I believe we are in a "stepped up" time of hearing God through dreams and visions. Below is a dream that occurred in early March. As I reflected and asked for understanding, the message became clear to me.  As  you read on, each one may have a different revelation of what God is speaking to you via this dream.

The Double Portion

I dreamed I was in an auditorium filled with people.  We were there to listen to important speakers who were sitting up on a stage, holding microphones.

I was part of the audience and very unusually dressed.  Wrapped from head to toe in a long lacy white "Sari" I knew it had once been used as an elegant table cloth at a royal banquet.  Somehow I had acquired it and was wearing it over my street clothes.  My whole body was covered.  I knew it was beautiful, pure white, and intricately woven.  But I had no pin to fasten it around my shoulders. I had to use my hand to hold my Sari together so it would not fall off. This was a problem.

A young man with a microphone was up on the stage.  He announced the meeting was over and we were dismissed.  But there was one last thing left he would do for those who stayed a few minutes longer. At the beginning of the meeting, gifts had been passed out to everyone in the audience.  He announced that some gifts were left over. Anyone who wanted a "Double Portion" should stand up.  He would come down through the people and give out the gifts.

Not everyone stayed.  Many people were putting on coats, hats, taking their first gifts and leaving  I stood up, wondering if there were enough gifts left so I would receive one.  Dressed in my beautiful white Sari the young man saw me from far across the room.  He came quickly over.  Holding out a gold foil covered box he explained it contained the finest chocolates ever made.  "These confections were created for royalty.  They will taste better than anything you have ever eaten before.  They are "one of a kind".  Do you want this gift?"

I answered "No. No thank you.  I don't want anything that will be consumed and then gone." - Then I asked, "Do you have a jeweled pin in your box that will hold my "Sari" together? I'd like one that is round in shape and made with stones that are the colors of a rainbow.  This is all I really want."

The young man looked at me quizzically and then rummaged in the box of gifts.  He held up a small jewelry box and said, "I believe this is what you asked for.  Look and see." I took it, carefully opened the lid, and drew a breath with wonder and awe.  Inside was a round, gold clasped pin, made with precious rainbow colored stones. Excitedly I thanked him, and began pinning my "Sari" together.  When all was secured I woke up, filled with delight over receiving my "Double Portion" gift.

Do you have a puzzling dream that you would like to know what it means? Then here are some suggestions I found useful to help me decipher me dreams:

#1.  Look for Biblical references.  I checked out "Robes of white".
       (Rev. 3:18, 19:8, Psm. 51:7, Lk 9:29, 9:5, Isa. 1:18)

#2  Take note of obviously unusual words like "Double Portion".
      (II Kings 2:9 I found this is a Key reference for my dream.

#3  "Rainbows" are always significant.
      (If you've had a "Rainbow in a dream, read Rev. 4:3, 10:1, Gen. 9:13, 14.) I didn't desire candy.
       I wanted a pin set with rainbow gem stones.)

Above all else, the most important thing you can do to understand your dream is, ask the Holy Spirit to interpret. Expect to receive an answer.  Christ said (recorded in Matthew Chapter 7, verse 7) "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened unto you." Those words never fail me.  All of a sudden my dreams are decoded and bring more meaning to life.

The Lord gave this to me in several mind pictures~

An often asked question that bothers me is, "If God is so good, why does he allow so much pain and suffering in our world?"  Today, writing about JOY, I found an answer.

As humans I think we couldn't experience JOY unless we had also experienced suffering, despair, losses or pain.  How can these four negatives be transformed by a sudden blaze of unexpected JOY?

"Suffering, despair, losses, pain" are bruises that occur in all human experience.  They may or may not dominate our lives, but they will sneak into our minds like "little foxes that come to spoil the grapes"* - BUT JOY! That's another thing!  It's a healing balm from heaven above.  It's hard to describe, being unquantifiable, unexpected, a gorgeous gift from GOD.  It is like a perfect diamond, resting in a box lined with black velvet.

When we experience JOY we forget the pressures that created it deep in the bowels of our lives.  We receive Joy like a beautiful woman receives a precious ring from her lover.  JOY becomes  a covenant promise of an impending wedding.  Suddenly we know in our hearts "THE BEST IS YET TO COME!" and JOY will nullify all our tears.

* Song of Solomon 2:15