A Symphony of Hope

Lisa Henley Jones reflects on how God rekindled her hope and peace through nature, quiet moments, and the song of her beloved birds.

For the Jubilee of Hope, our writers reflect on prayer as a source of hope in their lives.

I have a vivid memory of my grandmother sitting in the front seat of my car while my husband drove.  It was early evening, and I can still hear her east Texas twang as she said, “How can you see a sunset like that and not believe in God?”  

I Forgot to Notice Sunsets

While I can’t remember the colors of the sunset that day, my husband and I have often quoted her question over the last twenty years. But even then, I forgot to notice sunsets.  

A few years ago, our family hosted a foreign exchange student for a year, and she marveled at the sight of the pink, red, and orange sunsets from our house.  She’d stop what she was doing and run outside to watch it and take pictures.  It seemed so normal, a sunset.  But I would stop what I was doing and go with her.  My Instagram feed was full of sunsets that year.  

We moved last year to a new house, our “empty nesting” house. One of the reasons we selected this house was the bank of windows and large balcony overlooking the fairway of a golf course. We desired a view to help us relax as we moved into this next season of life.

While we don’t face the right way to truly enjoy the sunset, we’ve developed a pattern of sitting up there a few nights a week to enjoy the evening and catch up with one another. It’s known as our “balcony time.”

At some point, I forgot to truly recognize the gift of creation.

Then I noticed the birds. Or, as I say to my family, my birds.

One morning, I woke up irritated and stressed, and to top it off, there was no WI-FI. My quick prayer before getting out of bed was one of surrender, acceptance, and gratitude for the day.

While attempting to get the Wi-Fi to work, and still completely frustrated, my dog was sitting at the balcony door whining. He was so pathetic that I opened the door and walked out there with him. I don’t remember my first thoughts or what I did immediately, but at some point, I noticed the birds putting on a symphony for me. I sat down and just listened.  I marveled at the multitude of birds I could hear and the beauty of the morning.

God Was Speaking to Me

Would you believe I was out there for an hour listening to the birds, feeling the sun, and noticing the breeze?  And did I mention I was still in my pajamas with bedhead and no coffee?  

At some point, I ran inside to grab my journal, pen, and coffee. My journal entry reads, in part:

Thank you, Lord.  You gave me the peace I prayed for. All the frustrations of the day are put aside for now so I can soak in the wonder of your creation.  Thanks to the internet going out and my dog whining at the door upstairs, I spent an hour allowing myself to calm down, take deep breaths, and be present to my surroundings.  And I know it was you, Lord, answering my prayers.

Through the chorus of birds, God was speaking to me, drawing me close to Him.

God used that experience to reawaken me to seeing Him in nature, and since then, I’ve been more aware of God working in my daily life.

My husband and kids don’t understand my sudden attentiveness to nature and my birds.  There are many jokes about my “age” and growing older.  They hopefully will come to understand that God is showing me His creation. 

Each time I step outside to listen to my birds, I know it is God calling to me. To pause, to breathe, to notice His goodness, and to pray.  My heart swells, and I know God created this moment for me.  I feel His love surrounding me.  

Finding Ways to Be More Attentive

Since that first experience, I’ve taken more walks without my earbuds to be more attentive to my surroundings. I find myself sitting outside more without my phone or other distractions. And I’ve begun taking pictures of sunsets again, as well as of my birds. So many photos of my birds.

I’ve also started noticing God breaking into my day in other small ways to remind me of His presence. A friend’s laughter, the blessing of a messy kitchen after a family meal, the voice of a podcast guest, and my husband’s loving smile as we enjoy our “balcony time.”

My heart is filled with joy, knowing that God loves me and wants to show me His love.  He wants me to see Him.  When I hear Him and recognize Him in the moment, I pause.  And my thoughts turn to gratitude and prayer.  And His peace fills me.  

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