Prophesy

Have you ever been prophesized to?  Have you ever had someone come up to you and say they have a word from the Lord for you?   I will say that it is a fairly bizzare experience the first time, a pretty bizzare thing the 2nd time the same "word" is given to you, and a crazy bizarre thing when that message is repeated a third time.

Here's my story:

So it all started with a gift from my mother-in-law, Claudette.  Over the past 7 years, she has given me a gift from Jason each year for my birthday and for Christmas.  These are not just random sorts of things, rather, they have been gifts that she has prayed for and asked the Lords hand in knowing what Jason would want me to have at this point in my life.  These gifts have been a variety of items...and it's pretty amazing how well these gifts reflect where my life is at the time.  One time she gave me a bracelet that said "growth" on it.  Another time she gave me a book of poetry written by a boy named Maddie who died of cancer way too soon.  This particular year, she gave me a necklace that had the word "Soar" engraved on the back.  I took it and thought something to effect of "perfect - it's time to soar in life - this is a good reminder". It was a great gift.

Enter prophesy story #1.
A while later, I was singing at the westside site one Sunday morning.  We had just finished singing a song that was about soaring on wings like eagles.  After the service a gal came up to me sobbing hysterically.  She was so shaken that she could hardly speak.  At the time, this was a gal that I knew as an aquaintance, but really didn't know in any kind of meaningful way...I just knew who she was.  So she came up to me and said something to the effect of "I never do this, but I feel like I have to tell you this."  (and please keep in mind through this whole entry, all of the quotes I use are not actually quotes...I have to paraphrase b/c I cannot remember the exact words...I'm giving you the main idea of what was said. Wish I could remember exactly.)
So she came up to me and said that she feels so strongly that she is supposed to tell me something about "being on the heights"  about "being up high"...the entire time she was talking about this she was visibly weeping/choking/crying and she could hardly get it the words.  So I looked at her and said "You're not going to believe this, but...and I showed her the Soar necklace that I happened to be wearing that day.  "I guess God is telling me to Soar."  And that was that.  Pretty cool, huh? 
I knew she had just gotten married and thought perhaps she is emotional b/c she can't imagine losing her new husband and I'm a reminder that that can indeed happen.  I didn't know for sure, but I thought "okay cool - I'll take that little word from God" :)

Enter prophesy #2
I suppose it was about 5 months later, and I was down at City Gospel Mission on a Monday night.  I volunteer there several Mondays a month.  This particular Monday I was talking to a few men who come in about my job and some particular feelings I have had lately.  All of the sudden, a man sitting at that table, who I did not know, boomed out with his stong voice "I HAVE A WORD FROM THE LORD (or perhaps he said prophesy?) FOR YOU."  I thought, "okay, sure.  i'll take it.  he's probably a little off his rocker, but go for it man..."
He then proceeded to talk about an Eagle.  "AN EAGLE...IT SOARS HIGH ABOVE ITS PROBLEMS...IT'S WAY UP HIGH, IT HAS PROBLEMS, BUT THEY ARE DOWN BELOW...THE EAGLE SOARS HIGH...AND THE LORD, THE LORD IS GOING TO GIVE YOU SOARING POWER."...  of course there was more, but that's the main part that I remember...
wow - really, same word from God?  pretty cool.  okay, so God wants me to soar.  (or pehaps this man is just a little crazy?  but regardless, I'm always glad to get some encouragement.

Enter prophesy #3 (aka - the time I decided God was really speaking to me)
Believe it or not, this situation happened in Mumbai, India about 2 or 3 months later.  I had joined a trip to Mumbai with a group of people to move along the cause of justice through a church in Cincinnati, International Justice Mission, and the Crossover Foundation.  They are working to build quality aftercare facilities for girls rescued from trafficking as well as building transitional homes. 
It was our first day in Mumbai.  I was sitting at an Indian restaurant beside one of the founders of the Crossover Foundation - his name is Keith.  Keith quit his job in India in order to start this foundation with his dear wife Ramona.  I had heard Keith speak in Cincinnati about a month before the trip.  They had come to Cincy and had a little gathering where they shared the vision for the Crossover Foundation.  So Keith is talking to me about his family, and I was listening to the things he was sharing.  All of the sudden he said something to the effect of "Hey, were you at that meeting in Cincinnati when we were speaking?"  "yes"  "and were you sitting in the front of the room?"  "Yes I was - I have long blond hair (it was up at the time), I was sitting at the front middle table..."   "Okay, so there is something I feel that the Lord wanted me to tell you that night...and it was crowded and busy and it didn't work out for me to tell you then, but I wanted to make sure I told the right person..."  I have a prophesy for you...

And yep - you guessed it - the Eagle again.  He started out with "Those who wait upon the Lord will"....and he continues the verse about Soaring like an Eagle.  He went on about the Eagle, and that the Lord is preparing me to soar, and about abundance, etc.  I seriously wish I could remember everything.  At this point, I was listening to him with tears running down my face in the middle of an Indian restaurant. 
Coincidence?  I have to say I don't think so... 
What does it mean?  (It helps if you say that like Double Rainbow :)

I'm not sure exactly - except...

In that moment when Keith was sharing the prophesy with me I knew that I was not forgotten.  In the waiting, the longing, the waiting and the longing...and sometimes not even knowing exactly what for....that I am not forgotten.  God has a plan.  It's a beautiful plan.  It's an abundant plan.  And it's going to involve soaring, I suppose. 
How cool that the God of the universe, the God who made rainbows, and my puppydog, and leaves that change colors, cared enough to send three people to encourage me, and give me just a little hope for the day.
What crazy love.  I am not forgotten....

and to that Truth, I cling with everything I have within me.