I Had a Dream. . .

Last week I had a dream. . .and I actually remembered it in the morning, and I still remember it; which for me is not the norm.

In my dream I was alone and I was walking in a parking garage.  As I approached a vehicle with a shiny chrome bumper, I could see my legs and feet reflected in it.  Suddenly, I noticed that just to the left of my reflection, there was another pair of legs reflected.  The other person reflected in the bumper was wearing a light blue long garment with white stripes, he had tanned legs, and leather sandal clad feet.

I was so startled to see someone’s reflection right next to mine, when I thought I was alone, that I jumped and whirled to my left.  As I looked in to the face of the man next to me, I knew instantly who it was, and I said “Jesus!”.  Jesus got an amused look on His face, and said “Why are you surprised?  I told you I would be with you always.”

I stood in stunned silence for a moment, and then I too began to smile.  Of course I knew that God/Jesus had said that He would always be with me, but I had never thought of it in that way. . .that God was actually walking with me every moment of everyday.

I have felt so incredibly blessed by that dream, and the way that the Lord has reassured me that I am never alone.

I have shared my dream with some people that were going through a really hard time, and I have been blessed to see how the revelation that even when they felt alone. . .they really weren’t, impacted them.  To see the Truth of the realization register on their faces and the peace that seemed to transcend what they could have imagined during their time of trials in their lives, was amazing. 

It so remarkable for me to share my life with other people, and to realize that God can and does use our experiences to encourage others. 

It is so humbling. . .and all I can say is “Thank you Lord!” for allowing me to be part of Your work here in Thailand.

Hebrews 13:5 - "for he (God) has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.""

Matthew 1:23 - ""Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us)."

Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Matthew 28:20 - ". . .behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

2 Timothy 4:17 - "But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed. . ."

So, I encourage you to share your life with others.  You never know how God can use you, in the lives of others.

Blessings,

April

Now that is Generous Giving. . .

Bill and I have the privilege of being involved with an orphanage here in Thailand.  We teach English at the orphanage each week, and they come to the Youth Center for Youth Group for games, food and Bible study.  We ask often how we can help more, but they are reluctant to tell of their needs.

A while back we wished twin teenage girls Happy Birthday during Youth Group.  A few days later, after we finished teaching English at the orphanage, one of the teenage girls started to give me a hug.  Suddenly she pulled back, saying that she just remembered something, and asked if we could wait a minute.  I told her we would wait, and to take her time.

She ran off to the small room that she shares with the rest of the girls that live at the orphanage.  She emerged a few minutes later with two beautiful bracelets in her hands.  She explained that they were for the twin girls that had just had a Birthday, and that she wanted me to give them to the girls.  I told her that they were beautiful, and asked her why she didn’t want to give them to the girls herself.  She just insisted that I give them to the girls for her.  I finally agreed and said I would.

I then asked her where she had bought them, because I really thought they were gorgeous.  She looked confused for a moment, and then told me that she had made them.  She had made each one specifically for each of the girls, based on what she thought they would like.

I was amazed, and awed.  Here was a young lady, who was living in an orphanage, she had just started college, and she worked to provide money for the orphanage and for school.  And yet out of her generous heart she had made two bracelets that she would normally sell, and she gave them to two new friends.

She was not reluctant in giving.  She was actually beaming (and yet shy), as she handed the beautiful bracelets to me.

Her giving was not about her.  She did not call a press conference, so that everyone could see how generous she was.  She did not even want to be the one to give the bracelets to the girls.  She just wanted to give the gifts.  For her, the time that it took to make the bracelets, was just part of the gift, and it gave her joy.

Wow!  That all of us that have given our lives to Jesus would give with such a humble joyful heart.

We hugged and I promised that I would give the bracelets to the girls.

When I gave the bracelets to the girls, and explained who they were from. . .they were stunned.  I could see how moved they were, by the generosity of someone who has had so little in the way of possessions and yet sought to share what little she had.

How humbling and grateful I am to see God’s Word in action in the life of a beautiful Thai teenage girl.

Mark 12:41-44 “And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.  And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.  And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.  For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.""

I don’t know about you, but I am feeling very challenged to live more generously. 

My prayer for each of us is that we would honor and glorify God with our generous giving, and that our giving would reflect our heart.

Blessings,

April