My White Bird Dream

Photo Credit: wildministries.net

Night visions are not the usual way I hear from my Heavenly Father. In fact, I seldom dream. Or maybe it is that I dream but do not remember when I awaken. This dream, however, I will never forget. It was the most intimate and powerful dream I have experienced and I never planned to share it, but the sweet Spirit leads me to do so...

Over seven months ago I dreamt of going to a place or rather it seemed I went with one of my children to this place. It was vague who I was with, but we were going there (as it became evident to me in the vision) to bring home a beautiful white bird.

It wasn't long before we spotted her. The pure snowy-white dove sat on a low-lying branch amongst some greenery and looked at me as though she had been waiting expectantly. I motioned to her to come by patting my left shoulder. I was exhilarated as she flew to me without hesitation and tucked her head close to my neck. I wanted to keep her safe there and she trusted me fully and I fell in love with her and she with me. In fact, when we first looked into each other's eyes I knew that she already loved me. Our love was powerful.

We went everywhere together it seemed. My dream was vague as to where and what I did but there were times when I went to look for my dove as though I had gone places without her. I wondered how I should take care of her--was she eating; did she need water?

Always she would fly to me when I sought her. Then one day I looked for her and my youngest grandson came up to me so I asked him about my bird.

"She bathed herself and went into my tent to rest and there I found her dead," he explained in his childlike matter-of-fact way. I looked inside the old-fashioned canvas tent he had set up outside but could not find her body. She was gone.

I awoke and as I laid in the dark thinking on the vision, I began to weep deep sorrowful sobs of loss. I knew the beautiful white bird represented the sweet Holy Spirit. 

"Lord, I do not wish to grieve your Holy Spirit. Sweet Spirit, I love you! Lord, do not take Your Spirit away! Do not let me forget to love Your Spirit and cherish her! Forgive me for neglecting the Spirit and help me," I prayed with a desperate torn heart.

Ephesians 4:30 states "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." It is not that God would ever forsake us, but it is possible to grieve the Spirit of God.

As I thought on the dream the following day I remembered another part of it where a man had talked with me about special food for his bird. This made me realize I did not really know how to care for my dove and I wept and prayed anew.

I do not understand all spiritual things, but I realize now more than ever how real the personage of the Holy Spirit is. He came to me when I invited Him and came with instant unconditional love for me. All He asks is that I give loving attention in return.

It was 3:44 A.M. when I awoke from that night vision--the morning of my son Jonah's birthday. The name Jonah means "dove" (see Strong's Concordance H-3124).

In the following days my time was filled with my retail job, but each day I prayed for the sweet Spirit to be with me and to help me. I did not feel  more spiritual and as it was the busy holiday season my time was more and more absorbed in work at the store and at home. On the fifth day after having the dream (I just remembered the number five represents grace), my husband Tom said to me as he drove me to work, "I was amazed to see a large white dove sitting on our roof this morning--the largest one I've ever seen." Grey doves are common in our region, but not white doves.

I couldn't tell Tom of my dream--it wasn't time. But my heart rejoiced that God sent the wonderful symbol of His love to our home.

Holy Spirit, You are welcome!


My usage of both male and female pronouns when referring to the dove or Holy Spirit is not to cause confusion or insinuate that the Spirit is male or female. Although ruach, the Hebrew word for spirit, is in the feminine gender [BLB], there is no gender in the spirit realm [Galatians 3:28].

The Game Theory

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. - Ecclesiastes 8:15 KJV

When I first read the above verse, it did not make sense to me, for surely there are better things for a man to do than eat, drink, and be merry?! But as I studied the word ‘mirth’, which is originally the Hebrew word simchah, I understood that this scripture was referring to having gladness and joy of heart because of the realization of what our God and Lord has done for us. (See especially Ezra 3:8-13)

Yahweh has given us times and seasons for everything under the sun--and there is a time for mirth!

Anyway, I have this theory…just a theory, mind you…I believe that whatever game you excel at, it is an indication of a dominant spiritual gifting you have within you (I Corinthians 12:1).

Okay, yes, I am trying to give some balance to my blog by posting something fun instead of being so serious! The serious side of this (for you know I must have one) is that we as followers of Christ are much more than the outward appearance the world sees; for although we are physical beings, we are primarily spiritual beings.

My family and I especially enjoy playing board games when we’re together. I remember the first time I played Pictionary--a board game that is won by guessing what an assigned illustrator is drawing. It was becoming very popular and some friends of ours invited us to a game night where they were going to play it.

We played in teams, and my team kept winning all evening! It was my first time playing the game and I found that I was good at guessing what the sketch was. This seemed to impress my one teammate, Kevin.

“Watch this!” Kevin announced to the other team. “I’ll draw this next figure and I want Lyn to be the only one who guesses what it is.”

It was all in fun, so I went along with it. Kevin pulled out the next card to see what he was to draw cupping it so that only he could see. I moved to look over his shoulder and he quickly sketched a bunch of ‘X’es crosshatching them over and over, then stopped and looked up at me.

“Haystack?” I immediately answered.

Kevin slammed his hand down on the table. “Yes! That’s right! See what I mean? It's amazing!”

Many Pictionary games and years later I realized how this connected with how the Spirit of the Lord speaks to me many times through pictures that come to my mind. It is one of the primary ways He shows me what I need to pray for, especially when interceding for individuals. (But, honestly, I am not always right discerning what the pictures mean--whether in Pictionary or in the Spirit.)

Let’s talk about Monopoly. I think I have yet to beat my husband Tom in a game of Monopoly. He wins time and again no matter who he plays it with. His gifting is in business and stewardship (although he does not own a monopoly himself).

Okay, so what do ya think? What games are you good at? Does my theory hold or should I simply put an end to it thus proving true Ecclesiastes 7:8?

Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof…- Ecclesiastes 7:8a KJV

Are we having fun yet?:-)

Despise Not Small Beginnings

Writing is one of the main passions poured into me by the Lord. Most any subject interests me, but the things of the Spirit of God intrigue me the most. I am a grandmother now but began journaling my thoughts and experiences when I was a young mother and then published them in 1991 in a book entitled The Mommy Manual (With Notes for Daddy Too). While working recently on a new book project, I stumbled across a copy of my first publication. Nostalgia swept over me and I began to think about when my kids were first born and remember how in the midst of the hustle and bustle of motherhood the Holy Spirit was there helping me. I flipped open the pages and began reading one of the many stories...

One day as I was bathing my newborn son, he seemed unusually fussy and wouldn't stop crying. Thanks to God, I noticed that there was a clear plastic thread wrapped around one of his toes which was cutting off the circulation. His toe was very red but had not turned blue yet.

Later on as I shared with my husband what had happened I realized it was the Holy Spirit who spoke to my spirit to check the baby's toes! Because of incidents like this I learned that I served a practical God--one that cared about everyday quandaries. Not an unfeeling, uncaring deity but the epitome of LOVE!

It is stories such as this I would like for you to share with me--everyday situations (big or small) where God showed up. Perhaps He spoke to you and gave you enlightenment of a scripture or understanding as to why someone spoke to you the way they did. My purpose in blogging and my prayer for the Body of Christ is Ephesians 1:4-23 which states (in part):

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love...That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ...

The computer is not a whole new world to me, but blogging is. Sometimes I think too much about what I am to write because I don't want to dishonor the Lord in any way. I was even obsessing over what I should use as a title for this first post when I heard that still small voice say, "Despise not small beginnings".