God Speaks to Me in October.....

.....now don't get me wrong, God speaks to me many more times than in October.
But there is something about October between God and I.
For some reason He speaks about a specific thing in October.
It has been this way for some time now.
I have come to expect it.
I am so thankful He does this.

So what, you might ask, is He speaking to me about in October?
The coming year.
Always, the coming year.

I usually get my word for the year.
A thought for the year.
Something.
And this year, I knew God was telling me that 2014 would be a year of growth for me.

I was on a design team, He moved in my heart to step down when my term was up,
even though I'd been asked to stay on.
I stepped down.  Gladly really.  I'd thought it would be harder.
It wasn't.
It brought relief.
Hmmm.....
Yes, God was up to something.

Then He started just guiding my heart toward other changes.
Heart changes.
Wrong attitudes.  (That one was WAY harder than stepping down from the design team.)
Wrong motives.  (That one stung a little.  The light shone in dark places often hurts).
Wrong desires.  (Mostly in the area of my health, and this one has taken a little bit for me to be obedient on. Just keeping it real.)  I like brownies.  moving on.....
Just to name a few.

So why growth?
Well I had let things creep in.
Nothing terrible.
Nothing awful.
Just things.
Ya know....
the little foxes.

Song of Solomon 2:15
"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom."

God has been talking to me A LOT about the little foxes.  When I'm doing something that threatens my time alone with Him, He will whisper in my Spirit, "the little foxes".  When He prompts me to write an e-mail to someone He's laid on my heart, or send a text, or stop and pray for them, and I think, "I'll do it in just a minute."  I hear that little whisper, that still small voice whisper in my Spirit, "the little foxes."  I've learned to pay attention.  Those "little foxes" are sneaky.  They don't just come at you shouting,
"HEY GIRL, I'M HERE TO STEAL YOUR VINEYARD.  GONNA CHEW IT TO BITS."  
Nope they're subtle.  Sneaky.

What do my little foxes look like?
Busyness
Rush
Lack of Focus
Complacency

I've been praying that God will help me.  I know when I get in a hurry or to busy that my times with the LORD and the people I love so much will suffer.  Why?  Because I am not giving my full attention to Him and them.  Half-hearted devotion is no devotion at all.  (Just saying')  And that is what God has really been helping me to see.

Be FULL ON.
ALL IN.
NO EXCUSES.

And what happens when I make NO excuses?  When I focus?  When I'm all in?
Growth.

Yes, it is hard.
Yes, there have been tears.
There will be more.
But Jesus is worth every single solitary tear I cry to get closer to Him.
He is worth every single thing I give up to be in His Presence.
He is worth it.

So today, do you need to refocus?  Do you need to understand why things are going the way they are?  Do you need to slow down?  Let me encourage you to take a few minutes with the LORD in His Word.  Let Him speak.  Listen.  Breathe.  Inhale the Word.  Let His Spirit guide you.

I am walking through February with my dear blog friend Deidre.  Please go over to her blog and read her daily posts.  What God has done in her life and is doing through her blog is truly amazing.  Our Pastor says another way to grow closer to God is to see what God's doing and be a part of it.  You can go to her blog and be a part of what God is doing.  You will be amazed.

I love you.
Truly.

dawn