It Feels like Hope

      I love animals but you already know that. I write about them all the time and post pictures of them too. So don't be surprised that this post is also about animals. I truly believe God gave them to us for enjoyment and entertainment, but He also put them on this earth to teach us some things.
      Look at how many times He talks about different animals in the Bible: foxes, sheep, doves, sparrows, roaring lions, fish, unicorns (rhinos) and even leviathan! There is so much to learn from the creation of the Master Artist. And once again He taught me something I wanted to share with you.
      Two weeks ago a hurricane blew through our area. There were some pretty strong gusts of wind and I stood outside with JJ listening as the wind approached. It sounded like a semi bearing down on us as each gust began, growing louder as it got stronger, doing its worst as the trees bent over backward, then eased off again. (Hmmm, ladies, kind of like labor pains?) We wondered how the trunks did not crack under the pressure. Branches fell around us, whipping leaves all over the place. We decided to go inside where it was safe from falling debris. I prayed for safety of our house and us as I stood looking out, asking the Lord once again to keep the trees from falling on anything important.
      Can I say that I hate heavy wind? It brings back scary memories of the tornado in Indiana in 2002. Ever since then I have been nervous of the wind. But God has always been faithful and has taken care of us every time.
      So, I stood at the slider looking out when suddenly a little family of Tufted Titmice landed on the deck. Oblivious to the storm around them, that little momma hopped around on the deck looking for food for her hungry family. She discovered some soggy bread we had left out the day before and began the task of feeding each impatient baby, stuffing little pieces into one mouth then getting more for the other one.
      I could not help but marvel at her calmness. She was not scared of the howling winds around her. Her family was the most important thing at the moment and she knew her Creator was in control. He had provided her family with food and she knew He would take care of her family through the howling storm.
      It was exactly the encouragement I needed that day. Those little birds gave me hope. The words from a song I heard recently says it all:

      Hope has a way of turning its face to you just when you least expect it.
      You walk in a room, you look out a window, and something there leaves you breathless.
      You say to yourself its been a while since I felt this,
      But it feels like it might be hope.
     
      Hope is an amazing thing to have. It's the lifeline we hang on to when things are spiraling out of control around us. It's our anchor in the midst of the storm. And God is my Hope, my Anchor, and my Lifeline. Do you have Him as your hope? If not, grab a hold of Him today. It's the safest place to be in the midst of that storm.

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