautiful weekend!
Dear Barbie
Yes, dear friend, you are really a good listener! You speak to us all for how often do we listen with polite ears that do not really hear! How often do we read someone’s post without trying to understand the heart behind the word?
Much love XX
Mia
That is my prayer. So often I come to read after a long day, brain tired, and I strive to listen, to really hear the heart of another. That is my prayer. Love you Mia!
Oh sweet Barbie, Your words sink right into my soul. I love your heart and your prayer. There really is such a sweet way to listen through the screen. Such a beautiful way God has given us even more of a chance for authentic community even between the miles and HTML coding. It really can happen and you my dear nailed exactly how. Abundant blessing to you sweetie!
Thank you LyndsD! I appreciate you!
that cup wakes me up!
Me too! It’s a stock photo but I could literally drink from it right off the screen. Happy weekend and thanks for stopping by Linda!
Oh I’m blubbering… I love that visions… words bright on a screen and before you read offering a prayer to God to help you hear – Just love that. You bless today with this.
You bless me by coming here to read! Thank you for your friendship through blogging. Have a beautiful weekend.
Love this! Your words are such a blessing today, Barbie…I’m so thankful to be part of this community with you!
Thanks so much Mel! So thankful our paths crossed through blogging!
I echo Alia, Barbie, you really DO do this. When you comment I can feel that you are really trying to listen…deeply. Hugs to you my friend!
Oh Mary, you have encouraged me so many times. I always hope that I listen with my heart. Have a blessed weekend.
I love that about you, Barbie. Because I know you really do. You’ve been an encouragement so many times. Just love you, friend and I was so glad to connect even though my tweetchat was mutinous and glitchy and I probably missed a ton. Still, it was nice.
I felt like I was missing so much of the conversation last night too. I love you too my friend. So thankful we are walking this journey together. Blessings!
Thank you, Barbie! I believe your heart’s words here because I have read the words of your heart for the past few months. Thank you for reading the words of my heart week after week and for offering encouragement. Blessings to you! Love, Rachael
Love you my friend! Have a beautiful weekend!
Barbie, you have been such an amazing blessing to me. I absolutely love this post – such a great reminder to listen beyond the words on the screen, to focus on the heart that wrote them, and to reach out, hug, pray, laugh, and share with them. For after all, isn’t that what this blogging journey is all about? Community? Friendship? Relationship? Fellowship? All those ships 😉 Thank you for being a wonderful friend – God has given you such a gift! Happy Friday!!! I’m off to bed…
Awe April, thank you! I love encouraging others, and I love reading your words. Have a lovely weekend!
What a lovely take on the prompt, Barbie! 🙂
Thankful for your visit Jen. Have a beautiful weekend.
Aw, you wrote a FMF about FMF! What a sweet idea!
Thanks for stopping by Rachael.