Did you ever have a time where you just need to be reminded of God’s love for you?
Do you know what I mean?
Something happens that shakes at your core.
It produces all kinds of emotions.
I know every one of you have experienced it.
Let me back up a bit.
When we were pastoring in Virginia, we lived on acres, surrounded by farmland. I loved it. I was one of those girls who grew up in a city, but longed for the country.
Every single day.
Seriously. Not a day passed that I didn’t try to figure a way to move to the country.
So when we lived on acres and acres pastoring in Virginia, I was one of the happiest ladies alive.
The first night we moved to our first pastorate I heard a weird sound. It was loud.
I had to ask someone what it was.
They said it was “tree frogs”.
{just like this little guy}
And I just gotta’ say that every single night those tree frogs serenaded me. I loved them. They are one of the most favorite sounds {to me}.
Ever.
Well when we moved to Colorado I never heard the sound of tree frogs again. And regularly I would think about their sound and my heart would long to hear them again.
Seven years have passed since we left our little place on 15 acres in Virginia.
And for seven years I have longed to hear their sound.
A few months ago I even mentioned to the Lord how much I missed the tree frogs.
And last week I returned from Africa.
It was a very difficult trip on many fronts.
Tuesday night {the night after returning home} as I was in my bathroom getting ready for bed, I heard something. I thought, “What is that noise?” I stopped and I’m sure my face looked perplexed. That was not crickets.
No indeed!
It was tree frogs!!
I could not believe it!!
{I started giggling with delight! And I almost started jumping up and down.}
We have lived on this little place for the better part of 4 years and not once had I ever heard a tree frog. Not once in the SEVEN years we have pastored here in Colorado.
And since last Tuesday, I have heard them every single night.
I have to believe that my Miracle-working, Mountain-moving, Awe-inspiring, Gasp-giving God moved a few tree frogs to the almost 6,500+ feet altitude of our 3 acre place.
Why would He do that?
Cause He knew that this girl of His needed a secret love gift.
Just for me.
Only from Him.
And for that I am forever grateful.
Cause sometimes a girl just needs to know that He loves that much.
Beautiful…I love the sound of frogs. It's the crickets that drive me crazy especially when they are in the house. Love and hugs
What a beautiful story, Linny…a secret love gift…I like it! Knowing how much God loves us is soo sooooooo important…as you know. Sending hugs and happy days enjoying your tree frogs 🙂
That's wonderful! 😀
In tears…oh how wonderful for the Lord to do that for you…..I know how you feel…I am longing for the Lord to do something like that for me…it has been a really rough year, so far.
Thanks for sharing.
Oh Linny, I love your spirit so much! I love how God works through you to always encourage me! Thank you for your posts so often! I can never wait to read the next post from you. Love Love Love reading your posts! So glad gave you this special blessing to help you feel His love this week! 🙂
I like that this post reminds me to ask God – to simply ASK Him. So many times I am busy wallowing in my pity party not realizing that I haven't taken my burden to the feet of our Lord. Isn't that terrible? Thank you Linny for reminding me to just ask for it – to talk to Him about the big and the small things that I long for in my life. Sometimes I am so busy with my loud thoughts that I am not quiet before our Father to even hear his response. And yes I love the singing of frogs by the creek where I grew up but now I live in the burbs on a third of an acre lot 🙂
Aw so beautiful, you got me smiling from ear to ear 🙂 Our God is good, just like that! 🙂
Everytime I come here, you give me chills. You give me the gift of learning of God's love for all of us. How He knows us so perfectly and wonderfully personal to do those special little things to let us know He cares. Thank you for sharing you heart once again. You bring so much joy to my day.
I'm laughing because before I even came here to leave a comment I knew if scrappy Quilter had already read this post she was going to mention her disdain for crickets! Sure enough, #1!
I've never heard frogs. But i'm glad they came back to you! Or rather were sent back to you!
That is just so like Him!!
I LOVE Him so much! He just delights in giving us good gifts. I had something happen on Easter Sunday. I am a sunshine-loving, warm-weather-girl to the core. We've been transplanted in Alaska for 13 years. Pacific Northwest + arctic climate = lots of clouds, lots of rain, lots of cold. We've been having many, many cloudy, gray, cold days lately. Although it seemed appropriate for Good Friday and then Saturday, I just prayed with tears for a sunny Resurrection Day. Sunday morning, our kitty woke me up very early. I literally jumped out of bed and ran (stumbled? it felt like running!) to go rescue the sourdough bread she'd gotten into. As I went down the hall, I passed through SUNSHINE STREAMING through the eastern windows! In the kitchen, I looked out the western windows to see the tops of the Birches as if they were aflame. It was the most gorgeous sunrise ever!! I stared with awe and just praised Him…because He is so good…and I knew He'd done that just because He loves me. He had that gift planned out…right down to using the kitty for my "alarm". It lasted all of 10 minutes, and then returned to the gray, dismal hues we've been experiencing. Oh but my heart was lighter! Oh how He loves us…
I am so glad you are able to here the frogs again! I live out in the country, and every night the peepers (tiny little frogs) come out and sing. Every night as I am going to bed I hear that sound and realize how blessed I am.
~Laura
That is so cool! God sure is sweet! 🙂
love this so so so much!
Don't know if our tree frogs look like that, but they are noisy…could send you a few…not too many I love them too!
Thank God for noticing the little things…guess we need to notice too and remember Who to thank!
What a lovely story!! Thank you, Lord.. for the small things that bring us comfort and joy!!
a.w.e.s.o.m.e.
oh that we would walk with Him daily, obey His calls, delight in His blessings and ASK for our heart's desires.
I've been praying for that sweet Russian boy since your post a few weeks ago. I had my small group of ladies also pray. I've been scouring the web looking for any recent updates. Do you know "the rest of the story?" I am confident God answered our prayers and I'd love to hear how it all worked out.
Thanks!
Melodie Monberg
Those reminders are so sweet. Sometimes the small things are the one's that bring us to our knees.
Brooke Annessa
http://www.theannessafamily.blogspot.com
God cares about the details, doesn't He? He lavishly loves us!
precious…detailed God!!!
I don't think we have tree frogs this far north (PA,) but I LOVE the spring peepers just like you love your tree frogs!
I am always so amazed (and a little jealous) of how God gives you little things to show you His love. Maybe I'm just a pessimist and miss the little things. haha!
So thankful that He sent you this love gift. Like a hug from Him! Love you so much Linny!
Your Dad is cool!
Today was one of those kind of days for me. I just needed to know in a tangible way that God has my back. I opened my email and this is what I found:
"Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end — Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” Isaiah 43:1b-4 (The Message)
I am pretty sure He couldn't have made it any clearer. 🙂
He is so good and so loving. It is the small things that mean the most. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story.
So wonderful! Something personalized at just the right moment just for you, straight from God…so cool!
I like those froggie eyes!
How neat! I love it. Thanks for sharing this story.
so two of your tree frogs (well just the regular green kind we have in sc) were on my door tonight. im NOT a fan of them, but it did remind me of you and had me come inside and go straight to your blog, to which i found the prayer and fasting day. i was just thinking that i needed a prayer day in my life, right about now! perfect timing