Junior Birdmen

Each year at our Washington State Moms in Prayer Getaway, I read a story to everyone—a child's story—related to our theme. This year, our theme was "Soar" so the book I read was "I Soar," by Kristina Kaufman. Just prior to story time, as I was coming down the hall into the lobby of Rainbow Lodge Retreat Center towards the meeting room, a magazine rack by the fireplace caught my attention. Right there in plain view was an issue of National Geographic (September 2011, to be exact) with the question blazing across its cover, "Can We Fly?"  I picked it up, found the article, and you can read it here as well as see the photo: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/09/personal-flight/shute-text.

I couldn't resist taking it with me, because after the story, we were to sing together a fun song from the late 1930s, Junior Birdmen, used by the US Bureau of Air Commerce to promote learning to fly. I had revised the song to fit our theme:

Up in the air Junior Birdman

Up in the air way up high
Up in the air Junior Birdman
Don't you know it's time to fly?

When you hear the grand announcement

That your wings are made to SOAR
Then you know Junior Birdman
It's time to get up off the floor!

When you feel the Wind escalating

Extend out your wings
Then you'll SOAR Junior Birdman
As with praises your heart sings!

If you've never heard the song, you can Google it and come up with all sorts of info…and some very cute videos.

The point is, YOU, a believer and follower of Jesus—YOU, a child of the One True King—are made to SOAR!

The prophet Isaiah wrote, “...the strength of those who wait with hope in the Lord will be renewed. They will SOAR on wings like eagles. They will run and won’t become weary. They will walk and won’t grow tired.” Isaiah 40:31 (GW)

Read carefully the words of Isaiah 40 and fill your thinking with hope. No matter what is happening in the world, in this country, in your city, or in your life, the Lord God is sovereign—absolutely sovereign over every detail. Nothing, absolutely nothing touches you without going through Him first. Sometimes those are tough words to digest. But, God is either sovereign or He isn't. Nothing in between!

That means in the good times and in the bad times, we can choose to wait on Him in hope, and when we choose that action of faith, we will SOAR over any storm. That is exactly what eagles do. They lean back into the wind and let it carry them. We can choose like the eagle to take advantage of the wind and allow God to take us up to see from His perspective and trust His glorious purpose, as Joseph did in Egypt, that He will work all things out for the good of those who love Him.

"Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]; Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (AMP)

Extend your wings and SOAR!