"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
