Acorns...

     

“But You, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand.  The victim commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.”  Psalm 10:14

Acorns-
I have two days before I get on the plane to Cambodia.  From a very global perspective, I think I'm ready.  The big picture looks great and I am a big picture sort of gal.  I have to admit, panic sets in every time I stop and turn my attention to the million little things that need to be done before I get on that plane - copy my passport, visa, travel insurance,  oh yes, and don't forget that plug thingy that keeps me from blowing up my blow dryer ...again!  Depending on which lens I am looking through I am moving from excitement to sheer panic by the minute.   Big picture, little details, big picture... for me, big picture pretty much always wins.

 I like to say I am a global thinker.  That sounds incredibly intelligent and it works if you are ever being accused of forgetting a small random detail like where you parked your car in the Target shopping center.  I am finding more and more that I see God perfectly well from a global perspective but lately He has been speaking to me about seeing the hidden things that I have been missing.

 There is a tree that hangs over the path at the lake where I run and it provides just the right amount of shade for me to stretch and cool down after I am finished.  I have been stopping at this tree to stretch for over a year.  I love the shade it provides and hadn't thought much about it.  I'm global!  This particular day as I was stretching, my eyes focused in on a tiny something hanging from one of the branches.  It was an acorn.  A small green acorn.  I thought it was funny that I hadn't noticed this before but then again...I am global.  Just at this moment, I heard the Lord say, "Look closer."   And, as I did, I saw hundreds of these tiny acorns.  The tree was full of them.  One by one, I noticed them and the beauty of this tree became so much more evident.   I got out my camera and took a picture.
"Julie, the Kingdom of Heaven is like this tree"
I took a step back and as I did, I noticed that the acorns began to fade into the background of the tree.  I took another picture and another step back.  Now, all of the acorns disappeared from my sight.  I took one final picture knowing that one day I would know the deeper meaning of the moment.
Since then, I look for those acorns every time I run because now, I have seen them.  I know they are there.   My "global" perspective has been invaded by a tiny acorn.

This mission trip has evolved in much the same way.  I had heard about human trafficking on a global scale and it saddened my heart but, as long as I was able to see the picture from a distance I was never compelled to act.  And then one day, in just the right season, truth invaded my global perspective.   God asked me to look closer as he showed me the face of one little child, and then another, and then another until I could no longer think about this from a distance.   I have seen.

Yes, the kingdom of Heaven is like this tree.  There is so much more I need to see so God has asked me to step a little closer.  I know I will never be the same.

Love,

Julie

Making Tracks...

      

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. 

Psalm 19: 1-4

The kingdom of Heaven is like.....

Well, according to the Lord, it's like a lot of things.  It's like a fig tree.  It's like a mustard seed.  It's like hidden treasure.  I loved that Jesus spoke to us in parables.  I truly think that is my love language. God speaks to me so clearly through the things I see in everyday life.  It was no surprise at all  that several months ago I stopped by the home of a dear friend for prayer.  I was literally at the end of my spiritual rope, (to use a parable.) After 25 years of serving the Lord, I had tapped out. I was tired, empty, and possibly a lot of crazy.  As this sweet friend began to pray for me we heard a stirring in her backyard.  After the amens, we went to check out what all the commotion was and we saw, gathered on her patio,  a huge flock of quail.  Neither one of us had ever seen quail in our neighborhood and I think we both knew there was a deeper meaning in their visit.  When they saw us, they quickly flew away and I could almost hear God whispering, "Julie, the Kingdom of Heaven is like Quail!"

There are a few really unusual things about Quail:

They don't like to fly.  Unless they are in danger, they prefer to run.

They don't migrate.  They pretty much find a home, hunker down and live life in one area.

They have unique and varied forms of communication known as Quail Calls.

Their unusual nesting technique leaves very distinguishable marks wherever they are.

God truly has a sense of humor because it seemed the more I learned about Quail, the more I could see that the Lord had provided a perfect picture of yep, you guessed it ME!  I am like that Quail.

I really hate to fly and yes, I also prefer to run.  I have never considered myself the type of Christian who would go into all the world so the migratory thing well, it doesn't even sound like me. I believe through the grace of God and his gift of shall we say, " unique communication,"  I have been able to leave a distinguishable mark in my community that points to Jesus.

Yes, I could see how the Kingdom of Heaven is like this, run with perseverance, love the one in front of you, communicate the gospel.  This was such a beautiful revelation and truly warmed my heart but as is the case with me and God, there is always a deeper meaning or reason for the things he shows me.

My heart just about stopped when I heard His direction...

"Julie, it's time to fly!"

"Wait...What?  Wait...I don't fly...I run God...remember..I'm a Quail"

There are several different varieties of Quail and they are found all over the world but apparently God has decided that the Julie Quail is a flying Quail, a unique creation with a unique call.  So, after much prayer, and a final surrendering of my heart to the faithful plan of my heavenly father,  I am off on what I believe to be the first of many missionary migrations. I will leave on October 31 to join a team in Cambodia who works to rescue little children from Human Sex Trafficking.  My heart is compelled to go. I am ready.

I believe it is time for God to expand my understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven.   It is my hope that when I take my final flight, the one straight into the arms of my beloved Savior that we can both look back upon my life and see the distinguishable tracks of the gospel having gone forth into all the world because this Quail has decided,  in the varsity season of her life,  to follow the leading of her creator and fly!

Julie

You can follow this blog as it will be the journal of my Quail Tracks to Cambodia.

By the way, thanks Weezy for praying that day and also for encouraging me to get my words down on paper.  I love you sis!