Guiding, Comforting Dreams During Painful Intersections of Life

A few days ago I woke up from a couple of startling dreams.  As I journaled them and sought to interpret, Spirit said to me, “Time is running out; something precious is coming to an end.”  The dreams were fairly vague, but I also received a few more insights and was pondering how this would apply to my life.  Then we got the phone call.  

 

Our good friend Karen, a pastor, had just been brutally tortured and murdered by someone she had been ministering to.  The man killed her and then hung himself.  A horrific setup had cruelly trapped my friend and taken her life way too soon for our preference.  She was one of the most positive people I have ever known.  I loved her laugh and her tender, compassionate heart toward everyone, especially those who really struggled with life. She truly walked her talk.

 

That phone call set in motion a weary, whirlwind week brimming with shock, horror, grief, gatherings of friends, unfolding information, dealing with the media, stinging angry tears, and unanswered questions. 

 

It will take us a while to process our feelings about everything.  We may never understand WHY. 

 

As I reflect on it all, I keep coming back to the treasure of my dreams.  They put me on timely alert and prepared me to some degree to receive the bad news. While the dreams were not specific enough for me to know what was happening and prevent it, they showed me some ‘behind the scenes’ instructions and perceptions—from the One who sees all. 

 

I am most grateful, however, for the fact that those dreams also revealed that God was with my friend in her last hours, he knew what was happening.  And, he cared about me enough to clue me in.  The result is the comforting shield of unfathomable Peace—knowing that somehow, he is in control and will ultimately bring good things out of such a painful situation.   

 

Photo above:  Karen Johnson, far left, with Dream Journey dream interpretation class, Unity church, Fall 2008