Written by a Cafe 1040 student

"I have been thinking about this boy. I think about him so often. I don't want to see him anymore though because I don't want to miss him again...it hurts too much. I don't think he's real. I have never met him. I don't know his name. I saw him in my dream. I just saw his eyes. When I saw his eyes I could see everything. I could see the whole world and the stars and I wasn't afraid anymore. Before I saw the man, my dream was very dark and cold and I was alone. I was so afraid. Once I saw him I felt happy and strong. He made me strong. I haven't felt so happy until I saw all of you. I look at you and I see your “personality,” (pointing to her heart). He showed me so many people. They were all different but they were all together, like a family. I haven't seen him again. My family doesn't like my dream and says it doesn't mean anything and to forget it. I don't think he's real but I miss him so much." 

I stood as I listened to my friend, Hannah*. Hannah had this dream THREE years ago.

So I looked at her and said,

“Hannah, I think I know who the man in your dream is. His name is Jesus and he misses you too. He loves you so much and He is the same man we talked about a while ago - the artist, the man who sketched out every detail and part of you. He wants to make you strong and happy. He wants to never be apart from you. He wrote a book for you to read, I read it a lot because I love him very much and he loves me too. His book is called the Bible. I can put it on your phone in your language…”

Hannah had to wait three whole years just to meet someone who knew who the person in her dream was and to not think that she was crazy for thinking about it and missing Him. Three whole years. And now she has the Bible in her own language on her phone!

The Great Commission is not dependent on you or me or any other worker...it is a privilege to be a part of what He is doing across the world.  But He does allow his children to be a piece of His work. It’s often a theme that when Jesus gives someone a dream about himself, that person doesn’t start fully believing in Him or following Him until someone else comes along to tell that person what the dream is about and who this Jesus is. It amazes me.

I commit to going - not because people depend on my presence to know about Jesus, but because He allows me the joy of being present while He works. I have never experienced my spirit "dancing" and leaping for joy so much as I did as Hannah told me about her dream. I can never forget the faces that come to mind of my neighbors, my sweet friends, and the little children who play in my home or babies who have sat in my lap over the past few months that are currently in a place of "missing Him." Southeast Asia is missing him...and He misses them too. And He weeps for them. And the pain of missing them hurts too much. If God allows you a chance to be a part of His work in bringing His children out of the dark and fear...take it. That's my takeaway from this summer. Pray without ceasing that He may allow you the privilege of being His hands and feet and listen attentively for where He wants to take you. 

*Names have been changed for security purposes.