VISIONS . . . Answering the Call!

There was once an Indian brave, who was raised in a non-Indian culture.  He was blessed with wonderful parents who loved him very much and taught him right from wrong at a very early age.  His parents knew that if he was to succeed in this life that he must be physically strong, mentally challenged, but most of all learn that there is a Great Spirit that knows all, sees all, and loves him very much.  The Indian brave learned from his parents and did grow strong, do well in his studies, and did find God while in school.  He remembers feeling very small in a large room full of books.  He was learning to read and wanted to find a book so he could practice.  Of all the books to choose from he was led to the Holy Bible, opened it, and Gods love poured out on him. 

His first experience with Gods’ word was the Twenty-third Psalm.  The Indian brave loved what he read and the message entered his heart and became a part of him.  Just prior to this most supernatural event, he had known the water and was expecting the Holy Spirit. Life was very good for the brave.  As he followed his circle of life he was presented with many challenges, opportunities and obstacles.  He met the challenges head on and conquered them.  He took advantage of the opportunities and made the best of them.  He dealt with the obstacles as best he could, knowing that as long as he never gave up everything would be all right.  The most important thing that he never lost sight of was that God the Father, his dear friend the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit was with him always and with them anything is possible.  He did, however, have an empty place in his heart.  His problem was that he knew that he wasn’t in love with God the Father.  Sure he believed in Him, respected and feared Him, believed that He did in fact initiate the creation of the heavens and the mother earth, but his relationship with the Father at that point in his life was falling short.  So as the brave had done in the past when faced with a problem that he was unable to solve, he went to the Father in prayer.  He asked the Father for what ever he needed to fill this empty place in his heart.

One day the Indian brave met a young woman.  She was very pretty, pure of heart, compassionate, and wore her emotions on her shirt sleeve.  But, life had been very cruel to her, as the brave realized immediately when she shared her past with him.  Her heart had been broken, but she had not given up, and the brave felt attached to her because he saw a person in need of help.  From somewhere, the brave received the gift of humor.  He made her laugh, and kept her laughing until the wee hours of the morning.  As they sat continuing to share each other’s company they both felt the presence of God.  They were both certain that He was right there with them. Then came streaking across the sky the brightest most beautiful shooting star that either of them had ever seen; The light from the star even lit up her face as he glanced over at her. Then the brave said, “I don’t think anyone else in the whole world saw that star, it was meant only for us.”  The brave knew that the shooting star was a sign from God, and felt blessed that the Creator had shown Himself in such a magnificent display of power. This was a very special experience for the brave, for in the past his spiritual experiences had always been between him and God, and never had such an event been shared with another human being.

Later, as the Indian brave rode his white pony along the trail, joyful that he had met such a wonderful woman and in tears he thanked God for bringing her into his life.  God responded saying. “She’s Not For You!”  The Indian brave then knew his purpose was only to help the young woman and her daughter get back on their feet so they could begin life anew and find peace, joy, happiness and most of all love.  The brave gave himself up for them, and allowed Gods’ love to pour through him, knowing that there is no greater love than to give ones life for a friend.  God gave his love to the young woman and her daughter for a period of two years.  The Indian brave knew it was time for them to receive the reward that God had planned for them, so the brave had to step aside and let His will be fulfilled. 

That night the brave prayed the most sincere prayer he had prayed in along time.  Asking God to go to her now and quickly complete that which had begun with the shooting star.  The brave was wounded because he knew that the separation caused her great pain.  Two weeks later the young woman met the man of her dreams, and two months later she was married.  When the Indian brave heard the news of the young woman's marriage he was ecstatic.  Once again tears of joy filled his eyes and he looked up and spoke to God saying, “God I just love you to pieces!”  The brave realized that by his willingness to be used as a vessel to help another that God had answered his prayer.  The outcome was most wonderful, a new family had been formed and the Indian brave had fallen in love with God the Father. Glory be to God!

However, all was not well with the Indian brave.  Because his thoughts were focused on what was best for the young woman and her daughter he had forgotten to think about his own feelings.   He realized that he had become much attached to the young woman and her daughter and now they belonged to another man.  His heart was sad, and he was unable to sleep.  Early in the morning, after a couple of sleepless nights, God came to him in a vision!  The brave saw a white wolf appear before his eyes, and then the words were spoken, “Lone Wolf!”  As visions were not uncommon to the Indian brave he was not afraid, but was filled with a burning desire to understand it’s meaning.  This desire put him on a trail which was to last for many years.

He first camped, at an Indian museum, where something most unusual happened.  He walked into the museum and the first time he touched an Indian painting he was filled completely with sorrow.  It was as if he could feel all the suffering which had been endured by all the Indian people since the settlers began moving in hundreds of years ago.  The brave could not contain himself and wept openly.  It happened a second time when he observed the display of several styles of barbed wire, which symbolized the sectioning off of our great North American continent. The Indian brave left the museum with fire in his heart.  He knew that he was on the trail of understanding his vision.

He next camped at the home of his four children.  He located all of the Indian papers that his parents had gathered, and after many hours of investigation was able to trace his heritage back seven generations.  The Indian brave, for the first time in his life, realized his true background when he learned that his great great grandmother’s grandmother’s name is Pong-ish-e-no-quah.  While searching through all the papers the brave was informed that the Bureau of Indian Affairs had been searching for his first born son.  He was astonished at this because he doesn’t believe in coincidence.  Because, of this and other arrows pointing at his first born son, he believed it was now time to find him.  The Indian brave had to step aside once before when his son was five years old.  He was aware that his son’s Native American heritage was denied him.  The brave then knew it was his responsibility to inform his first born of this deception, and believes that it is God’s will to bring about truth and righteousness.  Yes, the truth will set you free!  And now, the Indian brave has fires burning in his heart.  He knew God had brought him back to learn of his heritage, but also to find and inform his son that he had a wonderful Native American bloodline as well.

The Indian brave camped next at his first Indian Pow-Wow.  This was not only a completely new experience for him, but he found something that had been with him all of his life, and that was the heartbeat of the drum.  Because the trail led him to this Pow-Wow, and because of contacts made, his vision was soon to lead him to his own tribe, where he attended his first Stomp-Dance hosted by the Peoria Nation. 

While at the dance he met many relatives he didn’t even know existed.  As the Indian brave walked up to the arena, where the dance was to be held, he noticed a very large man who bore a striking resemblance to him.  It was almost as if he was waiting to greet the brave, and he did just that.  Shortly, after a brief discussion they realized that they were cousins.  Little Turtle, his name just received, had great wisdom and took the Indian brave to the tribal cemetery, where he found the grave sites of his Great Great Grandfather and his Great Great Grandmother, and his Great Grandfather.  This was an occasion that left the brave speechless, since it had been only weeks prior that he learned of their names, and now he was kneeling at his ancestor’s final place of rest.  While at the cemetery he was unable to locate the grave of his Great Grandmother, Mun-go-ze-quah.  She was the brave’s link to his Miami heritage, and it concerned him that she wasn’t laid next to her husband. 

While attending his first Pow-Wow, and as a result of contacts made, the trail led the Indian brave to a Church.  He found so much Love of God, and so much Faith present, and felt so much compassion from the members of the congregation who are of All Tribes, that he believes that God has provided for him a home. The Indian brave is pure of Heart, and has much Love to give to everyone in the tribe, and prays that the Love he gives out will be returned, because he knows that the Love received is fuel which will keep him going as he deals with the fires in his heart. 

While camped with the members of this tribe he learned of the power that was given by God to the people native to North America.  The burning of cedar and fanning by the Eagle Feather does purify, and the Indian brave was shown by God of the importance in keeping his people’s traditional ways.  The sweat lodge holds a great measure of importance in the lives of American Indians.  People who suffer together and pray together become one with each other and one with God.  The Indian brave was shown his purpose and his mission in the twinkling of an eye from a vision which lasted only seconds.

While camped at the fire with all tribes the Indian brave was again riding his white pony along the trail and he heard a voice saying, “Michael!”  Very softly the voice sounded.  Knowing of the power of the enemy, I responded saying, “If you are of the evil spirit, get behind me!"  Again the voice was clearly heard saying, “It is a Friend, I Love You Too!”

                                           Rev. Michael A. Eddy