A SOFT VOICE SPEAKS IN THE NIGHT

The journey had been long and I was hurting bad, real bad. Kristy was in heaven and I was here alone and feeling pain in my physical, spiritual, emotional, mental being. Yes, I did feel the comfort of the Holy Spirit and I had so many friends--hundreds and into the thousands who were praying for me. But the months of pain watching my beloved suffer and leave this world had taken a harsh toll.

I had just returned from a brief get-a-way to Steinhatchee, Fl. Does anyone remember where Steinhatchee is? My sis Norma and her husband drove me to a condo provided by mutual friends and I rested and recovered for several days there and then had returned to my home. 

It was my first night back to sleep in my master bedroom where Kristy passed. I wondered if I could sleep there and if I could stay in our home? Would I have to sell it and how was all this going to come down?

Early in the morning just ten days after Kristy's funeral, I was awakened by a voice that came from the corner of the bedroom where I held Kristy's hand and placed it in Jesus' hand as she left this world for heaven. The voice wasn't Kristy's and it wasn't audible. It was surprising and mildly shocking but at the same time I felt unusual warmth, peace, comfort as the voice spoke to me. 

The voice was very strong and clear and I heard these words, "Wanda Dunsford is the one I have for you. She will bless you and bless your children, and you will bless her and bless her children."

And that is all the voice said. I was amazed, stunned somewhat, but yet there was sweet comfort and peace. I felt it was God's voice and I held it closely in my heart. No one else heard it. I guess some reading this might not believe such a thing happened or ever happens. I wasn't thinking about the future. I wasn't looking to move ahead in any manner toward a new relationship or new love, but the voice spoke--what I have just described happened.

There was warmth, peace, and a feeling like soothing oil that moved over me. I can't adequately explain it, but this is what I felt. 

So, what do you do when such a voice speaks to you? These were unusually unexpected words. They were words that would change my life forever if they were really true words from God.

For me, I let this rest in my heart and went on toward healing and recovery from a very bad storm in my life. I did not tell anyone. I certainly did not contact Wanda. I was hurting all too bad for anything like that. I hadn't asked God for direction in this matter and then heard this voice as a response to my prayer. I hadn't prayed or thought about anything like this. Everything was all too fresh, too raw, to surreal to move ahead. It was only ten days after Kristy's funeral.

The voice spoke to me early on that Sunday morning and later I got dressed and went to my church and heard my brother-in-law, Ron McGee, preach. The next morning I  got into their SUV with them and headed North to the Carolina's for a month sabbatical. To be honest, I didn't think about this voice for several weeks. There was no reason to think or act or do anything about this. Remember, I didn't ask for this to happen to me and I assure you if I had done something about it at that time Wanda wouldn't have talked to me or been open to me. She is a lady and would have spurned any advances that I might have made at that time. It wasn't in me to do anything like that because I wasn't ready. I wasn't sure about what had happened and what to do about it. I didn't ask for this and didn't have a clue how any of this would ever work out or if this was something that I wanted to work out. And, obviously Wanda would have a say in all this. She might not feel this was God or might not like or love me or might not want to be a pastor's wife or might not.......

Four weeks passed and I returned to Jacksonville from my sabbatical and preached one Sunday and then left for another few days off to see my daughters and grands. No one knew what had happened. I didn't think about it and obviously didn't talk to anyone about this voice and what I had heard. 

I drove to Tampa to see Julie and Alex and Nic and then flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico for another few days with Jennifer, Javier, Claudia, and Lorenzo. 

There is a reason why that voice spoke to me and I will explain why in a future post. It took me weeks to understand and fully accept what had happened early that Sunday morning, but over and over the Lord confirmed it in my mind and heart. Still I didn't tell anyone. 

God had spoken to Kristy and she told Julie and Norma--though she never talked to me about Wanda--and now God had spoken to me. How would God speak to Wanda? Would she be open to God or to me if I ever contacted her? Would we be attracted to each other? How would all this to come to pass? 

Wait until you read what happened there in Puerto Rico with Jennifer. This is an amazing story of love. Another page turns tomorrow.