Month: June 2023

offering: bringing all you are into the light

/ Joy Lenton / 8 Comments

“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” — Maya Angelou

Offering 

I bring my weeds and wheat,
my thorns and tares, 
every discordant, jarring 
part of me I share
and deposit at your feet.

I bring myself—
a soul unravelled,
not a neatly tied
up package of a person
brought fully under 
control, but an untidy 

messed-up self, with
threadbare, ribbon-like spools.
I bring my pain, my joys 
and sorrows, the tears I 
hide inside and those 

I can release and cry.
I bring my masks
and scars, my shadow 
side that’s in great need
of holy redeeming light. 

I bring an open heart 
that’s still wary
of opening up
but wants more than anything 
to be able to love

others better, and accept
the love you freely give
to me, the hope of seeing 
change, and the grace 
to live my life differently.
© joylenton


“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” — Kahlil Gibran

space: creating room for our souls to breathe

/ Joy Lenton / 6 Comments

Moving house 2 years ago meant a great deal of necessary sorting, sifting and discarding took place. We are slowly still going through our belongings, seeking to pare back to those things which fit where we are now and how we live. I’m attempting to adopt a “buy less/buy better” policy with my clothes as well.

Letting go and surrendering is tough. We get attached to stuff, and can struggle with the changes and upheaval required before we can reach a place of acceptance and calm.

Making space

Today they’ve mown down 
the cow parsley,
trampled the brown-crisped
remnants of Queen Anne’s Lace

to let the grass breathe,
to create a new space 
where blackbirds can 
stop and sit and congregate 

and hop in the shade
of the apple tree,
and sift the powdery 
dregs for edible seeds,

dip their beaks
into dried-out, sun-baked ground
with patient perseverance,
with hope and faith.

And as I watch them eat,
I think about the husks 
I bear inside, 
dried-out shells of places 

way past all watering 
because they’re wilted, limp,
dying, slain 
like shredded lace, no longer 

fit for purpose—
if I could only learn 
to relinquish, surrender 
them bit by bit

to the One who waits, and wants 
to create something new, 
something better 
in their desiccated place.
© joylenton


It’s also really hard to let go of old mindsets, habits and thoughts, isn’t it? Yet we’re encouraged to notice what doesn’t fit who we are as children of God, and to seek the Holy Spirit’s help in weeding them out to give our souls room to breathe and be at peace.

If there’s no clearing out, we’re in danger of getting stuck in the ruts of past behaviour and negative thinking. The key to overcoming the pang of loss is to fill the gap with positive ways to live, think, and behave that enrich our lives, rather than diminishing it.

Beauty and strength come from surrender. It might sound counterintuitive but it’s healthy for our souls. In the act of surrendering to God, we give Him carte blanche to help us become the very best version of ourselves.

lift: how life’s small mercies encourage our hearts

/ Joy Lenton / 3 Comments

It’s the smallest things of life that can make or break our days. **Mini mercies and moments of grace.** An unexpected visit, call, text, email or snail mail, perhaps. A bouquet of flowers. A delicious meal we eat. A friend to greet. A great book to read. A new place to see.

A cup of aromatic coffee or a pot of tea to savour. Photos of our family to take and share. A loved one to hug and hold. Music and sounds which delight or give us pause for thought. And the pleasure of enjoying nature’s abundance outdoors.


Having M.E and chronic illness has taught me not to despise the tiny, mundane things of life. When I yield to my body’s need to rest and pause, I often get a soul lift when I slow down.

God’s presence seems closer. Prayer arises spontaneously. Creative ideas begin to emerge. Life’s small mercies bless me enormously.

Birdsong reaches to the depths of my soul because each throaty call is a reminder to stay in joy, to live this life by keeping the flame of hope alive.

It doesn’t take much to sense a heavenly touch. Life’s little things become magnified as we pay greater attention to them. 

Lifted

I attempt to dust my bedroom,
just the easier parts I can 
reach, of course, but it leaves 
me exhausted, so I acquiesce,
rest on the bed. And I hear—
a susurration of traffic 

sounds, a background hum
interrupted by an intermittent 
trill of bright birdsong—
sharp, sweet, soft, solo, duet,
each one knowing their place 
in the divine orchestra.

It’s a river rolling through
my head, leaping like salmon
into my thoughts. I am stirred,
calmed, inspired, touched
to the core by the beauty
of it all. Such a simple

activity that rarely ceases
during summer or spring,
but it has the power
to lift our lives higher,
to add meaning to everything.
© joylenton

“A birdsong can even, for a moment, make the whole world into a sky within us, because we feel that the bird does not distinguish between its heart and the world’s.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

If you’d like to hear what some common British birds sound like when they’re singing, this little video will give you a clue. I learnt a few things from it, too!

Are you in a season of needing to slow? Seeking to recover a measure of strength, energy and health after a setback, perhaps? I would love to hear what helps lift and encourage your soul. Feel free to share below. Unsure what M.E is or how it affects people? This article will help. 😉❤️💜 Xx