The above photo is a screenshot from a Live Feed Cam of the nest of Big Bear Valley’s popular eagles, Shadow and Jackie.*
Back on April 26, 2026, when this screenshot was taken, Big Bear Valley experienced a late-season storm bringing with it a mixture of strong winds, freezing rain, and snow. Living at an altitude of around 7,100 feet above sea level, 145 feet up a Jeffrey pine tree, Shadow and Jackie’s nest is one of the highest elevation bald eagle nests in the United States.
That being said, Shadow and Jackie are no strangers to winter storms no matter how late in the season they arrive. However, the situational difference of this particular storm on April 26th is that Jackie had successfully hatched two eaglets; one on April 4th and the other on April 5th. These two baby eaglets were a mere 3 weeks old when they experienced the freezing effects of a brutally cold storm.
It was a dear friend of mine who had shared this screenshot she had taken that morning from the Live Feed Cam. When I looked at this photo, I was taken aback by the look of fierce determination in Jackie’s eye. She is absolutely resolute in sacrificing herself to cover her eaglets and protect them from the harsh storm.
This powerful image immediately brought to mind the fierce love that our Heavenly Father has for us. For those of us who already belong to Him as well as those who don’t. John 3:16-17 clearly expresses God’s heart for humanity: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
This is a powerful truth!
God, The LORD, YHWH, The Creator of heaven and earth and every living being and creature in it, willingly gave up His Divine Son, Jesus to be the sacrifice for salvation for the very people who reject, deny, and abhor Him.
For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” Romans 15:3
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Peter, then by the twelve. 1 Corinthians 15:3-5
I humbly ask you to ponder this question: What other god or religion gives of itself for the salvation of another?
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11
We who have accepted the sacrificial gift of salvation through Jesus Christ are like those eaglets; safely tucked beneath the covering of our Lord. Does this imply that we as Christ followers have a carefree life? On the contrary- more times than not, our lives are often filled with great difficulty. Jesus Himself said it would be so: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
If we belong to Jesus, we have an adversary who seeks our harm. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:8-11
But he is no match for the power and authority of God’s Son. Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” John 10:7-11
Satan is a defeated foe.
Those eaglets still had to go through the storm but they did not have to bear the brunt of the storm upon themselves. They were perfectly and completely protected by their mother’s sacrificial covering.
As the storms in life come, we too are perfectly kept under the protective covering of God. Look at that picture again and realize there is nothing…absolutely nothing that compares to the sacrificial love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings. Psalm 17:8
Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. Psalm 63:7
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. Psalm 57:1
How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. Psalm 36:7
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah Psalm 61:4
He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. Psalm 91:4
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
-Dina
*Photo used with the written consent of Friends of Big Bear Valley
*The opinions presented here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of FOBBV
The Green Olive Tree 