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Two Most unusual Dreams. A very special answer to my prayers.
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![]() This
is the story of how I began working for children telling Bible stories. It
used to be that I was too timid to even try to tell a story to
children. At that time I had no children of my own. I had prayed for
9 years and decided I should learn how to tell Bible stories just in case
God would answer my prayer for a baby. In 1980 I began this work as
a hobby. It was done in evenings after medical school rotations.
Bonnie and Tom Beattie loved doing the same. We worked together. Tom had
the skill for making any back drop for he worked at the college doing
props for drama. He seemed to love the challenges we came up with. |
We
always prayed that we could help the children love the Bible. We had a
whale on wheels for the Jonah story. A back drop was made with a cloth
scene of waves attached was a flip over screen with a storm on it. There
were props for Daniel in the lions den and Noah and his ark and the fiery
furnace that the children could go inside of and experience as we told the
stories each week. Then we made
the sanctuary. Tom said he was really challenged in making the
furniture for it. Later he made a cardboard fold up set that could go
world wide. |
| We used the props in a church in Portland for
several years. We kept adding and had a tiny log cabin for the kids
Carpenter shop to imagine how Jesus must have lived as a child. The little
boat was great on the sore of the Sea of Galilee backdrop.
Pastor Bill Jamerson, The child evangelist Elder Bill Jamerson told me he was surprised, that 3-5 year olds could learn the big words and meanings of the sanctuary. He was thrilled with our program and invited me to take it to Russia. I was exhausted and told him thanks for his compliments but I had done all I could without my practice suffering. He took my solid "no" as my final answer but God did not. I prayed that God would use the new Bible lessons in a special ways. I could not imagine how to package up my big back drops and take them around in the world by plane. I saw no way I could do this work. |
On
December 1, 2, and 3 of 1992, I dreamed every night all night. I saw
thousands of faces waiting to hear Bible stories and truth. God was
calling ME. I was trained as a doctor, why was HE calling me to do this?
It did not make sense to me. Perhaps it made as much sense as it did to
the fishermen by the sea of Galilee when Jesus called them.. (I did have
training in speech classes as I also took a degree in Theology in college.
I did this just to gain access to the deeper Bible classes reserved only
for Theology majors. I loved to study Bible themes. I never thought
God would call me into the field.)
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He promised in Mathew 28 that He would stay with me always. My
first job was into Siberia. God provided boots, food, money, a loaned coat, and all
teaching supplies for that trip. Then I was assigned jobs in four other
trips into Russia speaking countries of Ukraine and Belarus. From there
God sent me twice into Sarawak Borneo to Iban speaking tribes. The lessons
were translated into that language and printed up. We have also taken them
in Spanish to Mexico. Before these trips, I had never had group size greater than 30. I was on
my knees continually asking God how to prepare for large groups. He always
patiently answered my questions. The book Evangelism was used as a study
guide. When I was instructed to take only one suitcase, I went to my knees
and ask God what HE WANTED. He strongly impressed me that if I took only a
little, I would see only a few give their hearts to God. I prayed
over every plan. God provided enough supplies for 1,200 children to have a
lesson set, color crayons, and other things. |
The
many boxes of children's supplies attracted attention of the media on my
first trip out. In Perm, Siberia my lessons had taken up a lot of
space so busses were hired to get our luggage to destination. Being
on TV was a beginning of the fulfillment of the dream.
God had His hand on me while I was designing these lessons. He even sent the duck to my yard when my picture of a duck looked too sick to be in heaven. When ever I had a question how God wanted these lessons, I went to my knees then searched the Scriptures and the book Evangelism, by Ellen White. I found God's advice to be the best. To attract the mind of teenagers not wanting Bible themes, it was recommended in Evangelism to begin with nature studies. God knows the mind and just what works. To keep the lessons imprinted in minds after we leave, God recommends fixing them there in song. God found a musician perfect for the job. She created a song for each text I used at the start of each lesson. Health talks are carefully woven in each meeting as well.
The crowd grew as the children told their friends they were getting free crayons. I had 1,200 lessons and we ran out every night a long time before the outreaching hands were satisfied. The crowd frightened me. What if there would be a stampede and some smaller ones were trampled to death? I fell to my knees the night it looked like 2,000 children were present. I had promised Bibles and tapes that night. Jesus gave me strength each day to do two meetings back to back in order to get them all in. Some sneaked around the barricades and heard it twice. (It seemed the dream was already being fulfilled. I figured that was all there was to fulfilling the dream but God had many bigger surprises in store) |
I
can't tell you how much fun it is to have a tall teenager come up, and
shyly ask if God will accept Him into His family. To watch them give their
hearts to God is a real thrill. It is more fun than anything in the world.
All over the world God has teens and children just waiting to hear the
good news. My heart longs to find ways to reach them. I pray for more
ways. Two thousand is only a tiny amount in comparison to the millions out
there. My heart goes out to the children of the world. How I want to share
the great stories with them? |
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Part 2 of the marvelous prayer answers is the dream of my 8 year old son Kyle.
The light about his mom was the same as that described in Revelation 12.
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It was most impressive to Kyle what happened
next in his dream. A light from heaven beamed onto the blue Basic Bible
lesson book. A deep voice said, "Go into all the world, preach the
gospel, baptize, and I will never leave you." (Mt 28:)
There are hundreds of people just like myself who want to help teach
the children the stories of the Bible.
You also receive light from heaven and have the promise of angel help from
heaven. God wants to help all of us do this work. People have
written to me with such love and concern for their groups that come to
their Sunday and Saturday churches. There are people who lovingly care for
teens in detention homes and little ones in day care centers. Home
schooling mothers also are using these lessons. I have had hundreds
of letters of gratitude for the Bible stories and lessons on web since
1997. These letters of thanks tell me the Holy Spirit is working on
hearts. The next part of my prayer is for TV ministry. I know we could reach
more children and teens this way.
God provides. Promises we believe in for this project. Phil. 4:19 "My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, "A crisis is right upon us. We must now by the Holy Spirit's power proclaim the great truths for these last days. It will not be long before everyone will have heard the warning and made his decision. Then shall the end come. {CET 220.2}
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As those who have spent their lives in the service of Christ draw near to the close of their earthly ministry, they will be impressed by the Holy Spirit to recount the experiences they have had in connection with the work of God. The record of His wonderful dealings with His people, of His great goodness in delivering them from trial, should be repeated to those newly come to the faith. God desires the old and tried laborers to stand in their place, doing their part to save men and women from being swept downward by the mighty current of evil, He desires them to keep the armor on till He bids them lay it down. {AA 574.1} In the experience of the apostle John under persecution, there is a lesson of wonderful strength and comfort for the Christian. God does not prevent the plottings of wicked men, but He causes their devices to work for good to those who in trial and conflict maintain their faith and loyalty. Often the gospel laborer carries on his work amid storms of persecution, bitter opposition, and unjust reproach. At such times let him remember that the experience to be gained in the furnace of trial and affliction is worth all the pain it costs. Thus God brings His children near to Him, that He may show them their weakness and His strength. He teaches them to lean on Him. Thus He prepares them AA 373 |