It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.
~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge– Psalm 91:4a

There is certain comfort in incubating in the nest, snuggled warm under a fluffy breast, satisfied with the status quo. I tend toward perpetual nesting myself, preferring home to travel, too easily contented with the familiar rather than stretching into uncharted territory. Even a fifth trip to Japan this past week to visit our son and family remains a major stressor for me.

But eventually an unhatched egg gets the boot, even by its parents. When there are no signs of life, no twitches and wiggles and movement inside, it is doomed to rot. And we all know nothing is worse than a rotten egg.

Nothing.

So I must chip away and crack open my confining comfy shell, leaving the fragments behind. In fact, the strength it takes to break free of the shell ensures I am strong enough to survive.

Eventually, with growth and grace, I will fly, safe in the shadow of His wings.