I wrote this post with you in mind.
Yes, you. You’ll understand why shortly.
God has given some of you ideas no one else has. Ideas for things that have never been done or read or heard or seen before. Maybe it’s a ministry to someone no one else is reaching or to a group others have tried to reach but not in this particular way. Perhaps it’s a story, a film, or a song that’s like none you’ve ever experienced but you just can’t shake the idea. It could be a plan to enact. A work of art to create. A venture that must be tried. A trip He’s impressed on you to make.
But, there’s a problem.
You don’t know anyone else who’s done it this way or told it this way or tried it this way before. In fact, you’re not fully certain it’s from God because it seems so wonderful, you can’t imagine He’s entrusted it to you. Or it seems so big and you feel so small. Or the details are still awfully fuzzy. But, when you pray or read your Bible or worship, the idea floats back and it does feel like a God thing.
You’re tempted to try it out on someone else.
Let me warn you about that. You see, every great work or movement or creative venture began as a tiny little idea conceived in the heart and mind of a human inspired by the Holy Spirit. There is nothing Satan likes more than to destroy life immediately following conception and this goes for life-giving ideas. Just as a baby needs time in the womb before others will find it appealing, so, too, do most new, inventive, creative, innovative, biblical ideas. Bring them out too early and the likelihood of their survival plummets.
So, do what God did at the start of creation. Hover over this idea. Or what Nehemiah did when it first occurred to him to rebuild the wall. Mull it over alone – maybe just bring your horse along. Spend hours alone on a hillside just like David did as a young shepherd, discussing the idea with God. Spend days in the wilderness feeding on locusts and wild honey like John the Baptist. Be alone with God with this concept and He’ll breathe life into it. He’ll let you know when it’s time to bring it before others.
I know what you’re thinking.
If this is such a great idea, why hasn’t someone else done it, tried it, built it, designed it, written it, composed it, created it, or capitalized on it? If this is such a great idea, why hasn’t anyone else had it?
Probably they have. When God wants to get a word or a work or a movement out, He looks for willing humans. I’ll bet a lot of them let the idea die within them. But, I’ve prayed for better for you.
With every new concept, someone has to dig in and find the courage from God to try it for the rest of us.
This past week, I watched as the three phoebes who hatched out in the nest in the overhang by our kitchen door discovered they had wings. At first, 
they had no clue what potential they contained. Finally, one tried fluttering them and he landed out of the nest on our concrete back step. I startled him by approaching and he fluttered into the driveway. He was making great progress but didn’t get enough lift to rise above my husband’s car. Smack! He fell stunned back onto the gravel drive.
I retreated to the porch and watched him recover his bearings. After a time, he began to chirp and I heard another chirp as momma bird gave him a call to follow. He figured out, again, how to propel forward but without enough lift – Smack! – this time he plowed headfirst into my car. Again, he slowly recovered until momma bird chirped him home.
The next day, upon my return from work, I spotted the daring little guy hanging upside down from our screen door. The other two sat a little further now from the nest with their heads cocked watching him try to disentangle his feet from his snare. I tapped the screen gently and he flapped hard, sailing off, this time clearing both the cars. I cheered him on and went about my evening. Not long after, I realized all three birds had flown.
This is how it is, isn’t it. Most of us cling to the nest, the comfort of what we know, until one of us listens to God’s urging that we might want to try out our wings.
When we do, we’re initially bad at it. We start out well but we plow into obstacles we didn’t see coming. We try again and run into even bigger barriers. Sometimes, we get caught up in the unexpected and find ourselves hanging upside down waiting for rescue.
The thing is, our Father God is always ready to chirp us home, to free us from every snare, and to wait nearby, patiently, as we learn that if we flap hard enough, if we truly commit, we can fly. And then, those who have cocked their heads and watched us try and fail and finally succeed, well, they find their wings, as well.
So, maybe you’re the bird with the inkling of an idea. I wrote this post for you. We desperately need you. The Body of Christ is rooting for you, 
depending on you, waiting for you to trust God and try out your wings. Sure, it’s not going to look like a thing of beauty immediately but keep trying.
Maybe you’re the bird on the beam nest-side. I wrote this post for you, too. Intercede for your crazy brother. Pray for your risk-taking sister. Watch them like a hawk and believe that what you see in their lives is possible also in yours.
Then, baby, take flight. Who knows what heights He’s designed for us to explore?
I wrote this post for you – YES, YOU! https://t.co/n0L2N5gbtk#learningtofly#crazyidea#amwriting#writinginnewengland#phoebes
— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) June 24, 2016
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Yes, you did write this post for me. Thank you!
That’s what I thought . . . praying for your wings.
Oh, Lori. How could you know? You speak for my soul. Thank you.
God knew.
This is a great encouragement Lori! Thanks for sharing what is on your heart and for leading the way in flight!
I had not prepared for bird-nest analogy. I feel like i left home, only to return to twigs. Now, I’m trying to make pieces fit together. Truth is, there is a season for a bird to stick around. But there are those times that DO call for flight, rather than fight.
Still, direction and destination are important to consider before taking off. Thankfully, God’s the travel agent on a whom we can rely. And the great news is: the greatest adventure awaits. But for now, I daydream while watching the neighbors move away.
Perhaps I’ll practice flying again, if I haven’t completely forgotten.
Gosh Lori. You darn near made me cry. Thanks for the post; it was needed. Love the little serious, determined-faced bird. Adorable. -Rox-
I just shared your post “Christians Should Stop Lying to People” on facebook. I was both inspired and discouraged. Inspired by the message and discouraged because I am a writer who wants to get back to writing, but I fell victim to the comparison game thinking I can’t do it as well as you do. Then I read this and now I’m laughing at myself. My message won’t be your message, but it will be the one God inspires me to share and it will touch who He wants to touch with it. And that is all that matters.
Oh my, DO get back to writing, Ann! Years ago another writer compared herself to me and left a comment that she was considering quitting. That very night, God handed her a story that she told on her blog and it went viral that very next morning. He needs each one He’s called and He doesn’t make mistakes. We each need to build and defend our section of the wall, just as they did in Nehemiah’s day. I’m glad you’ve decided to keep at it.
Yup, you’re right. You wrote this for me. Sometimes I’m the one hesitant to leave the nest, share the idea. And sometimes it is those closes to me that imply, “Don’t you know when it is time to quit. How long are you going to try this?” That’s a hard one. Are they right? Am a foolish or am I faithful? That’s when it is crucial to sit with God and listen to his direction.Blessings, Lori:)
Thank you for this . . . Amazing how your post is another confirmation and nudge from the Lord to keep on writing . . . I send out a weekly “thought” to the ladies in our Sunday School class to accompany the prayer requests, & several have urged me put them together into a devotional book; I have also begun a series of “Granny” books for my grandchildren, each an original, but maybe more would enjoy them???? After a while “nudges” become a matter of “will I obey or will I continue to “hide” (bury) what the Lord has given me?” Your post made it clear it is time to not be afraid, or say “I can’t, I don’t know how to do that”, and just trust & obey . . . again, thank you!
I have been asking God To Suprise me. I have been reading Draw The Circle and The Circle Maker. This post confirmed that God wants to do amazing crazy things. We just have to fly and let Him guide us.
I’m disentangling my feet from that screen door this very day. 😀
Thank you for cheering me on my way.
May God send cheerleaders your way too.
For years now I have felt very pulled in the area of supporting the Persecuted Church.. My brother, now deseased, was involved in Brother Andrew”s Open Door mininstry and introduced me to the Voice of the Martyrs. For 30 years now I have been reading their newsletter and have been so impressed and humbled with the faith of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, in countries that persecute Christians. I saw the movie, “Tortured for Christ”, had read the book over 30 years ago, and my heart goes out to those dear people. I can’t imagine leaving your children to be orphans when you knew you may never return or they would be still alive when you got back! Anyway, I keep thinking God would have me bring the need of these dear Christians to the forfront so that other people would feel led to support them also. But axactly what to do, other then to support The “Voice of the Martyrs”, I am at a loss right now. Please pray that God would show me and make it very clear. I will be 70 this year and live in Michigan with my husband. We have 4 grown children and 7 grandchildren.
I will pray. I know that Open Doors has material you can use to spread the word. Voice of the Martyrs may, too!