I never knew I’d be shepherding hearts in the way God designed me for, today. It has been the hardest, yet most rewarding calling I could have ever imagined.

 

It entails so much more than I ever expected. It’s fully investing your heart into people through their ups and downs. The highs and lows. The mishaps and mess-ups. And of course the victories and celebrations.

 

It’s being sure to meet needs when you can and chase down necessities to be sure someone is cared for and safe.

 

I’ve been able to watch broken hearts who could barely look me in the eye become resilient in Christ Jesus. Bold in their faith. Rooted well in who He is and who He has designed them to be.

 

It is very much like parenting and each heart, no matter the age, I feel like a Mama to.

 

Of course when they get any whiff of my own battles, they lovingly begin to mother me back. For that I’m incredibly grateful.

 

My heart, each of them, has stolen and they know I will firmly stand between Hell and them should I ever need to.

 

The most beautiful part is when they fly. Yet, I admit it’s also the hardest part for me, but we all knew it would be.

 

Like a parent watching their natural kids head to college, it feels about the same at times for me when they fly. Or maybe like the kid that gets married and is making a new life for themselves with Jesus.

 

They fly on towards their own callings, on into their own meetings, and on into their own divine assignments. God positions them with their own land and territory and hearts that need what Christ has placed in them.

 

At this point my role changes a bit as they are released into their soon coming vineyards.

 

I become more of a place they can come to for as-needed processing and less of the day to day shepherding.

 

It is necessary that they fly. It is God’s desire that they fly. It is also my job to see that they fly.

 

For me to do my job well I must hand-hold when necessary and release when necessary.

 

From the beginning we’ve known we, here at the ministry, were a type of Kingdom airport as God gave our counselor, Jan, a dream regarding this some time ago. In that dream I was standing at a large window watching planes on the runway.

 

We’ve known we would be a place for planes to prepare for take-off. A runway of sorts full of passengers waiting for their Kingdom “lift off.”

 

Along that journey to “lift-off” are many mountains and valley seasons for each heart.

 

God is faithful in every season and each season has critical lessons for kingdom training.

 

Every painful trial provides positioning.

Every scary path provides confidence in Christ.

Every battle with unforeseen giants makes each heart stronger.

 

Until one day God opens the runway and it’s time they fly.

 

You’ll likely catch us chasing that plane cheering “Go get em girl!”

 

And you’ll also catch me wiping a few tears as I experience my own very real separation anxiety.

 

Again, it’s like watching your natural kids fly the coop.

 

But, sigh, I know this is God’s way of multiplying His Kingdom.

 

It’s a “catch and release” kind of world.

 

We have lots of planes lined up on that runway in this season waiting for take-off.

 

And as I watch their landing gear disappear, I’ll also experience the deep joy that I got a front row seat to watch when they fly.