NO VACANCY

One recent late Tuesday night, Kwesi, the boys, and I arrived home from Bible Study to a scene we'd not experienced before. There were three foxes frolicking around our immediate area as if they'd established, beforehand, to meet at this particular time and place. First, we thought there was only one, which came from our backyard. A few moments later, Kwesi spotted a second one coming from up the street to the right of us. The two began playing in the middle of our street almost in front of our house. Then adding more to our surprise, a third one joined the party, and they were off to the races down the street a bit, in and out of our neighbors' yards. We couldn't believe it. Yes, we see stray foxes and rabbits here and there (foxes way less than rabbits), but never have we seen a fox forum of three like this. We all sat in the car for a bit to ensure the foxes were far enough away, allowing us to get into the house. On my way to closing my eyes for bed that night, the fox scene hung around with me because I sensed a message in it.

DECEPTION WAITING IN THE RANKS

In the bed, I opened my dream interpretation book and read that foxes in dreams represent subtlety and deception. The fact that there were three of them (the number 3 means conform/obey) pointed to my need to pay attention to what the Lord was showing us through the foxes. It was a warning against deception infiltrating the state of rest and peace in which our family abides ... a heads up to protect the closer level of intimacy Kwesi and I have reached in our marriage. Seeing the foxes feeling free to run and play around our dwelling place, "trapping" us in our vehicle while they lingered, made this statement. It was such a surreal experience, which challenges me in articulating the seriousness in its nature. And so, since then, I've been praying against any entryways, to what God's built in us, through which the devil could gain access.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

Working in tandem with this warning, God's put a passage in Song of Solomon in my path which says, "Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone. The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air. The fig trees are forming young fruit, and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming ... [therefore] Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!" (2:11-13 & 15 -- NLT).

In this passage, the lovers have been speaking to each other and celebrating their love. The young woman, referring to her beloved as "darling", observes that there's been a change in season and that it adds even more beauty to what she and her man have. The young women of Jerusalem, those who are an audience to these two lovers, wisely admonish them to bind up all the foxes -- that subtle stuff that's notorious for interrupting and even destroying the seasonal growth and beauty that surrounds the lovers. Oh, what words of wisdom these are!

USE THE CHEAT SHEET

So, especially in this season where I'm running with [and have no plans of retreating from] a much greater appreciation for the privilege of prayer, I take full hold of this warning (through the foxes) that God sat right in our laps. I know He doesn't waste words and that there's always gold behind them. So, when He gives me the answers to the test -- and not just in His written Word but through messages that find me prophetically -- I don't want to be the dummy who doesn't use the cheat sheet.

This test within a test falls on a point in a timeline that's leading to another place in God for our family, as we're on the cusp of what hubby and I consider to be a sizable shift in our lives and household. I'm leaving a teaching career of 15 years, and we, as a family, are about to follow God into deeper reaches of the ocean we've been traversing together. Kwesi and I haven't seen eye-to-eye on this thing long ... shoot -- we were just seeing about eye-to-shoulder a few days ago. However, after thinking I've been Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs since [spring of last year] mentioning my God-led consideration and desire of resigning, Kwesi has told God, "It's on You," and has given me the green light regarding this.

CONFIRMATION NATION

I can't count the number of prophetic dreams and confirmations through sermons, conversations that have found me, the select few people I've asked to pray with me (holding me accountable for really hearing God on this), down to two to three sightings of a Mitsubishi ENDEAVOR (knowing good and well I'd never even HEARD of this car before God started talking to me about this shift).

And in this transitional period where there's an exciting newness of spring in the spiritual air we're breathing, I know Satan would love to snatch, right from under our feet, what we've built around Christ, causing it to come crashing and burning to the ground, leaving a catastrophic scene of destruction where we currently reside. NOPE! AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN, DEVIL. I see you.

William Shakespeare wrote:

"As whence the sun 'gins his reflection

Shipwracking storms and direful thunders break,

So from that spring whence comfort seemed to come

Discomfort swells."

Translated, this means that trouble is compelled and assigned to find a space where there are divinely ordered pleasantries, that it may overshadow and wreck them with countering storms. However, because my God is One of great faithfulness, He's THE constant light that dis-spells and repels the darkness wherever He shines. So, at this turn in seasons, I'm training my awareness to remain God-centered 24/7 so that no matter what comes, it'll find me ... find us ... properly postured in His provident care.

MAKE ROOM

Jonathan McReynolds sings a song entitled "Make Room" which sums up my heart's posture in this moment. The song's about making sure to create space in your life for God, ensuring that He knows He doesn't come second to anything. Some of the lyrics speak of various things in our lives, like our itineraries, our attitudes, our habits and egos that God can move over and out of the way in order that we properly see Him and set Him where He ought to be. I believe God's seen what He needs to see, in the way I've responded to His hand in my life, through good, bad, and terrifying, and He's been nudging me -- with a burning fire -- for what's next.

It's my constant expectation of myself that, as I press to live each day most aware of Him and concerned with His pleasure, I've -- no matter the season, bliss, or trial -- made it crystal clear to Him that there's a NO VACANCY sign engraved in my heart where He resides.

*This post was actually completed on February 10, 2019 but was held until a time of proper release.

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