Tribulation Train - A Dream

This was a dream I had in 1986. 26 years ago. It was a short dream, but a very vivid dream of what I have always felt was a foretaste of the days to come. The last days.

I still remember, I can still see in my mind’s eye the train and the scenery from the dream, like a movie. It is that clear in my mind.

A Dream 1986

I was on a train with my youngest son, a little girl and my dad when he was really young, or at least a man who looked like my dad when he married my mother. (That is the best way that I can describe him, as I have never seen this man in my dream before)

My son was grown. The little girl had medium length, medium colored brown hair and brown eyes.

We were traveling at a very slow pace and it was clear to me (in the dream) that we were being transported somewhere; that we were under persecution.

I was looking out the window of the train and suddenly my oldest son came running up alongside of the train and said, “Hi Mom!”  I was so excited to see him. I said, “Oh Thank you Jesus! My son, you made it!” He answered, “Yes Mom, I am fine.” I asked him, “Where’s your brother, is he okay?” and he answered, “Yes Mom, he made it too. He’s just fine.”

I was so relieved.

Then he had to leave suddenly and quietly.

**********************     *********************  *********************

The thing is, when I had this dream I didn’t even know the man I am married to now. Anyone who knew my father will tell you my husband is the spitting image of the man I described in the dream as being on the train with me; the man on the train who I described as looking like my dad when he was really young who married my mother. Also, I had not yet had either of my daughters, both of which have brown hair and brown eyes.

I have spoken to many other in recent years who have had dreams about being on trains in the "last days".

This is just one of my Dreams.

So tell me - Have you HAD ANY INTERESTING dreams ABOUT this? I would love to hear.

I first loved you

To my Sons

I first loved you – carried you inside me
I loved you deeply – as you walked along side me
I loved you more – as you grew through the years
I loved you still – as your words brought me tears
My love did not cease – though you have turned away from me
I will always love you – from now until eternity

You are my child – God’s gift to me
Until the day I die – I pray this truth you will see

by: AmyColleen February 14, 2012

Copy right ©2012 All right reserved

What's Wrong with this Picture?

After posting my blog about forgiveness I had a friend email me about a situation pertaining to forgiveness in her life.  She had lived through some very difficult times and some of the closest people in her life; co-workers and friend and family had really let her down. Now she had forgiven them. She was certain. This had been many, many years ago. However she went on to describe her life circumstances over the past years; what had transpired in her life. Where she was socially and such and then asked me this question,

"What's wrong with this picture?"

It was clear my friend was not content with where she was. Certain she had forgiven all those who had wronged her. She had gone over, in detail, every offence and laid it at the cross. Again my precious, dear friend wondered and asked me,

"What is wrong with this picture?" 

This was my answer. 

I thought it was worth posting on here. 

Dear Friend,

I honestly can say, I don't know that there is anything "wrong" with the picture itself. I have found in life that when I see the same picture over and over again and it seems to be upside down or sideways or something like that. Generally it is  the view from which I am looking at it. The picture ITSELF is just fine.  It's just the view from which I am looking at it that needs to change.

Now - this is where YOU and your time with the Lord really plays an intimate role. Only HE can show you which way to turn the frame so the picture looks better. :) Or if you need to stand father away from the picture or sit down and look at it or what ever.

You very well may have "forgiven" all of these people in your life. 

Willed-to forgive them.

However, forgiveness is a VERB. 

So as much as we may desire to forgive someone - this is only half of the process.

It is, I believe, and scripture supported, the hardest and most important part. 

The next step is a partnership with the Lord and us. It's where the healing takes place. Not so much hard as it is or can be, painful.  (personally, I think this is why so many don't get beyond this point; because it is so painful. they are not willing to go through the pain)

You would know better than anyone Friend, where you are in the process of all this, with all those that have hurt you. When you have been through so much with so few to support you you learn to stand strong and become less than emotion. I know, I have done this myself. It is a survival mode. 

It is possible though Friend, to forgive the worst of offences. In some situations learn to love those that have hurt and betrayed you and even forget offences that most in this world would kill over.

I have done so. Only with hand of God in my life. 

Friend, I have had so many ask me, "How? How have you gotten what you have with the Lord?"

All I can say is, "Sacrifice and suffering."

Friend, you can take all you have lived through and focus on it for the rest of your life

or

forget it...leave it at the feet of Jesus....and move on.

I love you sister.

"Doing Without" a Heart. NOT okay

So You Think You're Okay?

Think Again. Forgiveness - It's a funny thing -It creeps up on you when you least expect it. Un-forgiveness really. You're going along in life just fine then. Wham - outta know where it hits ya  like a heart attack. 

Sometimes we can get wounded, hurt, deep down inside - and it never really "heals". At least not the way it should. Tissue begins to form over the injury, like scar tissue - pretty soon we don't see the wound, or really even feel it much. We grow accustom to the scar tissue that covers the area where the injury took place. We may even have gotten used to the limited mobility that has stemmed from the over growth of tissue where the injury was. 

It has become a part of us. Our relationship with the person that hurt us becomes strained.  

We pretty much have buried the hurt so far deep down inside, we have forgotten the magnitude of it's origination. Oh we remember when it happened - IF someone brings it up. But we may "play it off" that we have "dealt" with it and "forgiven" those we hold responsible for the hurt. But we know, deep down inside; there's something still there. Something that is only noticeable to us, God and those closest to us.

It would be one thing if it was just an emotional scar that was invisible. Truth is it is keeping us from excelling in the "more excellent things". We know this too. Something else we are unwilling to admit and we are willing to do with out. In fact "we have convinced ourselves" that we are in fact - not doing with out, at all.

We go on striving to create lives that seem fulfilled and God centered.  While in the back of our minds and hearts we can feel the pressure, be it all so slight, of that scar tissue, tugging, pushing on our heart and spirit. It’s as if there is a constant  cloud following hanging over our head.

Truth be told. We are actually doing "with out". We are sacrificing the "more excellent things" in life that God our Heavenly Father has designed and desired for us to have. We may not readily amit it - but we know it's true. 

Honestly, we don't like that we are. 

What we want is God's perfect will for our lives.

So how do we get there? From where we are now?

Well, for starters we need to face the fact that we have been injured - and - that we need to be healed - completely healed.

 

You see God, Our Heavenly Father, did not send His Son to die for us so we could just "muddle through" painful times and have our wounds heal over with patch work stitches and numbing scar tissue - that would simply allow us to "carry on our lives" and only "face those who hurt us" when absolutely necessary.

No, Our Heavenly Father sent His Only Begotten Son to die for us so that we might have reconciliation - to Our Father in Heaven AND TO EACH OTHER.

Sometimes, a wound needs to be opened up and cleaned out -

 before it can properly heal.  

Yes, it can be painful.

But it is well worth it.

Our Heavenly Father gave His ONLY Son - He paid the ULTIMATE price to HEAL the relationship between US and HIM. It wasn't even HIS fault we were separated.  

Won't YOU give THAT person in your life a chance?  The way God gave YOU a chance?

Freely forgive - as you have been forgiven.

Set someone free today and -

Receive healing - be complete.