Where Do You Seek Refuge?

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Recently, I had an incident happen that left me quite rattled.

Anxious. Frustrated. Uneasy. Angry.

Those emotions just followed me into the days ahead like a dark shadow. I was on edge for a week. I couldn’t help but to become paranoid, just waiting on another attack. Someone had used my bank’s phone number, called me during business hours, acting like they were with the bank’s fraud department. They put on a good act of trying to reassure me that they were trying to help me by stopping the fraud charges on my account, when in reality they were the imposers trying to do just the opposite. Talk about feeling violated, I did. Why can’t people use their skills for good? Why choose what is evil and no good? There is a better way and it starts with one named Jesus. As mad as I was, I just kept thinking, you know, Jesus died on the cross for them too. I am not going to lie, I wanted to pray that God would send some punishment their way, but instead chose that he would open their eyes to his truth.

People can take away many things from us here on earth. Our material belongings. Our trust. Our money. They can even try to steal our identity. Along with that they can disrupt our peace and joy if we let them.

But one thing they cannot take from me is Jesus. I am his child. The day I believed on him as my Savior, and asked for his forgiveness, I became secured.

When the troubles of this world come pressing in from every side, I can rest knowing he is with me. He is my strength. He is my refuge. If all I have is Him, that is more than enough.

This past week, he reminded of the killdeer bird. Every summer, we have these birds that make nest in our driveway. Sadly, most eggs never hatch. Between predators and car tires, the survival rating is pretty low. One summer though, one made a nest up close to our house. It was out of reach where my dogs couldn’t bother it, but close enough to them, that the dogs were a deterrent for other predators. I believe she ended up with 5 eggs. They blend into the gravel so well, so I put up property marker flags to help protect them from getting ran over. I checked on them daily and finally the moment came where the babies started to hatch. I have never seen anything so adorable. They look just like their parents, just much smaller. They had only been welcomed into this big ol’ world a day or two, when we had a heavy, torrential rain. I was worried about them, but wasn’t sure I could do much to help. I remember looking out and seeing that brave, little momma bird with her wings out a bit, so all her babies could find refuge under them. It was the sweetest thing. She was getting pelted by hard rain, but yet she stood there protecting her little ones. My mind instantly went to Psalm 91:4. How great it is that we have a Heavenly Father who we can find refuge in when life’s storms press down on us.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. Psalm 91:4

I hope things are going smooth right now in your life. If your like me and have had a few potholes & speed bumps in your path, don’t try to go through it alone. God is with us and he offers you a place of refuge, don’t turn it away. This world and its troubles are growing worse each day it seems. I desire a safe place and God is that for me. I pray you can say the same. Life’s trials are much easier to walk through when you walk through them with God.

Here is a picture of the 4 killdeer babies that did survive. So sweet!

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W