When I was 19 He started speaking to me through pictures. I remember being in a side room of my church and asking God to show me how He saw me. Moments later the most vivid image popped into my mind.
She was twirling in a big, open field of grass and flowers.
She was dancing on her way up the hill towards her dad.
That vision brought me to the floor where I stayed for the next hour comprehending my new found identity as a daughter of God. Seems like an elementary truth for a Christian but that wasn't the case for me. I realized in that moment that I had never truly believed that God saw me as a daughter. I operated more in the role of servant and focused on the things I could DO for God instead of just BEING His.
The next few years transformed my thought process and relationship with God.
When I was 24 I was transitioning out of a place of ministry and into a more secular job. I was struggling with the decision but was confident that God was calling me out of my comfort zone.
While in struggle, God spoke.
It was during a time of worship that I was sitting in the back of a room and God showed me another picture.
She was twirling in a big, open field of grass and flowers.
She was dancing on her way up the hill towards her dad.
But this time, while she was making her way up the hill,
she was stopping every few steps, bending over and picking up a piece of armor.
A complete peace came over me. God had shown me my identity as His daughter years ago but now He was showing me that He has also called me to fight and was equipping me for battle.
Fast Foward 16 months…
I was now working in Orange County (loving it) but consumed by more than I could've imagined. I didn't realize how much I had placed my relationship with God on the back burner until God dropped the vision again on me while sleeping…
She was twirling in a big, open field of grass and flowers.
She was dancing on her way up the hill towards her dad.
But this time, while she was making her way up the hill,
she was stopping every few steps, bending over and picking up a piece of armor.
Until she got to the sword. She found herself not strong enough to pick it up.
Within weeks of this last dream I got word of the World Race. A journey to outside of my comfort zone. 11 months of pursuing the Kingdom of God and fighting for the hopeless.
I knew within 24 hours of logging onto the website that this was for me.
Fast forward again…
January 10th, 2013, the night before we launched.
I am worshipping in a hotel banquet room with 120 other racers. I wasn't sure why but I had a heavy heart. I was consumed with thoughts and couldn't organize any of them. What did I just sign up for? Was I ready for this?
I then felt a hand of a fellow racer on my right shoulder…
Jolene, God spoke to me in a vision about you. It was of a woman in a white wedding dress in a big, open field. She was dressed in armor with a sword in her hand and crown on her head.
He continued to explain to me that I am the Bride of Christ but I am also a warrior. That God has placed me in a position of influence and authority.
You can imagine my shock when God spoke to me through pretty much a stranger. This racer didn't know me, didn't know that visions God had always shaped me through, didn't know that my last vision was of a girl that couldn't even lift the sword.
I sat down and marinated in what I had just heard. I was no longer a little girl (still a daughter) but no longer a little girl. I was a woman (His royal bride in fact) and I was armored up and ready for battle.
God knew exactly what I needed to hear and I felt like like the only person in the room with Him at that point. And 12 hours later… I launched out on the World Race.
I'm sharing this with you for a number of reasons:
1.) To shed light on the way God has absolutely shaped and influenced my life through visions.
2.) To allow you insight into my heart and perspective of my race; being His bride and fighting alongside Him.
3.) To encourage you to seek new ways to hear from God. Had I not asked Him for a vision who knows how I would still be veiwing myself. Don't limit God's voice out of fear of unfamiliarity.
Hope this blesses you as much as it has me.
His Princess Warrior,
Jolene
