A Dove from Webster means a bird with a small head and a characteristic wooing call.

Look at all the definitions found in the bible:

Land finder--> Genesis 8:8
Old Testament sacrifice--> Leviticus 5:7, 5:11, 12:6, more
Wings to fly one away to rest--> Psalm 55:6
Afflicted people of Israel (a plea to God to remember them)--> Psalm 74:19
Beautiful eyes--> Song of Solomon 1:15, 4:1
Term of Endearment--> Song of Solomon 2:14, 5:2
Moaning and troubled soul-->Isaiah 38:14, 59:11, Nahum 2:11
Those returning home, to where they belong-->Isaiah 60:8
One who knows her migration, where she belongs-->Jeremiah 8:7
Cave dweller-->Jeremiah 48:28
Moaning because of sin--> Ezekial 7:16
Deceived and senseless-->Hosea 7:11
Trembling-->Hosea 11:11
Spirit of God that descended on Jesus-->Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, more
Innocent-->Matthew 10:16
Being sold at the temple-->Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15, more

WOW!! Who knew a dove could take on so many meanings. As I'm praying today for the Lord to show Himself to me, to reveal Himself to me, I am specifically asking Him to define me. Much too often, I find myself being defined by my flesh. I define myself in my # of friends, my relationships with others, my success at school, my good works, and on and on.

Lord, how do you define me?

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His response was 'like a dove'

Thus, my study into doves...

Who knew that a dove can be moaning in agony one minute and then described as the spirit of God descending upon Jesus the next! Doves are described in the bible as dumb creatures yet they always know how to fly home. They are innocent and afflicted. They are beautiful and they are sold for their beauty.

We women are emotional creatures who are known to be moody, cranky and lacking a zest for life one minute and then passionate and full of fervor the next! We have all been called dumb blonds no matter our hair color but we seem to always remember the color shirt we wore the first day of school. We have a deep desire to be beheld as beautiful and secondarily we sell our bodies to receive attention, love, or affirmation of our beauty. We cover a broad range of definitions. I take delight knowing that I am a complex human being with all kinds of emotions, thoughts, loves, hates; mainly, I have variety in my life!!

A doctor at the hospital I work at, wears a white shirt, no tie, and brown pants every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on. He wears the same shoes, styles his hair the same way everyday, and is frankly boring. I need spice in my life! I'm a daughter, companion, friend, lover, hater, sister, m&m eater, purse carrier, different shirt each day of the MONTH kind of girl!
And let us rejoice as God has created us in HIS image, complex as we are.

Ladies, the danger in being doves is that Satan can creep in and convince us of definitions that separate us from the person God has called us to be. We can be defined by our failure at school, at work, failure at relationships, failure at being Holy; OR we can be defined as children of the living God! Let us take on these wings of doves and fly away to rest that only Jesus, the Word of God, can give. We have His spirit to do things His way. Our old self is gone...along with it definitions of us. It's crucified!

Galations 2:20:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.


I always knew I loved doves for a reason. What a blessing to know that the Lord doesn't only think of my failure/success on earth when He thinks of me. He thinks of the sacrifice of Jesus and Him covering me; giving me wings!



Therefore, I've decided that my next tattoo will be of a dove. Stay tuned...