When God gives us prophetic dreams, we have no idea what the end result will look like. Jim Goll states that “We must patiently and carefully carry the dream that God has conceived in us until He brings it to birth. When the fullness of time comes, we also receive a full understanding of the dream's meaning.” This was one of those dreams where God birthed new life in me. 

Upon waking up, the Lord was emphasizing it was the end of an era, but I had no idea how dramatic and to what extent that end would be. It wasn’t for another six months the full revelation of this dream began to unfold. 

Rick was nearing the end of his 35-year career and plans were under way for him to retire. We were beginning to put our belongings into long-term storage, hoping to live for the next year or two as nomadic retirees. We prayed this also included short or long-term assignments assisting missionaries. Destiny Car Dream 

We were looking forward to a 14-day cruise to Spain where we would stay for two months. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was cancelled. (Cruise Dream - Part One) At some point we would begin looking for a home base and place to retire. 

Six months after the dream we set off on our journey. What we had planned and what the details in the dream came to represent was nothing we had anticipated. 

It was only three weeks living our nomadic lifestyle when the coronavirus swept across the globe (February 2020). Due to concerns that state borders might close, we decided to make our way south a bit early. Like many of you, our lives had not yet been turned upside down. 

We had not planned on remaining in Florida for more than two weeks, but when the uncertainties of flight and ground travel began to surface, my son’s in-laws lovingly offered us their Florida home where we could remain safe and secure. 

Soon after, stores and restaurants closed nationwide. The longer we remained “homebound,” we began to feel like Florida was the state to retire. We no longer felt a need to scout out other states, therefore, we began looking for a retirement home. After a few weeks, we found a home, made an offer, and waited for things to fall in place.

It was a typical morning doing my devotions when suddenly what God “impregnated” six months ago in this God-dream was being birthed. Elements I had never thought or seen before I was experiencing in real time. These are those moments when I know it is God who is bringing spiritual light to a God-dream, not me. 

Interpretation and fulfillment of the 2019 GPS Dream:

Scene One: 

I dreamt I was driving a car and there was a male passenger in the passenger seat. The GPS was attached to the window seal. It fell off and when I looked down, the road suddenly came to a dead-end. I slammed on my breaks and we found ourselves boxed in at the end of an embankment.  Construction was taking place for a new neighborhood on the other side. I noted how massive and expensive the homes were. 

We landed halfway up the embankment, which was somewhat muddy. I was driving an automatic and I told the passenger I would need to step on the peddles quickly so that when I went in reverse I wouldn’t get stuck in the dirt. When I say boxed in, it was because plywood was built up like a wall on both sides of our vehicle. There was no way to maneuver other than straight back.

As I looked in my mirrors, I asked him to watch the sides to guide me backward. When he picked up the GPS I told him how to hook it to the window. 

I stepped on the gas to get out of the mud and once I was off the incline, I eased down the embankment and back onto the road. 

The plywood surrounding the car was symbolic for being isolated and closed in. Like the rest of the country, we remained isolated and in our home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. We were unable to travel north to be with our family. 

It dawned me, or rather, God pierced my spirit with the realization that Rick and I had looked only at newly constructed neighborhoods. All of these details caused me to do what I teach so often. “What was the date of my dream?”

I quickly searched my computer for the dream and it was October 19, 2019. I looked at what I had noted at the time. I knew the number 19 represented something, but I did not know why. I looked at nine, ten, 10 + 9, yet nothing would come together. I was certain it had meaning and the longer I tried to rely on my own efforts, the more frustrated I got. It was like putting a square peg into a round hole. God wanted me to let it go so I did. 

One of the biggest mistakes you can make with God-dreams is trying to make something out of nothing and not letting God bring it to light. Thankfully, I let it go otherwise the miracle of the message would have been missed. I was now living the miracle and the details were God's indisputable proof he was in control and we were where he had planned all along. Prophetic dreams revealed this back to 2014.

I sat stunned. 19. NINETEEN in the dream was highlighting the period in time -  COVID-19! There it was -- NINETEEN. 

Scene Two: 

I sensed I was in Italy, but everything around me was America. I was with my brother-in-law Eric and we were heading to church. I told him I needed to eat. We were meeting up with his family later in the day. I saw a pizza place and said let’s stop there. He said we’re having pizza tonight and I told him I didn’t mind if I had pizza twice. He said he wouldn’t be eating. We got in line and the workers were tossing pizza dough. The dough was family-size and I told Eric that was too large and to make sure I didn’t forget to ask for personal size to go

Italy is significant because within a very short time of our stay in Florida, Italy became the hardest-hit country by the coronavirus (COVID-19). 

One meaning of Eric in the dream was how isolation looked in reference to his family. It was during this same period when college campuses closed due to COVID-19 outbreaks. Three of his four kids no longer live at home. Two of his sons were sent home when their college campuses closed. His daughter returned to be with family and work from home. The dream depicts his family home together.

Since we arrived in Florida God had given us peace this was to be our retirement location. As we looked for homes, continuing to pray to ensure this was God’s will, Rick kept saying “we are here for a reason.” The Lord had given us this time, this home to remain isolated, with no other distractions in order to focus entirely on looking for a home. We were closed in, nowhere else to go, with nothing else to do.

What will COVID-19 come to mean for Rick and me in the coming years? It was an unexpected journey, during an unprecedented time in history, when the entire world was shut-in. 

What is equally astounding is when I came to the conclusion of this post, the Lord reminded me of the  Caribbean Dreams Part One and Part Two. I noted in the dreams how we went east, south, west, never making it to our planned destination (Cruise Dream). 

As I read through both dreams, I sat utterly stunned at how prophetic they were. We sold our home in the north April 2014. God birthed this dream the same month (seven days apart actually) and the fullness of this dream would be birthed in extraordinary ways during the COVID-19 pandemic six years later. Ultimately, with God’s help, we made it to the unknown destination in the south and purchased a new home in a neighborhood much like the dream. Our home is surrounded by a few newly built homes and primarily empty lots waiting for buyers to begin building. The Lord continues to make his name known among the nations.

I did not know that my Caribbean Dreams connected to our future home. The Lord went before us long before we began looking for our retirement home. 

I know this is a lot to follow, but if you capture anything, it is that you can trust that the Lord God is with you and has gone before you. The world is forever changing, but God never changes, nor does the depth of his love. 

Make note of the details in your God-story. Each of us have our own spiritual journeys and testimonies to share. “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” Psalm 103:2

At the time of the Caribbean Dream, I wrote the following about Scene Three: “This represents it is the beginning of something new. God will birth something entirely new in me.” Indeed he was and continues to do so. I’m so thankful he never gives up on me.

For reflection from your time in “shelter-at-home” during the coronavirus pandemic:

• As you think of your relationship with God, how would you define the difference between isolation and solitude?

• What have you learned about yourself? List your strengths and weaknesses? How can you put those lessons learned into action when business can be conducted outside the home more regularly?

2019 GPS Dream Interpretation Part Three to follow.

Photo by Scott Blake on Unsplash