Chicks, snakes and Easter

Firstly, the lost has been found!  23 days after his great escape, and just after their first new chicken hatched that morning, Pretzel The Snake showed up.  The even better news is: he didn’t get near the chick.  After being fed (again ... NOT with live chicks) and drinking water for over a minute, he settled down in a quickly made enclosure that my Macgyver-like daughter designed after she pulled him out from under her pantry.  Because they bought another to replace him, they now have two snakes, and I have an elated granddaughter.  As of today, they have 22 new chicks and turkeys (poults), along with two dogs and two snakes living inside their home.  Although I am not nearly the animal lover those people are, visiting them is never boring.  

Do you ever ask yourself, “Am I walking the path I should be?”  or  “Am I in the job I’m supposed to be in?”  or (the question Pretzel may have asked himself), “What am I doing with my life?!”

Well, guess what?  The state of evaluation/reevaluation is ongoing, no matter what our age.

In a few weeks, my husband and I are moving to a smaller city, our goal being: to get geographically closer to these poultry and reptile-loving people.  We’ve all been praying about this for awhile and sometimes I wondered if their prayers matched ours, but guess what again?  God found us the place we need to be.  We won’t be camping on their doorstep, but we’ll be a much shorter drive away.

During my current packing of things not needed in the next few weeks, I found my high school report cards again.  This is glaring evidence that what I pursued as a career, for a majority of my life, made absolutely no sense.  I struggled with any and all math and science-related classes, but I gained stellar marks in anything involving Language Arts and writing. 

BUT - I didn’t take the teachers seriously and ignored those grades, because my only desire and obsession was to become a nurse.  I didn’t care that I might be travelling a more difficult and challenging road either.  Why?  Because God gave me the desire for it and, miraculously, a way to make that happen.  This proves again that nothing is too hard for Him - even the mathematical limitations of my brain.  

As I’ve read and said many times:  If He ordains it, He sustains it.

People might tell you what you “should do” or what they think is “best”, but a wiser idea is to talk to the One who knows the perfect plan for you.  Pray about it, wait and listen, and then act.  God will give you the peace you seek as you make decisions about your life - the little ones and the big ones - and at any age. 

If we belong to Him, He will lead us, and it won’t matter if it makes any sense, or if it battles with our intellect.  God will afford us everything we need to follow in the way He knows is GOOD for us.

Here’s the BEST ENCOURAGEMENT EVER, from the BEST BOOK EVER:

Psalm 37: 4-5 (NIV) says:  “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this …”

Romans 8:28 (KJV)  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”  (underlining mine)

If you're reading this, I pray you know the Saviour who wants to lead you in the life He’s designed just for you.  

Easter is the time we thank Jesus for the miracle of His sacrifice.  He came to earth, died on that rugged cross and rose again for me AND YOU.  His blood was spilt for US.

If you don’t know Him today, I pray that you’ll talk to Him right now.  Pray and ask for forgiveness.  He wants to forgive you and He'll help you turn away from anything that holds you down.  He’s listening all the time — waiting to show you His grace, mercy and love.  If you invite Him into your life today you will experience a freedom you’ve never thought possible. 

He died and rose again so that we can LIVE!  Really LIVE! 

Lets pray for one another!  

If you have anything specific that you’d like me to pray for, feel free to let me know.  I love to pray and I keep all requests confidential.  

AND ... the WINNER of a FREE book is -- someone I haven't heard back from yet so I cannot announce a name, but the draw has been done and if the person I've emailed will communicate with me, that would be GREAT!

Have a wonderful Easter weekend everyone!

Love,

Pattie