Lessons From the Birds

She told me she felt God’s presence through birds.

I thought, Oh boy. This is already going downhill real quick.

I was sitting with three women in Winter Park, Florida, who had honestly taken my breath away. They had me grinning and giggling as they talked about their daughters’ favorite skincare routines, the best concerts they’d been to that year, and what they’d packed out to wear, all the while talking about both the gritty, hard things and the goodness of God in their lives. I thought, I love these women!

As we started talking about the real ways we all connect with God, I was so inspired. The women talked about how it’s changed throughout different seasons for them. There was a second marriage. There was an unexpected loss. There were a lot of kids. A lot of tears. A lot of laughs. And they shared about how they have had to overcome comparing their relationships with God to other people’s (same here) and learn not to judge other people’s (same here), and not to succumb to pressure that doesn’t come from God (louder for the people in the back!).

And then she said it—a woman who I thought was just the nicest and the coolest and most normal—said that she feels the presence of God through birds.

I will raise my hand and admit it to you right now. I instantly judged her (something I just said I was learning to overcome).

She talked about moments she asked God to confirm ways she was feeling led, and times that she felt peace beyond anything she could understand by the spotting of certain birds in certain situations. Of course, I had follow-up questions. I said, “Were any of these choices the right choices? Do you feel like it was really God?”

“Without a doubt,” she said. But more than that, she said she felt a sense of God being so very close to her, no matter what choice she made.

She said, “I know I sound crazy.”

I said, “I’m glad you know that.”

We all laughed. Again, I had found a girl gang I loved.

After a beat of silence, I asked her another question. It turned out to be an important one. I did not know anything about birds, but I did know something about God. So on the off chance this woman wasn’t absolutely losing it, I said, “Is there anything in your early childhood memories, or anything in your early life, where birds became particularly special to you?”

She looked at me, stunned.

“God would never expect me to feel His presence through birds,” I continued. “I can’t stand birds. I also didn’t grow up around a lot of animals. But is there anything in you—something that would make the God who loves you and knows you seem close…because of a bird?”

She turned in her chair to face me directly, and with tears welling in her eyes, she said, “I have never thought of this before in my life!”

Wiping droplets from her cheeks she said, “When I was a little girl, one of my greatest connections to God was through my grandparents. I loved spending time with them. One time a bird flew onto the porch, and my grandpa said, ‘Look! That’s a sign that God loves you and is close to you. Whenever you see a bird, remember that.'”

We were all silent.

She then repeated, “I’ve never once thought about that!”

We laughed, wiped more tears, and I leaned in, lowering my voice now that we were all in on the bird secret. “Is it possible,” I asked, “that this is a unique thing with you and God because birds are so special to you? And because you feel His presence when you see them, you look for them? And because God knows this, He brings them near you, or brings your attention to them, because of your specific memory, personality, and the joy you get from it?”

We all glanced at one another as I continued. “Now, I’m wondering if God speaks to all of us through whatever ‘birds’ we have in our own lives. Not that we all hear from God through quirky connections—but since God wants all of us to be aware of His presence, perhaps He uses ways He knows each of us would especially recognize and enjoy.”

Through tears, she nodded yes.

Nowadays, I don’t put as many limits on what I think God can or will do to connect with His kids. All my years of knowing God personally and studying theology, history, and His interactions with His people over time have led me to this simple stance: I am not in a position to say God can’t do something or can’t be something. I put no limits on God. That comes with the guardrails of God’s Word and God’s character, of course. I want my stance to line up with what God is like—not what I feel God should be like.

And everything I know of God tells me that He genuinely and fully loves us so very much, that He might even direct our gaze toward a bird that looks just like the one Grandpa pointed out to us decades ago.

Hosanna Wong is an international speaker, spoken word artist and author of Uncomplicate it. Adapted from Uncomplicate It by Hosanna Wong. Copyright © 2026 by Hosanna Wong. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson Publishing. Tune in to Hosanna’s programs on LIFE TODAY this Wednesday and Thursday, July 29 and 30