rest

Coming aside

/ Joy Lenton / 10 Comments

beautiful in Christ WoJ file image

As Spring begins to segue into Summer I seem to still be rooted to wintry hibernation.

Huddled indoors most days. Too weary and depleted to do much at all.

This has been a long season of withdrawal from all unnecessary busyness, a stilling of the soul, making room for deeper rest.

And I thought I may have been coming out of my self and Spirit-imposed soul sanctuary cocoon by now.

Words are still flowing; I’m keeping communication lines open and staying available to those things which feed my soul.

Yet the vital sap and lasting spark of energy I so desperately long to receive is  missing. I wilt easily.

God is signalling that my highest priority remains to rest in Him, let my mind cease meandering, remember to recharge, pace and sleep.

Because we cannot be fully refuelled, refreshed and restored body and soul without connecting with Him and also disconnecting from those things which steal our soul’s peace.

It may look different for each one of us. Priorities are personal. Some soul-weights sit so heavy and only God can help shift them over time.

So I’m slowly learning to be OK with not being physically active, visible, or crazy-busy in my thoughts – that’s the hardest one to change!

Maybe we can all learn to lean harder on God and become less concerned about doing it all ourselves. It’s worth a try, yes?

I’m joining some soul sisters (and brothers?) over at Kate’s Motaung’s place by sharing a few #FiveMinuteFriday thoughts here today on the word: ‘Meet’. 

It’s a great community of writers who aim to let loose their without-worry words within 5 minutes flat and enjoy reading what arises in the process. You’re very welcome to join in.

START….

‘Come aside’

Come aside, draw back,

pull away from the crowd

You won’t find Me

in busyness and loud

Surrender to silence

Sense My Presence within

Meet with Me in this moment

Let your day now begin

Rest your weary head

on My tender breast

before you fall apart

from sheer emptiness

Seek the soothing calm

of My Father-heart

Here I am present

Here I can be found

Here I meet with those

who are unafraid

to turn off the sounds

upon which their soul clings

©JoyLenton2015 

coming aside PJ FMF pin

Day 17: The Crab and his Claw by Keren Dibbens-Wyatt

/ Joy Lenton / Leave a comment

I love the way Keren’s modern day parables speak to me. This one is on a topic dear to my heart as I desire to enter more deeply into the rest of God and seek my daily strength in Him.

It also speaks  to me of how each one of us brings our individual strengths (and weaknesses too, of course) into the body of Christ and how we are stronger together rather than going it alone.

Do take a look at this and at her other daily servings of fresh mercies and grace. I know you will come away blessed, inspired and encouraged by her words.

Day 17: The Crab and his Claw.

When you need rescuing

/ Joy Lenton / 14 Comments

by still waters PJ rescue file image

When a season of turmoil, trial, testing and tribulations pull us into a deep pit, we long for rescue, for God’s quiet waters, stillness and calm to soothe us.

The freeing breath of peace seems elusive until we seek it in Him and not in our circumstances.

And find how faith in Christ becomes the stabilising anchor for our wandering, wilful souls thrown about in life’s stormy seas.

His grace is the means by which we endure and stay calm in the midst of chaos in our circumstances, mind and heart.

Adversity and affliction sift and refine us, make us come forth (eventually) as gold from the fiery furnace.

And they are made bearable by the recognition God is right here with us, in the heat of it all, ready to rescue and save as necessary.

Sometimes a holy agitation occurs which makes us sit up and sense His presence.

What I mean by ‘holy agitation’ is a gentle stirring on the inside, a Holy Spirit nudge, if you like, that grows stronger over time to alert our sleepy souls to His deeper reality and purpose for us.

‘Rescue’

My life feels stuck and stagnant,

mired in mud soul-deep

And as I stretch yearning arms

toward empty skies, I reach

a place where soft breeze

wrinkles water where I lie

An angel has passed by

to offer holy agitation

to set me free from

stagnation, from still pools,

with soft spools of Spirit sighs

An arm reaches down to mine

Across galaxies, across all time,

eternity of stars so bright

Ready to lift me up, rescue

from dark pit of night

My eyes raised high

from gloom and dim,

I feel the breath of Life

filling lungs with Light

and I cling hard to Him

©JoyLenton2015

Dear Reader and Friend,

You know something? Clinging hard to the Lord is where I’m at right now after a prolonged season of increasing sickness since Christmas. Being stubborn old me, I rested up as much as possible after having the flu, but also drove myself as hard as possible to appear relatively ‘normal’ again afterwards.

Apparently, a lot of folk with M.E are like that. Who knew? So I kept up my writing schedules and pulled back from all avoidable social media interaction for a while.

And now? I am deep bone-weary and weak. In need of further rest and sleep, restoration and recovery. In need of not only leaning into Lent but laying down for much of it. In need of putting first things first ~ God, family, health and so on.

Maybe you can relate? You don’t have to be suffering from M.E and chronic illness to feel drained and burnt out.

I’m sensing God saying this is a good time to take a break from blogging for a while, to stay under the protective shadow of His wings as He pours His love, refreshing rest and peace into body and soul.

So I am finally listening and doing just that ~ thinking I can hear a heavenly sigh of ‘At last’ as I do so! It means I will be missing here and on ‘Words of Joy’ for a bit, though I will be honouring my writing commitments elsewhere.

And you can catch up with me on my Facebook page because I could be posting there sometimes as God inspires, enables and indicates it’s fine to do so.

You can also stay in touch with me on my ‘Words of Joy’ Facebook page or connect with me on Twitter, Google + or Pinterest as I dip in and out of those places too.

Meanwhile, do feel free to dive into the archives and find something to bless and encourage you. And if you find something you like, please consider leaving a comment or sharing. Your thoughts and words matter. Thank you! May God bless you and keep you until we meet again. With love, Joy 🙂 ❤

prayer of rest PJ pin file image

Getting off the treadmill

/ Joy Lenton / 8 Comments

Pausing PJ file image

‘Pausing’

In a frantic 24/7

treadmill life, it’s no heaven

to have stress, strain and strife

Because we gradually learn

how it makes us crash and burn

In order to still our body and mind

we may have to be cruel to be kind

Discover what helps or hinders us

as we step off the ‘always busy’ bus

And as we try to do our part

we’ll find the calm of the Father’s heart

is found in silence and in rest

In listening, pausing, seeking His best

Placing ourselves into His hands

Yielding our motives, goals and plans

Reading the wisdom in God’s word

Absorbing its truth seen and heard

Finding peace-pauses in each day

to simply be, breathe, and pray

Then stillness will soothe, fill and flood

our hearts with God’s peace and love

©JoyLenton2014

On a weary, M.E symptom-heavy day when I’ve spent several hours in bed, I’ve wished I could press ‘pause’ on the thoughts in my head. A body can be experiencing a degree of rest and ease while a mind spins like a hamster on a wheel. However, some thoughts are welcome ones and I am grateful to God for the unexpected gift of words to write and share on such a day as this.

Joining here with Kate and other ‘feel the fear and do it afraid, brave and bold, no worries about perfection’ writer friends for #fiveminutefriday You are very welcome and warmly encouraged to join in. This week’s prompt is:’Still’

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Taking time out

/ Joy Lenton / 17 Comments

PJ file image ~ Time for a break

This is a season to set free. Unplug. Let loose. Chill out. Relax.

The world’s weight can sit heavy. We can drown under its load.

We need room to breathe. Be still. Listen to the still small voice Who brings calm to our souls.

I haven’t been doing much of that lately and I sense a Holy Spirit nudge to make more space for God.

The poem below was written a few months ago but its sentiments are my heart’s cry now.

The important can so easily get swallowed up in the urgent.

Creativity can get stifled in clamour.

Peace can become stolen by pressing purposes.

Joy can feel elusive when we join in too much with all the activity around us and don’t allow time out for our soul’s sake.

I need time to ponder and pray.

A space to hear holy whispers.

Room to read.

Time to write with no specific end result in view, just for the sheer pleasure of penning poetry and prose.

Maybe you do too?

 ‘Today’

Today…

I cannot connect with the world

Its noise

drowns out His voice

Its chaos

collides with His calm

Its clamour

presses into His peace

Today…

I choose ease and rest

To breathe

His Divine essence

To begin

sensing His Presence

To listen

while seeking His best

Today…

We have choices we need to make

Would you

decide or decline

Could you

sift hard and refine

Will you

chase after God’s way ~ this day?

©JoyLenton2014

Linking here with Beth and friends for #ThreeWordWednesday

**NOTE** ~ As I seek more #spiritualwhitespace to listen to #SacredEchoes I am joining with like-minded souls over at Margaret Feinberg’s place this week.

To find out more about why I need this space, check out this post on ‘Words of Joy’.

I’m looking forward to catching up with you in a week or so.  Please grant grace for a delayed reply to any comments left here. Thank you!

May God bless you and meet with you in a special way as you follow after His heart this Summer.

Today poem PJ file image pin

Lost and found

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments

busyness ~ lost and found PJ

Something has got lost in our increasingly busy, frantic lives.

We’ve forgotten how to detach from activity.

Neglected to resist the lure of the urgent over the important.

Taking time out just to ‘be’, to pause and breathe slow is rare.

Hours spent hunched over screens is making us more concerned with what’s in front of us than what’s going on in our hearts.

How can we see the way ahead when eyes are glued downwards?

Maybe we need a break, to lose ourselves in the inner life instead of outer activity.

Read a book, rest, relax, pray perhaps.

Perhaps we’d hear echoes in our hearts, reminders of our need for God.

Listening could take the place of continual noise.

In the silence we encounter ourselves as we truly are.

And that can be alarming.

But we also allow space for God to enter in.

We find what our souls have always been looking and longing for.

And that can be life changing.

‘Lost and found’

Lost in busyness

occupation, activity,

endless toil, never at ease

Lost in despair

hopelessness, gloom, misery,

failing to see God can set us free

Lost in dreams

hopes, schemes and plans,

missing the best from His hands

Lost in sorrow

sadness, grief and pain,

He comes close to us again

Lost in ourselves

our lives, our world,

waiting for future to be unfurled

Lost and alone

in the midst of a crowd

voices sounding harsh and loud

Lost and found

when we release our cares

let go the burden of years

Lost in Love

when He calms our soul

comforts, cleanses, makes us whole

Lost in peace

we cease from anxiety, worry,

relax in His Presence

no rush, no hurry

©JoyLenton2014

Linking here with Lisa-Jo, Laura and Mel

lost and found ~ PJ MS image pin

Surrender to Sabbath

/ Joy Lenton / 9 Comments

Joy ~ at Ditchingham

‘Sabbath’

How do you further rest

a body constrained, confined?

How can I still continual thoughts

racing through a brain-fogged mind?

My life lived slow as slow can be

due to chronic illness and M.E

It’s work sometimes to rise from bed

converse, listen to words being said

Yet I know space must be found

a clearing, sacred holy ground

Time as sacrificial offering

willingly yielded up to Him

A stilling of body, mind and soul

where brokenness can be made whole

Bringing the shards of a fractured life

laying down anxiety, worry and strife

So here I am, Lord, on this day

to freely give myself away

knowing You see my open heart

and lovingly care for every part

Desiring to enter a Sabbath rest

and live my life as You see best

I’m eager to listen and to hear

Lord, won’t You please draw near?

©JoyLenton2014

Grateful for words flowing today after a break where health has been more challenging than usual.

Linking with Jennifer Dukes Lee at The High Calling to share Sabbath stories. You are warmly invited to join in.

sabbath pixlar image pin

Sunday snippet:Retreat

/ Joy Lenton / 6 Comments

It’s Sunday. A day to do life differently if possible.

Have a pause.

Take a break.

Rest from the usual activities.

Enjoy simply being rather than doing.

Retreat for a while in order to reconnect with God and rediscover all He has blessed us  with.

Breathe deep and easy. Savour the sights around. Sense His Presence.

You know it will do you good.

God ordained a day for this purpose.

His desire is for us to be renewed, rested, refreshed and restored for all that lies ahead.

Retreat 

In this world 

of rush and hurry

it is good sometimes

to pause from the flurry;

savour the flavour of

renewed zeal and zest

of the spiritual kind

that brings peace and rest

to soul and mind.

Let go the cares

Let go the noise

escape the world’s snares

entertainment and toys.

Find a quiet place 

where healing resides

to soothe fretful hearts

and God’s Spirit abides.

Let in the Light

Let in His Voice

that speaks soft

and calms us

so that we rejoice 

to heed yet again

what we once felt was lost

a treasure indeed –

The Pearl of great cost.

Let Love enfold you

Let Grace restore

all that is broken 

will be redeemed evermore,

enriched by His Presence

engulfed by His care

enlivened inside

as we lean, learn and share.

Returning once more 

to our home lives again

externally the same

internally changed

we have eyes to discern

sacred in the secular

made profound in His Name.

©JoyLenton2013

Day 23  in 31 day challenge of #poetryforthesoul

**NOTE** This poem first appeared on Words of Joy as a response to taking a mini spiritual retreat a few months ago. Though we don’t necessarily have to go away from home to spend quality time with God and enjoy a restful break.

Unfolding and unfurling

/ Joy Lenton / 8 Comments

Life can get so busy we forget how to rest and relax fully.

Weighed down by stress and strain, it can be hard to really let go, to allow our souls to relinquish their tight grip on the daily grind.

Even during Sabbath our minds can be so preoccupied with the minutiae of mundanity that we sink beneath its weight.

Perhaps we can learn a lesson from the natural world around us.

Plants and flowers are dependent on the provision of daily nutrients, balance in temperature, ambient surroundings and conditions for growth and fruition.

They seem to do nothing much for a while then we see life springing forth where all seemed dormant before.

It is the closing down season for many plants and trees as Autumn winds blow chill, fall must come, and a dying back occurs.

Even as that process is happening around us, we can be cheered by the prospect of new life and growth to come out of dead matter.

Maybe it’s a season in your life too where God is asking you to rest, be still for a while, lay fallow.

Maybe you are restless to see green shoots appearing and all looks bleak and barren.

Be reassured that God hasn’t forgotten you.

God does His best work in the long, slow dark places of our lives as our hearts are made heavy with longing for Him.

This apparent laying aside or closing down is to ready you and make way for abundant life to come – at just the right time.

Unfolding

Purpose unfolding

as petals unfurl

to the sun

welcoming its rays

absorbing heat and light

so are our days

opening anew

pregnant with possibility

radiantly bright

with God’s promises

raining down

refreshing dew-drops

of His grace

to sustain the weary

poured out nectar

that feeds us

sustenance to embrace

for days cold and dreary

knowing there is always

more than enough

for everyone

©JoyLenton2013

No matter what season we may be in, God’s love pours out as continual draught of sunshine into our souls.

We can bask in the light of His presence.

Enjoy the outpouring of grace and mercy.

Rest in His peace.

When shadows loom large, we can comfort ourselves by remembrance of His goodness and provision unfolding for each new day.

Day 3 of the 31 day challenge of #poetryforthesoul

Stay tuned for more to come

And do let me know which ones you like best as they may end up in a future anthology