Birdcage on a Etch A Sketch

Wow, it's been a while but in my defense this semester has been like quicksand. Like an ocean of projects, teaching, and fun bundles of time. I feel like I've grown up 3 years in the past 4 months. God has been rocking my world. Completely messing up my plans and life - so awesome. Might I tell you a bit about this? Good! Let's talk messes and plans and life.

So as many of my friends know and joke about, I've been in this weird phase of wanting a child. Weird, yes? I know, I completely know. I'm not in a place in my life where I could be the type of mom I want to be to my children - so having one right now wouldn't be wise. Also, there's the whole I will have a husband first - and that's a whole 'nother stage of life.

But I feel like we all go through phases like this. No, maybe you haven't been through this baby phase (at least at my age), but maybe you've

been somewhere where you see what you want but know it's not time. You may even feel ready, but know you are not ready. You know that you want to be ready - but you also know you are not. Succchhh a hard place to be in. Such a frustrating, head-banging the wall place to be in. You feel like you're in a bird cage on an Etch A Sketch.

A few weeks ago I was in Charlotte introducing my mom to one of my favorite places in the world, Amelie's. Ever been there? You need to! It's wonderful. While we were there one of the decorations (amazinnggg decorations there, by the way!) was a bird in a bird cage on top of an etch a sketch. To some that may be really random....but to me I saw myself. I saw you. I saw everyone who's ever seen there big plans but been held in a birdcage. Now, I'm not saying that allowing God's plans to become top priority, instead of your own plans, is constricting....but it's not always easy and sometimes when we can't see all the plans it may feel like we're waiting in our cage for nothing.

May I interject one of the mind blowing things I've been shown in Exodus 14? God's been using this chapter in my life for the past 6ish months and keeps showing stuff to me, you should read it. To set-up the story we all know the Israelites had recently gotten out of jail and we're walking through the desert with the full swag of people who knew they were "fa-reee!". But then they reach the red sea (in the middle of the night, I might add) and gang up on Moses and go all "Oh no you DIDN'T just lead us out here to die". Not only was there an ocean in front of them but also an army of Egyptians charging from behind to take their lives. But then Moses goes to God and freaks out about what to do and God tells Him to keep moving forward into the sea. Watch this: After God told this to Moses,

"Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel." (Exodus 14:19-20a)

Why the crap would God move behind them? Why the crap can't we see God in our situations sometimes? Simple. As soon as God told the Israelites what to do "Tell the Israelites to move on" (vs. 15) the angel leading them and God's cloud moved behind them - not just to protect them from the Egyptians on the attack coming to take their lives, but to test their faith in Him. God gave them directions and then wanted to see what they did - obey or turn in their lives to the Egyptians. Often times we are here - right where the Israelites were - with an ocean in front of us and an army coming for our lives from behind; God just wants us to say "Yes, I will keep moving forward in faith, knowing You will fight for me".

"The people who accomplish the most astounding things for God's glory aren't the people who feel the least fear. Often they're the ones who deal with the most intense fear. But instead of letting that fear disable their dreams they start increasing their capacity for faith. They act on the part of God's direction they do understand. And they leave the rest up to Him." -Steven Furtick (Sun Stand Still )

I know you might be where I'm at, a place where I feel unsure why I'm still where I'm at in my birdcage. The bigger plans are written on the Etch A Sketch below me but I cannot get out of where I'm at and I know I'm suppose to be grounded but I don't understand. It's frustrating knowing where you want to be and what you want to see in your life. Waiting. Such a hard verb to live up to. Birdcages are temporary homes. We were not created to live comfortably in defined spaces. The day you chose to follow Jesus was the day you gave up your rights to be satisfied with being comfortable. You are an exile in this world, this is not your home - no wonder you feel so out of place compared to the world. Keep waiting. Waiting does not mean stop - it means close your eyes, open your ears, take a step, and trust Him.

I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait- (the brilliant) C.S. Lewis.

One last thought - last night upon driving back home I saw a sign that said " Keep moving forward. Wait until later to change lanes" ....bam. You will be on a different road someday, and sometimes we change lanes too soon and miss the stop God wanted us to get at using the other path. Don't miss out on what He has for you now just because you are so anxious to get in the other lane. Keep your ears open for His voice and in the right season, at the perfect time, you'll reach the desires of your heart.