32 Comments
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Jenna Mindel's avatar

This is such a lovely prompt idea -- thank you for sharing Alica! I also want to note that this line you wrote, "My younger brother used the word “why” like Americans use salt. He knows everything now." is LOVELY. I am obsessed with it. Beautiful words as usual!!!!!

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

THANK YOU JENNA!!!!!

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Sol ☼🧷's avatar

That last line hits so hard. I’ll have to explore this idea further when I’m not trapped under a blanket listening to nursery rhymes as my toddler falls asleep.

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Sarah Comeau's avatar

So beautiful and so inspired!! I tried my hand at writing one this month https://sarahcomeau.substack.com/p/may-a-door-slammed-shut-bicycle-brakes Always so encouraged by your heart for Christian writers <3

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

Sarah, I am just now seeing this! I can't wait to pop over and read!

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Loree Peters's avatar

That our God didn’t just cry with us, but broke for us too. This feels so well timed. Thank you for your words.

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

Thank you Loree. So grateful.

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Jen Snow's avatar

I happened to see this just as I was heading out to write in a coffee shop this morning so I tried it....and this may be a new favorite practice. Helped me pull together some scattered thoughts into something coherent. Thanks for sharing!

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

I love that! I’m so glad you tried it!

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Samson Midigo's avatar

Thak Alicia for sharing this. My go-to prompts are the 5Ws and H question forms. This is new.

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

Thank you Samson!

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Lynn M. R.'s avatar

I haven't heard of this before. Thank you for sharing. I will have to read this a few times and contemplate what you have written. It is thought provoking. Thank you.

Right now I'm writing something describing my daughter's struggles to live and her needs to be medically supported and how that parallels my struggles and ease to see God at work.

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

Praying for you in this season! What a beautiful and challenging thing to write through.

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Kyra Bredenhof's avatar

So beautiful! I would love to try this 🫶

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

It’s such a fun little prompt!

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Amy Hancock's avatar

This is lovely in everyway. I'm sitting at our local lake with a pen writing 5 and it's been a beautiful experience.

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

That sounds so idyllic!

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Amy Hancock's avatar

It was the day I didn't know i needed!

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jewel dinges's avatar

chills - beautiful beautiful words! i love how everything you write so deeply reflects the human experience while also bringing a redemptive reminder that we have a Good Father!

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

Thank you so much Jewel. We really do have such a good Father.

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Mindi W's avatar

My favorite part: "Just write it."

Lately all of my writing circles around the idea of surviving the day, the week, the night shift, the whatever.

Writing has been my soul's Ativan. I will try this. Thank you.

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Cara Dyck's avatar

This idea is new to me, but I love it and I’m inspired to try it.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful essay, Alicia. It brought tears to my eyes, because I’ve been the mom comforting her screaming child in clinics and hospitals many times. Often my own tears have mingled with my child’s tears. What a beautiful picture of how Christ comforts us: “Every moment, God bends near to me. He catches my tears in a bottle—and adds his own.”

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

Thank YOU, Cara! I’m so glad this resonated with you; I’m always glad that Revelation tells us there will be “no more tears” when we dwell with God for eternity. And until then, I’m so grateful for his comfort.

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Angie Holder's avatar

I love this idea and appreciate you sharing your work. So well done. I’ve never done a prompt like this before.

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

Thank you Angie!

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Ashley Woods's avatar

This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing. I'm eager to try a five things essay!

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

I hope you have fun with it!

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Ann Hewett's avatar

Beautiful & inspiring

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

Thank you 🤍

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Charity Stillings's avatar

Beautiful, rich, inspiring, thoughtful. Thank you.

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Alicia Hamilton's avatar

You are so kind, Charity!

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