Caught Up or Pulled Down

We who are still alive will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
1 Thessalonians 4:17

"Do you ever put that baby down?" I was 24 hours postpartum with baby number four. Every time my nurse entered my room she found Carynne nestled in my arms instead of sleeping in her bed. The same could have been asked about any of my four babies. I treasured each stay in the hospital.

Midnight whispers during first meals.


Light bouncing from new skin.


Tender moments etched in my heart forever.

I was completely in those moments. No part of my heart was counting laundry to be washed or errands to be run. I was caught up in my baby.

Recently I dreamed of the rapture - the day when Jesus returns for His bride, the church. We will be caught up to meet Him in the air. In my dream, I and many around me weren't looking at Jesus. What bride walks the aisle without her gaze lingering on her intended? Not only was I not looking at Jesus, I was looking the opposite direction. What it was on earth that captivated my sight I do not know. It might be people, possessions or positions but something I was leaving stole my heart away from Jesus.

When I awoke, I reflected on my walk with God. Am I caught up with Him or pulled down by cares of this temporary life?

Like a novel too intriguing too put down, I want to be caught up in Him.

Like those newborn moments where my heart was fully engaged, I want to be caught up in Him.

When I am caught up in Him, my worries and cares no longer pull me down.

24 comments:

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    1. Thank you sweet, Kendal. Blessings to you today. XO

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  2. Good stuff, Shannon.

    Jennifer Dougan
    www.jenniferdougan.com

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    1. Thanks Jennifer. I love your heart for encouraging others!

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  3. So, I'm in the middle of a study now, but I'm totally thinking your ebook may just be my next read!

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    1. Awwww thanks, Amy, it would totally bless me for you to read it.

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  4. My soul longs to be caught up in Him too Shannon... that ever constant pull, that void in my heart, that won't ever be fully whole until I am with Him! I love your thoughts girl!

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    1. "The won't ever be fully whole until I am with Him"... Come Lord Jesus!

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  5. LOVE this. I want to be caught up with Him too. I get way to pulled into daily life, and forget what we are living for. Thanks for the reminder. I am now following you on Bloglovin. And am going to download that ebook soon.

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    1. Jen, so honored by your visit and thrilled to have you read my eBook. I am in process of writing another free eBook so look for that this summer. Let's get caught up in Him together!

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  6. Wow, dreams like that always shake me to the core. When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I had dreams of being attacked by wild animals (in my own home) and then one night I had a dream that satan himself was hovering over me and was about to take my life. I remember waking up in tears. It was so vivid and really scared me. The only way I was able to go back to sleep was by saying the Lords prayer over and over. It was weird, but that's what I felt the spirit telling me to pray. I don't know why. Anyway, none of that has anything to do with your dream, but that's what it made me think of. Sometimes when dreams like that seem so vivid and they appear to come from a spiritual realm or source, it makes me wonder if there truly is a message there for me. I love how you connected your dream with how you are embracing God in the here and now. :-)

    Blessings friend!
    ~Rosann

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    1. This is very interesting because just before Scott was diagnosed with cancer he dreamed he saw Satan in our home prowling around for someone to devour. God was victorious. Greater is He...

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  7. What an interesting dream. I must say, my dear you are quite a poet. I have always been fascinated by this "rapture" concept and why believers find it necessary to fixate so heavily on these End of Days. Better to enjoy what time we do have on this Earth and let go of that which we cannot control. Oh well, everyone needs a hobby, I guess. Good post.

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    1. Nowhere Man, I am humbled by your kind words. Just this morning I was thinking about the song "Live Like We Were Dying" and how it is the cry of my heart to make the most of every day I'm given. God gives us each day as a gift; it's our choice whether we unwrap it.

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  8. Wow Shannon...wow.

    I too, couldn't put my new babies down for an instant, and all 6 times the nurses would give me that "look."

    I've had similar dreams, even one where I was in a sand storm and God let me know to come to him. I couldn't see a face, there was no voice, yet I could hear him.

    Those dreams always have me asking more questions then finding more answers :)

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    1. It says so much about your heart that your dreams lead you to Him. XO

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  9. I loved the tenderness of your words about the first few moments with your children. If we might grab hold of those types more often.

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    1. Pam, so true. Today holds many moments to be captured. I'll be taking one daughter to cheer tryouts. I've taken another to the doctor. Another visited the dentist. In the ordinary moments of my day are opportunities to pray, encourage and be fully engaged with the ones I love.

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  10. I remember those days so fondly! I once had a dream (I had been reading the Left Behind books, so not unexpected) that I was caught up in the Rapture. I and many others were being drawn to heaven by a force I had never felt before. It was like the most calming, amazing, magnetic force drawing us. That dream felt like more than a dream. I really had that feeling and it was incredible. While some of us "looked back" it was only because we were pulling on the arms of people who were left on earth. But they couldn't feel us, hear us, or see us. It was at once both exhilarating and horrifying. I like the image of being enraptured by Jesus as by one of our babies though. Great post.

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    1. Melanie, what a cool dream! Thanks for sharing. It really makes me think about how I can pull my loved ones towards Jesus today with my words, attitudes and actions. I want them to see Jesus in me!

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  11. So glad you enjoyed every second of your babies - despite the silly Nurse! One can only assume she had not had her own to hold.Those times pass much too quickly and all we are left with are the memories of precious moments - no-one should be made to feel they are 'doing something wrong' at such a precious time.

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    1. Linda, you are so rights. Those moments pass quickly and are right to be treasured and cherished!

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