on the hard days

 

On the day when

 The weight deadens

 On your shoulders

 And you stumble,

 May the clay dance

 To balance you.

❤

And when your eyes

 Freeze behind

 The grey window

 And the ghost of loss

 Gets into you,

 May a flock of colours,

 Indigo, red, green

 And azure blue,

 Come to awaken in you

 A meadow of delight.

❤

When the canvas frays

 In the currach of thought

 And a stain of ocean

 Blackens beneath you,

 May there come across the waters

 A path of yellow moonlight

 To bring you safely home.

❤

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

 May the clarity of light be yours,

 May the fluency of the ocean be yours,

 May the protection of the ancestors be yours.

❤

And so may a slow

 Wind work these words

 Of love around you,

 An invisible cloak

 To mind your life.

🙏🏻

Beannacht BY JOHN O’DONOHUE

It’s Okay to be Uncomfortable

 

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” I John 4:18

My darling, I am not in the fear. I am in a new place, a separate place outside of it.

Step away, with Me.

There is refreshment here. A new place to stand. There is room to move, to breathe, to spread your arms wide, hands open, fingers stretched, head relaxed.

I have work for you to do with Me, yes. We will go and I will push you to lean on Me and trust Me and do things uncomfortable for you to do alone.

But you don’t go alone, my dear.

And when you are with Me in the place that could feel so uncomfortable and stress-filled, on your own—when you depend on your own strength, when you look to yourself for answers—you can rest and relax in my presence. You can head out into new territory with Me and not feel scared.

Sometimes I don’t tell you why it is I’ve asked for you to go to a place with Me. And that can feel uncomfortable, too. I know how you like answers.

But don’t not go to this new place with Me because fear grabs hold of your heart. Don’t let fear paralyze this human whom I love and adore so that fear is more powerful than this truth: I am here with you, holding your hand, not leaving your side. I am enough. My presence is enough. Where I take you is enough. You are free here, in this place with Me, outside of fear and no longer trapped.

Stand up straight.

Stand up.

You are not made to cower and fret and wring your hands. You are made to walk with eyes up, head held high, so you can see the path I take you. Together we go, just one step at a time, and into territory that may be unknown but will be safe and familiar too . . . because I will be there.

And I am your home.

 

Loop — jennifer@gatherministries.com

Days of wine and focus
of hanging on
of staying strong
of keeping faith
of sitting still
of being silent
of standing in my own shoes
of letting go
of allowing the mystery
of hearing the call
of accepting what is
of not crossing borders or boundaries
of opening and opening
of trusting the journey
of seeing the face of God
of surrender into something bigger than I can know
of making the daily commitment
of acknowledging the grace
of thanking for everything
of looking for the miracles
of talking to trees
of taking time to prepare
of expressing my love
of helping in time of need
of following my own path
of obedience rather than sacrifice
of love and love and love
of all things love

❤

Amy Lloyd