Write it down.
The words that came to me upon waking on a May morning several years ago were so softly spoken, that I would’ve missed them if they had not reverberated in my whole being. I had just had the most incredible dream, one where I was walking through a house with a certain number of bedrooms, more than one kitchen, and the exterior painted forest green.
When I woke up, I could still feel the embrace of that dream home wrapping me in warmth and peace. And in the silence of that early morning, I heard God whisper the words, Write it down. His voice was so intimate and deeply personal that tears rose as I grabbed a notebook and did my best to scribble down what I had seen and experienced in my dream.
After doing so, I turned to my husband and told him about my dream. In response, he pulled out his phone and decided to search for a house located in the south of Iceland that fit that description, just for fun. We had been living in Akureyri, a town in the north, for two years and knew we were being led to move to the south. We really didn’t have an idea of what specific town we would move to, let alone the finances to purchase a house when we did move.
After scrolling through a few available houses in the capital and surrounding areas, my husband turned the phone around to show me one house in particular. “That’s the color of the house in my dream,” I breathed. As he listed out all the details, my mouth continued to drop. Not only did this house fit the description in my dream, but it was located in my husband’s hometown.
From the overflow of that moment, God continued to direct and provide and by August we had moved into that dream home.
I often look back on that moment. The dream and all that unfolded was such a palpable and tangible experience of God’s provision. But what I recall the most fondly is how God spoke to me in that sacred moment between waking and sleeping, in the quiet sliver of time where distractions gave way to a divine interaction.
That whisper changed so much in my life and my family. It led to decisions and steps towards home.
Yet I wonder how many times I’ve missed or ignored God’s personal and intimate nudge. What other worries and fears could I have alleviated by leaning in to His voice? What need may have been met, provision received if I had quieted myself enough to listen? What distractions are taking a more prominent role and dividing my attention from all the thoughts God has over me?
“How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.”
Psalm 139:17-18 NIV
God’s thoughts over us are numerous and beyond measure. So why do we sometimes settle for counterfeit words when even His whisper can reverberate through our present circumstances and into a multitude of centuries? I am grateful for the way God spoke to me in my dream, but His words are also available to us in every moment of every day.
The environments we live in definitely don’t make hearing His voice easy. The noise of opinion often shows up louder and stronger than the truth we really seek.
As my family now settles after a time of transition back to the States, I find myself tempted to get caught up in a whirlwind of noise. Lies seem louder when you’re tired. Hope feels more deferred when you’re discouraged. It’s often more convenient to cultivate patterns of striving and stress than rhythms of abiding and rest.
But God has never stopped speaking. And although He may come on the scene with thunderous roars, He can pierce through the hardest hearts with the gentlest whisper. God is faithful to step into our whirlwinds. Instead of matching the fury of a storm, He encloses us in His arms, tucks us to His chest, and speaks the words that we desperately need to hear.
If you would like to read more about letting go of lies and leaning in to what God says about you, check out this free download of Jenny’s book, Milk & Honey in the Land of Fire & Ice.
Jenny,
Your beautifully chosen words are soothing, uplifting, and guiding.
Please know the way you described God entering your “twilight” sleep with His message is exactly what I have experienced at various times throughout my life. Such a blessing!
Isn’t that such a sweet and intimate way to hear His voice? I’m so grateful for those moments and love hearing that you have had the same.
Jenny,
Thank you for your devotional and your wonderful reminder that God whispers and we need to listen. I shared it x2! And I plan to download your book and leave a review.
Sending you end of summer joy!
Lisa Wilt
You are so welcome and thank you for sharing! So many of us need the reminder to listen in!
Thank you for your post. If we could all just slow down, see the value in resting and abiding, we would find so much more joy in our daily lives.
Yes, amen to that!
Dear Jenny…….I haven’t seen one of your devotions for a while and I always really relate to what you are telling us, but being in Iceland probably makes it harder to do these than when you were in Alabama. I am so happy for you that you found that “Dream Home” in your husband’s hometown and the way you found it. I find it exactly as your words put it. It is harder in the cities with all the noise and chaos that is in the world right now with the election coming up and all the wars, but your dream and the whisper that you heard is something that I have experienced too. In the still of the night and I woke up, I heard Him whisper to me as well. I did not know what it meant, but I knew it had to be important as things in my life were changing so much and unfortunately not for the good. I like you, if I counted up everything He has said or done for me over the years (I am 77 years old) it would be monumental. The one really serious thing that I have been battling is my husband with his dementia. I noticed that his mind was failing about 6 years ago even though he denied it. I made him go to a neurologist and a psychoneurologist and they both diagnosed the same thing. The denial went on for a long time and I stayed in our house with him and kept praying and trying to get him out of this denial. He through all the meds down the toilet and instead of stopping all the drinking he just drank more and every night for 3+ years he abused me until 4/20/2023, he really hurt me badly. I finally got my 911 call through and he did not realize it and the dispatcher was taping everything that was happening and the police were there in five minutes. This is when I heard not a whisper but a loud sentence in my mind. Stop worrying about Jim and start paying attention to your safety. It was God and I knew He really wanted me to get his message this time. I was so stressed and crying with the whole situation that I did not hear His previous words. It is an even longer story that I will not bore you with, but I knew that I needed to do something and his doctors told me that the next time, he is going to get the gun, kill you and 10 minutes later he will not remember he did it. The last thing I will say is that we only have 1 son (52 at the time and 1 grandson, 12 at the time) My son would not help me. he kept calling me a liar and there was nothing wrong with his Dad, but the real heartbreaking part of this story (so far) is that even before all this happened he called me one night and just said, “You are a liar, a liar, a liar and I do not consider you my mother anymore and you will not be allowed to talk or see Carter ever again and he hung up. It is 17 months now with no communication from anyone and that is the last of my family. Everyone else is gone from this Earth, but what you reminded me of is that you have to listen for a sign or a message. I have done much better with trying to be positive and know that Jesus will help me. I have cast my burdens at his feet and I am very aware of any kind of hope that He gives me. Because of you and the (in) community women, I have learned so much more and every morning I look forward to reading the devotion. It helps me get through the day. The situation is still not solved, but I know that God works on His timeline. Thank you Jenny for this great story and I will read it again this afternoon so I am sure I did not miss any of your story and kind words. I send my love and prayers to you and your family and I pray that I hear from you again sometime…………………………Betsy Basile
Betsy thank you for sharing this with me and with all of us. I cannot imagine the difficulty of that season that you walk through and having to carry so much. I am so thankful for God‘s faithfulness to us in the midst of those storms, and I know that he continues to carry you even now. I pray for continued peace over you and that God brings redemption and restoration in these areas concerning your family.
Jenny love what you wrote today. It speaks volumes to me. So glad to hear you write again incourage. As it must be a we while I love your writings. Like all the other writers of incourage. Yes when God whispers. We can know God whispers in our ears for no one else to hear. What he going to tell to us that message he wants to tell us and us only. We might like what God says and we might not. But God tells us through his Holy Spirit. In his whisper because he cares and loves us. It is always for our own good that God tell us. So we can change our lives around if needed. Walk in the way God wants us to. After God has told us what he has tell us. We can let the stress of life get to us rather than listening to God to live the good way he has for us which is best. We might not like God’s whisper at the time if God wanting us change. To walk his way. At the time we might think our way is better. But in the end we do see God’s way is best than our own. I been there in past. I went my way thinking I know best. Then God has whispered in my ear. To go his way. In the end I had to say sorry God. Turn around go God’s way. As it is best and it has worked out best. So it good to listen to God when he whispers in your ear. Do as he says. As you do end up finding out God’s way is best. Love today’s reading. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
Yes, his words are so important for us to grab a hold of aren’t they? And those whispers are often God’s invitation for us to quiet down long enough, and lean in close enough to hear. The direction we need and the intimacy we crave. Blessings to you today!
Thank you for this reminder. Slow down and listen in.
You are so welcome
What a beautiful story! It’s wonderful all the different ways God can speak to and encourage us. Thank you for sharing.
It really is! I’m so thankful that God allows us to hear and know His voice on a personal level.
Dear Jenny,
I am glad to hear that you will be relocating to the US. I have been following you for a while and enjoy your posts. I am Guatemalan and the first time I read your story, it caught my heart. My daughter lives in Iceland. She married an Icelander and moved in 2020. They live in Vogar and have a two-year old daughter. Every time I hear “Iceland or the land of fire and ice” my heart jumps and something inside of me stirs. For no reason , I feel as if you connect me to my daughter every time you write about Iceland. May God bless you as you start this new chapter of your life.
I
Was not able to download your freebie of your Milk and Honey in the land of fire and ice. I tried several ways and was not able.
And, I loved Akureyri. Beautiful. We visited there the first time we came to Iceland in 2021.
Hello Norma! Thank you for sharing about this connection with Iceland. Wow, your daughter and her family live close to a hotspot don’t they. I love how the Lord connects all of us in different ways. We are definitely thankful to be in the states for this season but it is bittersweet because we miss Iceland.
Also I am sorry that you are having trouble with the book download. Can you send me a message through my website, and I will send you hopefully a better link for download. Thank you!
Hello Norma! Thank you for sharing about this connection with Iceland. Wow, your daughter and her family live close to a hotspot don’t they. I love how the Lord connects all of us in different ways. We are definitely thankful to be in the states for this season but it is bittersweet because we miss Iceland.
Also I am sorry that you are having trouble with the book download. Can you send me a message through my website, and I will send you hopefully a better link for download. Thank you!
this was post beautiful, calming, and reassuring! this part is so beautiful and peaceful, “Instead of matching the fury of a storm, He encloses us in His arms, tucks us to His chest, and speaks the words that we desperately need to hear.” thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad it connected with you! And I love the way the Lord steps into our chaos and brings us close.
Amen! So well written. Thank you, Jenny! I pray that God will smooth your transition to the States!
Thank you María! I appreciate your words.
Jenny,
We live in a super noisy world. There is so much to distract us from God’s voice. God doesn’t shout or speak loudly. We have to really listen & pay attention to hear his gentle whispers. A good example is Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
God chose to speak in a gentle whisper to Elijah. He wants our full attention. Let’s be people who quiet ourselves & truly listen to & for God.
Blessings 🙂