This week, my friend Jennifer Drummond invites you to see the seasons as an invitation to talk to God. Scroll down to find out about Jennifer’s beautiful book of Poems and Prayers for the Seasons.
I love the seasons in their variety. Where I live in the Northeast of the USA, we have gorgeous autumns, with russet hills ablaze in burnt orange, that fade into crisp clear winters. The barren landscapes then shift into spring with buds and tender shoots, and life bursts forth in color that culminates in the abundant harvest of summertime.
It’s all lovely…except for maybe the tinge of melancholy that comes with the dropping of the leaves and the temperatures. Or the bitter cold and endless dark nights. Or the whiplash of “mud season” where the ground thaws and freezes. Can’t forget the bugs or the heat of summer!
Whatever our experiences of the seasons are – from year to year, and in different parts of the country – the natural world around us can show us what God is like.
When we pay attention, nature reminds us what is true: the necessity of surrendering things that no longer serve us (like the trees shed their leaves in autumn), the need to rest which provides clarity during the bleakness of winter, resurrection and new life burst forth in spring, while fruit and harvest bless us in summer.
If we slow down, pay attention to the world around us, we find that we are actually paying attention to God. We may also notice what might be stirring within us. This awareness of our inner lives is also an awareness of God.
The seasons then are an invitation to pay attention, and from that place of attention to talk with God about all that we are noticing. And isn’t that what prayer is?
This book will walk you through four seasons, each an opportunity to pay attention to the world around you and the life within you. Poems for reflection, prayers through the week, artwork to appreciate, prompts and space for you to journal your own conversations with God, all flow together to create space for you to notice, acknowledge, celebrate, savor!
A Prayer for the end of summer
(From Poems and Prayers for the Seasons)
God of the late summer day,
When skies are clear, the sun warms your creation
without overheating
And the trees still dance greenly;
Grant us rest and play in these days so that we may be
nourished by your love
And receive your abundance.
For you delight in giving gifts.
Amen.
A gorgeous journal full of poetry and prayers to help guide your journey through all the seasons of the year. Full of original watercolors, relatable reflections, tender poems and surprising prayers, Jennifer’s journal will gently help the reader to notice the complex and beautiful world around us. With pointed questions and prompts, it’s also an invitation to notice the life within you, and to practice cultivating a beautiful life. Perfect for anyone who longs to slow down and savor the beauty of every season.
Jennifer A. Drummond is a poet and spiritual director who devours books – by the pool in summer and by the fireplace in winter. She lives on the North Shore of Massachusetts with her husband, two teens and one golden pup, searching for beauty all around. Through retreats, small groups or one on one, she loves to create space for people to encounter God. Connect with her at www.jadrummond.com