Uncharted Territory

I have weird and vivid dreams. I always have and probably always will. I often can remember every detail of my dreams and it's kind of like a movie playing in my sleep every night. 

However last night was different. I woke up in the wee hours of the morning from a dream about a friend. It's someone I hardly ever see, but we went to college together. He is in a leadership role in our denomination so the only time I really see him is when we are at the same conference together.

But in my dream he was trying to speak at a graduation ceremony and suddenly seemed to be having some sort of attack or stroke where he was unable to do so. I abruptly awoke with the overwhelming sense that I should pray for him. And I did. I prayed for his ministry, his leadership, wisdom for him, his health (physical, spiritual, emotional and mental). I prayed for his marriage. Then I fell back asleep. 

This morning I sent him a message and though I was somewhat embarrassed by it, I told him about the dream and that I had prayed for him. And the interesting thing was that he said he has been having health issues affecting his breathing lately and he and his wife have felt rather than it just being a health issue that there was an underlying spiritual attack going on.

Then he also told me another friend had sent him the same type of message 2 days ago and had felt led to pray very specifically for the same things I prayed for. Wow!

I don't often receive that type of prompting of the Holy Spirit, but it has happened much more frequently over the past year. I have tried to stay tuned in to that nudging and rather than ignore it and think it's just some strange sense to actually stop in my tracks and pray for the person.

In our move here I find my role in ministry has changed tremendously. I have always been the organizer of many of the outreach events we have done in our churches. But it hasn't happened like that in this church. The main issue is Covid hit and we can't do things like we have. Some of it though is God slamming every door shut that I try to walk through. And it's a bit frustrating!

But the one door that hasn't slammed is my ability to pray. And I have been doing a lot more of that. It's different for my personality because I'm a doer. Sitting and praying is difficult for me. Not having some sort of event to plan feels irritating to me. lol

But lately I often stop working at my desk at the church and just walk the sanctuary praying for people in our church. I pray while I walk outside. I have been waking up with the strong sense in the morning to spend time with the Lord in prayer. 

In my role in our district I help provide support to our International Workers and have spent much time praying for them and getting people in our churches to pray as well.

So this morning as I was reflecting on all of this, God reminded me that He is orchestrating my ministry in a different direction. Rather than feeling loss about not doing things as I've always done in ministry, He is opening up opportunities to pray.

The church across the street is passing out boxes of food for the next few Saturdays. The pastor called Dan and invited us to come and set up a tent to pray for people as needed. At first I sighed and thought, "Ugh." "I don't want to stand there feeling silly every Saturday" but then, God reminded me of this push He is giving me. So for at least tomorrow I'm headed there with Dan. 

I want to be in tune to the leading of the Holy Spirit and so I'm venturing into uncharted territory. It's different for me, but it's exciting as I wait to see what God will do!