Time for my Five Minute Friday contribution. Check out the amazing five minutes takes at Kate’s place on Facebook at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com by our special community of writers.

I’ve been sharing snippets taken from Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat. They are a testament to the value of the exercise. This week, I’ll share some perspective from Julia. I hope she inspires you to check us out … and maybe join in?

“Five Minute Friday has shown me the beauty of community — the messy, humorous and painful, yet beautiful truth: we are all on the same journey. Regardless of punctuation and proper spelling, in five minutes we are forced to share our hearts longing to know we aren’t alone.”

Well, the prompt is COMFORT and the timer is set for five minutes, so lets GO ...

Peanut butter … and prayer.

Although I’m reluctant to admit it, it’s usually the jar of peanut butter that captures my attention before hitting my knees.

Yes, some people crave grilled cheese or mashed potatoes or mac and cheese — all fine comfort food choices — but when life starts to stress me I reach for a jar of peanut butter. Doesn’t matter what kind or what brand, as long as the main ingredient is crushed peanuts, I’m in. I don’t need the bread. I don’t need the jelly {although my preference is strawberry preserves}. Lately, I’ve even gone “healthy” with all natural peanut butter, although I’ll admit I’m a little turned off on store brought all natural peanut butters which are nothing more than a block of peanuts with a quarter inch of oil sitting on the top. I found a Mennonite store that processed its own peanut butter while you watch. It has the right ingredients and the consistency is constant from first spoonful to last.

Usually with peanut butter giving comfort to my body, I find myself more focused on spending time with my best Friend. I personally like the quietness of early morning or late, late at night or whiling away the miles on a road trip for these rendezvous. The prayer time is more conversation time as I unload and listen in the stillness for the answer. I know what they are … STOP

… but I’m often too preoccupied to hand over the reins. Be still and know I am God.

And my all time favorite place for this commune with the Creator of nature is the shore. Watching the ocean tide ebb and flow centers me, brings me back to the awe of the Creator, reminds me how much He loves me despite being an insignificant speck on an seemingly endless stretch of sand.

In fact, if I could craft my comfort fantasy, it would be walking along the sandy  beach with the remnants of the waves licking my feet, just talking with my Savior about everyday life … with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon in my hand.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow or sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears and light for the way. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.