An International Fellowship of Spirit-Empowered Believers
New Baby at Laundromat
I was in a public laundromat searching for something in a basket of clean laundry on top of a washing machine. I was busy going back and forth between washers and dryers, busy. Two ladies I knew were with me, saying "I suppose we're going to have to help you with that." (Reminded me of Job's buddies... ha, ha, not really supportive, but friends nonetheless.) I noticed I had a small baby in my arms and wished I had a baby carrier so I could continue my busy work with hands free. The baby kept getting my attention and it was about 2-3 months old and had dark hair, olive color skin and was a girl baby. It SPOKE to me and told me how to love it and just where to nuzzle and kiss it on the cheek. The baby wanted to be held close to my chest and up close cheek to cheek. I did as the baby wanted and it was content. I loved the baby and was amused by it ... in a good way.
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I think this was Holy Spirit (Mediterranean coloring and hair again), prompting me that it is time to start something new for ladies in my neighborhood to reach out to them. It has long been on my heart, but I have been busy doing a small group at church and have been reluctant to start this other idea. I believe the 2 ladies are in my group at church and they have told me they don't want me to quit what I"m doing to start something new (but I have already quit after this dream), but they have indicated they want to continue with bible study with me somehow. Both would probably be happy with personal one-on-one study, but I don't have time for that in my schedule and don't want people to cling to me but rather to grow their own faith. I know I will in some way continue to share with them what I learn as I grow and study the Word. The baby being a girl I think may have been in answer to do all ladies only for new study, I had considering men and women.
KEY: The day before this dream I had been asking God how I would do this new ministry and where to start, how to invite ladies,what kind of backgrounds and beliefs would they have, what to teach, what to say, would they come,will I be able to answer their questions and help them grow in faith.... etc, etc, etc..... I think Holy Spirit is telling me that he will tell me HOW to do this just like in the dream on how to love that baby. Last thought: I don't have much to offer my neighbors, but faith is something I can share with them, so I believe I need to follow the Lord's urging on this.
p.s. I'm humbled and a little bit scared, not a lot, just a tad. I know that I'm not responsible for other people's growth or acceptance of the truth I share, but I really desire for people to grab onto faith and soar with it and love the Lord with ALL their hearts, not just their minds and not to be lacking in power! Steppiing outside the safety of my church to a bunch of unknown belief systems is a step I've been reluctant to take, but strongly sense the urgency of the times and the need to reach the people around me -- if possible. I must try! ~~Thoughts anyone? Not much more direction yet on this, except to literally clean my house in preparation. I need thoughts quickly, because I sense that I need to start in just a week or two. Thank you in advance.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Louise McNeil on -
Let us assume that the baby is the Holy Spirit, as you have suggested. Look back at what you have said about it, “wished I had a baby carrier so I could continue my busy work with hands free” Our hands represent our service/ministry and you wanted your hands to be free from holding her (the Holy Spirit) so you could do “your work”. also said the baby “kept getting my attention”. Once you began to give it your full attention and do what it tells you, you find gratification/amusement/pleasure. Consider that this might be pointing out that He doesn’t want you to do this “busy work” right now, but instead to give Him your full attention, maybe to learn to hear him better (“kept trying to get my attention”) and to move in closer ("close to my chest"=heart) to abide in His love and understand more of what that means ("cheek to cheek"). When we are cheek to cheek, we cannot turn away to look from side to side. We are dancing with Him in such a position that we see only what He sees....so that our visions is the same as His vision for us and with us.
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Permalink Reply by Many Dreams on -
Louise,
I noticed the word "busy" several times in my post as well. I guess I thought the dream was a confirmation of changes I was making with the bible study I was leading and starting something different to reach the lost. When I read your post I thought to myself, "I would love to do just that--grow my relationship with the Holy Spirit and focus on my own growth" but it almost seems like a selfish thought to seclude yourself and learn all this cool stuff about God and Holy Spirit and not share it. I've been told I have a gift for teaching, so I believe I'm supposed to do something with that. Mabye what you are picking up on (busy) is my desire for life to slow down a little so I can do the things that need to be done in my own home, including my faith walk. To be honest, the thought of starting another commitment right now (leading a new study at my home) really does not appeal to me, but It's been bugging me that I haven't tried. One thought was if rapture is anytime soon and I get up to heaven and get asked did you tell your neighbors about me? I';d have to say not really. They pretty much know I'm a Christian, but I've never had the courage to witness to them with boldness and the list of people I know who need to know the Lord is long. Evangelism is something I apparently have as a gift as well, but it is very undeveloped and is a bit scary territory for me... I've tried and had friends get angry at me. I do better witnesssing to close friends over a long period of time (coworkers).
saying all that, is there time for me to take to nourish my own relationship with Holy Spirit before I branch out again? I sound double-minded and I hate that so much! I want clear direction from the Lord.
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Permalink Reply by Louise McNeil on
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You will and are getting clear direction from the Lord. Keep asking Him for confirmation.This world is too noisy. Taking quiet time with Him to know Him better transforms us in amazing ways. Jesus and Paul both went off the public grid to be with the Father in a more intimate setting. After some real live personal experience, we are then equiped to share the love and knowledge of Him and His ways with others. That "alone time" is of vital importance before launching out. It is rough out there. We must first know Him well, and have our self image firmly grounded in His amazing love for us first.
True and effective evangelism is sharing what we ourselves have personally experienced.....otherwise it is just intellectual (which the Holy Spirit can use anyway, but it is most effective when we speak that of which we know and have experienced ourselves). Your quiet example to your neighbors is a greater witness to them right now than you know. God is not as much in a hurry as we think He is. He wants that intimate relationship with you/us more than any of the rest of it.
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Permalink Reply by Many Dreams on
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Thanks Louise,
I respect your advice to build up my own house/faith before I enter the battle field. When I was thinking of how/what to speak I realize I do have a well of stories ......wow...that just made me pause. A close spirit-lead friend of mine/like a daughter/sister -- she's married to my nephew... spoke a word to me several months ago that she believed was from God. The word asked me to start writing a list of all the things God has done for me in my life and that I would be using that list in the future. I started the list and have since set aside, but still have it. Hmmmm....
Anyways, I will continue to seek confirmation from God on all of this. By the way, so often I see people interreting babies and new life as ministries, so that's where I went when I first had this dream, plus I had just been praying about it the day before the dream. Thanks. A
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Permalink Reply by Louise McNeil on
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I hope you will do something that blesses others with your stories. We always need inspirational writers.
A baby isn't usually a ministry. Actually, I have seen that over used in some circles. It simply means some new aspect of any type is coming, or on the reverse negative side it could mean an undesirable something needs the be birthed "out of you" (come out of you...depending on the other "actions" in the dream) .
I try to always first consider what the common sense meaning within our society of each symbol is, because 90% of the time that is what they represent in the dream. "Ministry" is more often symbolized by our hands, work related symbols like (business cards,uniforms, protective gear, gardening/farming tools and so forth), and also by "serving related" actions within the dream (like feeding someone, correcting or directing someone, bandaging someone's wound, public speaking, pulling someone out of the mud)....well I could go on, but you can see where I am going.
I hope this helps a little. Thank you fro sharing your dream and thoughts with us.
Peace and grace to you.
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