I  was delighted to visit the annex area of the prison on a Sunday afternoon.  This is the area where the inmates are on the work release program  and will soom complete their sentence.  The personal freedom within the unit has been earned and the atmosphere is less tense than the main prison.

The Lord had a special treat for me as several of us arrived.  One of the inmates who I had personally ministered to was leading the "prayer and share" group that afternoon.   The  ladies in my small group were "aglow" with sincerity, excitement, and appreciation of our Lord Jesus Christ.   They were encouraging and supportive of each other and very kind to us.   

It is hard to describe how this thrilled me.  The whole purpose of the Kairos Prison Ministry is the build the Body of Christ (the church) within the prison absent us (the free worlders).  We go in once a month to support the inmates but they are there every second of every day and must learn to support each other in mature Christian living and relationship with God.   What I experienced honored and glorified Him!

Well, I just loaded "Flying Backwards: Jon's Story of Ultimate Healing from Mental Illness" on Amazon via Kindle.  I am by fallen nature and harsh experience a very private person.  Displaying my personal history and multiple failures is a little terrifying and sacrificial on my part.  I have a new understanding of the expression, "every book is like your baby." 

However, desiring full time ministry and the backing of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a risky business and requires recognition of the difficulties, pain, and persecution that comes with it.  The relationship with the Living Lord makes it all worth while; those intimate moments when God communicates with you through whatever means He desires range from exhilarating  regarding encouragement to terrifying when correction is in order, but all through the filter of His love and for my benefit.

I have been praying for the next step in this journey and felt convicted that this was it.  I will submit and let God take it from here!  Prehaps another way to express this process is to paraphrase Dr. Ron Jensen friend and colleague of Dr. Bill Bright, God can never use a man or woman greatly until He has allowed them to be hurt deeply.  In that extreme desperation and pain we acknowledge the one true source of healing and comfort, the Lord Jesus Christ! 

Our Carolina Wren Family                       
Matthew 6:26
 Preparation, Persistence, Parenting, Provision, and
Praise!


  While our Heavenly father directs us to look at the birds of the
air as witness to how He provides for them to assure us of our provision by Him,
He does not direct us to inaction or hand outs.  As the farmers will say, “Pray for the
  harvest and say amen with your hoe”. 
We saw this in action as we witnessed the romance and nesting of a pair
of Carolina Wrens.


We first noticed the birds by their song as they were flitting
around our patio.  It appeared they
had decided to nest under the soffit of the house but then, we saw them
concentrating on an empty flower pot on a plant stand in the corner of the
patio.   Since spring was
  approaching, we were cleaning and clearing our patio and certainly making too
  much ruckus for our bird friends. 
Their nest was built but they were nowhere around. 
We thought we had scared them off.  


However, a month or two later my husband and I were witnesses to
the finishing of the nest building and ultimate flight of five wren chicks.  We identified the bird species as
Carolina Wrens as the parents finished their nest in the flower pot, at eye
level, on our patio.


We had never seen this particular bird on our patio before and
we learned this species mates for life and produces three to seven eggs at a
time.  They are a tiny bird with a
peculiar upturned tail.  We watched
  their mad dash to secure their nest despite our noise and
presence.


I noticed about a month ago the male and female birds again
visiting our patio and became accustomed to their song. 
“Teakettle, Teakettle”. 
 On an interesting side
note, only the male sings. Then, lo
and behold I saw the female bird enter the nest I had thought long
abandoned.  One day I peered into
  the nest and there she was just minding her own business. 
She was not thrilled with my curiosity.  I thought well now I had surely
frightened her away.


Several weeks later I peered into the nest to see one fragile
baby bird whose heart looked like it was beating right out of its chest.  I had not seen the parents feeding any
babies so I assumed it was the only one and would probably die. 



I grieved at the thought but consoled myself that Mother Nature
knows what can survive and what cannot.   I noticed every time I came out on the
patio or let our cat out,  the male
bird would sound a loud alarm.  His
neck would puff up and his whole body was engaged in the never ending screech as
long as we were present.


Then, one fine beautiful afternoon as I looked out my window a
tiny baby chick was perched, well, teetering,  on the edge of the nest. 
I excitedly told Mark the chick had survived after all. 



Five plump, healthy chicks emerged one by one.  That
first afternoon they couldn’t even stand up with any strength and their small
wings seemed glued to their sides. Their tails looked like one or two stubby
feathers.  But
mama and daddy hovered over each chick as they tried to move, preen their small
wings and flutter for maneuverability. 
After several hours of this activity all five retreated to their nest for
a night of recuperation.


At first light the family was at it again. 
Mama fed each chick as they struggled to gain their independence.   The chicks flew into our windows, fell
as they tried to hop with assurance, and flap their inadequate wings.  But slowly and surely the wings dried
out and short trips of flight became evident. The baby chicks would cuddle together,
and then fly back to the nest to recover. 
They experimented with the bird bath and which plant or limb that would
hold their weight or where they could perch without
falling.


The next few days one by one they flew away. 
Only one was left and we thought the parents had left him but they stayed
until he gained his confidence to fly.  



Jesus told us of God’s provision for the birds in Matthew
6:26.  However, the birds did their
part, they prepared the nest in a secure location, were persistent in its
  construction, and parented their brood with skill and provision which resulted
  in successful flight training for the chicks. All the while, daddy bird was singing a
song.  I believe a song of praise
for his creator which continually reassured and encouraged his
brood.


It entered my mind that if God can give birds with the brains
the size of a pea those kind of nurturing instincts, how much much more has he
given us!!