It started one afternoon when I spilled a bottle of water on my laptop. Seeing that the nearest credible Apple Store is a few oceans away, I went to bed that night upset and exhausted. I woke up abruptly the next morning and recorded the following...

Just had the coolest dream: In my dream, I had just returned to America from my...term. After seeing family and friends, I found myself regretting the last night I had spent in Mada — not being with A.’s family specifically [A. is my language teacher.] and not saying proper goodbyes. I wanted to unwind the clock and get those precious moments back. I remember thinking, “I’ll send her a message on Skype.” But it was already 3:00am her time, and I knew she’d be asleep. I longed to be back in Mada sewing the seeds of friendship I had been given by the Lord. In my dream, I remember sitting in a room of a house I hadn’t lived in before next to a small desk in a corner.

How my heart wrecked within me with a desire to return to Madagascar. It was then that I realized how precious time is and how I probably will never get to be in Mada again with the same people and under the same circumstances. I wanted to cry out of regret and sadness.

The dream continued...I was walking down the road and saw Emily Kelley, a friend from Samford, up ahead. When I reached her, I gave her the biggest “I haven’t seen you in two years” hug and proceeded to ask her if she had received my email about doing the J-man program (in reality, she had emailed me about it, wanting more information). In my dream, I told her to do it. If you have the opportunity, go! My heart longed to return to Mada and especially to A.’s family, to the place where God had called me.

I woke up shortly after that in my Mada bed and immediately put my hands out to feel the texture of my sheets. “Where am I? MY MADA SHEETS!! I’m still here!!!!” I thought. I’ve never been more thankful to feel the little breeze from my Mada fan! Having this dream tonight is especially important. I went to sleep in despair over my computer and school prep work.

Having this dream made me realize that stuff really doesn’t matter.

What truly matters is people. What matters are the lives around me and how I respond to the Spirit of God in me to love them with an everlasting love that only comes from our Maker.

I don’t want to get to the end of this and see I wasted time worrying over silly temporal things like computers and work. I wanna pour my life out as an offering for potential new believers who will know Christ and His power and love.

“Oh God, help me to remember this dream and to make this time count. Help me to remember that time is a blessing and each day, each breath, is a gift.”

Update: Several weeks after Rachel wrote this post, A., her language tutor, came to faith in Christ. Praise the Lord for souls being saved!