Surrounding our house are invisible boundaries inside the woods called ‘hunting camps.’ Hunters will come soon to shoot the deer, and the deer are everywhere. Yes, there are too many deer in our area. But here is the rule – “Don’t shoot them on my land!” My little space of woods and trees is ‘safe.’ My little piece of land is a ‘refuge.’ If deer could read, I would put up a sign. Instead of ‘no trespassing’ or ‘keep out,’ my sign would read “DEER HAVEN.” I wish there were a way I could tell the deer that when you run to me (hit the invisible boundary defining my land), you are safe and will remain safe as long as you stay inside my boundary line. Truth is, we are like deer. There are predators in life ready to use you, manipulate you, and steal your life. We all need a safe place to run to. We need a refuge to hide in, a place where we can rest and find peace. God has provided that place. We just need to run to Him. We need to come in to His arms and find our peace. And then we need to stay there, abide there, and spend eternity there. The world is a scary place, and God is our safe haven.
– Virginia Thompson