CallToBattle

NEW: An Amazon driver stopped to untangle and salute an American flag outside a Kentucky home Monday, a moment that deeply touched the military family who lives there.🇺🇸 “Thank you for reminding us that there are still people who understand what that flag represents,” homeowner Ange Burnett said on Facebook. She is hoping to identify the driver so she can thank him. @police_frequency

Thank you for your service.🫡🇺🇸

Testimony Tuesday Have you ever felt nudged by the Holy Spirit to go and pray or do something for a stranger? You may have felt uncomfortable, or not feeling very confident about it. You may even argue with God about His request. Perhaps you may have even felt afraid because you have no idea what to say. There have been a few times God has asked me. My first reaction is doubt. I ask; “Are you sure Lord?” Why do I start to question? I believe it’s fear. We’re afraid to look foolish. We start questioning ourselves and it can look like this: God is that you? Right now God? What do I say? How do I know if this person is going to even receive what I have to say? We start ruminating about how to approach the person or what to say. Here is a tip I’ve learned from my experience. First, if God has prompted you, the Holy Spirit will guide your thoughts and words. Open your mouth! Secondly, obedience brings spiritual release. In other words, when we obey God, it is Him that will speak. The Spirit will move. You can still be nervous or scared, but once you take that first step in obedience, it places the kingdom of heaven in front of you. It is He that goes before you. He knows what is going on with the person He has in mind He has asked you to pray or do something for. I remember I had an encounter with a young woman many years ago at a pet store. She was the cashier. The minute I walked in the store, she said hello and asked me if she could help me find what I was looking for. I told her I already knew what I needed and thanked her and proceeded to the area. When I walked in that direction, that is when I heard God say; “That one.” I knew immediately what He meant by that. I don’t know why but I still get a little tinge of the nerves. Maybe, because we’re caught off guard when God tells us. I have no idea what I am going to say to her. But God does! By the time I made my purchases and the young woman carried my stuff out to the trunk of my car, I thanked her and spoke to her. The words just came…. “I just wanted to let you know that God has a heart for you, because he pointed you out to me to tell you. He sees you and he knows what you are going through, and if you call out to him, he will hear and help you because he loves you.” Her eyes welled with tears and she started sobbing and asked me for a hug. After that, I then gave her some cash because I knew this was what I was suppose to do. She cried even harder. We hugged again, she thanked me and kept crying. It was then I knew God met her where she was at. I didn’t need to know the details. That was it. Just the spirit of God moving. It was beautiful. God knew exactly what she needed. I didn’t need to know, I just needed to obey, and obey quickly. Obedience will take you farther into the Father’s kingdom and bring it to the forefront of the person who God is pursuing. If God calls you to speak to a stranger, do not quench the Holy Spirit. Open your mouth and He will put the words there. He who calls you is faithful. Be blessed —Paula @CallToBattle

This right here. I think some of us feel the same way. I was invested in Jackie and Shadow since 2019. I enjoyed getting glimpse of their lives and habitat. What a joy. Thank you Rosanna for your beautiful post reflecting what most of us feel right now. Thank you! Repost From: Big Bear Bald Eagles, Rosanna Reyes. For quite some time now, I have belonged to a family different from my own—but not for the reasons one might usually imagine. Those were the dark and frightening days of 2020, when a heavy veil of uncertainty hung over our everyday lives. Mornings felt gray, evenings cold. We never knew who—or what—might suddenly pass beyond our reach, and so we carried on with the constant fear that bad news might be waiting just outside our doors. We were overwhelmed by the new reality of mandatory isolation, a routine that robbed us of our peace and made us prisoners of sameness. And then, in the midst of it all, a family stepped into the public eye simply by going about the extraordinary task of living—and bringing life into the world. Through a blessed camera fastened high above the ground, somehow held in place by the mercy of the elements that seemed to conspire in its favor, we were given the privilege of watching, live, the simple and marvelous life of a family of Bald Eagles. The locals knew them as Jackie and Shadow. You see, the bond between these two was witnessed and blessed by a group of strangers—a group that grew larger and larger as we discovered that there was something glorious and magnificent in simply watching them live: working together, overcoming challenges, and sharing the victories of a life built side by side. They created a home and prepared it with devotion. They provided with love and gave themselves completely and selflessly to one another. And in doing so, they created a wave of devoted admirers, people who were fascinated and deeply moved by the chance to become part of something so beautifully familiar: family life. With every courtship and every nesting season, we became devoted aunts and uncles, proudly celebrating every new milestone reached by our feathered nieces and nephews. Watching the tireless work that took place behind the scenes—the endless devotion of two determined parents—made many of us reflect on the way we were raising our own families. And perhaps that was the greatest lesson of all. They inspired in us a profound admiration and a desire to follow their example. They taught us resilience, patience, self-control, and the certainty that every day brings its own challenges—but that if we simply focused on making it through that one day, we had already won most of the battle. Then came the turbulent teenage time of the eaglets. Encouraged—and sometimes pushed—by their parents, they began stretching their wings and claiming their own place in the sky. And once again, all of us held our breath with every attempt at flight. Simba, Cookie, Spirit, Misty, Sunny, Gizmo, Sandy, and Luna—all of them eventually flew from the nest under the watchful eyes and blessing of their parents, and of millions of honorary aunts and uncles. They left us with hearts full of satisfaction and gratitude for having witnessed yet another season of our favorite series. And then Jackie and Shadow, with all the pride and magnificence of their species, would spread their wings once again—free and majestic—to watch new sunsets, rebuild their nest, and simply enjoy each other’s company. That was when I finally understood. Because, just like them, I too watched my nest become empty. We too had to push our children out into the world. And I cried. And I asked myself a thousand questions. But time and again, the image of two eagles soaring across the sky brought peace back to my heart. It reminded me that as long as life continues, there will always be room to spread our wings and fly toward new adventures. Thank you, Jackie and Shadow, for teaching us how to live. And thank you to everyone behind the Big Bear Eagle Cam for making us family.

Folks I am not going to lie, this one is a hard one. What a blessing to witness God's beautiful creatures. I am thankful for the team that took care of her in her last few days. Though we were praying for a better outcome, it wasn't meant to be. I will continue to post content here from Friends of Big Bear Valley. I'm sure Shadow will continue on without his queen. Let's see what the future brings for him. Thanks for being here. -Paula @CallToBattle

From Ojai Raptor Center. It is with profound sadness that we share that Patient 26-519 (Jackie) passed away in the early hours of this morning, following more than three weeks of intensive medical care. Over the past several days, her condition continued to deteriorate despite intensive treatment and the combined efforts of our veterinary team and consulting specialists. She remained critically ill, receiving oxygen therapy, supportive treatment, and around-the-clock monitoring in our intensive care unit. Throughout her time at Ojai Raptor Center, every decision was guided by the available medical evidence, her welfare, and our responsibility to do what was in her best interest. Her remains have been transferred into the care of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). We know this news will be deeply felt by the many thousands of people around the world who have followed her journey, hoped alongside us, prayed for her, and supported the people caring for her. Our team is heartbroken. It has been an extraordinary privilege to care for her. We ask for patience and kindness as our staff process this loss. We are working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and will provide a more comprehensive statement including additional information on her treatments and test results. To protect our staff and community during this difficult time, comments on this post have been turned off. To everyone who cared about Patient 26-519, thank you. Thank you for your messages, your prayers, your encouragement, and for standing beside our team throughout these past weeks. We are deeply grateful for the way Patient 26-519 brought people together through a shared love of wildlife.

Fly high in heaven Jackie. 🥹

Me: “Lord, what do You want me to know today?” God: “There is a time to be still and a time to act. Don’t count on your own ability to know what to do at any given time. Ask Me to give you sure guidance in any and every circumstance—this is not a show of weakness on your part, but rather, an indicator that you know where your true strength comes from and Who deserves the glory for this.” Ps. 59:17 (NIV) ~ “You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.”

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” When the young lions and cobras seek to destroy us, we have a promise from God for our protection, and with that promise He has given us the right to exercise our authority and tread upon the enemy in the mighty name of Jesus. But we are already equipped and prepared and we apprehend the promises as recorded in Psalm 91. You all be careful out there. Armor up. Speak Psalm 91 out loud everyday. We are at war with the world because the devil is the god of this world. Choose to live in the secret place of the most High. P.S. Don’t forget to wear combat boots, because flip flops won’t work, and we don’t want to have flip flop faith do we? Blessings, —Paula @CallToBattle

Testimony Tuesday Psalm 91…is one of the most recognizable Psalms in the Bible right up there with the 23rd Psalm. It is packed with beautiful and comforting promises of God’s protection over us. I believe in the power of our words, so most evenings before I lay my head down for the night, I will pick up my nightstand Bible and read out loud Psalm 91. I nearly have it memorized. Even verse two states; “ I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” Did you catch that? “I will say…” That’s right! Say it, speak it out loud. I am putting the demons on notice, and giving them a warning they are not going to be receiving a welcome mat in my dwelling. I often wonder how many times God sends His warrior angels to protect us without even realizing it. If we could only see those angels in action. Imagine them walking beside you, in front and behind you. There have been times in my life where I was in danger and God protected me. Not even realizing that I was even in any danger, until the very last minute or later. Like the time I remember camping with my best friend Janet and her family when we were in 6th grade. We camped in Soledad Canyon a campground in Southern California just outside of Palmdale and Santa Clarita. A very hot and dry place. One morning Janet, myself, and her little sister Donna were walking across a very jagged rocky river bed, in our flip flops (so dumb). We were walking single file with Janet leading, me in the middle and Donna behind me. We were stepping over this sharp rocky terrain when all of sudden Donna screamed. “A snake! I almost stepped on it. Paula, you walked right over it!” she shouted. She backed off, and both Janet and I turned around to see what she was looking at. It was a young rattle snake. Had Donna not seen the snake, her foot would have stepped right on it. But, I stepped right over it. I didn’t see it. None of us saw until Donna screamed. Close call for sure. That snake was well camouflaged. And to think, we were camping in the middle of nowhere, with no emergency services nearby, and of course no cell phones back then. We quickly left and hurried back to the campsite in shock…we almost died that day! Or at least that’s how we portrayed the story to Janet’s parents. But God! That snake could have struck me or Donna. God indeed protected us that day. When I read Psalm 91:13, God reminded me of that incident on that hot day. “You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.” Psalms 91:13 (Some versions mention adder or dragon for cobra. ) This verse brings an entire new understanding to me now. Think of all the hidden dangers that come across our paths and not even realize it at the time. When I think of young lions, I think of their ability to hone their hunting skills. They may be young but they are aggressive, fast and fearless, and at the peak of their power than the much older lions. They are in the prime of their strength. Oh how the enemy loves to roar and ambush us with threats and attacks. The enemy’s goal is to overpower us and render us helpless in our faith. Catch us off guard, and retreat. On the other hand, the adder or serpent is silent. It blends in with its surroundings. Often disguised or unseen, and lurking. They can strike suddenly without warning. Their poisonous venom can linger and do a lot of damage. They represent the hidden attacks, deception and poisonous words that hurt us. The betrayals and traps that are set before us with calculated offenses to weaken our faith and cause us to doubt when we least expect it. Isn’t that like the devil? And yet, according to Psalm 91:13 we are to trample upon these opponents. God’s protection includes His authority to tread or trample over these enemies. Not just deliverance, because He already gives us the authority to do so according to Luke 10:19

Happy first day of August everyone! Fall, get ready, you’re on deck!🍃🍂🍁👏🏼

Me: “Lord, what do You want me to know today?” God: “When it seems you can’t see the way ahead, that is when I am right in front of you, leading the way. I will always make a sure path for you in the direction you should go. Call out to Me whenever you feel like you’re losing your footing—I will get you back on track and show you My blessings along the way to keep you encouraged.” Ps. 23:3 (NIV) ~ “he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”

This second video is really the epitome of faith. We are not guaranteed a carefree and painless life in Christ. Far from it. Bad things still happen, and death can come to the unbeliever as well as the believer. If everything in life was perfect, there would be no reason for a savior. We wouldn’t need God at all. But when trial and tragedy comes, what do we do with it? How do we reconcile the allowance of that trial in our lives? We remember that this life as we know it is a drop in the bucket compared to an ocean of eternity in heaven in the presence of God. We are secure in our faith, knowing God is with us in the tragedy as well as in the joy of life’s events. Praising God in the midst of tragedy is one of the most dangerous and effective weapons you have against the enemy. It sends a message that no matter what the devil can throw at you in the middle of the fray, you are making it clear where you stand. You are stating; “I shall not be moved.” Take a look at this video and see how the enemy thought he won but foolishly found out otherwise. “Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.” Habakkuk 3:17-19