The swans didn't know what we had planned

There are always fun adventures working at camp. One of the most recent adventures included a couple of swans that were donated to camp.

After learning that swans need to live in an enclosed space for a few weeks when they're in a new environment, the guys set up a fence in the lake for the new family members.

Side note, the swans were named Jack and Diane after John Mellencamp's song. But don't feel bad if you have no idea who that is – I didn't until these swans came into our lives, which resulted in gasps and wide eyes of unbelief.

After a few weeks, the big moment of cutting the fence came, and we all excitedly gathered around the enclosure. It was like Jack and Diane knew something was up, because they began to press against the fence, appearing frightened.

The boys cut away at the fence and began pulling at it, creating an opening. With bated breath, we all watched as the swans ... went to the opposite corner of the cut-away fence. What were they doing?

They were so nervous about all the attention and now cheers and instructions from these well-meaning humans, that they pushed harder and harder against the other end of the fence. Soon, feathers were flying off from their struggle.

With one side of the fence still in the ground and the other side in the hand of one of the guys who cut the fence, the opening grew larger as he pulled at it, hoping Jack and Diane would see the opening and swim under it. As he pulled the fence higher, the side in his hand twisted upwards, giving Jack the chance he had been looking for.

But instead of swimming under the fence where the opening was, Jack stepped on top of the side of the fence that was twisted upwards, and he started climbing up the fence, wings beating furiously.

At this, we all burst into laughter. His attempt to climb higher was painful to watch, but he eventually made it up and over with Diane close behind him. Talk about working harder, not smarter!

And yet there was something vaguely familiar about the situation. This might be a stretch, but bear with me.

We can all struggle with feeling trapped where we are in the present. The next step couldn't feel farther away from us at times. It's like we've been swimming around in this fenced-off section of a lake. We can see what's out there: a big, beautiful lake. It looks endless from where we are.

But this fence called the present. It's holding us back from something amazing. We don't know why we're trapped here. We're told it's only for a time, that it won't always be like this. Do we really believe that?

I was struggling with contentedness one afternoon more so than normal, and God spoke to me in a quiet whisper. He said, "If only you knew what I had planned for you."

Wow. I was not expecting that. Like Jack and Diane, I could not see the whole picture. I still don't know what the future holds.

But I know one thing. I won't fight against the fence. When God's perfect timing opens the hole in the fence, I won't be so obsessed with getting out of my current circumstance that I miss the opening. I don't want to search so desperately for a way out that I leave God out of the equation and make my own plans for the future.

Not only does that make everything more dramatic and much harder, but it tells God that I think I know better than He does. How arrogant does that sound?

Also, I want to point out that if we look at our circumstances, we'll see how blessed we truly are. God does not just drop us somewhere and expect us to tread water. There are always people, places and situations to be thankful for.

So what is your fence? Is it your singleness? Your job? Your neighborhood? Whatever it may be, know that God desires for you to hear one thing: If only you knew what He had planned for you. Maybe then we would stop struggling, and we would enjoy the here and now.  

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Psalm 86:11-13

How often do we simply read the words in front of us without letting them truly sink in? Or we say things flippantly because we know it's the "Christian thing" to say? If you read the verses below, are they something you can truly mean? Or are they just Christian phrases that have a nice ring to them?

Psalm 86:11-13 ~ "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave."

I think the two hardest aspects of these verses are the request for an undivided heart and the statement of praising God with all my heart.

If I ask for an undivided heart, does that mean I have to give up the things that might be in battle for Christ's spot in my heart? The hard truth is: absolutely yes. Which is why that statement is like a smack in the face. Am I willing to pray this and mean it? I sure hope so.

If I tell God I will praise Him with my whole heart, does that mean I have to stop giving my heart, time and energy to things that pull my attention away from my Savior? Again, the hard truth would be that, yes, I do.

But once I get past the things that I think bring me pleasure in the moment, I realize that my attention is much better spent giving my whole heart to the One who delivered me from the depths of the grave.

How I left what I love most behind me

When I was younger, I would read "God sets the lonely in families" found in Psalm 68:6 and think how lucky I was to grow up in a family of seven. For someone who loves to be around people, this promise rang true in my life.

Growing up with four siblings, two loving parents and a dog who was always around to play with, my family was by my side through thick and thin. My siblings are my best friends, and my parents are two of the wisest people I know. 

But a year out of college has taken me 10 hours away from my family, and I often wonder what God is thinking. While I could be described as an independent soul, and I don't often feel homesick, I do sometimes feel family-sick. 

I ache at the thought of my niece growing up recognizing me mostly from pictures. I hate knowing two of my sisters plan for a bachelorette party for a third sister, something I won't be able to attend. 

When I thought of everything and everyone carrying on with life without me, I cried out in the words of Peter, "I have left everything to follow You!" My cry, however, flew out somewhat bitter, and I immediately heard His calm and loving response of, "Why should I expect anything less?"

In that moment, knowing that following Jesus meant doing whatever it took to obey Him took on a new meaning. If you know there is something or someone in your life that you fear living without, here are a few things to think about. 

• Jesus might ask you to give up what you love most to see if you are willing to follow Him, no matter the cost. 
•  Leaving behind something important to you means you place it at the foot of the cross instead of idolizing it and setting it above Christ in your heart.
• Stepping out of the comfort zone of whatever you love most allows you to strengthen your faith and lean on Him more than you have in the past. 

Jesus explains in Matthew 19:29 that anyone who has left their family or their possessions to follow after Him will inherit eternal life. Knowing you are obeying God despite the difficulties provides comfort in moments of weakness.

So while I left my family behind me on the East Coast, fancy inventions like telephones and Skype, along with cars and airplanes, have enabled me to keep in touch with my best friends and continue to gain wisdom from my parents. 

And God is showing His faithfulness by providing me with a church family and a work family, both made up of people I wouldn't trade away for anything. 

In response, then, to my outburst of telling Jesus what I have left behind for Him, He reminded me that I am not called for anything less than that. We are not called to give just some of what we love. We are not called to follow him halfheartedly. We are called to place everything at His feet and follow Him. No matter what.