As I sit in the coolness of the forest, tears streaming down my face,
I hear footsteps
I lift my head from my hands and glance around me
Then I see Him
He’s standing at the edge of the forest, gazing at me
I slowly rise to my feet, feeling a strange connection to this man
He slowly approaches me
I fall to my knees

Something about this man feels holy

He kneels beside me and lifts my chin up with His hand
As I gaze into His eyes, I wonder who this man is
He wipes away my tears and smiles tenderly at me
“Dear heart, why are you crying?” He asks,
His eyes never leaving mine

“It’s been a rough season”
Even as I say the words, more tears trickle down my face
But this time they don’t go unseen
He sees them and wipes them away
“Dear heart, I know it’s been hard”

I fall into His arms
I feel Him embrace me with a love so strong, it overwhelms me

He holds me tightly and says,
“I am with you ’til the end of the age”

I gasp and pull away from His embrace
It’s as if a veil has been torn away
and I’m seeing Him for the first time

“Father, Father!”

I cry, tears streaming down my face again
He laughs and smiles
“My daughter,” He says, wiping away my tears
“I am here; I will never leave or forsake you”

I fall into His arms again
“Please don’t ever let me go,” I beg, clinging to Him tightly

“Never,” He promises, holding me in His arms

Then without a word or a warning, He’s gone and I am alone in the forest again
I take in all around me, uncertain if this was all a dream
But then I feel peace wash over me, and I feel something like a tender embrace
Then I hear it—a whisper in the wind:
“I am with you always”

I breathe in deep, knowing my Father will always be with me
I lie back on the ground and feel my Father’s presence all around