Doors Burst Open Vision UPDATE
“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
I had my Doors Burst Open Vision on January 5, 2017. It was a beautiful confirmation from the Lord at a time when Rick and I were packing up our belongings after six years in Germany. We were preparing to return to the United States where he would countdown to retirement. We had no idea what our future would look like or where we would settle once he retired. I never could have imagined how prophetic a vision from 2017 would be used in 2025.
Let me back up. While we were living in Germany and hoping to travel when Rick retired, God had said to me, “you’ll know when you get there.” I translated this to mean once we began our travels, if the Lord wanted us to stay longer to help a missionary or pastor, were we willing to say yes. We were willing.
Rick retired in January of 2020 and we sold 90% of our belongings with the intent to be nomads and travel the world for a few years. We had a one-way ticket to Spain April 18, 2020. Rick and I got “stranded” in Florida at the height of the pandemic awaiting our cruise that never set sail. Proverbs 16:9 was never more real than at that time: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Our retirement years were already looking much different than we had anticipated, even though we were preparing for a life of the unexpected.
To make a long story short, as we waited to find out if our one-way cruise to Spain was cancelled, there wasn’t anything to do but look at homes. I heard the Lord’s words come back to me “you’ll know when you get there,” and it just felt right to keep looking. “Is this ‘there, Lord?” Rick had never wanted to live in Florida and even he was feeling the Lord’s direction in this.
We bought a home April 23, 2020 and at the time we said, “if we don’t love it here, we can move in three years.” Ultimately, we loved it, but during all our years here, we never felt it was our forever home. There was a constant stirring in us wondering “is it time to go.” “Did we miss our chance to travel?” We were beginning to feel time was running out to live this dream.
God created my husband with a wanderlust spirit and a desire to travel the world and live spontaneously. This is something I had to learn to value and appreciate all these years. We entered 2025 and he kept saying we’ll stay in Florida another three years. For several weeks he continued to say “we’ll stay here until I’m 70.” I was at peace with what he was saying, yet, weeks went by and something in me needed to know for certain that I was willing to surrender all to the Lord. What did God want of us, truly?
It was a Sunday evening, March 2, 2025 and before going to sleep I prayed a specific prayer, but one with a heart of full surrender. Without telling Rick, I asked God to do like he did when he brought us to this home. “Lord, if we are to sell this home, make it clear to Rick.”
I wanted Rick and I to be unified in this decision and to know that we were both hearing the same message from the Lord. I made it clear to the Lord I was willing to surrender everything to him. I will go when you say go. I will sell when you say sell and I will stay if that is your will. “What do you want from us, Lord?”
We love our life and lifestyle here. I love warm weather, our church, Bible studies, community, friends, and playing pickleball every day. We would be giving up a great community. We can both see reasons why God brought us here and for those reasons alone, it’s hard to leave. Nevertheless, if the Lord was ready to move us on I had to be willing to surrender what I love - everything. I told the Lord if he wanted me to sell all and move, we would. “Make it clear to Rick, Lord.” I went to sleep.
My team took the bronze medal home at the tournament. My last one before moving.
I typically wake up at 5:30 am and the morning after praying that prayer was no different. I was sitting on the couch drinking my coffee when Rick walked out of the bedroom an hour later. He opened the door and the first words out of his mouth were “I feel that we are supposed to sell the house.” I thought, “Wow, Lord, that was fast.” It had been less than 12 hours since I had prayed that prayer.
I told him what I had prayed and together we knew this was the direction the Lord was calling us to. We didn’t hesitate and met with our realtor three days later. We couldn’t list our home immediately due to all the spring break visitors and a trip to our kids the end of March. Upon our return, five weeks after that prayer, our home went up for sale.
Something the Lord had been impressing upon my heart prior to this was the importance of being willing to “step into the river” like Joshua when God says go. In Joshua 3, it wasn’t until the priests stepped into the water that the waters began to part. “as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.” Joshua 3:15-16
In that five week period, the market had gone down further. People were beginning to panic over the changes and uncertainty with tariff’s and the market. It was not the best time to sell. Nevertheless, the Lord told us to sell and we didn’t feel that we needed to go less than what we had planned a month ago. Rick and I had to take a step of faith for us to see God move; we had to step into the water. We listed our home on a Monday and within a few hours we had an offer, sight unseen and less than 24 hours later a second buyer made a cash offer. There was one common theme when we told people that we had two offers, “Houses aren’t selling.” “In this market? I can’t believe it.”
Two days after we listed our home, I received an email from a stranger reading my blog. I don’t believe she had ever read my blog before. This is her email to me:
I was praying and talking with God about something I needed clarification on. During my prayer, I saw a Vision. This is one of the ways God communicates with me. After the Vision faded and I finished my prayer, I looked up what it meant and your page came up. I was absolutely ASTOUNDED as I read it because it was EXACTLY the same Vision I had! The wind, the bright light, the French doors! All of it. Your explanation of what God was telling you was what I thought mine was about, too. I love, love, love that God showed me your page for even MORE clarification of what He was telling me.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this. You never know who or when someone will need to see it, but God does. Beth Wells
Immediately, I searched the vision on my computer to refresh my memory - Doors Burst Open Vision.The first thing I recognized was the date. January 2017. After six years of living in Germany, we were packing up boxes and moving. We were beginning a new transition. Eight years laters, we were again in transition and God was bringing this dream to my attention now. ONLY GOD!
My heart leaped with joy and I sat utterly amazed at God and so thankful for his goodness. I knew instantly God had brought this vision to the surface to show me that once again, during this new transition period, that “The Lord is going before me, preparing the way.”
The words I had written in 2017 resonated with me for this time in my life. God thrills my soul, telling me even now, “Doors in the Bible can symbolize going through transition, leaving one thing and entering into something new (which this surely represents). It was a beautiful, ornate, double door. This door instills joy and an excitement of what is yet to come.”
TWO doors - TWO offers.
Beth had sent her email TWO days after our home went up for sale.
The “two doors” were truly bursting open and things were moving fast. We had stepped into the river and God had parted the “sea.” Receiving a text from a stranger was no coincidence. I knew that the Lord had used this woman to encourage and let us know we were on the right path. I later journaled about the vision: “When the vision vanished, I knew the overall message was to follow God and run through open doors, not simply walk through them. This vision reinforced the importance to run the race of faith and keep moving forward, not backwards. If I try to run backwards I can hardly call it running. It’s quite challenging and it’s easy to stumble. With God, the path is safe and steady. Progress is moving forward. God has already “made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.” 2 Samuel 22:37 and Psalm 18:36
I am so thankful Beth was attentive to how God speaks through visions and was willing to share what God is doing in her life. Everything he does has purpose and we never know how and when he will use what he puts in our lives for the future, for others, but it is always for his glory. God used her to affirm and reaffirm the plans God has for our lives. She took the time to write what many may think was a simple email, but there’s no such thing as a simple email in the kingdom of God. Her email is loaded with the glory and power of God! If God nudges you to do something, take the time to do it, even to a stranger. I’m so grateful she did.
We’re on the move, again.
The inspection passed and I’d say 90% of our belongings are staying. We didn’t list our house to include furniture, but both offers came through this way. All of our furniture is staying (excluding a table, a chandelier and our personal belongings). God clearly wants us to release all for whatever he has planned for our future. For now, we will travel fall and winter and if he wants us to minister along the way, we will be available to do so. Summers will be with our children and nine grandchildren. We don’t know how it will look, but we are trusting the Lord to show us, one step at a time, like he always does.
It’s been eight years since I received the Doors Burst Open Vision. Eight in the Bible represents, a new beginning. On the 8th day of creation, a new day, a new week began. We are entering a new beginning, again. Again, God’s timing is perfection! When the deed is signed, we will be nomads until the Lord says to buy again. Where, we do not know. We don’t know what the next few years will fully look like, but we are thrilled the Lord is releasing us to spend more time with our grandchildren and filling our hearts desire to see more of his beautiful creations around the world. As I tell my children, “we can never go wrong saying yes to God.” My prayer is that he is glorified and lifted up in everything we do.
We didn’t know what our future held or where we would settle in retirement in 2020, and like now, we are trusting the Lord to show us where to settle when this new transition period comes to an end. What I can tell you is living with Christ is one exciting adventure and when you say yes to God, enjoy the ride.
The joy that awaits us and those nine beautiful grandchildren are our greatest ministry.
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride! ‘ ”
I hope you were able to get a glimpse of how God wants to be involved in every detail of our lives. He is loving, personal, and most of all Sovereign. “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1
Thumbnail photo by Robert Anasch on Unsplash
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