Three days ago, this Nanny left the herd to have her twins, deep in a briar and shrub covered thicket. When we finally found them, we agreed to leave them there for a few days, because it was an awesome little nursery. It had a natural wind break, warm tall grasses for the babies to lie in, and it was close to plenty of food and water. It was also close enough that both Judah and Holly (the livestock guardian dogs), kept an eye on them as well.
Cold temperatures are one thing, but rain and cold temperatures, can drain the body heat out of these tiny babies incredibly fast. So, I stomped through the briars and the brush to see if I could find them before the rain got here. As I approached, I could see the mother, and for a moment, I thought that maybe something had happened to the babies. I couldn’t see them anywhere. As I approached, I thought, “what a smart mom!” She had them down in a ravine where they were safe from the wind, could still get sunlight, and were out of sight while she grazed.
They were comfortable, but they needed to move. Aren’t we like that sometimes? Don’t we get comfortable in our routines and want to stay there? Just as I knew these babies needed to move due to the approaching storm, God sees our storms before we even realize there is a cloud in the sky, and he makes provision for us.
This mother was not happy when I gathered up her babies and started walking back to the pasture. She couldn’t understand that moving her babies was for their own good. It was uncomfortable, but necessary. Sometimes God puts us in situations that will force us to move, or to grow, but just like this mama, we don’t see the benefits.
So if you are experiencing difficult times, just know that God may be moving you to higher ground (physically, emotionally, or spiritually). We must trust him, because as we are told in Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Once Mom and babies reached the final destination, Mom realized that the end result was much better than she anticipated, although the journey itself wasn’t very pleasant (for her or me)! If you are in a storm right now, just know that God saw your storm coming while the sun was still shining. He has a plan. Move forward in faith, because He is our shelter in the storms of life and He is in control!??