His Wings are Greater than the Storms of Life

I have the privilege of looking out at nature everyday where I live and hearing the songs of praise from a variety of birds, the croaking frogs and hooting owls at night. I see the monkeys running around, climbing the trees to grab the latest fruit growing and swinging from tree to tree on occasion, this warms my heart experiencing such incredible creation around me! Just to make things interesting, I also have a very active beehive in the corner of my house outside, so I see a swarm of bees out my window and can feel the buzz in my house sometimes when the hive is very active.

The Lord speaks to me very often in nature and yet it occurs the most frequently through birds! Currently, there is this beautiful monogamous bird called the violet backed starling, which I first saw about a year ago and once again, I am seeing it in my backyard this year (different place) and even where we are raising our beautiful children also. The male happens to be my favorite color too!!
I discovered that behind my house there are 2 old wooden fence posts and two sets of these bird pairs had laid eggs inside of them about two feet below. One currently has three unhatched eggs, I often see the mom bird sitting on the eggs, while the other had 3 eggs hatched, although there are only two remaining. Each day I have watched as the birds are growing, no feathers yet. I was thinking how beautifully committed these parents are as I watch them both swoop onto the wooden post, then go 2 feet below to feed the babies. I was also thinking what a big feat it will be for the babies as their first independent task will be to climb 2 feet up the pole to experience a whole new landscape and life ahead of them.
Recently, we have also had much rain, which is a huge blessing in our drought conditions and I was wondering how these little ones are alive when we have had the storms with serious down-pouring rain?! So, as it was raining, not extremely hard, I thought I would go and take a peek at these baby birds. The scene I saw still brings me to tears…

Mama bird

The mama bird was nesting on top of them with her one wing spread out so wide there was not even a tiny crack of space for the birds to get wet. Wow!!! I really needed to see that!! Have you ever felt like you were helpless and so dependent, needing so much to be protected, kept warm and even at times fed? The only effort these little birds make is to open their mouths and receive the goodness of food being placed in their mouth, otherwise, there is not a care in the world, their parents have got them!

This picture was exactly what God wanted to remind me of, if this mama bird does this for her babies, how much more does Papa God do this for us, he feeds the birds of the air, how

much more as His sons and daughters will He care for us? All I get to do is choose to gaze at Him, trusting He is enough and receive His goodness and love!

I could picture myself as one of these sweet little dependent birds, which so reminded of Psalms 91! Imagine yourself there, under the shadow of the Almighty who safely protects you, these are only a few of the promises He makes to us:

“His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You are hidden in the strength of God Most High. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm. When we live our lives within the shadow of the God Most high, our secret Hiding Place, we will always be shielded from harm. Because you have delighted in me as my great lover, I will greatly protect you. I will set you in a high place, safe and secure before my face! I will answer your cry for help everytime you pray, and you will find and feel my presence. Even in your time of pressure and trouble. I will be your glorious Hero and give you a feast! You will be satisfied with a full life and with all that I do for you. For you will enjoy the fullness of my salvation”

REST

In my first year of serving long-term in South Africa, this theme of rest was a thread that the Lord weaved throughout my year. It was actually forced upon me for lack of better words and I wouldn’t say it was easy, yet I am so thankful for the lessons. 

In Psalm 23, it says, He makes you lie down in green pastures. That is the interesting thing, it isn't an invitation or a suggestion to rest, it is actually a direct command from the Lord!! It is clear then, that we are all called to rest, I believe this concept of rest is often misunderstood. This is not permission to be lazy nor is it an inactive waiting upon God before we do anything or make a move, it is a call to actively know Him deeper and trust that His ways are indeed far surpassing of our ways and thoughts! I believe it is a necessary part of our journey, even God chose to rest after creating for 6 days, He didn’t need to, yet He modeled this. I believe far more for our benefit knowing that it would not only be good, but necessary for us! 

After three weeks in Africa, I was hospitalized for the first time in my life with appendicitis, then, I had a herniated disc in my back needing to lie down a majority of the time (limiting car rides, long walks, etc…) for about a month and a half, then I ended my year with 3 months of quite intense diarrhea, which again forced me to lie down especially for the final 5 weeks. My prayer at the end was, Lord, let me get the lesson you have for me, so we don’t do this again. As I write this, I am just remembering some of the lessons that He showed me and after a busy time in the states, I am needing to remind myself yet again of these powerful Truths!! 

He taught me that Rest is something that is actually available at ALL times, no matter what is happening around me! Whether there are conflicts going on, intense pain in my body, a possible serious diagnosis at hand, lack of sleep for days or all of the above, it is a place where I can trust knowing that I can’t change a circumstance, yet I can believe and trust that He is greater and rest in Him and His promises! It is an invitation of deeper intimacy with Jesus that is available to know Him even more profoundly! I can’t even take credit for my ability to rest in Him, it is by His grace and constantly choosing His ways, knowing my weakness is His strength and declaring His promises that allows me to REST in Him!

It is in this very place of surrendering the doing to let Him do in me what He has in store knowing that it is far greater than my weak efforts! He isn't interested in maintaining a status quo with me, He wants me to actually BE with Him! During this time He taught me of His supernatural Grace and Strength for His plans. He had already spoken to me that I would begin to sing again for Him, He opened the door to worship with a team while I was still physically so weak. Yet, He gave me incredible strength! There was some chaos and drama going on in our children’s village and He allowed me to help be part of His solutions to find the peace in some of the hearts and storms around our family that were happening. In a time where energy for the simplest of tasks like showering or cooking food for myself was sometimes too much, He graced me with His energy and strength for His greater plans and purposes. His ways are always better, higher and different than our ways!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I wrote the above about a year and a half ago, this is so pertinent for me today.

Currently, I have been here in South Africa long term for 3 years and again, this topic of REST has come full circle AGAIN in a more forced upon me way!!! ;)  It is clearly so important to the Lord, actually, the Lord put this topic on my heart to study nearly two months ago (about a week and a half) before this sickness came upon me. How sweet of Him to give me a heads up... Of course, I didn't know I was about to enter yet again into an intimate and very intense experience of resting!!

I have diarrhea again now for over 5 weeks and a fever for over 3 weeks, been lots of waiting with many inconclusive tests and too many doctor appointments!! Yet, the Lord has told me that I will be healed and I stand on that Truth in His perfect timing (NOT mine), and while He didn’t cause the sickness, He allowed it… And the beautiful consequence… REST in Him! I get yet another opportunity to sit by His still waters, drink and eat from His table and enjoy the beautiful rich green and luscious pastures around me!

And when we REST, the Father gives an incredible invitation
to come higher and see things from His perspective!

There is nothing more LOVELY than YOU!!

Living outside of America for a while now, I am a little more oblivious and unaware of the Hallmark holidays such as today, which is Valentine's Day! Wishing everyone a day to encounter LOVE no matter what your life story looks like!
I have been thinking about those like myself who don't really have a "relational love" in your life currently or maybe you do, yet, you don't know how lovely you are! I want to encourage you that YOU are enough and you have someone championing you and in LOVE with you who will never fail you! He is your Creator and He calls you His rose! Perhaps all you wanted was flowers or to be shown love on this day, it is so understandable to desire feeling valued and seen by someone. Yet, Jesus says, He sees you, He is with you and YOU are the flower, you are His rose!! You are far sweeter than any chocolate could ever taste!

Song of Songs 2:1 says about you:
I am truly his rose, the very theme of his song. I am overshadowed by his love, growing in the valley.
A couple weeks ago, I was really struggling and if I am honest, I still am, it has been a challenging season for me! That morning, I was at our weekly prayer and worship time and I gazed out into the field, enjoying the beauty of His creation, singing to Him, the one who made ALL things and thought of me before the foundation of the world! I looked out amongst a beautiful field with grasses, trees and small light purple flowers, there was one stunning orange flower standing tall and vibrant among the rest! I felt the Lord so clearly highlighting that flower and showing me that that is me, that is how He made me! I was moved to tears at the beauty of what He was showing me.
I want to encourage you today that you also are that stunning and vibrant flower, you stand tall and above the rest, not because of what you do, but because of who you ARE and whose you are!! You are brilliant, you are beautiful, you are stunning and shine just by being/resting in who you are and nobody can take that away from you nor enhance the wonder of YOU as His beautiful creation! You will and always be LOVED with an unconditional love by the one who knows you inside and out!