Christmas had come and gone, and now I faced the daunting task of "undecorating" the ranch.
Two Christmas trees needed to come down. Outdoor decorations had to be gathered. Furniture had to be moved back into place. Tubs of treasured decorations needed to be carried downstairs and stored away. There was work to do.
For two days, I climbed up and down the stairs, lifting, carrying, and rearranging. By the time I fell into bed each night, I was completely exhausted.
It never seemed this hard when my husband was here to do the heavy lifting. Now I faced it all alone. In the weariness, I found myself missing him in a different way.
Morning arrived, and I realized I hadn't moved all night. My body ached, but I also knew I was almost finished. Only one last task remained—the Christmas decorations at the entrance to our driveway.
I drove to the front gate and sat for a moment, pulling on my gloves before stepping into the cold Montana air. As I reached for the door handle, something caught my eye.
There she was.
It had been months since I had seen her. I had assumed she hadn't survived the winter. But standing in the distance was the deer with the broken front leg.
I watched as she hobbled toward me, limping with every painful step. Slowly, deliberately, she crossed in front of my vehicle and made her way through the snow-covered pasture.
Tears filled my eyes.
In the quietness, God whispered to my heart, "If I can take care of one lonely deer, don't you think I can take care of you?"
Immediately, my thoughts turned to one of my favorite promises: "Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26)
I was overwhelmed.
Of course He will take care of me. If my Heavenly Father watches over the birds and even a wounded deer with a broken leg, I can rest in the certainty that He is watching over me, too.
Just as that Scripture came rushing into my heart, so did the words of a Hillsong melody describing God's faithfulness to the Hebrew men in the fiery furnace:
"And I know I will never be alone. There is another in the fire standing next to me... And should I ever need reminding how good You've been to me, I'll count the joy come every battle, 'cause I know that's where You'll always be."
Whatever fire you may be walking through today, you are not facing it alone. The God who cares for wounded creatures and feeds the birds of the air is faithfully watching over you. He sees your weariness, knows your heart, and walks beside you every step of the journey.
Closing Prayer Father, thank You for the gentle reminders of Your faithful care that You place along our path. Help us to trust that if You lovingly watch over even the smallest of Your creation, You will surely carry us through every burden, every loss, and every fire until we are safely home in Your presence. Amen.