Sometimes I get crazy awesome dreams, and the following just happened to be one of them!
{It was a crazy beautiful day (Think Hawaii. Mid 80’s, Sun shining and a slight breeze!) and I for some reason had access to this adorable two door convertible that just happened to be the most beautiful blue color. The top was down, and I was so ready to go on a wild adventure. I had a couple ideas of where I wanted to go, and the only thing that stood in between me and my adventure was the ten feet I had to walk to get to this cute little car. After standing there looking at the car for what now seems like forever, I approached the car and got in the drivers seat. Except I apparently was in a different country because I had just accidentally gotten in the passenger seat. Feeling flustered I tried to get out of the car, and the door was locked and would not open. Just as the frustration started to set in, I turned and saw Jesus. He was sitting in the drivers seat and he said to me “I want to take you on fun and crazy adventures. But I get to be the driver. You get to be my Co-Pilot. Enjoy the drive, beautiful.” Then before I knew it, there was wind in my hair, just the right amount of sun in my eyes, and I was laughing my head off with Jesus. Just enjoying the ride. }
When I woke up from that dream, I smiled and said audibly, “Okay, okay! I’ll stop trying to drive the car.” And I totally did stop trying to drive it, until the random times when I thought I knew better. Then i’d try and slide right over to that drivers seat. Each time that happened I got a gentle “no”.
The craziest part of this dream wasn’t necessarily that I had it. I have dreams like this pretty frequently. The crazy part was that I hadn’t told anyone about this dream I had, yet a couple weeks ago I was at a church service and a woman who I admire greatly came up to me and told me that she had a word of encouragement for me, and it was literally this dream. Let that one sink in. I didn’t tell anyone I had this dream, yet she described my dream to me. It was mind blowing. Jesus was for sure trying to get something through my thick skull, and it took a lot for me to finally listen.
Praise Jesus for gentle reminders, that often times are a little mind blowing!
Moral of the story: I need to stop trying to take over when Jesus is clearly providing a way for me to do the things he has called me to, and go on the adventures he has called me on. The world race is clearly the huge adventure that is just around the corner. He’s been preparing my heart for this adventure for years and it would be so silly for me to think that after years of preparing me for something i didn’t even know was coming, that I would know better.
What is the adventure that I am being taken on, you ask? Well the answer is pretty close to I have no idea. Here is what I do know: I am going to the following countries:
Philippines
Thailand
Cambodia
Vietnam
Malawi
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Ireland
Bulgaria
Moldova
Romania
And that sums up about all I know about my trip. And for the first time in a long time, I feel so at peace being the Co-Pilot. I believe that there will most definitely be times when God tells me to make a decision, and will leave it up to me. I’ll do all the pre flight checks, i’ll make sure my equipment is working, I’ll greet lots of people that are getting on and off my plane… the list could go on for quite sometime. Me being the co pilot doesn’t mean that I get to do nothing. It just means that I am by no means the head honcho pilot. And let me say one more time; I am so okay with that.
I am learning how to be obedient in the little callings and in the big. How to listen and discern. I am learning how to walk by faith while using all the tools the Lord has given me to do so.
It’s scary. I’ll be honest about that. This adventure is kind of terrifying. Being away from home for 11 months working with people I don’t know, being in a place I don’t know, communicating with people who only speak a language I don’t know. The list of fears could be a mile long, but instead I am going to cling to the truth that I don’t know, but He does. He knows and intimately loves the people who I will get to love. He knows. He knows. He knows. And that is comforting enough for me.
“Dive in with your eyes closed, for the life you were born to claim”- Ryan O’Neal (Sleeping at Last; Watermark)
Blessings to you all! You are loved perfectly, wholly, and deeply,
Ariah Lynn Leemrey Limed
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