Practicing the Presence | Prompt 9: An Unexpected Pop of Color

“Look for an unexpected pop of color and capture it.
Let surprise be a doorway to joy.”

Some days feel muted. The sky is gray. The to-do list is long. The rhythm of life feels predictable, even heavy. And then, almost without warning, you notice it:

A bright red mitten on the sidewalk.
A yellow leaf against dull pavement.
A burst of pink in a winter coat crowd.
A bowl of oranges glowing on the counter.

Color has a way of interrupting us.

It doesn’t demand anything. It simply catches our eye and invites us to look again.

What Is “Practicing the Presence”?

Practicing the presence means paying attention to the small moments where God’s goodness breaks into ordinary life.

It’s not about manufacturing happiness. It’s about noticing what’s already there.

An unexpected pop of color can become a reminder that joy is often quiet and unscheduled. It shows up without an announcement. It surprises us. And sometimes surprise is exactly how grace arrives.

Try This

Today, look intentionally for color, especially somewhere you wouldn’t expect it. Pause when you see it. Let yourself enjoy it without rushing past.

If you’d like, take a photo, not for perfection, but as a way of saying, I almost missed this.

Then ask yourself:

• What did this small surprise stir in me?

• When was the last time I allowed joy to interrupt my day?

• Where might God be inviting me to notice beauty more closely?

Joy doesn’t always come through big moments. Sometimes it slips in quietly, bright and unplanned. Look for it. You might be surprised.