A few months ago, I had the most beautiful dream I’ve ever dreamt…
My brother and I were kids and we turned left out of my grandparent’s driveway and walked up a hill to a clearing. There we saw a two-story gazebo my grandfather had built on top of a hill covered in wildflowers. I began to pick them until both of my hands were full, because I wanted to dry them, so he’d put them inside of his Bible and think of me. When we got to the gazebo, family videos were playing on the inside walls and many happy people were walking around. From the bottom of the hill, hot air balloons began to rise – one for each of his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. I was filled with excitement to discover this special place Pops had built for us. We ran back to the house to get our cousins and show them what we’d found.
When I woke up, I was elated, but crying. I knew this breathtaking dream was a picture of the life of my grandfather, which is hard to even put into words the beauty of who he is and how much God revealed His love for him to me. But the tears flowed, because he is coming to the end of his earthly years and I know time is short to keep making memories together. As I was talking to the Lord about every stirring in my heart that resulted from this dream, He declared with such delight, “Look what a lifetime can build!”
Every detail and layer of this dream was a remembrance of my relationship with Pops and God was letting me know that He was also cherishing moments only the 3 of us would even know about. The wildflowers were so special to me, because every Sunday at church when we’d visit them, I'd sit next to my grandfather and he would nudge me a few times during the service and pull out something of mine from the inside of his Bible. He had pictures, drawings, photos, and little pieces of his favorite people hidden in the safest treasure chest of all. The gazebo is a symbol of the treasures of my grandfather I’ll get to experience with him in heaven someday soon.
God was also uncovering a powerful truth that there is eternity wrapped around our everyday moments. We might not always be aware that our lives are building something here in the earth and also in the heavens when we abide in Christ. It’s almost unbelievable to consider that our God gives us such a gracious privilege to create with Him and see His visions come to life. He lets us glimpse heaven that we might never forget it and those imprints of forever would change how we think, act, and speak … and they’d make a way for our future family to experience God through our actions of deepest faith and divine intimacy.
This dream is evidence that God is crafting a wonderful place for us to discover in Him. A place our generations will run to and find revelation and hope. A place where memories play on repeat, because the Father has been there with us through it all. A place where things tucked into Bible pages get stored in eternity. The sacred place where our hearts finally become His heart.
*The drawing above is my daughter's interpretation of the dream :)