Look Up

This literally happened this weekend. I don't typically share dreams or other spiritual visions unless I feel like Jesus wants me to and if so, I know it is for a purpose. I feel that there is someone that must need this encouragement today too. <3

I had a dream. Chris and I were on a trip and we were on a long stretch of highway when we saw dark, ominous clouds that looked to be one of the largest tornadoes ever seen. And inside it looked to be several small twisters wrapped inside. I remember in my dream I said there were “eight” twisters inside. The sunlight turned to rain and we took a detour into some woods where we found a house that others were hiding out in. We grabbed our pets and went in to find shelter, all the while praying. The next part is blurry, but it seems as though, we had just gathered our things and gone inside the old, wooden log cabinesque home, when before we had time to look for somewhere to take cover, we noticed the sounds of the storm had stopped. I noticed people standing on the balcony, so I joined them. As I made my way toward to open French doors, sunlight met me and there was not a storm cloud to be found. In fact it was silent and beautiful. While everyone was looking around, taking it in. I looked up. I saw what used to be funnel clouds reformed and shaped to be a part of some sort of picture. My eyes widened and my head tilted further back to take in the entirety of the picture. There were even new colors I noticed. My whole being jolted and my heart beat rapidly, overwhelmed. Without removing my focus, I said to the others “do you see what I see?” Conversations interrupted, they each looked up as well and echoes of awe and wonder could be heard. The storm clouds were reshaped to take on the form of Jesus. The twister clouds took shape into a strong and mighty torso and the other clouds chiseled his face and hair. This picture took up the entire sky. His eyes were piercing and His being was beaming peace and joy down on us. I remember His smile and His eyes very clearly. It was an expression of “peace” but also power and authority somehow wrapped into Fatherly love as if to say “I’m proud of you”. The next day, I hadn’t really thought much about this dream, there was a lot going on and it wasn’t until I saw some rain clouds outside that I was reminded of it. I began to tell Chris “I had this crazy dream last night…” and it wasn't until the moment I said “ and the storm stopped and was replaced with Jesus’s figure” that I realized this was a dream given to me by My Jesus. I immediately knew in my heart that this was His reminder that this storm is will pass. But I continued praying to seek what other things the Lord might be saying...Jesus calmed the storm in my dream as we took shelter. But, maybe the storm was still going on…and we just didn’t notice because we were looking up. The storm took on a new shape and formed into our Protector and our Defender. He took up our entire sky and gave us peace and joy. For Chris and me the Lord has been giving us words and starting to reveal open doors. And even though He does not even have to, is showing us why some doors have been shut, thus revealing His protection. He is reassuring us that our promised land is near. But even more importantly than that, this

dream is a picture of our journey through the storm. We were on our way to a destination, but heavy storms came and Jesus rerouted us. We were scared at first, but before we had time to try to hide, He encouraged us to come out and play in His peace and His joy. We quickly saw that if we keep our eyes up, He is bigger and greater and in control of this storm. We might not have known how long this particular storm would be, but He wanted us right here, under His rays of sunshine while we walked through it. This is a picture of all us. The testimony is the sustaining us, the building us, the deep wells of character and truth, the deliverance and the protection through the storms of life. Knowing that He’s for you no matter what. The testimony is what happens from the time the storm comes to the time it passes…not just

that it passes. This is what encourages, inspires and takes authority over the powers of darkness. In this world filled with hopelessness and despair where people are turning to pills, alcohol, their own fleshly desires to make them happy and whole; In a place where bad things happen and evil “seems” to be winning….this world needs to know how powerful their Creator is. They need to look up and see. They need to taste and see. They need a testimony of someone that has walked through it, felt all of the same things, thought all of the same things, but has a Savior that replaces lies with truth and demonstrated His provision and love time and time again. They need the unedited testimony and that every step of it, He was faithful and just to do what He promised. And always will.