In this dream, I lived near her and felt overwhelmed to go to her home and pray for her. I went there as soon as I woke up with my hair a mess and in my pajamas and barefoot. Her door was unlocked and I felt it was necessary to go in and pray for her from inside even though she was not home. I HAD to pray.
I went in and found her closet. It was large and nice so I sat there a while. I noticed she had some things hanging that had come from my house like I must've given her at some point. They were little boy's clothes that my sons had outgrown. I also sat there comparing her closet to my own and saw other similarities.
I was aware she and her husband had no children yet, were newlyweds and were expecting their first child. I was also aware they'd been called as missionaries to Africa and that Shana was married to a Middle Eastern man. I figured without knowing for certain that they must be believers because of the Africa thing.
I walked around her home rehearsing what I'd say if they drove up and found that I'd been in their home. I noticed they had the same sort of dog that I had, a bluetick coonhound, and thought I could just tell them I'd heard him barking or something like that. I felt incredibly nervous about this and the fact that I wasn't dressed properly. I felt exposed because of the pajama look I was sporting. Still, I did not leave their house yet. I tried to write a note explaining myself on a long sheet of toilet tissue but the texture was too difficult to write on.
This whole time I was trying to write the note, I felt STRONGLY that I must order her a custom cake from my childhood friend's sister, Brooke. (IRL Brooke is a veterinarian, not a baker). It wasn't a 'I'm sorry' cake, it was important to her healing for some reason. I imagined the cake and it was tiered like a wedding cake. It had lots of writing on it in red. (I understand much of this dream already but it feels heavy enough for me to post for other's thoughts as well!)
In the next scene I am watching Shana, very very pregnant getting her picture taken while standing in a fountain. She then climbed out and I saw a close up of her belly. I imagined the baby in there already in the birthing position. I thought, "Wow, she is going to give birth regardless of the cancer issue." Shana was wearing blue nurse's scrubs with a dark turtleneck underneath and I thought it was a cute way to wear the scrubs. I thought, "That's how I'd wear them too."
Shana was INCREDIBLY calm and happy each time I saw her face. I was amazed. I asked her if she remembered Brooke from school since they were the same age but she said, "No, my sister Christy and I never liked that school. We didn't talk to many people and just did our work to graduate and get out of there." When she said that I thought, "Christy and Shana BURKE." I feel the last name is important to this dream. The way she described school would be how I described my last year there as well. There was emphasis on that they'd disliked it because they'd been new there, outsiders. I felt they were nicer, cleaner, better off than the rest and 'foreigners' of a sort even though they looked like everyone else.
I stood next to a table and saw her husband. He was an attractive Middle Eastern, darker complected man. I asked him seriously, "How is she?"
He answered me, "She's fine."
I felt connected deeply to him after he spoke and I asked, "Was going to Africa a 'mission' for you guys?"
He answered me emphatically, "Yes, it WAS a mission."
(By 'mission' I felt I meant they had been divinely sent there.)
I was testing the waters with him to see if he was thinking what I was thinking about this cancer thing. I wanted to ask him if he would agree with me that this cancer she was stricken with was a type of spiritual warfare because they were dangerously committed to God. Without me asking out loud, he nodded his head affirmatively. EOD
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Yesterday, prompted by a question from my bible study workbook on the Psalms of Ascent, I was thinking about how the Lord has kept me encouraged and safe through trials by warning me of so many of them ahead of time, often through dreaming. I think 'Shana Burke' may parallel myself here. To me, Africa may represent 'the dark continent' simply because I heard it referred to that way recently. They were sent on a mission into darkness, possibly. Her life had been threatened because of this mission but she was going to give birth anyway. I know I just interpreted my dream myself but would welcome any other thoughts you guys may have!! Especially concerning the symbol of cancer
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Just found this regarding the name 'Burke'...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_(surname)