All I wanted to do was to show 3-year-old Luke the two baby birds. I held him up and we peeked through the leaves. When they saw two faces peering at them, the baby birds blasted out of the nest. . . and plummeted to the ground.
One ran across the grass and the other tried to fly and slammed into a yard ornament.
That’s not what I hoped would happen at all.
The first bird ran out into the street.
Mama bird was flying over my head, scolding me. The second bird flew from the yard ornament into the rose bushes.
It was chaos.
For the next half hour I tried to be a bird whisperer and get them back into their nest. They had no idea that my intentions were honorable. Finally, one was exhausted from its own efforts and allowed me to scoop it up with my gloved fingers.
It pecked at me. It squawked. It wriggled. But when I placed it in the nest, it was as if it finally got it.
I’m home.
The second bird had burrowed into the rose bushes. I didn’t want it to be hurt by the thorns, so my son-in-law knelt on one side and I knelt on the other. I gently shooed it into his hands, but it escaped and flew crazily into the sky, his maiden venture taking him in the complete opposite direction.
Sometimes we run, run, run when all God wants is to help us find our way home.
Running looks different for all of us. We try every self-help fixer upper strategy that we can, and there’s a lot of good found in that, but it just doesn’t do the trick.
We run away from God, straight into the thick of what hurts us more.
We run into anger. We run, run into the arms of someone or something that makes us feel good temporarily.
Let’s stop running and let Him scoop us up.
Let’s rest in His best intentions.
He wants to show you what home looks like.
What safety feels like.
What hands that are gentle and capable can do.
In just 18 days, The Mended Heart Proverbs 31 OBS (online Bible study) begins.
Maybe you are visiting today for the first time because you signed up.
That might feel a little intimidating because you’ve tried to make it work, or fix it, or make those feelings go away, so the pressure is already rising.
Don’t run.
Rest.
I promise that’s where we’ll begin together. We’ll toss out all the formulas and the shoulds or should nots, and we’ll discover how to build a foundation of rest.
Later on, there’ll be some beautiful things to explore and discover about mending your heart, but only as you rest in what you don’t have have to do.
So, you’re in the right place. You’re not alone.
This morning I’m on a bird hunt. I plan to seek that second bird until I can scoop him up and place him gently where he belongs.
That’s what our God does for us, on such a greater level. He seeks us when we are lost. He holds us close even when we fight against Him, not understanding He only wants the best. He helps us find our way back home.
I can’t wait to begin this journey with you.
Suzie
Oh my goodness, my hubby had a similar incident with baby bunnies. He has a mowing business and came upon three baby bunnies who panicked about the mower and took refuge under his truck. He said it took a half hour to coax them onto a rake and back to safety. One was particularly grumpy with him. It’s so true that we spend a lot of time running from God when running to him would preserve our resources and save our sanity. Why is it so hard? Looking forward to running to God today.
Samantha, I’m right there with ya… why IS it so hard?! Like those itty bitty bunnies, I get grumpy and scared, when I know good and well He has my best interest at heart and that His plan is perfect! Surrender is hard, but God is faithful! Running alongside you today!
Oh Suzie, I’m going to rest and let Him scoop me up today! Funny how we run in so many different directions. Where we need to run is TOWARD GOD! Looking forward to #TheMendedHeart study!
Oh, but it’s so easy to run to those thorn bushes, but disappointing as well. (I have a few thorny pieces of landscaping.) Only God truly satisfies, and it’s a marked difference when we’re free. I’m learning that in more and more areas of my heart as time ticks away. Thank goodness you were patient with the birdies, and thank God He’s patient with us.
Your words were gentle, and the “show, not tell” was strong. Wow. I was right there with you, chasing little tweeties. Crazy good.
Prayers for a Bible study where God speaks to hearts and mending occurs.
That bird pecked, squawked, and tried everything (including peeing on me) to make me let go. It had no idea I had its best interests at heart. . . until I placed it in the nest. Years ago I felt God leading me to write and in order to do that I had to leave my job. I promise that I pecked, squawked and did everything BUT let loose on God, and one day when I sat down to write I finally got it. God was trying to give me the desires of my heart. He wasn’t trying to take anything away. He was simply trying to lead me to a “home” I didn’t even know existed until that moment. <3 I'm so grateful.
I needed to read this reply today, Suzie, and it wasn’t even written in response to me. Thank you…
I found myself more relaxed simply reading this. How our Father longs to scoop us up and provide for and protect us. Thank you for noticing these things in the midst of the squawking.
A long time ago I saw a book by Corrie ten Boom called Don’t Wrestle-Just Nestle. Funny, I haven’t seen or read that book for over 20 years, but the title is still with me from time to time when I act like that crazy bird, flying off in all directions when the sensible thing to do is to trust God. Thanks for hosting us today.
I have never heard of that book, though I love the writings of Corrie ten Boom. I’ll have to find a used copy somewhere. <3
Great analogy–going to rest and allow Him to get me out of the thorny places!
Thanks Suzie, for always be an encouraging me with your words. I need to rest in His best intentions as you said. Blessings!!!
W/Love,
Tayrina from TGAWrites
Suzie, I’m so ready for Him to scoop me up during this study!
Good morning Suzie,
I love this – “He wants to show you what home looks like. What safety feels like. What hands that are gentle and capable can do.” So beautiful and reassuring, He truly does want what is best for us. His plans are to prosper and not to harm. We just need to believe it, and trust Him.
Blessings and hugs,
Kamea
PS – Where are the details and sign up for the summer bible study? It sounds wonderful!
Kamea, Join us by signing up at https://proverbs31.org/online-bible-studies/. I’d love for you and your community to join us. <3 I'll see you there!
All signed up! Excited to see what God will do among His people. His precious daughters intent on seeking Him, and trusting Him with our brokenness.
Thank you, sweet friend,
Kamea
All too often I’ve ran and flown like those birds. I can relate! I’m looking forward to this rest during the upcoming study. So looking forward to it. Thanks, Suzie!
I wonder what might happen if we all stopped, just for a moment, and rested in His hands. What would we learn? What might He want to show us? How rested we might feel.
Suzie, what a sweet story and wonderful analogy. Fear causes us to flap and fly in all the wrong directions. Thank you for this story.
Suz – I love that verse in Hosea 11:4 where God says, “I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.” His heart for us, and tenderness too, is so precious!
I’ve been that bird! So excited to share The mended Heart with others this month! Ready to dive in and let God hold us!
Thanks, Suzanne, such a wonderful illustration for what we so often do. I don’t want to run away – I want to run toward God!
Your pictures are so good. Love, love them.
I hope your babies will stay where they belong now!
Running home, into His rest! I look forward to that with the upcoming study. Thanks Suzie!
I’m sorry Suzie, but I just had to giggle a little when I pictured the two of you trying to flush out the baby bird from the bushes. I can relate because stuff like that happens to me all the time! Good intentions for a quick nature lesson for the grands quickly turns chaotic. (One such incident involved rescuing a giant alligator snapping turtle. Let’s just say we are lucky to have all fingers!) It’s so true though, that we are just like these little creatures, not knowing that what we fear is really there to rescue us. Love the post today:)