Elephants and Ladybirds

[photo taken at Kruger National Park, SA. From a very excited tourist vehicle!!]

Recently I had the amazing opportunity to go on safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa. I have wanted to go on safari for as long as I can remember, and it was an incredible experience. I loved it! We saw some amazing animals, lions, crocodiles, hippos, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, monkeys, buffalo, and a cheetah! But, the animals that I loved the most, were the elephants. My friends and I had prayed in the morning and had given God a huge list of all the things we wanted to see. He did not disappoint us ;-) But the elephant experience was one I will never forget. We were driving along a bumpy dirt road in the middle of the Kruger when we heard a rustling. We stopped the vehicle and to our amazement, about 30 [I'm not kidding] elephants came out of the bush. We were surrounded!! There were squeals of sheer excitement coming from our vehicle, cameras flashing, everyone elbowing each other to get the best shot, it was a blast. The thing that struck me was the size of them. They were absolutely MASSIVE!! I wanted to get out and stroke them all because they just looked so cute, but I decided not to when I saw one hit the car in front of us with his trunk and almost sent it flying into the depths of the bush!! They were so big yet it was as if their feet were made of marshmallows. The baby elephants were adorable too, like little 'Dumbo's'. I used to be in love with Giraffes, but now I've seen elephants in the wild, I'm in love with then too!

This week I was waiting in queue to be seated at a restaurant. I was so hungry and was slightly irritated that the guy on the desk was taking so long to seat the queue in front of us. I tried to block out my hunger pains [I mean seriously, I need to learn more patience when it comes to food, some people in the world are starving, literally! And here I was getting irritated!], and found myself staring at the back of the man in front of me. As I was staring, a very small ladybird flew and landed on him. I began to watch as it climbed up the mans back, up his neck and across his head [haha]. I almost flicked it off, but then thought maybe that wouldn't be the best idea, so I just watched the little red insect with black spots on. I was aware of how small it was. Suddenly, it flew away and I could no longer see it.

Today I was reading the beautiful passage in Matthew 6:25-34. Jesus is telling us not to worry about ANYTHING because He will take care of us. He talks about the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. He reminds us that He cares so wonderfully for the birds and flowers, that of course, He will care for us even more.

I began to think of the huge elephants in South Africa and the small ladybirds in England, and was again reminded that God CARES about every area of our lives. He is interested in the BIG things, and the small things. Both are just as important to Him.

I wonder if we have faith for God to move in the big areas of our lives. If we have faith for Him to move big mountains and big obstacles, yet to ask Him to meet a small basic need seems a bit silly. Well, no! God is interested in YOU, every part of you and your life. And He wants to provide, care for and intervene in the big things as well as the small things. 

My prayer is that we wouldn't be so foucussed on the end result of the mountain moving prayers, that we forget to surrender our daily lives to His care. No prayer is insignificant to God, He hears it all. He knows how many hairs are on your head, He knows you by name, and you are His!

Let's not be so focused on believing for our big miracle, that we miss the miracle that is actually daily being outworked.

Recently I was in a situation where I was believing God for a miracle [and when I say 'believing for a miracle' I mean the on your face before God, declaring EVERY scripture you know, pouring your heart out, doing everything you can spiritually and physically, waiting for Him to move kind of believing!]. Anyway, as I was trusting God for a miracle, I was so very aware that I was actually in the middle of a miracle. I saw the protective hand of God on my life in a way I'd never experienced. That was a miracle! I witnessed His favour and blessing in the midst of devastation. That was a miracle! I experienced supernatural peace in the strongest of storms, and I literally walked through evil fires without even the smell of smoke on my hair! A miracle!!

Our God is so good. Our God is faithful.

A couple of weeks ago I needed some toiletries [a basic need right?]. Well, a lovely lady dropped a bag at my house full of hotel toiletry samples. I was so blessed and had to smile because I knew my God was again, providing for me. 

God is interested in the BIG and the SMALL, and EVERYTHING in between.

Let's never forget that He loves us. He is interested in our lives. He wants to walk through life with us. He is our protector and our provider. I'm determined to look for the miracles in each day, and trust God with the BIG, and the small.

As we open our eyes, we WILL see the goodness and faithfulness of God in the land of the living, and we WILL witness miracles!

What miracles are before our eyes today?