Hello everyone!
I was talking to a friend yesterday about being a chicken sometimes. I think we all have our “chicken” moments. Fear is something we all fight against, especially in having to do things that didn’t turn out well for us in our past experience. Yet the Lord was showing me that being a chicken isn’t always a bad thing.
When baby chickens are in the shell, they feel safe. The shell is their protection from the world. All animals have their own place that they instinctively run to when afraid. I have a few groundhogs that live on my property and as soon as they hear a noise, or see me, they run back into their hole.
As humans, don’t we do the same thing at times? If life seems overwhelming, or even downright scary at times, don’t we run into our “shells” to protect ourselves? We want to isolate ourselves from the things happening around us. We stay in our homes to protect ouselves, even though it means when we do this we don’t grow – we can’t overcome.
I believe this is a time for many of us to come out of the shell we have built for ourselves and spread our wings. We could have a cage of fear, poverty mentality, even being afraid of doing the assignment God asked of us. Our shell becomes a cage of false protection. When we do this, we are not living – just existing. God wants us to spread our wings and fly!
What we don’t realize is that God has great things for us and we need to get out of the cage we made for ourselves in order to walk in His promises. His promises are waiting for us to be ready to go forth in confidence – with the mindset of – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The promises have been there all the time – waiting for us to burst through the shell that confines and binds us! By breaking out of our shell, we break forth His promises too. We can’t be birthed without His promises being birthed as well.
It takes great strength for the baby chick to keep poking at the shell. However each time he tries, he gets stronger. Each crack is a small victory. Each of our victories makes a crack in the shell. Each victory weakens the cage of fear that has us bound, and strengthens us for the next crack. As we are strengthened, the shell is weakened.
Let’s all break out of our shells and run to the One whose wings will cover us with His protection. (Psalm 91:4) Our confidence, strength, and forward moving will show we have faith in the Lord to protect and take care of us. Spread your wings and be free!
Blessings, Evelyn
Hi Evelyn,
It is so true–we naturally gravitate to the easy solution which comforts us for the moment, but when we take the effort to tackle the courageous thing, the blessings that follow last forever.
I just picked up your book again–so many insightful items that He gives you!
Love, Pat
Dear Pat,
Thank you Pat for your response. I think we all, at times, want to take the chicken route. Jesus must smile when we overcome the tendency to hide. We’ve had a lot of company – for example, we read about Jonah and see what happens when we run away, and not to, Him
I’m glad “Lessons I learned from the Lord” is still nourishing you! I have to read it again myself every so often to be reminded of the nuggets of wisdom that He gives us.
Blessings,
Evelyn
Dear Evelyn,
Again, your words from the Lord spoke directly to me, confirming that it is time to break free of the past, of fear, of all that binds me and fly joyfully and freely in Him wherever He leads.
I think the key point is that there is a huge difference between building our own shells, which in truth does not protect us but just isolates us and keeps us in fear, bondage, and being all G-d calls us to be vs. being in the constant protection of El Shaddai. It is only when we are in Him that we are truly safe and free.
Thanks again — your words are always so perfect and timely. Praise the Lord!!!
I hope that there will be lots of discarded egg shells as we, G-d’s children, break free in live safe in Him.
G-d bless you!!!!!
Dear Sherry,
Great point! And so true – our own shells cause isolation which is not what the Lord would have for us. How wonderful that our Daddy keeps us in the shelter of His wings, safe and secure. I can remember when I was a little girl, coming in from playing out in the snow, how my Grandma would put my cold hands under her arms to warm them. Isn’t that just what the Lord does for us – put our cold fears under His wings to warm us!
Thank you for sharing – you have great insight.
Blessings, Evelyn
Good message, Evelyn. I’ve been reading in the book of Joshua. There is much in that book about stepping out bravely in faith.
Hi Ev,
What beautiful gifts the Lord has given you…the gift of hearing His sweet voice, the gift of desire to share it with others and the gift of just the right words to so eloquently express it all! I am always ministered to in some way by your writings! Thank You Ev…
You’re Loving Friend, Kath
Dear Maude,
Yes, it’s so true – and God tells him – “Do not fear, be of good courage”. How we need to remember those words and apply them to us!
Thank you Maude for responding.
Blessings,
Evelyn
Dear Kath,
Thank you so much for your encouraging words. It’s God’s heart for us to comfort and encourage one another – and you do that all the time! I know you are a such blessing to me and to many others!
Blessings, Evelyn
Dear Ev,
How interesting that this blog came up on my orphanage Facebook page when I put in the link to your new blog, “Home Free”. I figured G-d wanted me to read it and so I did. How interesting this is. I re-read this blog and then my comments. I wrote, “Again, your words from the Lord spoke directly to me, confirming that it is time to break free of the past, of fear, of all that binds me and fly joyfully and freely in Him wherever He leads.” Yes, G-d was telling me to take refuge in Him and to break free of the past, etc. because He knew that just a few months later He would be calling me to build Him an orphanage in Ethiopia. I needed to break out of my shell and begin to fly so G-d could fly me all the way to Ethiopia. I also wrote at the time this blog was posted, “your words are always so perfect and timely”. WOW! I am again blown away by the Lord and by how He used you at just the right time to come out of my shell, take refuge in Him, and to spread my wings and fly.
May this testimony not only glorify our amazing G-d but encourage you in your ministry — thank you again for being the voice of the Lord that speaks in a way I can hear Him and at just the right time.