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If you are reading this blog, you are probably a dreamer or hold an interest in dreams. Dreams are often quite weird or puzzling.  Dream interpretation can be a confusing process, something that many people don’t try because they don’t know how.

 

Help is available!  Find a class, read a book, check out a website, get help in interpreting your dreams…your life will be richer for the effort, I promise! 

 

As you work your way through learning how to interpret, keep in mind these common mistakes that can keep a dreamer from arriving at the best interpretation. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For further help with your dreams, see our Resource links, peruse the Destiny Dreamz Dream FAQ’s, schedule a mentoring session, submit your dream for an interpretation, or contact us—we LOVE to help! 

Everybody said that Anybody could do

The important things Somebody should do.

Everybody knows that Anybody could do

All the good things that Nobody did.

 

Somebody tells me, “Here is something I don’t have time to do, so I better give it to you.” 

 

Why me? 

 

No, I’m not going to do it, don’t look at me!

 

I’m too busy, so I tell Everybody it could be done by Anybody.

 

The work’s got to get done by Somebody...

 

But Nobody, Nobody, Nobody did….

 

Consider all the good things in this world that Anybody could do, that Somebody should do, but Nobody DID.

 

A Nobody can make a difference!

 

 

 

You’ve got a message or a special gift to dish up for someone in particular.  You have cooked up a rich blend of spicy ingredients, simmered up a savory, enticing aroma with a meaty constitution that could satisfy and add zest to their life.  But timing and presentation is everything—how warmly do you walk in relationship with them so that what you share is easily digested, and not bitter, too raw, overly pickled, or otherwise unpalatable? 

 

Sometimes issues in relationship need to be coddled a while, basted with real and positive conversation from both sides, kneaded with respect--but things can quickly sour and curdle.  The need arises to steep awhile in what you know to be good and kosher about the person, clarify what is really being said, and boil it all down to address the feelings that may have been sliced and diced in the preparation process. 

 

Sometimes you speak up, sometimes you bite your lip and say nothing because there is simply nothing that can—or should--be said. Silence can be the ultimate garnish upon a friendship.  

 

How do you know when it is time to stir it up, dish it out, or let it roast awhile longer? Or, scrap it altogether and start afresh, perhaps with a different recipe?

 

Know and practice the difference between marinating and smothering, word-mincing and puree, warming and flambé. Stewing can be a good thing—flavor increases and what is shared can be rich and tender.  But we can let it go on too long and boil over, creating a messy disaster.

 

It is all about timing and gentleness, things we can be prayerful and deliberate about.

 

Bottom line—if we serve what we have to give with love and a desire to bless the other person, seasoned with the salt of honesty and kindness, chances are good for a gentle melting of defenses—so that we end up with ‘heavenly hash’ instead of ‘devil’s food’.

10.  The supernatural becomes real—you can walk on water, give a speech with ease, walk around naked without anybody noticing, or successfully fight off Ninja warriors

 

9.  You receive insight into the lives of people you know—and yes, there will be a ‘test’

 

8.  You gain instant conversation starters with your spouse, co-workers and friends

 

7.  You can fly anywhere in the world, or even to outer space, without having to pay airfare or mess with airports

 

6. You might discover a book to write, a song to script, or a new invention to develop

 

5.  Mommas missing their grown children can hold on to the ‘little ones’ once again—cry, laugh, wonder, reminisce, heal

 

4. Your ‘issues’ are exposed so that you can deal with them and move forward.  Yahoo!

 

3.  Perplexing puzzles get solved, like where you might locate those missing keys

 

2. You can get your basic instructions before leaving the house for the day

 

1. Your spirit is encouraged, strengthened, and refreshed from interacting with God’s spirit every night while you are zonked out, welcoming those life-changing dreamzzzzzzzzz…

 

 

If you are a dreamer, what are some of YOUR 'top ten' or favorite things about dreams?   

A major part of the process of dream interpretation is determining the purpose of the dream—why was a particular dream given to the dreamer?  To discern the answer, we ask a couple of specific questions.  First, what type of dream is it? (roughly 20 types or purposes of dreams exist).

 

Second, where do our dreams come from?  My belief from being trained in the Ancient Hebraic dream interpretation approach says that there are three sources of our dreams:  God, Satan, and our own soul.  Sometimes it is difficult to tell! (more on dream sources).

 

A dream from Evil is what I call a ‘counterfeit dream’.  Satan is called the ‘father of lies,’ and in such dreams, the dreamer is directly being lied to. There is deception going on, truth is distorted.  Usually the dreams have a dark, accusatory nature to them…they leave the dreamer feeling hopeless, angry, suspicious, etc.  Often, these dreams are in black in white (no color).

 

Last week I met with a lady who had experienced a counterfeit dream.  She is setting up a new ministry in real life, wanting to partner with some churches in her area.  She felt her dream addressed her situation.  In the dream, it was night-time, and she was constantly running away from people who wanted to kill her.  She was terrified, couldn’t find a place to hide, called the police, who wanted to kill her as well.  In the dream, specific names of pastors and church leaders were ‘revealed’ as ones she needed to ‘take out’ first--before they could kill her.  She awoke from her dream with great anxiety and a readiness to ‘expose’ the ‘evil hearts’ of the pastors—and the police--in her city!  Her speech against them all was toxic, disrespectful, and venomous. 

 

This dreamer seemed to have a bitter expectation of rejection, and I believe that evil forces were attempting to deceive her into publicly maligning the reputation of some good people—possibly to make herself look good.  But that would have backfired and hurt her as well. 

 

I’m not saying that every church leader is perfect, but this dream was revealing a tendency in the dreamer to believe the worst, and the strategy was to use that against her and to prompt her react unwisely and to possibly do some damage. 

 

She believed her dream was from God—unaware of other possible sources of dreams.  She did receive caution from us in how to respond to such a dream. 

 

It is crucial that we weigh any kind of revelation we receive—from dreams or otherwise—to pray and seek wisdom about how to interpret and respond. 

 

God is usually delighted to answer us when we ask.  After all, his purpose in giving us dreams is to invite us into a deeper relationship with him.  If we know him—and understand his truths—we can more easily recognize the counterfeit stuff. 

Every year, we hear of costly studies that confirm the necessity of regular exercise and healthy diet in order to keep our bodies slim and fit.  Common sense tells us that we need to eat good food, and the proper amount, to maintain optimal health.  If we eat junk, the junk affects us, and we eventually just feel ‘junky’. 

 

Knowing this, why do most of us still make so many poor diet choices? 

 

We are tempted by fast foods, sweet foods, foods we crave, foods that appeal, foods laden with unknown and unrecognized ingredients that turn ‘evil’ within our bodies.  We develop bad habits of automatic eating, not thinking about what we are allowing to pass over our taste buds. 

 

Maybe we don’t pause often enough to consider long-term effects of some of our practices. 

 

We treat our minds and spirits the same way.  What we choose to accept and say ‘yes’ to ultimately alters how we think and who we become.  If we allow a negative barrage of ‘input’ to roost within, what we produce via words and actions will reveal the condition of our ‘inner workings’.

 

Garbage in, garbage out….

 

However, if we choose to drink in peace and positivity, the things from God and not the world, deliberately nourishing our bodies and our minds with ‘nutrients’ that make us thrive, we bloom wholesomely wherever we go. 

 

It is never too late to turn the ship around if we discover that a shift needs to be made.  One step at a time, one choice at a time.  We can purge the unnecessaries and embrace the best. The process transforms our perspective, our direction, and our habits-- ultimately our destiny.    

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

Lately I have noticed the theme of ‘windows’ popping up everywhere.  When this happens, I try to pay deeper attention to every time the phrase or picture crops up—perhaps God is speaking something we do not want to miss.  Upon some symbolic reflection, some thoughts come to mind:

 

1.    Windows of opportunity:  Many prophetic voices are telling us that a huge spiritual shift is happening at this time.  Can you sense it?  The U.S. economy seems to be improving, but further shakings, financial and other, probably lie ahead.  It would be wise to take advantage of this window or season to pare down, slack back, get our affairs in order, get out of debt, etc., so that we are better prepared for events to come. 

 

2.    Microsoft Windows vs. Mac: More and more folks are asking the question regarding making a switch from something more familiar to something more dependable, and they are counting the cost. (I confess I am a devoted Mac user). Think symbolically—sometimes we have to choose a different ‘operating system’ that is unfamiliar but may serve us better in the long run…even though our choice may require change in perspective and a price to pay.

 

3.    Go Window shopping:  It is time to dream about options, qualities and assets you want to incorporate into your life.  Watch for ideas that God puts on display to grab your attention, then make plans for how to afford and obtain them.

 

4.    When God closes a door, he opens a window:  If plans don’t work out the way you imagined, or if you feel blocked, look for other possibilities that could be your outlet or answer--something in another shape, direction, or form.  Look for where the Light is!

 

5.    Out the Window:  Deal with your issues as they come up.  Clear out the clutter in your life and get rid of it.

 

6.    Be a Window Washer:  I actually did this in most of my house last week—dusted blinds, laundered curtains, cleaned windows—as an act of faith as if to tell the world, “I am ready to see clearly, without any hindrances.” 

 

When we look out our ‘windows’, we can observe what is coming our way—people, deliveries, activities, sunshine, storms.  We are better prepared with our advanced notice for when Life knocks on the door. 

  

Once upon a time, an older married couple quit their jobs working for other people so that they could follow their hearts’ desires to serve people in the Kingdom in their own unique way, using the gifts and abilities they had quietly and painstakingly nurtured for many years. 

 

They began trying their hands at entrepreneurship, learning the ropes and weathering the setbacks and unexpected losses and costs.  However, they were delighted to plow up the new ground and follow the instructive melody of the Voice—the leader of the Kingdom and the one the couple longed to serve and please.

 

One morning, in a dream, the couple found themselves being chauffeured--by the Voice--in a travel trailer on a long journey.  They did not know the destination, but they knew they needed to be prepared for anything. They experienced a sense of excitement for possibilities ahead.  They trusted the Voice’s choice and guidance for their ultimate stopping place.

 

The road seemed endless, touched at times by weariness and discouragement, and the scenery at times was bleak, flat, brown (kind of like Abilene, Texas in the winter time).

 

In the dream, midway through their journey, the couple stopped by the side of the road and discovered a desolate house for sale.  A dormant rose garden caught their eye—they could revive it and enjoy a place of beauty!  Inside, the kitchen was torn up and needed lots of repair.  The homeowner promised to fix it up if they were to buy the house and move in.  The driveway looked like a runway—this place had potential, they thought.  They immediately considered purchasing the house, even though they had not even seen the other rooms. 

 

Just then, knowing their thoughts, the Voice scooped them up, cradling them gently, and whisked them high up into the sky, where together, they could visualize the ‘bigger picture’, including the road yet ahead to travel.  Then, the Voice spoke into their ears, “Don’t settle.”

 

The couple immediately received deep in their hearts the message of encouragement, “Don’t settle down yet.  Don’t settle for less.  This isn’t where it ends, there is MORE. Though you are weary, you are still in transition, not yet to your next assignment. Distractions will arise on your path to tempt you to quit the journey mid-way, and to invest your resources in less-than-ideal enterprises, but if you follow the Voice, you will arrive at the right time to fulfill your destiny.”

 

Moral of the story:  Listen to your dreams, trust the Voice, and don’t give up too soon—you never know what is just around the corner.  Enjoy the journey.  And remember--you are never alone.  

Years ago, I realized I had been allowing myself to be taken hostage by a cruel master called ‘perfectionism’.  At the time, my primary objective was to display a ‘perfect’ external disguise to cover internal wounds and damage—thus, theoretically preventing any peering persons from observing negative stuff in my soul that could be judged or rejected.

 

I spent nearly all my energy attempting to project the image of ‘having it all together’.  Friends praised my neat house, home-cooked healthy meals from scratch, well-behaved kids with homemade clothing and toys, my ‘perfect’ marriage, and perfect figure and appearance. 

 

I knew it was all a lie—inside I was miserable and scared.  My perfect world was fear-based, solely focused on self-protection.  It was an effort to maintain outward control when I felt inwardly chaotic and out of control.  And my fantasy world required increasing efforts to maintain the façade.  Eventually, it all began to fall apart—thanks to God!

 

The turning point was one day when a friend with two young children, (like me at the time), confided that she vacuumed her WHOLE house 5 to 6 times every single day because when her family walked on the carpet and messed up the vacuum lines, she felt she would go nuts.   

 

I saw her ‘prison’—and recognized my own.

 

Conviction set in as I realized the messy misery I was needlessly imposing on my family with my unreachable high standards and expectations. My self-protection constructed a fortress that kept me locked-up lonely inside. 

 

Once I realized the full extent of my dilemma, nothing short of tearful repentance would work for me—renounce, denounce, surrender, cease and desist, find another way to deal with the insecurity I was covering.  My husband and I declared ‘perfectionism’ a dirty word around our house, and went to war against it.

 

It was a difficult journey.  Funny thing though—I discovered that people actually like me better when I make mistakes and can admit them.  Or when they visit my messy house—and I don’t feel the need to apologize. I also began to fathom that God really is in control and he can indeed be trusted with every situation.  Everything works out better when placed into his hands.

 

If you work on your ‘internals’ (deal with your stuff) and allow your sharpened character shine through your ‘externals’, you reveal the REAL treasure of YOU inside—including weaknesses and warts—thus releasing people around you to just be themselves as well. 

 

Life is too short and we are each too valuable to spend significant years hiding and pretending to have it all together. If we embrace each others’ imperfections and lovingly challenge each other in encouraging ways to tackle our issues, we make room for God's glory to radiate Perfect freedom and peace.