Dreaming With Linore Rose Burkard & WIN HER BOOK!

Hi, Linore Rose Burkard posting here for Jennifer today. I'm honored to blog for her audience, so I'm going to share a very special dream that was supernaturally real, thrilling, and wonderful. It was also bittersweet--because it had to end. You see, the Lord was in it and he spoke to me!

I dreamt I was in this gated area and everyone there was dressed completely in white, as was I. There was no one speaking through their mouths, yet I was aware of communication going on all around me. For some reason, speech wasn't necessary. It was as if I could hear thoughts. And everything that was spoken was LOVE. It was a beautiful, utterly soothing atmosphere.

Suddenly, an electric excitement overtook everyone, and I understood that Jesus was coming our way! I was just as eager and excited as everyone else, and when I saw him, my heart longed for Him like a little child wanting its mother. I was incredibly overcome by my love and NEED for my Saviour. As he approached, his hands looked enormous--I was actually thinking how strange it was that the Lord's hands could be so BIG! And then he looked over at me, and it was my turn to rush at him with great joy. He took my hand in his, and I was aware that, for all the hugeness in those hands, he was able to hold mine as if his were a normal size. I clung to the Lord, reveling in His presence and love. Then, he asked me a very startling question:

"Linore, what are you going to do with your life?"

Yikes! I had no answer. So I didn't try to answer, I just puzzled over it. An unknown amount of time passed, not long. And he asked me again. "Linore, what are you going to do with your life?"

Oh, no! I still didn't know what to tell Him. That was a question I still hadn't answered for myself! Others were also still around us.

Then, Jesus had to leave, though I didn't understand why or where he had to go. I knew he would pass out of those gates, and that none of us could go with Him. I panicked.

"Lord!" I shouted. "Don't go!" He stopped and looked at me. But he turned to go, again.

"Lord!" I shouted . "Don't leave me!" I felt again like a little preschooler who needed her mother desperately. I didn't want Him to go! He stopped and again looked very knowingly at me, but turned to go, and this time drew nearer to the gate, before I shouted, loud, "Lord! Don't go!" Jesus turned and looked at me very patiently.

"Linore, what are you going to do with your life--for Me?"

What? Why was he asking me that? I had no answer! Suddenly, I had a "light-bulb" idea--I thought I had hit upon the "right" answer. It was the same feeling I got when I was in college and suddenly realized what answer a professor wanted. So I said, "I know! I'm going to glorify YOU, Lord!"

He wasn't fooled. (I should have known, huh?)

He looked at me, and this next thing still bothers me. He said, "Linore, Linore," and continued to speak, but I couldn't hear him. It was like a loud sort of static had begun and was hiding his voice. To this day, (and this dream happened about twenty years ago) I still don't know what else Jesus was saying to me. I think someday it will be revealed. But it wasn't praise, I can tell you that!

There are many things I don't understand about that "dream." I do believe that it was a special gift. Jesus spoke to me. He loved me. He cares about what I do with my life. Best of all, He has a plan and WANTS me to do something special for him! These are my conclusions.

Perhaps, not surprisingly, my life verse is: "He that saves his life will lose it but he that loses his life for my sake will save it, even unto eternal life."

I don't know why I received such a special occurrence--one I will never forget. But I love that it happened, and it is a reminder to me that Jesus wanted me to get with HIS plan. At this point, I have concluded that my two special callings are to mother my children for his kingdom, and to write books to His glory.

What am I going to do with my life for You, Lord? Mother the children you've given me so that they will see my faith is a living hope. And write my books as though I am writing for the best reason in the world--to glorify You, Lord. To tell others about You.

For it is the best reason in the world.

Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linore Rose Burkard is the creator of “Inspirational Romance for the Jane Austen Soul.” Her characters take you back in time to experience life and love during Regency England (circa 1800 – 1830). Fans of classic romances, such as Pride & Prejudice, Emma, and Sense & Sensibility, will enjoy meeting Ariana Forsythe, a feisty heroine who finds her heart and beliefs tested by high-society London. Ms. Burkard now lives in Ohio with her husband and five children. She homeschooled her children for ten years, and still has a heart for homeschooling families. An avid fan of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, Linore delights in bringing the Regency alive for Christian readers with light-hearted adventure, faith and romance.

ABOUT THE BOOK

England, 1813
Romantic woes at home send Ariana Forsythe to her Aunt Bentley’s town house in the fashionable Mayfair district of London. There she finds worse troubles than those that prompted her flight from home. Under her aunt’s watchful eye, Ariana is soon steeped in high society—and at odds with Mr. Phillip Mornay, London’s current darling rogue

Then, unexpectedly, rumour of a scandal changes Ariana forever. Her faith and her future are at stake in an unexpected adventure that gains even the Prince Regent’s attention.

Will Ariana’s faith survive this test? And what about her heart? For it is Ariana’s heart that most threatens to betray the truths she has always believed in. When she finds herself backed against a wall, betrothed to a man who cannot share her faith, how can it ever turn out right?

WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Before the Season Ends just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on December 16th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) NOTE: To make things really interesting, there need to be at least 10 comments from unique individuals to make the contest a go. Good luck!