NOVEMBER 21, 2004

I dreamed we knew we had to leave. It was time to go and although we weren't sure where we were going we knew we had to go. We weren't supposed to be seen. We were trying to keep others from seeing us. Among us were our kids, Randy's mom, my mom, Randy, me and my brother. We felt we needed to head north. As we went north the trail was rough and all uphill. We traveled a path. We could always tell we were near water (like a river). Ever so often there would be water along the path. We would wonder if we'd been led to the river or if we could pass through the water. Every time it only turned out to be puddles that we could pass through but we knew the river was close by. We debated about which way to go but it seemed we never stopped moving. I became nervous because the road forked and I knew we wouldn't know where to go. But we never stopped. We just made a choice. We took the left path. At some point, the path turned into a large, shakey house that was very musty and old. We would gradually move up the stairways that went on and on. We tried harder and harder to not let anyone in the 'house' see us but it became harder and harder as we noticed more people there. The stairs would shake and at times I wondered if the house would stand. Then the path would be a road again with flooded areas. There were ladies in the house that seemed to own it (like a hotel). We tried to keep them from seeing us. We knew we must keep moving. The number of people grew so great that I began to tire of trying to be discreet. At some point I realized they were all going up for the same reasons . The kids and everyone went ahead. For some reason I turned around and went back down. I remember saying, 'Well, if we went the wrong way, at least it will be be easy going back because it is all downhill.' I'm not sure why I went back. I passed by people and I began to realize they were Christians. I saw the women that owned the house again and for some reason I decided to go back up. It took longer to get back up to the room everyone was in because of the kids and people. I noticed a woman ahead of me with two young children. It seemed harder for her to keep them moving fast enough. I remember thinking that I wish her children were as well behaved as mine so it would be easier for her. I passed her at some point. She spoke to me. "you know why we are going. It is because we believe in following God.' Tears welled up in my eyes. 'Yes, I know we cannot talk out loud about it but yes, we are going for the same reason. I guess we all are.' Then I noticed some people were black and of other races. I also heard someone tell their children, 'it is just for one night we have to stay at this house, ok?' I decided to make it back up to our room. I got so far, like the 4th or 5th floor and my son Andrew greeted me. He told me that Big Bird was black on the TV. I couldn't tell if he thought it was funny or if he was scared. I knew Big Bird had been another color earlier. He ran back into a room to watch with Heather. I saw Randy's mother who had come back up also. She looked tired. She got ready for bed. I remember thinking, 'I'll bet the reason we didn't go farther up is because she is tired and needs to rest.' I had the intention of telling everyone with me that people were going the same direction for the same reason. My alarm clock went off and I awoke.
End

NOVEMBER 28, 2004

As I prayed, on this Sabbath day in my rest I feel the Holy Spirit brought forth this interpretation of this dream. Usually, the Lord gives me several interpretations for the same dream (1. personal, 2. the corporate body of Christ and 3. the dark times to come on earth). This is the one regarding the corporate body. After having this dream, I have some of the most intense and deepest emotion stirring in my spirit. It is a new stirring and a new sorrow and a new thing. I feel the Lord doing something new. As the Lord is leading us out of this dying church, he does this new work.

The journey me and my family represents our seeking truth and interpreting and meditating up on the things we are seeing from God. It signifies our relationships with God and all that we are seeking to comprehend of him and of the things he shows us. My caution seems to represent my desire to seek him in all truth and avoiding all pitfalls. I fear we will be drowned by the river yet we never are. Then as we climb the stairs, the house is old and shakey and the owners of the house, I am suspicious of. Yet the house doesn't fall and I come to see the owners are believers. The greater number of people heading this way represents believers everywhere on the same journey. The fact that we no longer feel we must remain concealed shows that the truths we are coming to know aren't secret, special or scarce but will grow. I feel the Lord is showing me a new thing about his people and the times. He is showing me something new regarding the things he has shown me. Perhaps all of this isn't so rare. Perhaps me and my family are the first to head out into a new aspect of a path but aren't the only ones and many will soon follow behind us. The woman I have the conversation with regarding being believers in God really shows the greater bond God has with his people across all borders. Despite all denominational barriers, the Spirit of God surpasses and his people are unified. How comforting.
Symbols I haven't come to understand are the following: The large rickety house. Just now I feel I am perhaps getting an interpretation. The large house represents the church. It is weak in many ways. It is sick and old and needs repair yet its numerous path that leads up to Heaven continues and doesn't falter. IT withstands all. We continue to climb and stop at a certain floor in my dream for Randy's mothers' sake. The owners are believers. The Lord's church isn't void of him. Despite its weathering and wear, it stands and is still useful in leading and helping others journey into greater and greater or higher and higher, if you will, truth. We were moving north and upward. The church was represented by the building and the earth with the river. The path is our relationship with God and our understanding of him and our desire to know more and grow. The people represent God's people, the bride of Christ. The building is church order, denominations, creeds, doctrines. The path is our walk with Christ, the people are his people. They work together. They join together. For many miles we didn't know we were of the same blood (Christs') yet in the end I see it and am comforted.

This is good news for my heart for I had feared the division in the body of Christ. But this message in this dream gives me hope and joy. For I see how the Lord is bringing his people together despite all barriers. We are not alone despite all differences for we serve the same Lord and are filled with the same Spirit, the Spirit of Truth who is never confined to any wall, denominational barrier or creed.