February 10, 2010

LOOK AND LISTEN, A NEW SEASON'S AT HAND!!



"I just don't want to get up".......was the groggy thought that slowly crept across my half asleep brain as I snuggled deeper under the warmth of my favorite quilt....."maybe just a few more glorious minutes" I whispered in the early morning hours of last Saturday.

The weather forecast for northern Arizona was foreboding with colder temps, wind and snow so the thought of actually vacating the comfort of my warm and cozy bed anytime soon was slim to none!!  

As I laid there in my delightfully warm snuggle zone, I began to ponder the events of the day ahead and thank Him for the wonder of new mercies and ordered steps when suddenly my ponderings were interrupted by the most beautiful, peaceful sounds of a cooing Turtle Dove!....Oh, how I love that sound!  The softness of it's cooing tones lifted my heart and my mind soared to thoughts of the powerful meaning of the doves sweet song.....new beginning, a new season of fruitfulness, productivity and restoration!  Still groggy and sleepy, I suddenly jolted myself....."Wait a minute, this is the first week of February and doves typically don't migrate until sometime in March in northern Arizona"!!!!!  Everything in me said "get up and look - this is the beginning of a new season"!!  I bounded out of my slumber, grabbed my camera and slowly peered out my window, gingerly aiming my camera through my vertical blinds and snapped the picture above.  It was as if the dove turned and struck a pose just for my quickly aimed shot (double click on the pic if you'd like a closer view of this special little bird)! I peeked with amazement at this little song bird, resting on my deck rail and cooing such a soft peaceful glorious refrain in the midst of such an inclement forecast! Such a direct contradiction to surrounding circumstances!   "Look and listen, a new seasons at hand" were the words that flooded my mind!

The emotions that flowed from my heart were those akin to being completely surprised and overjoyed by a unexpected love gift from my husband or children!   My heart leapt  as I thanked the Lord for such a wonderful encouraging gift and rejoices now in fully engaging my focus and heart to "looking and listening" for the new season He has prepared.

My natural mind began to wander as all of this was unfolding and I began to question doubt what I heard....."Maybe this dove was just an off course directionally challenged bird with bad timing flying through northern Arizona who just happened to lite upon my railing outside my bedroom this morning and coooed me out of my slumber - maybe just a natural occurrence?!".   But, as I began to slightly entertain such ponderings doubt, I was quickly reminded of another recent moving of the Holy Spirit upon my heart just several weeks ago that I even mentioned in my January 29, 2010 post - His G.R.I.T.S.  As I awakened that morning, I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking very clearly and repeatedly within my heart the words "new, new, new"!  I tucked those precious words deep within heart and have been meditating upon them ever since. 

He spoke to my heart about, "new, new, new" before and now reminds me again to "look and listen for a new seasons at hand".  Thats amazing to me!  And why not expect amazing reminders from an amazing God?!!!  And, oh yes, what an amazing God is He!!!  I so love and appreciate the Lords love, tenderness, mercy and grace to speak to His children "words" of encouragement, hope, direction and confirmation!  His heart longs for us to be acutely aware that He is ever present with us and "see" the imprint of His hand upon every season of our journey.


In Genesis 28 we learn that Jacob was most likely journeying through a long "winter" season of life.  At that time Jacob's heart was probably filled with regrets and pain from his past, disappointments and loneliness in the present and uncertainty about the future.  But, we see in verses 10-16 the amazing passage of Jacob sleeping with his head upon a rock and God visited him in a dream and spoke words of promise, hope and a future.  And when he awoke, Jacob spoke these words in verse 16...


"Surely the Lord is in this place and I new it not".  


I believe God was speaking "new" to Jacob and up until that moment he didn't even realize that God was really in his midst, moving him from his past history and pain into his future - filled with purpose and destiny.  God was showing him the hope of a "new" season and encouraging Jacob to look and listen for a new season was at hand!


Are you in a "winter" season right now?  Have the circumstances of life brought discouragement and uncertainty?  The Lord desires for you to "look and listen for a new season's at hand"!  Stay steady, stay the course, laying hold of His promises, pray and confess His Word and rest in His faithfulness to bring you through to a new season.  A season of renewed hope, restored dreams and purpose.....a season of deliverance, healing,restoration and fruitfulness!! 


Trust, look and listen - He's in the midst of you!  Trust in His faithfulness!   Focus upon Him and be amazed!  Listen for the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit whispering encouragement unto your heart........And one day, one moment, by His hand, your "winter" season will pass and give way to "spring" and your barren desert shall blossom like a rose!  And you will say..."Look what the Lord has done....Surely the Lord is in this place and I KNOW IT!!!".


Rejoice, Look and Listen for a new season's at hand!


He is Faithful!!


Luv, Hugs and Sweet Blessings!
Jackie

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23 comments:

Nana Jul said...

I just love when the Lord showers us with his blessings and we see it. Little surprises...unexpected joys! My prayer is we start seeing every one of them! Open our eyes Lord...New..New..New..Make us new and excited in you!
Love,
Julie

Yolanda said...

I always title these sweet happenings from the LORD as, God-stops. I came across that after doing the Beth Moore study on Believing God.

Where you just know that you know it is GOD.

Lovingly,
Yolanda

Angie said...

Amen! I am looking for my "winter" season to be over and can't wait for the Spring of my life, my new season. I rejoice with you for YOUR new season! Lord help us to see your amazing signs everywhere, and to listen for your voice.

Sheryl said...

tears!!

i believe this was written just for me. every single word. thank you.

Andrea said...

Great post..spring is around the corner...in our hearts and literally in our lives. I love the snow we are having, but I am reminded many suffer with depression and this causes it to be worse. Oddly, I have suffered with depression, but somehow GOD uses snow to brighten my day. I always march to the beat of a different drum. GOD clearly has a great sense of humor.
Hugs,
andrea

Deborah Ann said...

Jackie - this is most definitely a 'right-brain' thought process! I love how in the dead of winter (well, as wintery as it can be in Arizona) God speaks 'newness' into your heart!

I clicked on the picture, did that little bird leave you a, ahem, little present? Or is that a sunflower seed? Heheh...

RCUBEs said...

God is awesome. And full of surprises. When we least expect it! That's a beautiful gift from Him, a beautiful reminder that during winter time, it could be a time of being refreshed, of being rejuvenated, instead of feeling blue. It is a wonderful time to ponder and be pruned so that more blossoms will appear as the seasons change. A new day. I'm glad that you are quick to discern that He was talking to you that morning and was quick to get out of that "comfort zone"...

You blessed us with this experience. To God be the glory! Have a great day sister. Love and blessings to you.

Anonymous said...

Wow. This is a beautiful post. Of late, the Lord has allowed me to hear His clear voice in many life situations. And not long ago I was in the 'winter' or the wilderness period where His voice was rare and far in-between. I believe your words...to look and listen are speaking to me prophetically.

Blessings to you and yours.

Gladwell

LisaShaw said...

The LORD is good!!! Thanks for sharing with us. Hugs and blessings.

~Trina~ said...

I loved your post. It was a sweet confirmation. Last week God spoke to me and said, "You're in a transition season. Keep looking for me ~ I am your daily serendipity so watch for Me daily."

I always love to read your anointed posts!

pistolsnprincesses said...

Oh how I need this today. Help me to believe it and see it Lord.

And Jackie thank you for your faithfulness to write these encouraging words out for us.

Bless you.

Grace and Beauty said...

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and I am so glad to follow yours. What a beautiful post. I think I have been in a winter season after losing my Mom in September. So glad to be reminded of a new season and looking forward to it!!
Blessings, Cyndi

Cathy said...

Lord, open the eyes of our hearts to see You in all the seasons of our lives.

Thank You for sharing these words of widom.

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

What a beautiful post.....loved it...

christy rose said...

Spring definitely brings new life! What a beautiful thought and a great devotion. He makes everything new! I am ready for winter to be over and spring to begin spiritually and physically.

Stacey said...

Loved it and I agree totally! So often we miss God when He is clearly in front of us! Thanks for following me, going to enjoy getting to know you better! Sisters in Christ!

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

This was so uplifting Jackie! I am sitting in TEXAS with about 6 inches of snow and more falling... so unusual for us. But... spring is coming! You always have such good words that lift the heart.

Love & hugs!

Sonja

Terri Tiffany said...

I think we are finally coming out of our winter here:)) I'm feeling that spring and it is wonderful!

Crown of Beauty said...

There are many things you have written in your post that just lights up my heart, dear Jackie. First, I absolutely love the cooing of turtle doves, for it reminds me of the time my husband and I spent in Chiang Mai Thailand where turtle doves abound and every morning we would awake to the sound of their gentle cooing.

The picture is lovely. So lovely.

And Jacob is my all time favorite character in the Bible.

A passage from the Song of Solomon spoke to me at a time I needed to hear a specific word from the Lord:

For lo the winter is past
The rain is over and gone
The flowers appear on the earth
The time of singing has come
And the voice of the turtledove
Is heard in our land.

I am just so glad you got up and took that snapshot. And thank you for this post! I can truly relate to everything that you wrote.

Love
Lidj

Saleslady371 said...

This is a wonderful, encouraging word full of God's hope. I receive it for myself and my family!

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Lovely, spring thoughts, Jackie. I look forward to its unfolding with all the beauty of God's design.

peace~elaine

Janean said...

i received this! it is just what we're going through...and sensing something "new" just beyond our current grip.

thank you for sharing what was on your heart.

Patrinas Pencil said...

Jackie,

Just joined! (I'm the dove icon) I read your comment at Yolanda's place. I liked your response you penned to her. And the scripture was terrific!

I wanted to comment on this 'directionally challenged bird' ~ that was cute. But we both know that God doesn't make directionally challenged birds. They have better direction than our GPS.

That said, God does desposit things as simple as this to wake us up! to His love for us. He speaks through birds all the time to me. What a special "knowing" that He gave you in this moment. I am so glad that you were able to capture the photo - or the enemy would have tried to steal it away!!

Love your blog and the title of your blog is just so healing!

Blessings Patrina <")>><

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