Does God Watch Over Us?

Many moons ago, my husband and I were the caretakers of a 400-acre ranch in the Hill Country of Texas. Here's a story from those days and the lesson we learned from it.

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2014 was not a good year for our sheep. We started losing lambs in February, and it didn't stop until April. Coyotes, bobcats, and even some wild hogs killed every single lamb that was born during the winter and spring. It was a sad, depressing time for us. Each day we would hop into the 4-wheeler to check on the sheep, wondering who would be missing from the group. I'd taken to naming the babies as they were born, but after Gimpy, Valentine, and Junior all went missing, I stopped giving them names. It was just too hard on my heart. When the easy-pickings-lambs were gone, the predators started on the ewes. Our herd dwindled to what we referred to as "the lucky thirteen." 

Thirteen terrified, unhappy survivors.

Blackbelly Barbado sheep

Hubby, aka Mighty Hunter, and I knew we had to do something or else the entire flock would be wiped out, but what? How do you protect sheep on 400 open acres of land, bordered by property dense with trees, where all manner of predators live? We tried traps, snares, hired guns, and cameras, but still the sheep disappeared one by one. 

One day I was reading about sheep and shepherds online and came across an article about llamas. Specifically, guard llamas. Llamas have a natural alertness to their surroundings. They dislike dogs and are not afraid to attack a coyote or any other predator that threatens. The more I read, the more I liked the idea of a guard llama, so I passed the information on to the property owners. 

It was soon decided we needed a llama! 

A week later, Jaxx arrived at the ranch. We moved him and the sheep to an enclosed pasture so they could bond. And you know what? We haven't lost one sheep since that day! Our herd is now up to 35 sheep, with all kinds of sweet babies. They are happy, content, and not the least bit afraid. Instead of staying huddled together in a tight group, they spread out to graze and bask in the sunshine. The lambs love "Uncle Jaxx" and follow him around when their mama's are busy eating. 

It's amazing what a difference one year and one llama made!

I can't help but think about how our Good Shepherd is always watching over us the way Jaxx watches over the sheep. Like our sheep, we are often in danger even when we don't realize it. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that our adversary, Satan, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. In Job 1:7, Satan describes how he stays busy: "...going to and fro on the earth, and walking up and down on it." You and I know he is doing his best to wreak havoc in our lives while he's here!

Like our sheep, we need a protector. We need someone who will stay alert to dangers we can't see or anticipate. We need someone who isn't the least bit afraid of the enemy and is willing to do battle for us. I don't know about you, but I need someone who will keep his eye on me 24/7/365 so I don't find myself in trouble!

Psalm 23 is a perfect picture of what we need.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;

he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid,

for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me

in the presence of my enemies.

You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord

forever.

On those days when you wonder if God is watching over you...on those days when you're frightened and feel alone...on those days when you sense the enemy is near...know without a doubt God is right there. He will never leave you nor forsake you. All you have to do is trust Him.

Rest in that peace.

Blessings,

  ~Michelle

  

The gang.

Seven Chickens and a Llama

And fifteen sheep. We don't want them to feel left out.

It's funny, the lessons God can teach you using the strangest things. Like sheep. Like chickens. And, yes, even a llama. I've shared some of my sheep-lessons with you already, but I thought I'd pass on some chicken and llama wisdom to you today. And if you'll indulge me a bit, I'll show you that we are more like these critters than you realize.

Trust is a big deal when it comes to raising animals.They need to learn that their caretakers are trustworthy. Sometimes that takes time; sometimes it's just a natural thing. Jaxx the Llama gave us his full trust from the get-go. Of course, he'd been raised with human contact, so it wasn't a stretch for him to accept us, especially with a bag of sweet feed in our hands. But even so, in the two months we've had him, he's learned that we represent good things. He'll come galloping across the pasture when he hears the ATV, knowing we'll have a treat for him. He isn't hesitant at all and sometimes won't even wait until we come to a stop before sticking his nose into the bucket he knows is in the bed. Had he not trusted us or thought we were a threat, we would no doubt be covered in llama spit and even risk injury from his sharp hooves.

LESSON FROM JAXX: Put your trust fully in your Caretaker. He knows your needs. He has good things waiting for you. Don't doubt Him. Don't hesitate to run to Him. Let Him love on you. You may have known God your whole life or be fairly new in your faith. Either way, you know your trust is well placed. But if you have trouble trusting God for whatever reason, dare I suggest you become a bit llama-ish? The blessings are sure to follow.

"But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence." Jeremiah 17:7 (NLT)

Jaxx and me. Isn't he adorable?!

The chickens---hereafter referred to as the girls---arrived at our post office, tiny, three-day-old balls of fluff. I ordered them long before they hatched though, preparing for them like an expectant mother. They required a ton of care and depended on me completely for survival. Like a newborn baby is helpless to care for itself, so too were these babies. They didn't have their mama. They had me. And still do. When I greet them in the mornings, the girls chatter and dance and scurry around, excited that I've finally arrived. Sure, I'll give them a treat or two, but even when I don't have a snack they are happy to see me. One of my favorite things to do in the evenings is to sit with them, letting them hop on and off my lap, chatting away about all kinds of things. I love my girls and they love me.

LESSON FROM THE GIRLS: God has been with us from the moment we were born. He saw us even before we hatched and made plans for us. Just as I won't leave the girls on their own for survival, God won't leave us on our own. He will protect us from the foxes and hawks that want to destroy us. He'll bring us treats as well as provide our daily needs. The happiest part of your day will be when you sit quietly with Him, enjoying His presence "in the cool of the day." He may even let you sit on his lap.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16

Fluff balls!

Georgie and I have the best conversations! 

Back on March 7, I asked you a question: Is Jesus Your Shepherd? In my post that day, I admitted that being a shepherd is hard on your heart. We'd lost a number of lambs to a coyote or some other predator, and I was feeling pretty low. We take the task of keeping our sheep safe seriously. We've hired hunters. We've bought rifles and various hunting equipment. We've set traps, snares and cameras. Finally, we moved the sheep to an enclosed pasture and bought Jaxx because llamas make good guard animals. They've been there six weeks now and we haven't lost any. They've calmed down and aren't as skittish as they used to be, no doubt because they aren't being attacked every night.  

LESSON FROM THE SHEEP: There is a Shepherd working on your behalf all the time, day and night, whether you acknowledge Him or not. The sheep are clueless to the measures we've taken to keep them safe and happy. If you asked them, they would say we only bring them treats a few times a week. Yet they don't know that we check on them twice a day, every day, from a distance. We count them, making sure all are there. If someone is missing, we locate him or her, just like our Heavenly Father will leave the ninety-nine to go after the one who is missing.  (Luke 15:3-7) We check the fence daily, making sure nothing can get in. We bring fresh water. Not one day goes by that the sheep aren't cared for. And you know what? The same goes for YOU and ME! Not one day goes by that the Father is not taking care of you.

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." Psalm 23:1-3

Sweetie waits patiently to eat corn out of my hand.

Seven chickens and llama. Oh, and fifteen sheep. Who woulda thought you could learn so much from 'em. 

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:

USA, Germany, Nigeria, Russia, Canada, United Kingdom, Lithuania, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Moldova, Spain

Is Jesus Your Shepherd?

Being a shepherd is hard on your heart.

We've been the caretakers of a small herd of Barbado Blackbelly sheep since October. But in that short time I've suffered all kinds of worry, and ultimately some heartbreak, over those four-legged creatures. Are they finding enough water? Did they make it through the frigid night? What if a coyote attacks them? On and on. If you follow this blog, then you may remember my post from January 18 about the Great Sheep Escape and how God worked some serious miracles to bring them home. One of those miracles included a little lost lamb I dubbed "Junior." Here we are on that day:

Junior and Me

But anyone who owns animals knows bad things can happen. Cats and dogs get hit by cars. Fish float to the top of the tank and birds fall to the bottom of the cage. We even had a small dog once that was mauled by larger dogs in our neighborhood. Death comes to us all, even the pets we love.

And it happens to sheep who live within reach of predators.

In the past couple weeks, we've lost five lambs. It could be wild hogs, or coyotes, or both. The first lamb missing was Gimpy. He had a gimpy leg, but we'd been watching him and he was on the mend. Next to go were a set of new twins, pictured below. I'd dubbed them "George Lincolnton" because they were born around President's Day. My oldest son was born on Abe Lincoln's birthday, and as a young boy he used to say he was born on "George Lincolnton's" birthday. The fourth lamb to disappear was Junior's lookalike. He had similar coloring to Junior, but was just a bit lighter. I mourned all of them, especially the tiny twins.

Twins George Lincolnton

But when we discovered Junior missing yesterday morning, I lost it. "Not Junior!" I cried. Surely he'd just become separated from the herd. He and his mama had wandered away from the group once before. Maybe he'd done it again, like the day of the Great Sheep Escape. Mama is the tamest sheep out of the bunch, to the point that I've petted her multiple times as I'm feeding them corn. She and Junior were kind of my favorites. I just couldn't accept that Junior had become the latest casualty, so I set off in the ATV to search the 350 acres, believing he had to be somewhere. Even Mama Sheep thought so, because she kept calling him. But after hours of driving around, hollering for him, rattling a sack of corn, looking in every one of their favorite locations, he was still no where to be found.

That's when the hard reality of being a shepherd set in.

A shepherd can't always protect their flock from danger. Sheep, like people, have a mind of their own. Instead of staying in an area where they would be fairly safe from predators, they like to hang out in the hills where the coyotes and hogs roam. They don't understand they are putting themselves in danger by their choices. Choices that make sense to them but are ultimately very bad and very dangerous.

I understand now why Jesus likened us to sheep. As our Shepherd, he wants to keep us safe, but sometimes our choices put us in danger. Danger of attack from the Enemy. Danger of eternal death. We have to listen to his voice, like the sheep listen to The Sheep Whisperer and me when we go out to check on them. We have to heed Jesus's "rules" if you will, in order to keep our soul and body safe. The Shepherd only wants what is best for his sheep, yet we sheep often disregard what Jesus says or what our heart tells us is right and good. We want to do things our way, but often our way is the most dangerous way. Like the coyotes and hogs that are killing my sheep, the Enemy of this world is drooling over you and me. He's just waiting for us to wander away from the Shepherd. And when we do, that's when he attacks.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be a casualty like little Junior. I don't want my Shepherd mourning over me because the Enemy got a hold of me. I want my life choices to align with God's Word. I want to listen to his voice, and know him, and find rest and comfort in him.

That is my prayer for you, too! Jesus will leave the ninety-nine obedient sheep to go out and search for the lost lamb who wandered away, just like I did. But sometimes it's too late. Sometimes the Enemy has already won. Don't be a Junior. Your Shepherd is calling you to safety this very moment. Listen!

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand." John 10:27-28 (but all of Chapter 10 is great!) 


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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are: USA, Czech Republic, Israel, Philippines, Poland, Ukraine (especially lifting you and your country!), Netherlands, Russia, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom

Little Lost Sheep Found, Big Lessons Learned

Me and Junior

Oh, the adventure this little fella had yesterday! He's back with his mama now...and his mama and her compadres are also back where they belong. The past few days have been crazy, with all this "missing sheep saga" business.

It all began one dark and stormy night...

Well, not exactly. See, here on the ranch, we're responsible for a small herd of Barbado Blackbelly sheep. These sheep are not pets. They're wild and love to hang out waaay at the back of the 350 acres, up on some rocky hills. Lately they've allowed hubby to get fairly close, as long as he is doling out corn by the handful. I call him the Sheep Whisperer. It makes me smile.

Last week we couldn't find the sheep. That's not that unusual, as they can be pretty elusive. There are lots of hills and valleys and gullies throughout the property where they can hide. After several days, however, hubby called some guys to come help walk the fence line, because it was obvious at this point the sheep had gotten out somehow.

Let me pause a moment here to state emphatically that this is the part of the story where I want to seriously knock some sense into someone's pea brain!

It wasn't long before we discovered that someone had used wire cutters to cut the 8' high game fence that encloses the entire property, pulled a section back, and left a gaping hole plenty big for a herd of goofy sheep to wander through. Which is precisely what they'd done. The sheep were gone, gone, gone.

I was devastated.

"Why, God?" I kept asking. Lately I'd been feeling like God wasn't listening to me. Like he wasn't hearing my cries for help in a lot of areas. I didn't know why, and I didn't know quite what to do about it. In my quiet time the next morning, I remembered the passage of scripture in 1 Samuel 9:3-20 where Saul (later King Saul) is looking for his dad's missing donkeys. God knew where those donkeys were, and in the course of time let them be found (v. 20). It reminded me that God knew where our sheep were. They were lost to me but not to him. So I prayed, "Lord, you see those sheep. Please bring them home." Had he heard my cry for help?

Around noon, Sheep Whisperer and Jesse, a guy who works on the ranch occasionally, decide to drive over to the larger ranch where the sheep originally came from, thinking they might head in that direction. They hadn't been gone but a few minutes when I get a text from hubby saying, miracle of miracles, our sheep are in the road just down from our gate! They were wandering the county road, snagging mouthfuls of grass as they went. Numerous people, including sheriff's deputies, had been down that road the past two days with no sightings. What are the odds of the sheep being in the middle of the road, just down from our gate, at the precise moment Brian and Jesse decide to go for a drive?

The next five hours were spent trying to herd sheep that did not want to be herded. Me in a Jeep, hubby on foot, Jesse and several other guys in trucks and on foot, a few sheriff's deputies (who weren't all that helpful) and one amazing stranger in a truck, worked to get those dad-gum, stubborn, ridiculously skittish sheep onto the neighbors property (because our gate has a cattle guard) so we could then get them through a section of fence that we purposely cut for that reason.

Let me just stop and say, it is nearly impossible to make wild sheep go where they do not want to go. They were in and out of neighboring properties, crossing the road with cars coming and going, in the middle of the road, on the side of the road, running north, running south. Yeesh!

In the midst of all this chaos, one of the babies, Junior, got separated from his mama. We'd lost sight of the herd at this point, so Junior had to come home with me. He stayed in our guest bedroom -- where else! -- while I went back to work. Meanwhile, hubby and the gang are finally able to get the sheep onto our property. Hooray!!

But what about Junior? It would be dark soon, and I didn't want to keep him overnight. I jumped in the Jeep with him cradled in my lap and went looking for his family. I found the herd fairly easily traveling along the fence line that separates our employer's land from her dad's land. They were extremely skittish and on the move. Carrying Junior up high so he could see them, I followed the herd for a bit. They stopped and watched me, and Junior started making soft noises. I thought, "Great! This is going to be easy!" Just a little further and I'd put him down so he could run to his mama, bringing a happy ending to the whole crazy ordeal.

Except Junior did not know about my plans. When I put him down, he ran the wrong way! I bolted after him, the herd bolted down the hill and out of sight, and Junior managed to get through the fence and ran onto our employer's dad's property -- 700+ acres. If I didn't catch Junior, he'd never make it.

Here is where I need to confess something.

I yelled at God.

A lot.

As I was running after that little lamb, crying, stumbling over rocks and weaving through trees, I let God know exactly how I felt about Him letting Junior go the wrong direction; about someone cutting the fence and letting the sheep escape in the first place; about all the trust I'd given him only to have all these trials and tribulations come our way this past year. In those frantic, broken moments, I literally cried out:

"Jesus, pleeeeeeeeeze!!!!!"

That two-word prayer pretty much encompassed everything going on in my life at that moment. From the lost lamb to the desperate need for a job for our son to the lost souls I've been praying for for years. I think it was my cry for God to just hear me!

Breathless from chasing the lamb, I called hubby to come help. Miraculously the cell phone reception worked -- it usually doesn't out here in the boonies -- and he arrived in a couple minutes. The little lamb knew the Sheep Whisperer's voice and stopped near a tree. While Brian distracted him from a distance, I snuck up from behind the tree, praying like crazy. "Jesus, keep that lamb still so I can grab him!" And you know what? Jesus kept that lamb still so I could grab him! The picture above was taken a few minutes later.

Determined to get Junior back to his mama, we set off in the ATV to find the herd again. Searching, searching, with the sun sinking toward the horizon, we finally spotted them headed to the back of the property. Sheep Whisperer grabbed his bucket of corn and started calling them while Junior and I circled around from the other direction. But the sheep weren't buying it today. They'd had enough of people and vehicles and kept moving away.

"Lord, we need some help," I prayed.

Junior, who'd been silent this entire time, started making little bleating sounds. I inched closer to the herd, they inched farther away. I held Junior up a bit, hoping he'd catch sight of them, although I have no idea how good a 3-week old lamb's eyesight is. His little sounds got a bit louder. The herd stopped to look. Then came the most wondrous sound ever!

"Baaaaaa." Mama sheep was calling her lost baby!

"Baaa," Junior responded in his wee little voice.

"Junior?"

"Mom!"

Mama came racing down the hill. I ducked behind some tall wild grass so she wouldn't see me, holding Junior up above my head. I wasn't taking any chances of him going the wrong way again, so I hung on to him while he and Mama baa'ed back and forth. When she was close enough for me to be certain he wouldn't go the wrong direction, I held my breath...and let him go.

Oh, how I wish I'd had a video camera on their sweet reunion. Junior ran to Mama. Mama ran to Junior. They sniffed and nosed each other for a good long time before Mama turned and went back to the herd with Junior at her side.

I, for my part, sat there behind the tall grass and cried. All my prayers for those crazy sheep had been answered. I (and lots of other people) had prayed God would bring them home. He did. I prayed like a mad woman when Junior escaped. God put him back in my arms. I asked God to let us get Junior back to his mama. They are together even now. Using the lost sheep as his backdrop, God made it abundantly clear to me that he does indeed hear me. And not only does he hear me, he cares very much.

"I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live." Psalm 116:1-2

Lost sheep can absolutely be found.

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:
USA, Russia, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Malaysia, Poland, United Kingdom, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Romania, Netherlands, South Korea