I never really thought much about my dreams, except to say they were really weird. I dream every single night and often remember the context of my dream. For instance, after staying up half the night reading a book, I dreamt about the characters, but because my brain was so tired, the characters streamed endless nonsense and passed it off as dialogue.
It happened quite frequently in my youth that I would claim some sort of memory, and my dad would call me crazy. This “memory” had been some sort of vivid dream that seemed so intensely real, I couldn’t separate it from events that had actually happened.
It never occurred to me until seminary that God would actually speak to me through dreams. Yes, I know the Bible provides plenty of examples of this very happening, yet it seemed in the past. I knew God spoke to me through my thoughts and other people, and that was plenty for me. Some of my seminary professors described incredible ways in which God spoke to them. Through visions, silence, and others.
I knew Seminary was good for awesome photo ops, but who knew I’d learn something. Also, the chapel’s not on a hill…
In my Moral Theology class a year and a half ago, we were reading a book about the New Monastic Movement. Some of the characteristics of this movement are living in community groups according to a Way of Life, choosing to live among the least, and showing extreme hospitality. This subject was pretty familiar to me as by this point I had spent more than a year living in just such a community. The Epworth Project of the Missional Wisdom Foundation in the DFW area of Texas, gives anyone who desires a chance to experience living in true community and sharing that community with others. I learned great and amazing things about how God works and what the Church should really be. However, that is not the point of this blog, maybe I’ll come back to that later.
But just in case I forget, here’s a pic of my first birthday in the house with my awesome housemates and friends.
So, we were reading this book about living in community and I was struggling with the question of whether community life with families was really possible. As a single person living with other single persons, this was not an aspect of monastic life I had experienced myself, but this book was promoting just such a life. Many of my classmates had questions about whether this was a truly viable form of ministry when children become involved. The night before we were to discuss this question in class I had a dream.
In this dream, I was still single, but also still living in community. Many people were all gathering in an upstairs lofted living room for prayer before eating a nightly meal together. We all held hands in a circle and as I looked around, screaming, laughing children poured into the room and joined us. One on each side of me grabbed my hands and bowed their heads. Then I woke up.
The message of this dream was clear to me. It had nothing to do with how viable community life with children it. It had everything to do with the supreme joy and comfort that filled my heart and made me never want to wake. This is true community, I felt the message was. Children or no children, gathering together is where we find God. I shared this with my class the next day and in sharing offered no logical argument for community. Instead, I offered a genuine experience that had come straight from the heart of God.
I had forgotten about this dream until about a week ago. I was really struggling with fundraising. It’s not that I haven’t received money, but rather that the task seemed overwhelming. I found myself finding reasons not to check my account or call potential donors. I was completely overwhelmed by this prospect. And then I had a dream.
I was staying at the apartment of a couple friends. While I slept, I saw everyone that I have ever met, worked with, been raised by, all gathered together in one church basement for a fundraising dinner on my behalf. It was a rather large and winding basement and I wandered through the crowd amazed at what was happening. Among my socializing friends and family, was a giant chalkboard where everyone was writing pledges to my Race. I was amazed as the number far surpassed anything I truly needed.
As I woke from this dream, I thought to myself, I have no need to worry. There are lots of people out there who love me and will make this happen. The call God has placed on my life will be fulfilled, but I needed to relax. Ever since I woke from this God given dream, I have been floating in a sea of peace. More surprising, I finally checked my account and found the amount had nearly doubled while I had been lost in the forest of doubt. So, thank you to everyone who has given. You are beloved messengers of God. If you would like to support this endeavor, please click on the Support Me! tab on the left. Finally, listen for God, because God will speak to you through the most unexpected things, even a dream received on a couch and awoken from by curious cats.
I mean, who wouldn’t want to wake up to these adorables….
