Noticing, Contemplative Play, and the Abundant Life
If you’ve ever wondered why I keep talking about noticing, rest, creative play, or coloring pages that help you slow down… well, sometimes I wonder too. Life can feel so heavy, and these small practices can seem almost too gentle for the weight of it all. But it’s in those moments, when the grief, stress, and noise press in, that I realize how much I need them.
This world can be so sad, and we all carry burdens. So when Jesus says He came to give us life, and life abundantly (John 10:10), I find myself asking: How do we live that kind of life right here, right now, in the middle of all this?
I believe that rest and play are one of the ways we begin.
I talk a lot about making space, noticing, playing contemplatively (which really just means playing with some gentle noticing), and creating because they are tools that help us grow in intimacy and in love with God.
God invites us to join Him in rest, in play, and in creating, not because He needs anything from us, but because He loves us, and He knows we need those things.
Everything I’ve been sharing here (on Instagram, on my blog, in printables, and prompts) is meant to be a gentle help. A way to take one small step into a slower, more spacious life with God.
Noticing: Attention as a Form of Prayer
To notice is to pay attention with love. And that kind of loving attention is all over the Bible.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
When we slow down and notice, whether it’s the beauty of nature, the sound of a child’s laughter, or the ache in our own chest, we begin to recognize God’s presence with us. This kind of awareness is a form of prayer.
Like Mary at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10:39–42), we choose what is better by simply being present with Him.
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers… what is man that you are mindful of him?” — Psalm 8:3–4
This kind of noticing connects with a sacramental view of life: where ordinary things become windows into the holy.
Contemplative Play: Joy as a Spiritual Practice
Contemplative play is not childish. It’s childlike. (Remember that contemplative play just playing with some gentle noticing.)
“Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 18:3
To play is to trust, to risk delight, to rest in the truth that we are beloved, even if we’re not producing anything. This is the opposite of what the world tells us, that we must be productive to be of value. But that is not the way of the Kingdom.
And just like Sabbath, play is not extra, it’s essential.
“You shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing.” — Isaiah 55:12
The Abundant Life: Receiving, Not Striving
Jesus says:
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)
But abundance in God’s kingdom isn’t about more stuff, more hustle, or even more productivity. It’s about more presence. It’s about living from a deep well of love and trust and grace.
In noticing, we become aware of God’s nearness.
In play, we live into our identity as God’s beloved children.
In creating, we join Him in His holy work.
“In Him we live and move and have our being.” — Acts 17:28
A Final Invitation
If you’re feeling tired, rushed, or heavy-hearted, consider this your invitation to step into a more spacious way of being.
You don’t have to fix your whole life. You don’t need to have a perfect quiet time. Try just taking one small step: notice something beautiful, play a little with gentle curiosity, or create something just for the joy of it.
These are sacred things and God will meet you there. This is part of how we begin to live a life of abundance.