The Leaf Of Life


By Phil Scovell


     Her email said she was thinking about riding a horse in the
woods and Jesus wanted to take her some where but she was afraid.

     She had been diagnosed a few years earlier with a Borderline
Personality Disorder.  That generally means they don't know
exactly what you are, psychologically speaking, and the diagnosis
can therefore possibly include, or not include, bipolar,
schizophrenia, multiple personality, and a number of other
psychotropic disorders.  Borderline Personality Disorder sort of
covers a whole lot of things without being responsible for
anything specific.

     We had prayed three times before but with disastrous results
two out of the three times.  In fact, I had been doing my disciple
ministry, and Bible teaching, in our talks rather than conducting
intercessory prayer sessions with her due to her unfavorable
result.  This time, I felt something was different.

     I reached for the phone after reading her email but my hand
stopped in mid air.  I sat and thought for a couple of minutes. 
Her children weren't at home because they were with their dad this
weekend.  This would mean she would be alone.  Not good.  I had
tried finding someone in her area to whom she could go but money
was a problem, for one, and few ministries offered free services
or ministry by donation.  I reached for the phone a second time
and dial her number 900 miles away.

     When she answered, I began talking with her.  She was crying
and afraid.  Most of her lonely weekends without her children were
like that.  The pharmaceuticals didn't help all that much either. 
I asked a few questions about the horse and commented on what she
had reported about feeling that Jesus wanted to take her
somewhere.  I just started praying around the things she had
mentioned and asked the Lord what was going on.  Soon she
described being in the woods with one small horse and Jesus
standing near her.  She could not climb on the horse because she
was too little.  This was typical of her life and the failures she
had experienced which created impossible barriers for her.  I
prayed.  Jesus picked her up and sat her on the saddle.  He then
began leading the horse through the woods but, she reported, there
wasn't a bridle on the horse.  She said that the horse was just
following Jesus and He, Jesus, didn't need to lead him.  My mind
immediately went to one of my own places of deep healing.  Jesus,
at the end of the prayer session, walked me into the field next to
our home with two red kites.  Soon, in the same spot my father had
taught me how to fly kites before he died, I was flying kites with
Jesus.  Later, several days later, in fact, I realized that my
kite had a string I was holding and controlling to keep it aloft. 
The kite Jesus was flying had no string.  Now, here was this woman
on the other end of the phone, on the back of a horse with no
bridle and Jesus was leading him through the woods with the little
girl on his back.

     Soon, as we prayed, they approached a large stream.  Jesus
took her off the horse and they both sat and removed their shoes
and socks.  It was clear he wanted to cross the stream but the
little girl said she was afraid.  I prayed.  Jesus took her little
hand and began slowly helping her make her way across the stream.

     Half way across, they came to a small pile of rocks that
served as an island in the middle of the stream.  The water on the
other side was rushing.  The rapidly flowing water frightened her
and the wind picked up and she thought she might be blown off the
small island they were on.  Leaves fell and were caught in the
wind and many fell into the stream.

     Suddenly, the picture froze.  The wind went away and the
water stopped moving.  I had experienced this with other people
when things stopped or they felt blocked, and frozen in time. 
Sometimes it was demonic in nature so we prayed some more.

     Taking her hand again, Jesus began slowly walking her across
the still crystal clear water.  A large maple leaf hung suspended
in mid air as they traversed the rest of the stream.  Crying, she
told me that for some reason, she wanted the Leaf.  I prayed and
fully expected the Lord simply to say, "You can have it little
girl."  Instead, to my surprise, and her's, Jesus said, "Little
girl, every thing I have belongs to you."  If you are unfamiliar
with Biblical covenants, including the new covenant we have with
God through the finished work of His Son in our behalf, this
statement will have little, if any, meaning to you.  To me, on the
other hand, I nearly jumped out of my chair with joy.  The woman
cried even harder at the news because she had never experienced
the love of Jesus with that much power and depth before.

     Back on the small island of rocks, she had said that she knew
she was supposed to get to the other side of the stream and when
she did so, she would have all new clothes.  This had meaning for
her because her mother had always forced her to wear what she
wanted her to wear.  This made her hesitating about going
forward.

     Another thing that made her hesitate besides the rushing
water and blowing wind, was her two pigtails.  Her mother always
tied them very tight and they hurt her head.  Jesus gently untied
them and set her free from the discomfort so her hair could hang
free.  Since I knew from past conversations with her, the rigid
and strict relationship with her mother as a little girl growing
up, this gentle act of the Savior spoke volumes to me.

     Upon reaching the opposite shore, the little girl was
carrying her large leaf and she suddenly had new clothes she was
wearing.  Looking back, she was worried about the horse.  I
prayed.  Jesus told her they would go and check on him.  They
crossed back over the stream with no problems and soon they were
walking through huge trees with leafs changing to beautiful colors
and falling to the ground.

     Soon they came to a valley.  The horse was in the valley but
seemed to be running away,  but Jesus assured her that he was her
horse and he would always be around for her to ride.

     I have purposely left out all the things I prayed throughout
this prayer session with this woman.  Why?  Because what I think
isn't important.  Needless to say, Jesus destroyed lie after lie
that tried to stop this woman from receiving what the Lord had
planned for her.  The parts you have read about were the places of
healing that may take years of Christian walk to recognize the
spiritual impact she embraced with the Creator of the universe as
we prayed that day.

     I told her that she likely will never see a leaf without
remembering exactly what Jesus said to her.  She told me that the
back of her hand looked like the large leaf with its veins. 
That's how close to Jesus she had become.  Is it over?  Not until
Jesus comes or we die.  Otherwise, it is a perpetual walk with the
Lord as He leads the ways.


It Sounds Like God To Me.
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