The Sound of Turtle Doves

“Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the sound of turtle doves is heard in your land.” Song of Solomon 2:12

This scripture has such a special meaning to me. Several years back, when I was going though a difficult time, the Lord gave me this scripture to hold onto in an outstanding way. This passage of scripture gave me hope for the future and the divine encouragment I needed to continue believing for a promise the Lord had spoken to me.

At that time I had been earnestly seeking the Lord for His direction and will for my husband and I regarding children. We had found ourselves in the middle of an infertility struggle and I was often inquiring of the Lord for His voice into that area of our lives. We had always desired children and I had been given encouragement from the Lord to trust His timing and the children would come. I was seeking once again for God to confirm what I felt He had promised, and to encourage me in the plan He had for our lives.

One seemingly ordinary day, this scripture was delivered as a sovereign word from the Lord to me. It went straight into my spirit. Have you ever had that experience? When you know that God is speaking directly to you? That day changed my life forever; what happened afterward has effected my hope in our infertility journey tremendously for the past eight years. This word has grown my faith and trust as I continue to wait on God’s promises.

It was springtime, May of 2014, when I arrived at my mom’s apartment to drop something off. I walked in the door and was promptly greeted by her and the voice of author and minister, Lou Engle, who was preaching an unassuming pre-recorded message playing from YouTube on my mom’s laptop. Lou seemed to be about halfway through his sermon when I arrived and suddenly he stopped the moment I walked into the room. He halted his preaching and then delivered a powerful word – it felt like it was directly to me.

This was one of those moments where the world stood still and I felt like Lou was looking me in the eye when he spoke (or should I say, when God spoke through him). Part of the word he delivered that day was the scripture from the Song of Solomon. Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, he said “Sing out oh barren woman! The season of singing has come! The sound of turtle doves is heard in your land….” and continued on for just a minute or so more with encouragement from God.

I felt so seen.

In a nutshell, the whole prophesy Lou delivered that day powerfully spoke to my spirit and made my heart leap with hope! It was one of those moments that was timed impeccably and I knew it was a word from God directed to me.

Afterward, I held onto that word and cherished this scripture (SOS 2:12).

The incredible part, aside from hearing God speak that day, was that very soon after that happened, I began literally hearing the sound of turtle doves (almost every day) all around our home and in our neighborhood. I had never heard them before. Not ever. I was in awe! I remember the moment it dawned on me that I was “hearing the sound of turtle doves in my land” and I laughed with joy and astonishment. I truly felt each time I heard a dove coo that it was the Lord saying, “I am surrounding you and my promises are true! You can trust me. I am with you.”

Wow!

Since that moment, eight years ago, the sound of doves has remained. As they coo and sing all throughout the day, I am reminded that the Lord sees me and knows the deepest desires of my heart. He has a plan for my future and he will see me though to the promise. 

In addition to hearing the sound of turtle doves, I also began to have encounter after encounter with dove sightings on significant days. One day in particular, I remember I was driving to run an errand that was going to be emotionally difficult. I saw a dove fly right in front of my vehicle (almost as if in slow motion) carrying an olive branche in its beak.

I was reminded of Genesis 8:11 that says,

“When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in it’s beak was a freshly plucked olive branch.”

That day, I smiled and knew that the Lord was close. That He was with me during my emotional moment, just as He was with Noah on the Ark in his difficult circumstance.

In the Bible, the dove is a symbol of God’s Holy Spirit. Doves represent the presence of God and His peace.

I have been amazed, since that day in May of 2014, the Lord has continued to use doves to speak peace and hope to me.

Sarah & Abraham

One of the most meaningful and incredible dove experiences I have ever encountered took place on June 30th, 2015. My husband Larry and I had just come home from getting ice cream at our local Fosters Freeze. It was something like 108 degrees that evening. When we arrived home about seven o’clock in the evening, we were getting out of our vehicle when I spotted a turtle dove on the light post in front of our house. It was cooing. Very loudly. I decided to try to imitate it’s dove coo by cupping my hands together and whistling in a way that my uncle had taught me to do as a little girl. Surprisingly it sounded so much like a dove coo. And this beautiful dove, perched upon the light post, remarkably responded. She flew over me, back and forth, over and over again for close to an hour. I would stretch my hand out and she would caw and coo and fly right above me repeatedly. She was so close I could almost touch her. It was incredible. I was astonished.

The next morning I was surprised yet again that this dove came back to see me once more, and we relived our encounter all over again. I would coo, she would coo – responding and flying over me every time I called her.

She stayed in the neighborhood, and a few weeks later, she brought her mate to meet me. I’ll never forget that moment. It was like she was introducing me to him, and him to me. I fell in love with these two doves and felt that the Lord sent them specifically for me to enjoy. I named them Sarah and Abraham. I chose those names because I thought it was fitting as they were called to wait on a promise just like me.

I love the fact that doves mate for life, and every time they mate, they have twins. So beautiful!

Here are a few pictures from June 30th, 2015, The night Sarah and I met.

The Nest

Sarah and Abraham continued to live in my neighborhood and would sing to me often during the spring, summer and fall. Then they would disappear. I remember being very excited when I would hear Sarah return the following spring and would call out to her to confirm if it was really her. She has a very distinct, raspy voice and she would come immediately to me and fly over my head again and again when I would call her.

In the spring of 2017 I began to pray that the Lord would tell Sarah and Abraham to build their nest in the big, tall evergreen trees right next to our backyard. I honestly didn’t really expect it to happen. It was one of those, “it would be nice” prayers. However, I was overjoyed on June 3rd, 2017 when Abraham began pulling twigs off our crepe myrtle tree and flying to the evergreen tree right next to our backyard fence. I couldn’t believe it. I heard Sarah, and her raspy voice, happily singing away on her nest in the evergreen tree. Abraham was bringing her branches from our tree and she was building a nest in the same exact tree I had prayed they would live.

To add to my giddy excitement, I was actually able to help build their nest! I began collecting all the twigs from our crepe myrtle tree that Abraham had dropped on the lawn and set them in a big pile up on our fence ledge. Abraham watched me do this and then flew over and picked up the twigs, bringing them to Sarah. I laughed in bewilderment and great delight exclaiming to Larry, “I helped build their nest! Their babies are going to know me now!”

It was a simple prayer, but the answer sent my faith soaring cloud high! What a special relationship I had with these two doves. A true gift from God. A symbol of His sweet presence surrounding me always.

God loves to give us beautiful, sweet surprises!

Here are a few pictures taken on June 3rd, 2017 of Abraham and Sarah flying around and building their nest in the evergreen tree.

Holy Spirit Fire!

Another baffling dove sighting I want to share is the day a dove appeared in my photograph – as an image of fire. It was September 16th of 2020.

Although 2020 held many wonderful celebrations for us and our family, it was still one of the most difficult years for us ( and most people), for obvious reasons. My husband and I didn’t know it at the time, but our difficulties were going to get a bit tougher. And looking back now, I feel the Lord gave me this symbol of a fire-dove to encourage my heart on what He had already led us through, and to show us that He would continue to be with us through the fire.

Larry had just purchased a fire pit for his birthday and he and I were spending a date night out back enjoying the new fire pit and roasting delicious marshmallows for S’mores. I asked him to take a picture of me by the fire, and later that night as I looked through my pictures, I saw it. The clear and unmistakable image of a dove. Again, I was flabbergasted! A dove! Formed in fire! (“…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matthew 3:11)

I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw this picture.

The Lord speaks in so many countless ways. He wants to speak to you in unconventional and remarkable ways as well.

Listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.

One last dove story I would like to share happened just last week. It was the morning of June 24th, 2022 and Larry and I were sitting out in the backyard. All of a sudden I noticed a baby dove (it was very small) sitting on top of our pergola right above us. This particular dove was a mourning dove, not a turtle dove (both types live in our neighborhood). I never heard this baby dove fly in and land. He just seemed to be there. Still and silent. Looking at me just as intently as I was looking at him.

As I watched him, I wondered where he came from and if he was ok. Just then, I received a text message on my phone from a friend. She was sharing the amazing news that the Supreme Court had announced the overturning of Roe V. Wade! I was overcome with thankfulness at this long-awaited answer to prayer and began to search for news articles. It was such a powerful moment. Then, I looked up from my phone to check on the baby dove and he was gone. I never heard him fly away. He left as silently as he had arrived.

As I pondered this, knowing that the dove is a biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit, I was convinced and amazed that God sent a sweet baby dove to me right at the exact moment I heard the news – that now millions of innocent unborn babies had a much better chance of life. It was a huge win for the unborn, and this baby dove, I believe represented God’s heart. How He has mourned for the life lost though abortion and now is sending His peace and presence. So many years of prayers were answered upon that historic day as these precious unborn children will now have a greater chance of living out their God-ordained destines. A baby dove to represent the babies’ lives that will be saved. Amazing!

My now eight year journey of hearing the sound of turtle doves has been incredible. As a matter of fact, June 30th, 2022 was the seventh anniversary of when Sarah and Abraham first appeared. On the seventh anniversary they both came to visit again. I had not seen them together in quite a while. Sarah has been around, responding to me as always, but I had not seen Abraham for a while. On the seventh Anniversary they both showed up, and I was able to take these photos of them both, shown below.

I thought it was very special that the Lord sent them together to fly around, respond and rest in our crepe myrtle tree on the seventh anniversary. Seven is one of the numbers in the Bible that have great significance. Seven means “fullness” or “completeness.”

Maybe it means that the promise is near. That it has been the fullness of time. Maybe it means “…that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6 Either way, my faith is soaring. Right up there with those beautiful doves.

Here are a few pictures taken on June 30th, 2022 (and July 1st, 2022) – the seventh anniversary of when I met Sarah and Abraham.

As I prepared this blog and searched through my journals and pictures to gather the timeline, I found myself overwhelmed once again at the goodness of God. Reminiscing on this journey has again caused hope to rise as I remember that God is faithful. I trust that He does keep His promises.

Friend, if you have heard the Lord speak a word to you, keep believing that He will bring it to pass. He loves to encourage us in a multitude of ways along the journey.

Let’s pray for eyes to see and ears to hear all He wants to show us and speak to us!

Amen?

Be Blessed, sweet friends!

~ Stephanie