O God:
Bearer of mystery, Lover of life, Presence born of Earth and Spirit; In these short days and long nights of the New Year we cautiously seek signs of hope despite the unmooring we've experienced in the past days and months. As we venture tentatively forward, guide us with your gentle hand. In our uncertainty, be our grounding. When we are overwhelmed, let us find solace in the cycles of creation and the seasons. Remind us that winter is always followed by spring, and death is followed by new life. Help us to see you in the everyday beauty of sunshine, kindness, and compassion. Expand our vision and our hearts. Amen. -Wendy Janzen First published in The Unmooring journal.
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Holy Radiance,
Your light reflects glory, inspires grace. Shimmering, revealing, holding nothing back, guiding forth, bold and brave to ignite hope for what lies ahead; to love everything without condition; to embrace all the Earth with compassion. Sacred Light, Illuminate us. Amen - Wendy Janzen Rejoice!
Birch, nuthatch, chipmunk. Rejoice! Sunrise, goldenrod, skunk. Rejoice! Deer, hemlock, river. Rejoice! Snow, rosehip, hawk. Rejoice! People of Earth, stars, wind. Rejoice! Christ's light is born again, shining among us, in us, through us, shining and shimmering in all, holding us in its radiance, warming our hearts, and reminding us that hope is not lost. - Wendy Janzen Divine Light,
Lover of the universe Love incarnate Love that is alive all over our world today: Warm our hearts and melt our indifference. Ignite love within us that is big enough to overcome our smallness, and big enough to extend to all the earth and all our more-than-human neighbours. Luminous Love, shine deep within, with a light that shares the darkness with a graciousness that does not overpower. May we, too, be bearers of the Light. Amen. Divine Light,
In these darkening days, We pray that you would ignite joy In our hearts and world. We know that this season Isn’t always joyful, But we pray that we might find joy in simple ways - Joy in a glimpse of a red cardinal, Joy in fresh air in our lungs, Joy in the sweet taste of chocolate, Joy in a candle’s light in the window, Joy in reading a book with a child, Joy in the sun breaking through the clouds, Joy in the warmth of a cat on your lap, Joy in steam swirling from a cup of tea, Joy in snowflakes falling from the sky, Joy in time with friends, Joy in finding tiny tracks in the snow, Joy in the scent of cinnamon, Joy in a silent night sky, Joy in awakening to greet a new day. May each moment of joy be a reminder of your presence and of the sacred beauty of your incarnation in our world. Amen. - Wendy Janzen Divine Light,
In these darkening days, we pray that you would ignite joy in our hearts and world. We know that this season isn’t always joyful, but we pray that we might find joy in simple ways - Joy in a glimpse of a red cardinal, Joy in fresh air in our lungs, Joy in the sweet taste of chocolate, Joy in a candle’s light in the window, Joy in reading a book with a child, Joy in the sun breaking through the clouds, Joy in the warmth of a cat on your lap, Joy in steam swirling from a cup of tea, Joy in snowflakes falling from the sky, Joy in time with friends, Joy in finding tiny tracks in the snow, Joy in the scent of cinnamon, Joy in a silent night sky, Joy in awakening to greet a new day. May each moment of joy be a reminder of your presence and of the sacred beauty of your incarnation in our world. Amen. - Wendy Janzen Prayer for the third Sunday of Lent ~
O God, Water of Life, At times our souls are dry, or even frozen, like a stream in the wintertime. We feel stuck and immobilized, not sure where to turn or how to move forward. And so we wait. Give us patience in our waiting. Allow us to see its value. Help us to just rest a while, and let go of our fears, let go of control. In the stillness of our waiting, help us to notice that deep down, below the ice, there is still life and movement. We wait for the springtime sun, the warmth that will slowly melt the ice in our souls, our hearts, our bodies, our relationships. Shine your love in our lives, O God. Bring us back to life, and allow us to flow freely again. You are the Source of all that is, the Love that warms our souls, the Water that give us life. We praise you and give you thanks! Amen. Wendy Janzen 2019 A Winter Psalm
O God of all seasons, your creative imagination is inspiring. In your all-knowing goodness, you formed everything that exists – the earth spinning on its axis, ice, rocks, mountains and valleys, fresh air, jet streams, and billowing clouds, fertile soil, frozen and resting ‘til spring, snow, sun dogs, and clear blue skies. You brought to life all creatures, including us fumbling humans, and called it all good. Everywhere I go I see evidence of your presence. Beauty stops me in my tracks and reminds me of your love. When I walk through the wintery woods, you are with me. The expanse of freshly fallen snow surrounds me in all directions, still, soft, and gentle. The cold air kisses me on the cheeks and catches my breath. When blizzards come, be my protection, guide me on the road when whiteouts obstruct the way. Grant me good footing on icy paths, warm my heart when it shows signs of icing over. In your great wisdom, you created the seasons, ebb and flow, activity and rest, dormancy and growth. All praise be yours, God of winter wonderlands! - Wendy Janzen May you find joy in the snow!
Here's a little story. Several years ago, close to this time in December, I got news that a lovely woman I knew had passed away. My heart was heavy as I went out for a walk to do some errands. It had snowed overnight, and as I walked, I saw someone had written "joy" in the snow. It made me smile. A few blocks later, I saw it again, and again on another street. Whoever it was who had left those messages in the snow had no idea what a difference they made to me that day. Now, I leave messages in the snow when I have the chance, hoping to brighten someone's day. Besides, fresh snow really does bring me joy! Every time. May you find joy in the snow! Wendy Janzen 2018 A prayer for the first snowfall ~
God of wonders, Of seasons and cycles, of ebbing and flowing, of freezing and thawing: Thank you for mornings when we wake up to the beauty of freshly fallen snow. May the sight of snow evoke in us the joys of childhood, of simple pleasures, of walks wandering through the hushed world made new again. Fill our hearts with joy and pleasure, with gratitude for crisp, fresh air, and with patience for a slower pace. Amen. Wendy Janzen 2018 |
AuthorReflections, poetry, prayers, photos, and resources written by Wendy Janzen unless otherwise noted. Archives
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