Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. By the time I stepped outside this morning the sun was already up and the world was already stirring. This morning was like stepping into a movie with everything already in motion and the critters of all kinds were enjoying the farm before me. I spotted this bird on a limb but I snapped the picture a split second too late. She was resting on this tiny broken twig that was barely hanging onto a large oak tree. Of all the places the bird could have landed, she picked the end of an (almost) fallen twig – probably the most vulnerable place of all. I’m not sure if birds get scared, or if this one in particular, was unsure of itself at all, but it reminded me of the Journey of Faith and how some people make it to the end of the twig and then fly away before God has a chance to “show up. Isn’t that just like my God to drive a Message into the Heart using a bird and a tiny twig?

If people would only spend more time waiting for God and the unfolding of His Master Plan INSTEAD of trying to intellectualize their circumstances, we would see more Warriors for Jesus Christ and fewer people of Faith spinning around in circles with no Direction at all. I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard someone say “I know God wants me to…(fill in the blank)” – yet when I ask why they aren’t doing what God wants them to do, they always point fingers at God for not providing what they need to do what He “wants” them to do. I’m not the brightest bulb on earth by far, but I am absolutely confident that when God Calls us into Action He WILL always make a way. So, either they stepped out onto the twig – that vulnerable place – and flew away before they saw the Master Plan revealed OR God never “told” them anything in the first place. Before you know it, they’re off to the next twig and they’ll sit there briefly before they fly away to the next thing God “told them” to do…and lather, rinse, repeat. Flying away the second fear sets in or Intelluctualizing the circumstances (before we flee) takes NO FAITH at all! It’s ONLY when we’re willing to step out onto the twig and remain there until He makes the way that our Faith is built and our Journey is fulfilled.

Being out on the end of a twig isn’t scary at all as long as we focus on Him instead of our circumstances. After all, we know through the Testimonies of the long line of Saints that came before us that He is an 11th-hour God. God likes to be Glorified and there is no better way to get your attention and drive you into a Testimony than to make you wait until it is crystal clear that the Outcome could ONLY be GOD. Sitting out on that vulnerable twig is an important part of the Journey of Faith. Unfortunately, many people professing to Know Jesus fly away far too soon and they’ll fly around in circles all the days of their lives waiting for the Details and Direction their intellect needs. When Moses was out on a twig and faced with a sea too big to cross and a long line of angry people, He didn’t analyze the situation and then fly away because it made no sense. Instead, he cried out to God…and then God showed up at the 11th hour! He parted the sea, devoured the enemies, and delivered millions of His people and all of their livestock to dry ground. Look at God! He could easily have rerouted the Israelites to avoid the sea altogether but God chose to test them instead just so that He could be Glorified! If Moses had faltered while out on that twig…had Moses chosen to fly away because the circumstances didn’t make sense, the entire outcome of the Journey would have been changed forever and God wouldn’t be glorified. The treasures are found on the tips of the vulnerable twigs.

I’ve found myself at the end of a vulnerable twig plenty of times in my Life. In my earlier walk with Jesus, I intellectualized my circumstances and I’d fly away long before the Blessings out of fear or impatience. Today, I Know that the Greatest Testimonies are formed on the end of vulnerable twigs and that being out there is a place of Honor…not horror – that is IF we don’t fly away too soon…if we don’t succumb to fear…if we don’t try to figure out what God is doing…if we’re willing to step out onto that twig in absolute Faith…AND if we Trust Him to make a way when there seems to be no way. If you’re too scared to step out onto the twig, just stand by and watch me! I’ll be singing out on the twig and I won’t fly away before God makes His Master Plan for me perfectly clear AND I’ll be ready to share my Testimony from out on the twig and beyond.

How about you?