The Cageless Birds is a missional community founded by Jonathan and Melissa Helser. We live and work on 52 acres of land located in Sophia, North Carolina. Our ministry is dedicated to seeing hearts liberated by the love of God. We host worship gatherings and lead discipleship schools, retreats and camps for all ages known as the 18 Inch Journey. As a creative community we are devoted to wholehearted living and cultivating the arts through: writing books, recording original music, handcrafting leather goods and pottery, roasting coffee and creating visual art. All of the proceeds from these products enable us to continue leading schools and discipling hearts. Thank you for supporting the Cageless Birds.
A Child Shall Lead Them
No picture I’ve ever painted has ministered to more people than the “Little Child” has. Yes, the little child is our youngest daughter, Sarah. At summers end we’d always vacation at a family on the coast of North Carolina, and Sarah would always make me promise to get up with her to collect shells on the beach. I didn’t mind making that promise, but what I dreaded those morning was how early she’d wake me by waving a sandy bucket over my head, reminding me, “Daddy, you promised.” On one of those mornings as I staggered out of bed to follow her I had a camera and said,
“Sarah, stop at your next step. I wanna get a photo.” At 1/8 of a second, my handheld picture turned out perfectly so I made a print and hung it in my office, never thinking to paint it cause’ I’ve already told you I only paint “stories.”
But one particular summer I ministered at Camp Lurecrest where lots of kids wanted me to pray for their troubled parents, and over and over I prayed that the way to their parents hearts would be through their children, because Isaiah 11:6 says, “And a little child shall lead them.” And that’s when I saw the story in my photo of Sarah, because those mornings with her reminded me that yes, God gives us children for us to teach them, but more importantly, God gives us children for them to teach us. Oh the lessons I’ve learned when “a little child led me to see how much the Father loved me!
“Sarah, stop at your next step. I wanna get a photo.” At 1/8 of a second, my handheld picture turned out perfectly so I made a print and hung it in my office, never thinking to paint it cause’ I’ve already told you I only paint “stories.”
But one particular summer I ministered at Camp Lurecrest where lots of kids wanted me to pray for their troubled parents, and over and over I prayed that the way to their parents hearts would be through their children, because Isaiah 11:6 says, “And a little child shall lead them.” And that’s when I saw the story in my photo of Sarah, because those mornings with her reminded me that yes, God gives us children for us to teach them, but more importantly, God gives us children for them to teach us. Oh the lessons I’ve learned when “a little child led me to see how much the Father loved me!