Life can feel like a maze. A place strewn with pathways that lead us astray. Somewhere with high walls and hidden depths, where we can easily lose ourselves. People who have once loved us can drift away, out of sight. We wonder if we’ll ever find our way back to the calming centre of things.
Living can overwhelm our senses. Too much noise. Too much light. Too much haste and hurry. Too many people. Too much of everything. We just want to stop. Get off the merry-go-round and find ourselves. Breathe freely again. Relax.
Let me take you back to a Centre of calm and peace that never fails us. Come with me on a gentle, poetic labyrinth prayer walk that leads us straight to the heart of God. And appreciation and gratitude for where we already are.
Labyrinth
gracious God,
unfold your life in me
unfurl it turn by turn
that in each curving spiral
I may pause and see
the labyrinth of your love
the wonder of your grace
a touch of heaven above
the beauty of your face
infuse these ordinary days
dull as they may seem
with deep holy joy
extraordinary peace
rich gratitude and praise
© joylenton
Let us pause. Breathe. Pray. Savour the silence. And experience one of the most holy times of day. Twilight is a thin place where heaven appears to touch earth with greater intensity. In the dimming of the light we can experience restfulness and peace. Allow these words to soothe your soul. Let us greet this moment with gratitude. Then extend that feeling to the richness of love and life God gifts us with each day.
Twilight
every day
invites, offers us a gift
time to wonder
we get ready to receive
a moment to ponder
eyes lift
conscious of a slight change
something shifts
sun tips her hat toward the horizon
while the scenery gets rearranged
ethereal
suspended fine as mist
twilight
hovering between day and night
softly spilling heaven’s secrets
a thin veil
brief lifting of the curtain
gossamer-fine
nothing feels so certain
while heaven touches earth
prayer comes
with tender dying of the day
vespers
gratitude rises to our lips
we savour what’s before us
© joylenton
We close with a song expressing wonder over the freely given, undeserved goodness and grace of God.
I’m honoured to be sharing my words with Chronic Joy’s Poetry Prompt, based on A harvest of Grains, initiated by Tweetspeak Poetry. The topic is “gratitude” and the theme is to reveal our appreciation of the holy ordinary. Come join us here? 🙂
Poetry Joy 
This is a gorgeous, serene post Joy. Have a blessed week.
Drew, I’m so pleased you stopped by to leave a kind, encouraging comment. Thank you! Hope your eyes are less bothersome than before. It’s good to hear from you, my friend, and even better to have blessed you here as well! May your week be gorgeous and serene and your poetry sublime as always. 😊
So beautiful, Joy. That first poem especially spoke to me, and the song was so perfect . Thank you so much for sharing this!
Deborah, you never fail to delight my senses with your words and art. I’m grateful to have brought you beauty via my poetry and the song I shared. Blessings on your week, dear friend! 😊💜
Reblogged this on Pastor Michael Moore's Blog and commented:
Beautiful and timely, Joy ❤️❤️❤️
Bless you, Brother! You are unfailingly kind and supportive of your fellow writers. I am grateful to have penned something timely for you, my friend. 😊💜
May my eyes and ears be open to find this every day –
“with deep holy joy
extraordinary peace
rich gratitude and praise”
Thank you, Joy, for another beautiful post. I love the poems you write. Blessings to you, dear sister/poet/friend! xoxo
Amen, Gayl! I am thankful for the poetic words God pours into you and me. And I am humbled by your sweet encouragement, dear friend. Blessings, love and hugs! xoxo
Beautiful, Joy! The Labyrinth poem especially stirs the same longings/prayer in my heart. I love the song, too! I haven’t heard that one before. Thank you for always pointing us to the hope in Jesus! Love and hugs to you!
Thanks, Trudy! We do share similar longings and taste in songs. I think these words are what I aim to do and are definitely true of you, dear friend: “always pointing us to the hope in Jesus!” May God continue to warm our hearts with the joy of His presence and enable us to share His hope, grace, goodness and love with others. Love and hugs to you too! xo 💜🙏
Dear Joy,
Just today I spoke with my son about “the wonder of your grace” after a winding conversation that meandered around many topics before landing there on Grace. Your words capture that feeling of labyrinth in our ordinary days that will draw us into His Holy Presence when we follow Him. Your poetry is such a beautiful reflection of His presence in our days, in the twilight and in the wandering labyrinth both. Thank you for this beauty that touched my heart so much, and lent a beautiful confirmation to my own conversation today. Blessings, love and hugs to you Dear Friend. xoxo
Dear Bettie, oh how lovely to hear these words have been a confirmation of what God has already been whispering to your heart! It gives me joy to have been able to add to your conversation with your son. And to know you have been touched and blessed by the offerings I’ve shared. God is so good to reaffirm those things He wants us to pay particular attention to. Blessings, love and hugs to you too, sweet friend! xoxo 💜
Hi Joy, so interesting. Life is a maze of twists and turns, and also like a puzzle. I read about labyrinths and how they wound their way to some churches or cathedrals. Jews would rope off a certain path because they could only walk so far on the Sabbath.
Hi Becky, indeed it is. Thank you so much for adding to the conversation here with the insights you have shared. I have learnt something new today! Maybe I should have researched labyrinths too. Most of my awareness is contemporary. Bless you, my friend! xo 💜
Labrynths are awesome! And you cannot go wrong with Lauren Daigle!
Yes, they are. Thanks, Tara! Though I was the child/adult who got lost if you turned me round twice and ran off, so mazes are not really my thing. But I do admire their artistry and design even if I cannot master it alone! We all need one another, right? 🙂