Tag: #birdssinginthedark

Dose of Encouragement

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Everyone can use a dose of encouragement regardless of age or how far we are on our journey.

One morning as I approached the mailboxes on the main street leading into my neighborhood, a gentleman stopped to make a deposit.

As I ran past, he kindly said, “Great job! Keep up the good work.” 

I thanked him and gave a thumbs up. But, as most things do, this reminded me that whether it is running, another sport, or our faith walk with Christ, at the beginning of our training, or a seasoned vet, we can all use inspiration to keep on going, press on, don’t give up.

As I ventured further, I met two other women running in the opposite direction. As my route winds back around, our paths crossed again, only this time they were walking.

As if to justify themselves, one girl said, “It’s hot! We’re from Ohio.”

Oh well, that explains it all…buckeyes. Only kidding. I paid the encouragement forward. But this reminded me of my trip to Austria a while ago. Climate change can make you uncomfortable and disconnected when in unfamiliar territory. I was out of my comfort zone on that trip, so many miles away from home, unable to have my usual quiet time and space. I was trying to find my rhythm on a new route, with new people to meet and work alongside.

Before I left, God gave me a few images: a sundial and Russian nesting dolls. Strange right? It didn’t make sense until I struggled to find peace and saw these images in Vienna. In those moments, I knew God was still with me and that He knew I would need these reminders.

Another time, on a church summer camp excursion with middle school girls, I desperately needed some time away from the chaos to reconnect with God. So, every chance I got, I stole a few minutes away on the other side of the lake to reset, recharge, and refresh my spirit to tackle another night. We all need these times to give us the strength to pour into the lives of others and not get burnt out.

“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength” (Is. 30:15, ESV, emphasis added).

“Encourage one another and build one another up” (I Thes. 5:11, emphasis added).

Distinctly Different

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

The platypus swam into my dreams a few years ago, leading me to research the creature. The design itself intrigues me. I decided to dig deeper into this bottom feeder and get insight into this remarkable mammal. Interestingly, according to LiveScience, their characteristics resemble that of many different species. Their bill and feet are like a duck, their tail is like a beaver, their feet, body, and fur resemble an otter, and their lizard legs sprawl out to the side of the body when they walk.

In addition, to this extravagant list, they are amphibious. When they are not using their webbed feet in the water to swim, they can retract the web exposing individual nails that allows them to run on land. They also lay eggs, one of only two mammals that do.

Although they do not have teeth and use their cheek pouches to hold food until they can mash it up and swallow it, they have sharp stingers on the heels of their rear feet to defend themselves, with a toxic venom that is quite effective when needed. They are non-life threatening but powerful enough to damage their victim significantly.

This hodgepodge creature has many features of other animals, but oddly enough, the familiar qualities make it unique and distinctly different from the rest. It can undoubtedly relate to the duck by how it uses its bill and webbed feet and the beaver by using its tail to maneuver through the water gracefully, and the otter and lizard by how it uses its feet to swim and run, awkward as it may be.

As children of God, we are given many distinctive qualities, although we can relate to one another because we are made in the image of our Creator. Each of us has gifts given especially to us. We have many of the same characteristics, and all of us, like sheep, have strayed away (Isaiah 53.6). God made us exactly how we are on purpose and saved us by His grace. We can accept everything just as it is – flaws and all. We see the blemishes through our eyes and want to make changes or compare ourselves with others. But if we could see ourselves as God sees us – through His love –we would be content with ourselves and thank God for each unique quality that makes us stand out from the rest.

Post a reminder on your mirror: God profoundly loves you as you are. No matter how we see ourselves, we can be confident in what God is doing in and through us. Obedience is key. We are protected by the armor of faith and love when we wear salvation’s confidence as our helmet (I Thes. 5:8, ESV).

Jesus Loves You Fiercely

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

When our thoughts are cloudy, our feelings and emotions have us tied in knots; we can cling to what God tells us because His Word remains faithful and steadfast, never changing and never-ending (Lamentations 3:22; Ps. 136:3, ESV). Recently, I had to remind myself of this and prayed to God to let me hear His truth – that He will always love me no matter what. I knew my emotions were telling me a different story, and even though our feelings are real, the things we tell ourselves when we are down are not to be taken to heart and allowed to fester inside us.

I can trust what God says when everything seems cloudy around me. He knows exactly what I need because He knows me and my heart.

During these times of despair or sadness, we can cling to His promises, truth, and love. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8, ESV). So, cinch on the belt of truth (Eph, 6:14) and guard against allowing your feelings to rule you and take over what we know to be true in God’s Word. “[Jesus] will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment” (Is. 11:5, emphasis mine).

Take it from me, when we are tired, emotionally down, or distressed, it is not a time to make rash decisions or take a quiz, for that matter. Turn to God instead and ask Him to help you see clearly and not lose sight of His love during this season.

Jesus said, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20, ESV, emphasis mine).

God told Moses, “I am who I am” (Ex. 3:14, ESV). He instructed him to tell Israel that “I AM has sent you.” Then in John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (emphasis mine)

With these verses in mind, I want to propose something for you to cling to that helps me put things into perspective: You are because I AM.

I encourage you to meditate on these verses and let them bring hope as you trust in the only One who sees and knows everything about you and still loves you fiercely.

Debt Free

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing to experience? I remember my dad telling a story about my grandpa being away from home – probably visiting a church since he was a preacher too. Times were hard, and their family had to charge for more groceries at the local store than they liked. When he got home, my grandma asked him to go to the store. Knowing they owed a lot already, he dreaded going. But when he got there, with his head down, and asked for more credit, saying he knew he owed so much already, the grocer informed him that the debt had been paid while he was away. Grandma had found a way to pay it off. His dread turned into joy.

Jesus tells his disciples a parable about the good Samaritan who had compassion for a man who was robbed and beaten on the side of the road. He bound up his wounds and took him to an inn where he cared for him. When he had to leave, he gave the innkeeper enough money to care for him and said he would check when he came back to see if he owed any more (Luke 10:34-35, ESV). He did not do this expecting to be paid back; he did it out of love and compassion.

Jesus came to free us from sin’s bondage because we could not free ourselves. He canceled our debt by nailing it to the cross (Col. 2:14, ESV). God’s justice demanded an answer for sin, but His love supplied the answer in His Son so that our dread could turn into joy.

The Old Testament covenants had conditions attached. They were foreshadowing the coming of Christ, but Jesus was a new and better covenant because He is a covenant of grace instead of works. God made an irrevocable promise for salvation (Rom. 11:29), fulfilled in Christ. Jesus elevates Himself and the message of the kingdom to be greater than, and the fulfillment of, the three most important institutions in Israel – priest, prophet, and king, when He shows how Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of a great fish as a foreshadowing of Himself spending three days in the earth (Matt. 12: 38-42; Luke 11:29-32, ESV).

Jonah was grateful for his salvation but wanted to keep the prophetic message private from the people of Nineveh. He knew God’s character and that if they repented, God would change His mind about destroying them. He finally shared the message with the people by shouting to the crowds when he entered the city – “Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4, ESV, emphasis mine). The people understood what that meant. He used the same verb as when God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen.19:21-25, ESV).

The story of Jonah shows us how determined God is to get His message to the nations and the need for repentance from sin. It also shows us God’s character and assures us that He “will relent when people repent” (Jonah 3:9, ESV Study Bible notes).

In reading the OT, sometimes it is difficult to understand all the laws, restrictions, and sacrifices God put in place. But it took a lot of sacrifices and rules to do what Jesus Christ did on the cross—nothing we can do ourselves covers that many sins. Our sin was so great that it required Someone much greater to appease the wrath of God. The burdens are lifted, and the laws of Moses are no longer needed because of Jesus Christ!

The gates of hell will not prevail against His Church (Matt. 16:18, ESV). Jesus Christ defeated death. He has risen (Matt. 28:6, ESV)! The love inside us because of Jesus can overflow into the lives of others. We are free because of Christ. He erased our debt. Let us not keep that message to ourselves like Jonah, unwilling to share it with anyone we believe doesn’t deserve to hear it. If you have the hope of Christ in your heart, you were still sinners when God showed His love for you (Rom. 5:8, ESV).

When Jesus was persecuted for dining with the tax collectors and sinners, He told them that those who are well don’t need a doctor; sick people do (Matt. 9:12-13). I want everyone to experience this freedom so they, too, can feel the joy it brings. But that does not mean everything goes and our sins are acceptable before God. We are still called to repentance and obedience as we live for God as new creations (2 Cor. 5:17-21, ESV).