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| Friday, July 9, 2010 |
| The Lotus Flower |
Vision: (@ TNG 07.06.10) During worship, I envisioned a tiny angel that glowed so brightly you could only see wings fluttering in a gold light. As I came closer to it, its wings became lotus flower petals and I saw a bright white lotus flower floating in a small pond. It was definitely an ecosystem similar to a Japanese garden, as I saw a pagoda-like building in the background reflecting off the water.
I had no real conclusion to this vision. Others in the group suggested it might be a word for myself. I did not know what the lotus flower meant and they seemed to think it meant peace...that peace is what God wants for me. So, of course, in my quest for a satisfying ending, I researched this further and found many meanings, all of which I will pray for the right one to shine through. Perhaps, it is all three. (These, I felt, were VERY interesting for me.)
- I found the Chinese use the lotus flower to symbolize perseverance through difficult times. The lotus flower grows up out of the thick, dark mud, and through murky waters to triumphantly sit atop the water brilliantly radiating its white purity. No matter what happens in life, beauty and light will always come from the darkness.
- (1) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (3) Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; (4) perseverance, character; and character, hope. (5) And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. - Romans 5:1-5
- (10) Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out of the darkness and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. - Isaiah 58:10
- Another analogy is associated with the stalk of the flower. It is easily bendable, but very hard to break because of how fibrous it is. This symbolizes the unbreakable bond between two people or family members to the point that not even distance can separate them in heart. (I like this one!)
- May the Lord be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. - 2 Samuel 2:6
- (13) Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:1
- In Buddhism, the lotus flower represents faithfulness, purity, and enlightenment, which are achieved through endurance. The lotus flower only blooms for three days and then the petals drop one by one into the water. Finally, the seed falls down into the murky depths. Seeds are known to last a very long time. The Chinese have planted 1,200-year-old seeds and they have been cultivated into new life.
- He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. - Proverbs 2:8
- (4)For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, (5) who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— (6) and who then turn away from God. - Hebrews 6:4-6
All of these explanations of the meaning of the lotus flower mean something to me. They all represent some part of me. I pray the Lord reveals more to me. Over the last year, I have changed. Though I changed a lot 7 years ago, a big part of me has changed just within this last year. Coming to the realization and being comfortable with it in a world of influences has been a struggle.
I am yours, God, and nobody elses. I am so very thankful that You show me Your ways through my own little looking glass. You knitted me in my mother's womb and know how I am wired. My gratefulness can not be said in words for all of the good and bad in my life that You allow to happen. My faith is restored and my strength unfailing in this very moment. Praise You, my Father in Heaven. Rain down on me Your grace and mercy. Amen.Labels: visions |
posted by Sommer @ 10:47 PM   |
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| Wednesday, June 23, 2010 |
| The Deep Sea Anemone |
Vision: (@ TNG 06.22.10) We asked God to come and listen to our prayers for each other. As we prayed, I saw a most beautiful sea anemone glowing in the vast darkness of the deep sea. It's tentacles waved so effortlessly in space. It was feather-like in appearance. Though darkness surrounded the animal, it was bright with bioluminescence and little bits of food sprinkled down around it like snow. The sea anemone catches its food with its tentacles and it travels down to the top of the animal where the mouth is located. I felt there was a passage that explained part of this vision so perfectly:
Ephesians 5:8-14 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Continuing to press into this word, I found the pieces of food to be seen because these represent the little pieces of knowledge that God illuminates for us to gather and absorb in the same fashion a sea anemone eats. He wants us to fill up on His knowledge...He yearns for us to know Him more.
I am in complete awe of the Lord, His passion for us, and His neverending love. I praise Him for the gifts He has bestowed upon me and I certainly see He has many plans for those in our group and our church. Labels: visions |
| posted by Sommer @ 10:18 PM |
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| Sunday, March 8, 2009 |
| The Bonnet, The Fire, & The Dance |
Vision (for me): (@ HVC formerly VCF 03.08.09) I was told today that a word was given to this person earlier in the week. I went up for prayer & that person was praying for me. The vision was of a giant bonnet as big as a house standing upright & open. Out pouring from it were all things of womanhood. During prayer, they had another vision of a string of fire that burned strong. After all that, I was told another vision was given to someone for me. That of the dance scene in Get Smart. :)
Conclusion: I asked for strength during prayer. The bonnet reaffirmed my position as a dominant female in my household. I am now alone for the first time in 10 months really. Before that, I had only been alone for a few months. Never before have I ever been alone. I have my children, but as an adult, I've always been in a house with at least one other. Things can be very overwhelming as a single mother. I felt God was trying to encourage me as a mother & head of my household & remind me that I am never alone. The fire was something else I have been praying about. Motivation. I need the fire put in my heart again to accomplish all I want/need to. The dance was God's desire to show what we can do together to the world.
Labels: visions |
| posted by Sommer @ 9:47 PM |
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| Tuesday, February 12, 2008 |
| The Hearts |
Vision: (@ SNG 02.10.08) During worship, I saw hundreds of red hearts forming over and over again. Solid hearts, outlined hearts, but forming on top of one another over and over.
Conclusion: I felt like this was God showing His love for us - not just as a church or group, but as His children - all of us. A vision was also given to someone and interpreted for me as God trying to show me how much He loves me and how highly He thinks of me as His child - reminding me that He knows what I am going through and He is my Father, here for me any time I need Him and that no matter what, He is proud of me and my love for Him. Thank you Papa!
 Labels: visions |
| posted by Sommer @ 8:32 AM |
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| Monday, January 21, 2008 |
| The Jellyfish |
Vision: (@ SNG 01.13.08) As we were worshiping during SNG, I saw a jellyfish. Not any old jellyfish . . . a Man-O-War jellyfish. This seems scary to most people, but it is the second vision I have had with a marine animal in it. God is definitely speaking to me because I was a Marine Biology major (despite my ongoing love of the office environment - cough, cough). A Portuguese Man-O-War is actually a colony of individually specialized organisms all working together as one. Weird, I know. But I knew this little known fact. And I felt like it had something to do with our group. However, it has come to my attention that it just might be for the church. Since that day, there have been two more visions of jellyfish - one of which was drawn by a small child - by members of our church body in situations outside of my own. Strange in that this is January, very cold here, and we are in the Mid-West - totally jellyfish weather, yeah? Go figure. God speaks. Conclusion: I feel our church is going through some hard times as individuals. I'm not sure where we are as a whole and maybe that's where this jellyfish comes in. Maybe we need to start working harder together. - If you want to know more about the Portuguese Man-O-War, visit Wikipedia
Labels: visions |
| posted by Sommer @ 10:24 PM |
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| Monday, January 14, 2008 |
| The Drain |
Vision: (@ SNG 01.13.08) I saw a bathtub drain with water flowing down into it with bubbles - like the kind that you wash out of your hair.
Conclusion: Clueless at the moment. Please comment.Labels: visions |
| posted by Sommer @ 10:47 PM |
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| The Satchel |
Vision: (@ SNG 01.13.08) I had a quick vision of a satchel described as follows: chocolate brown leather, rectangular in shape (like it was made to carry a book), with two dark brown leather straps closing the lid with silver snaps and a dark brown leather carrying strap, as well. I was looking at it upside down - or so it seemed. Really, I found myself looking down on it and it was laying in sand at the tide's edge being gently lapped by the ocean's waves.
Conclusion: Clueless at the moment. Please comment.
Labels: visions |
| posted by Sommer @ 10:45 PM |
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