Walking Outward in Love
Living the Overflow of Love
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been journeying through the spiritual practice of the labyrinth using Psalm 23 as our guide—an inward and outward path of prayer, reflection, and encounter.
Each movement mirrors the three stages of walking a labyrinth:
Loving God – the journey inward, releasing burdens and opening to Presence.
Loving Union – the still point at the center, where we rest in communion with God.
Loving Others – the journey outward, carrying what we’ve received into the world around us.
This final movement—Loving Others—is about overflow. After receiving the care and restoration of the Shepherd, we are invited to pray outwardly for others. It’s a sacred act of intercession, led by breath, scripture, and compassion.
The Labyrinth and the Vine
This rhythm reminds me of the image at the heart of my upcoming book, The Art of Vinemaking: Spiritual Flourishing in a Productivity-Culture. We are invited into loving union with Christ, the True Vine—a union that flows outward into the branches as we love one another. When we stay connected to the Vine, love ripens into fruit—fruit that becomes a blessing to the world.
The labyrinth, like the vine, begins at the center and moves outward: from intimacy to impact, from rootedness to fruitfulness, from communion to compassion. This is the way of Jesus.
Join the Launch Team
If these themes resonate with you, I’d love for you to join me in sharing this vision with others. I’m gathering a Launch Team to help spread the word as The Art of Vinemaking releases this fall. You’ll get early access to behind-the-scenes content, spiritual practices, and a sneak peek of the book. Join the Launch Team Here:
But for now, let’s keep practicing what we’ve been exploring together. Before we rush ahead, pause with me for a moment. The best way to live into these truths is not just to talk about them, but to embody them. Today’s practice is a way to step into the outward movement of love—carrying the union we’ve experienced in the center and extending it to others in prayer.
Intercession Through Psalm 23
As you prepare to journey out of the labyrinth, ask God to bring to your mind a person or community that is in need of shepherding. Follow the prompts below to intercede for them. In place of the personal pronoun "me/my" in the passage, fill it with the name of the person or community you are praying for.
🌿 Psalm 23:1
INHALE: The Lord is [Name]’s Shepherd
EXHALE: He/she/they shall not want
Reflection:
Who needs God’s care today?
Call them to mind. Whisper their name.
Imagine God standing beside them—gentle, present, aware.
Ask that they would lack nothing they truly need today: strength, comfort, clarity, hope.
🌿 Psalm 23:2a
INHALE: He makes [Name] lie down
EXHALE: in green pastures
Reflection:
Where might this person be exhausted or overwhelmed?
Ask God to give them rest—not just physical, but soul-deep.
Picture them stretched out in soft grass under warm light. Can you see the tension ease in their shoulders? The slowing of breath?
🌿 Psalm 23:2b–3a
INHALE: He leads [Name] beside quiet waters
EXHALE: He restores their soul
Reflection:
What restoration might they need right now—emotionally, relationally, spiritually
Pray for God to draw near and make them whole again.
As you exhale, imagine clear, gentle water lapping at their feet. Let the sound soothe whatever chaos may surround them.
🌿 Psalm 23:3b
INHALE: He leads [Name] along the right paths
EXHALE: for His name’s sake
Reflection:
Where are they facing a decision? A fork in the road?
Ask God to guide their steps in alignment with His love and wisdom.
Pause to listen—does any image, word, or scripture come to mind for them?
If so, write it down and consider sharing it later, in love.
🌿 Psalm 23:4a
INHALE: Even though [Name] walks through the darkest valley
EXHALE: he/she/they will fear no evil
Reflection:
Are they walking through grief, fear, trauma, or loss?
Picture them in the valley—and see the light that surrounds them even there.
Pray against fear. Pray for courage. Pray for peace that surpasses understanding.
🌿 Psalm 23:4b
INHALE: For You are with [Name]
EXHALE: Your rod and staff, they comfort them
Reflection:
Ask God to draw near and make His presence known.
The rod protects. The staff guides.
Pray that this person would feel safe, directed, and never alone in what they’re facing.
🌿 Psalm 23:5a
INHALE: You prepare a table before [Name]
EXHALE: in the presence of their enemies
Reflection:
Where do they feel vulnerable or opposed?
Ask God to spread a table of grace, provision, and communion.
Pray for reconciliation and restoration in strained relationships.
Picture them seated at a banquet—with God’s abundance laid before them.
🌿 Psalm 23:5b
INHALE: You anoint [Name]’s head with oil
EXHALE: Their cup overflows
Reflection:
What blessing do you long to pour over their life?
Ask God to anoint them with joy, purpose, healing, or calling.
Speak out your specific hopes for their flourishing.
🌿 Psalm 23:6a
INHALE: Surely Your goodness and love
EXHALE: will follow [Name] all the days of their life
Reflection:
Ask for God’s love to chase them down today.
Picture His mercy surrounding them like sunlight through trees, soft and warm.
Pray that they would become aware of it—that they wouldn’t miss the goodness that’s already near.
🌿 Psalm 23:6b
INHALE: And [Name] will dwell
EXHALE: in the house of the Lord forever
Reflection:
As your time in the labyrinth comes to a close, bless this person once more.
Release them into God’s hands.
Ask that they would know the nearness of His presence and the security of His love as they continue their own journey.
Closing Reflection:
You’ve walked in, paused at the center, and now walked out in love.
This is the rhythm of the labyrinth, and the rhythm of life in the Kingdom.
You may not see the impact of these prayers immediately. But in the hidden places, seeds have been planted. Trust the Spirit to water them.
“No threshold need be a threat, but rather an invitation to a promise.”
—John O’Donohue
Let this threshold moment become a space of transformation—
for you and for the one you carried with you.
If you'd like to explore the complete Psalm 23 Guided Labyrinth Meditation, including the full guide and audio companion, you can purchase the full resource on my website.