Reflections

Embrace the light that exists

/ Joy Lenton / 14 Comments

Pulverising politics. Scary news reports. Media outlashes. Lies and misinformation. Fights and wars. So much darkness exists that it’s no wonder we feel as if we’re saturated in it. 

Yet there is hope. Light spills. It spills freely from the heavens. Light spills from our hearts and lips whenever we stand up for Truth.

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” — Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Light spills when we speak out against the darkness and have faith in something else, something that overcomes. Something full of eternal Light, incandescent, dazzlingly bright. 

Someone so full of compassion and love. A sacred Someone who came down to earth to reveal God’s mercy and grace to us: Jesus, our Light-Bringer and Saviour.

“Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. His life is the light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish it.” — John 1:4-5 TLB

Light spills


sun moves
it circles from east to west
morning dawn
seeks out the grey hollows
bathes them in a warm glow

light spills
makes soft hills and valleys
hollow dips
briefly shades these objects 
where shadows fall and eclipse

shade calls
draws attention to shapes
to space
marks interest within
places sun is inhabiting

my eyes
become attracted to light
shine threads
serve to draw us together 
to savour brightness, colour

I'm made
for zest and vibrancy
for light
for reaching beyond this earth
for dreams and hope and love
© joylenton


We are created to be a light for others, our hurt, wounded and lost sisters and brothers, and to help them see beyond the darkness.

We can be a light for others by offering hope, support, understanding, compassion and kindness and showing them mercy, love and forgiveness.

The older we get, the more aware we become of the darkness of this world and the fierce battle that rages between good and evil. 

We can choose to embrace the light and live a radiant life in Christ despite all the darkness there is, because His light and hope still exist and will prevail over our dark circumstances.

“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” — St. Francis of Assisi

Celebrating life’s teachers

/ Joy Lenton / 2 Comments

“Education is not the filling of a pot but the lighting of a fire.” — W.B. Yeats


As my teacher son gears up for the hectic end of the academic term before he can finally rest and relax over the Christmas holiday period, I’m aware of how challenging his role, and that of most teachers, can be.

So it’s good to know that teachers have a designated day where they can be celebrated for their hard work and diligence, the way they impact and influence others. The next one will be on October 5th, 2025, but it’s good to be thankful at any time of the year.

My thoughts have also strayed toward life’s teachers. Several are unexpected or unwelcome sometimes, while others are a joy and delight. The School of Hard Knocks and the University of Life are where we cannot avoid graduating from. However, Tutoring Tower, the Place of Grace and Academy of Blessings are God’s gracious gifts to us.

Through the numerous ways they can come to us in different shapes and sizes, God sends life’s teachers in our direction just when we need them to assist us and teach us His will, wisdom and ways.

My teachers are

my teachers are—

the grass and flowers 
the varied times and tides
the mixed seasons of life
the interwovenness of things
the joys that make my heart sing 

my teachers are—

the sun, moon and stars
the hard grit and grind 
the eternal mind 
the steadfastness of trees
the ways of faith and peace

my teachers are—

the near and far
the world I live in
the dark, thick and thin
the light that ever shines 
the grace that’s yours and mine

my teachers are—

larger by the hour 
as wisdom wears her wings 
both brilliant and singed
and great learning takes place
for all the human race 
© joylenton

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” — Henry B. Adams


Which teachers, whether from life or an educational establishment, are you thankful for?

Are you able to celebrate life’s teachers that might feel like unwelcome irritations right now?

Answers on a postcard, please… 😉 Or you can simply leave a comment below. I’d love to know your thoughts. Xx 💜❤️

life’s little things

/ Joy Lenton / 2 Comments

“Perfect happiness is a beautiful sunset, the giggle of a grandchild, the first snowfall. It’s the little things that make happy moments, not the grand events. Joy comes in sips, not gulps.” — Sharon Draper

Joy can be found in the most ordinary, seemingly insignificant circumstances if we have eyes to notice its presence, and open our minds and hearts to it. 

Life’s little things are not little at all. They’re the warp and weft threaded through our days, even the difficult ones. They support us when big problems hit. 

They’re what matters most because most of our lives are made up of lots of little things we often fail to appreciate when we only notice and chase after the bigger things.


What matters most

it’s the little things:

the early morning rays
falling soft across your face
the cup of coffee you inhale
to help blow the cobwebs away
the first bite of hot buttered toast
it’s the little things that matter most 

it’s the little things:

birdsong’s sweet melodies 
sheets freshly made up clean 
smiles, big hugs and snuggles
with your beloved ones 
making precious memories
your heart will treasure and keep 

it’s the little things:

rainbows and rolling streams
each season’s new offerings
celebration, laughter, and songs
you’ll enjoy and sing all life long 
nature’s sacred calm and peace
blessings of hope and sweet relief 

it’s the little things:

far too numerous to count
far too important to miss out
they are life’s vital heartbeat
like having good rest and sleep 
it’s the little things that matter most 
to the young, middle aged, and old
© joylenton


Life’s little things are the icing on the cake. The sparkle of champagne that tingles and lingers on the tongue. The warm glow of kindness, friendship and love.

Little things are manifold blessings being manifested. The evidence of God’s presence, His goodness and grace in our everyday lives.

When life’s not-so-good little things arise: the setbacks, problems and difficulties that cause us stress and anxiety, it helps to focus more on life’s small, uplifting pleasures and joys.

 “Delight in the little things.” — Rudyard Kipling

Interplay: noticing the marvellous in the mundane

/ Joy Lenton / 23 Comments

I’m not always good at sacred noticing, though I’ve written a book about it and a plethora of poetry. 😉 Because I’m hampered by illness induced brain fog and fatigue. But when my mind suddenly freeze-frames a scene, I know to pay attention to it.

As I stumbled out of bed recently, an ordinary sight took on an extraordinary intensity. I’d hoped to have more sleep but the words in my head wouldn’t let me. I began to memorise them as they shaped themselves into the poem below.

Interplay 

it’s  early morning
slats of the blinds blink
with morse code-like messages

an interplay of light and dark
as the trees sway
as light-dappled leaves dance

while the wind embraces
their roughened barks
their weathered trunks

and I watch, entranced 
even in my half-awake
sleep-addled state

because I don’t want to miss
a thing, I simply long 
to notice it all

as sunlight sends her secrets 
of life, of light, of joy, of love
into my waiting heart 
© joylenton

When the mundane becomes meaningful to us, it can act like a holy whisper, a call to pay attention, a gentle nudge to observe and receive the messages it wants to share.

God speaks to us in numerous ways, frequently through nature, through our environment, through our daily grind. And when we watch and listen well, He gifts us with sacred awareness and awe.

NOTE: Observant readers might notice that this is my first post here for over a year (a year!!) and may wonder why I’ve been absent here. It’s partly due to the Muse being a less frequent visitor than before, but mostly because of increasing health issues taking prominence. As they are ongoing, I will probably still post infrequently here, though I often share small snippets on my Facebook page or timeline. You’re welcome to find me there… Xx 😊💜❤️

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

Cascades: observe all the blossoming

/ Joy Lenton / 6 Comments

“Attention is the beginning of devotion.” — Mary Oliver

Experiences flow through our lives, our days, resembling a gushing waterfall that cascades. They arrive as moments of quiet reflectiveness, an exuberant drowning in sound sometimes, or a sudden stir of the heart that takes our breath away.

We experience a snapshot of seconds, a microcosm of inhabited moments, and a movie reel of minutes that pass all too fleetingly.

We all have occasions when we long to turn back time. Wouldn’t it be great to freeze-frame the highlights and press pause on the best moments of our lives?

Perhaps we could try to pay greater attention to it all, especially the golden glimpses that warm our souls.


Observing our lives is a lot like prayer. It’s gratitude in motion. A sacred act of appreciation and devotion.

We see more when we look with deliberate intent, seek to record with our eyes, and store away in our minds.

I’ve attempted to do that here as I view a pear tree releasing its blossom, listen to birdsong in the trees and the midday hymn singing.

Cascades

Cascades of confetti 
carpet the grass, veil the trees,
drape the garden 
plants, line the pathways,
as soft white blossom
drifts silently, 
detaches itself 
from its original home
on the pyrus communis
where it belongs.

Cascades of birdsong 
trill through the trees,
be they walnut, pear,
apple or oak
or magnificent magnolia,
as it lilts through the leaves,
threads its way
between the boughs, and arches
across the divide
where bony branches stretch.

Cascades of voices
sing out their praise,
whether wobbly and weak
or with vigour and strength
as the notes 
signal a hymn, unknown 
or familiar, 
for each one stems from
a grateful heart 
tuned into hope and love.
© joylenton

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” — Henry Ward Beecher

poured out: when you feel permanently exhausted due to having ME

/ Joy Lenton / 12 Comments

Dear Reader/Friend, as you might have noticed, I’m not as active here as I used to be, partly due to my husband’s own health decline and recent surgery which required me to try to step up and attempt to plug the gap while he’s been incapacitated for a period.

But the biggest factor is a slump in my own health, with a worsening of the M.E symptoms especially. It’s been accompanied by increasing flare ups of the arthritis, fibromyalgia and Ehlers Danlos syndrome symptoms I also struggle with.

ME feels like having a permanent kind of flu virus. A body and mind going on strike because they’re swiftly overwhelmed and exhausted by life. When your legs feel as if they’re trying to walk on sand and your head’s full of cotton wool as well.

This hasn’t been written to try to elicit your sympathy but to help raise awareness of ME. Because so many people are either dismissive of it or are suffering in silence that I can’t help but try to convey a smidgen of what it’s like to live with it.

I hope the poem below (previously shared on the Chronic Joy Ministry blog) provides an insight. And that the details I share about the DecodeME study I’m involved with might stir your interest or prompt a prayer, perhaps.

Poured out

I am spoonless
any energy I've had
it's all used up
poured out drop by precious drop
on life's simple, basic tasks

so I must rest
retreat to a darkened room
crawl into bed
and let my body relax
hope my mind switches off

too much white noise
issuing from my thoughts
like buzzing bees
unable to be at peace
blinded to their destiny

my heart aches
with this inactivity
I feel frustrated
because it's enforced on me
because time just slips away

pain infiltrates
as spasms seize my joints
acting like needles
piercing with intensity 
I want it to go away

life swims past
it’s lost in a brain-fogged blur 
a cinema reel
screening inactivity
in a life lived with M.E 

I feel worthless
but God draws near, whispers
hope to my heart 
we’re not judged on our worth
it’s decided at the Cross

what matters most
is how we live and we love
how we yield to God
surrendering our hearts 
and giving help to others

for you and me
our soul's productivity
will be evident
measured by increments
and how our life is spent
© joylenton


DecodeME study info

If you’re 16 years old and over and reside in the UK, you are invited to take part in DecodeME, the world’s biggest ME/CFS study.

It will collect information from tens of thousands of people with ME/CFS and analyse DNA to see whether the disease is partly genetic and if so, help pinpoint what causes it – which is the path to finding treatments.

The first step is to take the DecodeME questionnaire and then you may also be asked to provide a saliva sample. They can be done from the comfort of your home. I’ve submitted both myself.

Your experience matters. Future treatment and research are reliant on it. Please help if you can or pass the link below on to someone you know who has ME and fits the criteria above. You can take part at www.decodeme.org.uk

Let’s get serious about getting to the bare bones of what causes ME, a seriously damaging autoimmune disorder of the neuroendocrine system, because it plagues lives, steals livelihoods and has been greatly misunderstood. Thank you! 😉💜

rain: learning to dance in life’s rainfall

/ Joy Lenton / 2 Comments

“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.” — Gilbert K. Chesterton


We’ve been blessed with a summer of mostly bright blue skies and unprecedented heatwaves in the UK, yet it’s left us desperate for the slightest sign of rain. Grass is as tinder-dry as straw, and leaves and plants are wilting into an early autumnal response.

When it did eventually rain recently, I watched with awe and felt like I wanted to dance in it. The air became clean and fresh and our hearts lifted. The sight, the sound, the joy of it was palpable.

Though there are times in our lives when joy departs and we feel as if we’re living under a dark cloud. One that temporarily blocks the sun or stays around for weeks and months.

It’s hard to savour the changing seasons if our souls stay parked in winter, but the poem below encourages us to maintain a brighter perspective as we look to the Source of all things who gives us hope to start again.

Let the rain fall

let the rain fall
let it saturate my soul
soft morning dew
mists of your holy breath
daisy fresh and mountain-hewed 

let the rain come
from darkened skies or touched
by rays of sun
may I open up my heart
ready to receive each drop

let the rain speak
as it fills me to the brim 
with inner joy
the kind that cannot be faked
and nothing can destroy

let the rain glisten
bright dewdrops from heaven
tiny little pearls
miniature gifts from above
reminding me of your love

let the rain quench
the thirst I have inside
assuage the ache
in the places hard and dry
and sluice away my mistakes
© joylenton

Perhaps we can learn to splash in the puddles and dance in the rain, and face the deluges and showers in our lives with equanimity. Whether they’re sudden and slight or prolonged and persistent, we can deliberately look for the joy and the light, the relief and reprieve, the comfort and calm, the rainbow promises which God brings to all hurting hearts.

Rain will come. We can’t always be prepared for it. As soaking sheets or delicate showers, rain won’t always be welcomed by us, but we can remind ourselves of the cover, the umbrella protectiveness which God provides over us with His overseeing care, compassion and love. Then we can say, “Let the rain fall.” with the courage, confidence and resilience which faith and hope bring to reassure us that all will be well.

“Healing rain is a real touch from God. It could be physical healing or emotional or whatever.” — Michael W. Smith

NOTE: This poem was extracted from my Sacred Noticing e-book which is on offer at Amazon from 02/09/22 to 07/09/22 as my birthday gift to you! If you would like a reminder of sunnier days, there’s a free printable pdf below of a poem called ‘Life on pause’ which is also extracted from Sacred Noticing. And you might like to read my first foray into fiction with a short story about a boy who dared speak the truth. Blessings and love. Xx 🙂 ❤

Life on pause poem by Joy Lenton

Gethsemane: a place of anguished obedience, prayer, and grace

/ Joy Lenton / 6 Comments

“Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, ‘Sit here while I go over there to pray.’ He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’ He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’ Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, ‘Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour?’” — Matthew 26:36-40 NLT

Gethsemane

To remain, stay awake, and pray,
these are the tasks
assigned to the disciples

and to us
as well, even now,
as we face our own battles.

Yet we brag, big ourselves up,
and anticipate greatness
from souls of dust,

or we cringe and creep
because we feel
like worms without worth.

But God knows the state of us
all too well,
and he grants us the grace

to have a fresh start
if we're willing
to ask for his help.

Jesus sought support himself
but found his friends
deeply lacking

in their ability to keep alert,
to pray faithfully
and to stay awake.

In the depths of his humanity
he identified
completely with you and me,

and he still gives 
us grace when we mess up
because he knows
just what we are made of.
© joylenton

Reflection

Picture yourself in this scene. Jesus, your close friend, teacher and miracle worker, is approaching his darkest hour. You’re aware that he is special, and talking about being crucified, but your mind hasn’t yet fully grasped the reality of who he is and why he came, though you long to please him.

But it’s been a long day, with a seemingly wasteful anointing at Bethany, an unexpected betrayal by Judas, a denial, a final supper together, and now this period of praying in the garden of Gethsemane. You’re just plain exhausted. Jesus gently scolds you, and you feel dreadful because your tired body has let you down.

Prayer

Suffering Saviour,

As we read these words, we wonder if we would have been any better at watching and praying with you than the disciples were. Sadly, their fatigue caused them to slumber in your hour of greatest need. You faced this ordeal alone because your friends failed you at this final hurdle.

Even so, you understood their weakness and gave them grace. Just as you do for us. From our post-crucifixion perspective, we know how it ends—how these failing, faltering disciples became devoted, faith-filled men with transformed minds and hearts. Oh may we have an ending like this too!
Amen

This post has been excerpted from my ‘Experiencing Lent: Sensing the Sacred in Our Midst’ book. You can discover more about the meaning of and the biblical context for Gethsemane in this article. Blessings and love to you! Xx 🙂 ❤