The Diligent DreamerSample

Day 1: Hearing God’s Voice in Dreams

For God does speak—now one way, now another—though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds (Job 33:14-15 New International Version).

My pillow was soaked from the tears trickling down my cheeks. I propped myself up, careful not to disturb my mangled leg. Never had a dream ever generated such emotion. My husband slept peacefully beside me. I felt relieved. I knew we would be okay, regardless of the outcome. God told me so in a dream.

The stage 3 melanoma in my leg was aggressive. Test results had yet to reveal whether the cancer had spread. I knew that in time, my leg would heal from the trauma, but I could not bear the thought of my husband, children, and grandchildren watching me battle cancer, or worse—lose me in the process. I pleaded with God. Every morning, noon, and night, I prayed the exact five words, “Lord, please give me negatives.”

I dream often, but my dreams are usually about my teeth falling out, high school, pets, or being in front of a crowd in my underwear. The dream that brought me to tears was different; it was vivid, and it was personal. The setting was intentional—an empty room with four, bare walls, a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and shiny, marble floors. I stood, alone, in the middle of the room, holding an 8x10" sealed manilla envelope addressed to me. There was no stamp, postmark, or return address, but I knew Who it was from.

I carefully opened the envelope. Hundreds of negatives—copper-colored strips that once served as backups to printed photographs before the invention of iPhones—fell to the floor. Each strip depicted my husband, kids, and grandkids. I was not in any of the pictures, yet everyone looked happy. My loud, anxious soul quieted at the Holy Spirit’s whisper that we would be okay. I received the test results four days later. Each test came back negative. I was cancer-free.

One of the most common forms of communication God used in biblical times was symbolism in dreams and visions. Just as He used dreams to communicate with Gideon, Jacob, Joseph, and other prophets throughout history, He also conveys His wisdom, comfort, and guidance to us in the same manner (Acts 2:17).

As we reflect on the wonderous nature of dreams, may we find solace knowing that God’s presence knows no boundaries—reaching even the depths of our subconscious. Join me tomorrow as we delve deeper into interpreting the divine messages behind God-given dreams.