My sophomore year of college I was sexually assaulted. Every day after that night I would wake up, get ready in a mundane sort of way, walk out my dorm room, and there it would be. A cardinal, a blue jay, or a goldfinch. My whole life I have had a deep delight in identifying and watching birds. Birds were my safe place. My grandma, great grandpa, and great grandma all LOVE and LOVED birds as well and it was a fun thing for all of us to do together.
The Lord knew I was in a deeply fragile place in my life and He knew my safe place. He knew the peace that I would have watching a bird chirp and mill around. Every single day for the next month I saw a cardinal, blue jay, or goldfinch land right in front of me. One of my friends was praying for me as I was going into an investigation meeting and prayed Psalm 91:4 over me. "He will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you will find refuge and strength." That scripture and those words were what I clung to the next few weeks of reliving that night and struggling each day to get out of bed. I trusted in His refuge and strength and His peace that came each day.
