Out On a Limb!

Out there.

out on a limb 2 blessed devotional -2-2016 That’s how I felt when my boss informed me I needed to leave my store and become manager at another location.

This was not something I was seeking.

This isn’t even something I wanted.

I found myself precariously perched, not quite sure of what I was getting into and rather reluctant to leave my “pharmacy phamily” of co-workers I love and patients I’ve established long-lasting relationships with.

“Sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do for your own good.”

My eighteen-year-old said that with a smirk during my initial state of “unrest.” I contemplated tapping him not so gently on his smug little head. I’ve said those very words to him more than once this year.

I get so annoyed when he turns my own words on me.

Especially when he is right.

The nest in the photo is actually in my front yard. I noticed it once the leaves fell. I’ve taken various shots of it for a couple of months now, clueless of how it would eventually minister to me.

Initially, it looked like a precarious spot for precious eggs. It is far removed from the trunk of the tree. I was thinking those particular bird parents may not have been that bright.

Then today, I saw that nest in a different light.

out on a limb 3 blessed devotional -2-2016 We had stormy weather not long ago. Twigs and trash were flung about. I even found a portion of one downspout far in the yard.

Then I looked up to find this nest unmoved. It was secure enough not to have fallen several stories to the ground below.

The limb can support the nest, yet isn’t strong enough to support the weight of neighborhood hawks or curious kitties.

Sometimes we may feel like we’ve been left “out there” but what if  “out there” is for our own good?

What if our “limb” supports us but not the weight of things that would weigh us down like fear or doubt?

What if being pulled away from all we know forces us to look up to God instead of giving our attention to things beneath us figuratively and literally such as bad habits or outdated thinking?

Sometimes, if we won’t seek out our best, God will certainly push us into it.

These situations either mature us as we trust God or ignite the worst in us as we struggle to manage on our own.

It is often when we are pushed to the edge, we discover what God can do and what we are capable of with Him.

I learned long ago my comfort is hardly God’s priority. However, fueling my faith and teaching me to trust and obey are.

feathered friend devotinal 1-2016 Maybe I’m not so much out on a limb as being nudged out of my nest.

It may well be the very thing that teaches me to fly.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:25 NIV

By Lilka Finley Raphael

Author, Editor, Gardner, Photographer, Pharmacist

22 comments

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  5. So beautiful Lilka. I love your analogy. It gets harder as we go through life, I think, to feel excited by such changes, yet as I’m so often reminded, the harder these changes seem, the more blessings they bring. I pray you find peace and joy as you take flight in this new adventure ❤

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      1. Thank you Lilka…I’m praying. You too! Mother’s Day here on Sunday, but won’t see my boys until next weekend… 🙂 Sending peace, love and blessings to you my friend ❤

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  6. Sometimes, when God leads us to a door, we hesitate to open it. I’ve been there before, and my response has been, “Really, God? There?” But I’ve always gone where He has sent me. You know He will equip you for this next step – get ready to fly, girl! 😀

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  9. It just never ceases to amaze me how reading your posts is so much like unwrapping a beautifully wrapped present.
    Never knowing exactly what’s inside, but being assured under the all the layers of pretty paper, is a wonderful gift..!!
    Blessings friend…

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    1. You flatter me and I’ll admit it is a very nice way to start my day! Coming from a poet such as yourself, that means a lot. Sometimes I just don’t know what is going to end up on that page…
      Peace and love to you! Enjoy your weekend 🙂 Always a pleasure to “see” you!

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