Boxing in my dream...

 

I woke up this morning contemplating a dream I just had about boxing.  I will start by stating that I am not a boxing fan.  I don’t particularly watch any sports lately.  I used to watch the NY Yankees all the time.  Please don’t hate me if you are not a Yankees fan.  I grew up playing softball so enjoyed watching the game later as an adult.   Baseball was a fun distraction for many years.

So back to the boxing.  I had a dream I was in a boxing ring.  This was a strange situation because I am not a physical fighter.  I would rather spar with my words than my fists.  When I was younger…  Well, that is a different story for another time.

The strange part of the dream, besides being in a boxing ring, was the fight was almost over and I was in the process of making the one punch knockout blow.  Is that a term?  I remember feeling a rush of adrenaline and was excited to knock out my perceived enemy with a smile on my face.  When I woke up, I thought, “That is weird because I am not a boxer.” How would I know what it felt like to be ‘in’ the ring?  I sat on it for a minute, then fell back asleep.

Then I had a second dream.  One of pure joy and reconciliation with one of our grown kids.  We were talking and sharing like we did so many years ago.  My heart was full.  Then I woke up.  Grief filled my heart as I realized it was only a dream.

Praying about what I remembered in my dream, I asked the Lord for clarity.  I felt secure that God was telling me the battle was going to be won.  God will restore what the enemy has tried to take away.  Reconciliation. Family. Unity.  I am not sure when, but I stand on His promise that it will happen.

This was a confirmation I needed to hear.

Each time we pray, we are fighting spiritual battles.  God is not sitting above choosing which prayer to hear.  Again, this was a confirmation in my dream.  But it was also a reminder.  The battle is fierce. The enemy is not fooling around. Why are we surprised by spiritual attacks?   They come every day because the enemy does not rest.

But our God is bigger! 

When a boxer steps into the ring, they are preparing to fight someone.  They are also expecting to win.  The boxer does not walk into the ring to lose or compromise a fight.  Failure is not on their mind.  We need to look at spiritual warfare the same way. 

We need to walk in the ‘spiritual’ ring knowing we are going to battle. We need to hold nothing back and go in planning on fighting to WIN no matter what.  We can’t go in to battle half-hearted. 

Fight the good fight knowing WHO has your back!  Gods got this and He has you in His hand!

 

Will you stand in prayer with me for our kids?

Standing on His promise - Acts 16:31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved-you and your household."

 

 

1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Corinthians 9:24

 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  

Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

                                          Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

Look towards the light...

 

I woke up like any other day, but for some reason felt different.  Have you ever had an intense dream and woke up feeling you were still in the dream?  That is how I felt.  My brain felt foggy, if that makes sense.  I woke up thinking I needed more coffee to jump start my day.  As the morning progressed, I realized neither coffee nor food was helping.  I then made the judgement that maybe I haven’t been getting enough sleep.  So, I put aside all the demands for my day and laid down.  I felt a bit selfish but decided that maybe rest was better than me trying to do calculations on my computer.  I didn’t want to make financial mistakes.  The nap was refreshing but didn’t change the brain fog.

Nighttime came and we went to bed early assuming I would be better the next day.  However, when I woke up the same fog came across my brain.  It was hard to concentrate.  I couldn’t put sentences together.  Light and noise were very distracting.  Since there was no real pain other than feeling like my head was in a clamp, I decided to do what I never do, go seek medical assistance or what my husband calls – level 2 support. 😊

If you know me, you’d understand that was my last-ditch effort after prayer because I really dislike going to any doctor.  But because I was feeling so off and had symptoms I couldn’t understand, I decided to take it to the professionals.

Going to urgent care was not in my plans for the day.  However overnight cognitive changes were more important than my daily schedule, so I had my office manager drive me to Urgent Care.  We proceeded to wait two hours to be seen.  I was ready to head back home at that point because I hated wasting not only my time but the kind person’s time who drove me there.  I am not patient.  That is another topic for another day.

I felt grateful for waiting when I finally saw physician’s assistant.  He was very patient with my frustration and conducted multiple tests.  He believed I was having an a-typical migraine.  This is a migraine with no pain but other debilitating symptoms.   He gave me a few pills and a shot.  I had to then wait to see if the meds were going to work.  One hour later we reconvened and decided the meds were not working as quickly as he thought and recommended, we head to the local hospital for a CT scan, just in case.  

The hospital did a CT scan and confirmed there were no other outstanding issues.   I was blessed by the results and went home to sit in the dark awaiting the meds to take affect. 

I also received another unexpected blessing I wanted to share with you.  As we were waiting on the meds to take affect at Urgent Care, the PA asked if he could pray for me.  And just like that, God stepped in and not only used that person to pray for me, but He also reassured me in the process that He was still there and had not left my situation.  What a blessing to have that moment.

Nothing is a surprise for God.  Not even my migraine.  He allows certain things to happen in our lives to get our attention, slow us down, or as a test to strengthen us spiritually.  I felt the test and the ‘slow down’ sign.  So, I did.  I sat with the Lord and listened as He said “Be Still.”  I spent the rest of the day listening to scripture from my Bible Ap focusing on what was important.

The next day the cognitive abilities returned but then the pain joined the party.  My head felt like an 80s hangover for the next day and a half.  But afterwards, everything went back to normal.  Well as normal as life can be…

So, my personal lesson from this experience…

From losing my ability to think clearly…

To driving to urgent care…

To praying with a fellow believer…

To sitting in the dark with God…

To waking up finally in a better state, but pain…

God was with me through it all and He reminded me as friends prayed and checked in on me throughout the week.

The most difficult part of that week was the light.  Bright lights were painful to look at and I had to keep the lights and my computer dimmed as I recovered.

I felt grateful when I couldn’t stand the bright light - God sat with me in the dark.

God will stand with you during your dark times.  He never leaves you.  Remember the darkest night is like daylight to God.

Grateful to be back writing and with no pain <3 

Grateful for you!  

Grateful for what is in store for 2023!

 

Psalms 139:7-12

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31: 8

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”  

                                               Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.