More Love Notes Below are some of the more "supernatural" lovenotes from Lora that her friends and family have experienced. I hesitated publishing these accounts, not wanting to encourage anyone to seek out supernatural experiences or psychic phenomena. There seems to be an abundance of books out nowadays encouraging the grieving to "talk to heaven" as one author puts it. I am very skeptical of such spiritual exercises, as Scripture expressly forbids pursuit of occultic practices (see Deuteronomy 18:10-12 as an example). In times past, before losing our own precious daughter, I was severely critical of any supposed "apparitions" of the departed as originating from the devil. However, experience has forced me to study Scripture more closely, seek God more diligently on this subject. I now believe that the source of such experiences can be either angelic or demonic, and must be tested by their effect--has it drawn us closer to Jesus Christ, or caused us to seek more experiences? Has it given us a desire to live more godly, or simply put our minds at ease about our lifestyles as they are? I cannot answer for you and your experiences. A godly mature woman in Christ reminded me that as God's servant, I am called to simply testify--I am not responsible for other people's misinterpretations of God's interventions in our life. Still, I feel impressed to remind the reader to keep in mind that we are admonished by Scripture to "not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God.." (1st John 4:1). Just as there are valid supernatural healings wrought in the name of Jesus, so there are actual healings wrought in the power of a psychic (whose source we are told clearly in Scripture is satan, to lead astray from the pure faith). All such supernatural occurences can be counterfeited by the enemy--but that SHOULD NOT take any glory from God's miraculous acts of mercy such as I will now recount for you here. Jan Hernandez, Lora's mom Previous experiences during the summer I have already recorded a vision one of Lora's friends (Josh) had of her during the summer, in which she led him back to faith in God.. also my experiences at a retreat in Idaho the first week of September 1999 (see page one of the Love Notes). But here are even more experiences her friends and family have had. Monday, September 20, 1999 The sister of Lora's best friend, Karli, had a dream. In it Kristen (Karli's sister) was talking to her friend outside in the Shopko parking lot. Kristen saw Lora walk up (looking beautiful, she noted), and said, "Hey Lora, I thought you were dead!" "I am," Lora replied, "but I got permission to visit some of my friends..where's Karli?" "She's in the store," Kristen replied. "Let's go find her." At that point Kristen, her friend, and Lora walked into Shopko--Kristen went looking for Karli in one direction, Lora in the other... and at this point, Kristen woke up. That same night, Karli had her own dream-visit from Lora. In it, Karli was standing in front of a mirror, complaining out loud to herself about her weight and how ugly she looked. Suddenly she heard Lora's laugh from behind her, and she repeated words Karli often heard while Lora was alive: "With THAT cute bod--are you kidding me?!!" Karli turned around in surprise, and there was Lora, laughing and smiling, reaching out to Karli--Karli went to give Lora a hug--and she woke up. Monday, September 27, 1999 Got an email from Holly back at Lora's college in Ohio. It read: "Ok, I have to start out this message with a dream I had today. It started with me in a class and I looked back and saw Lora sitting there in the class. I jumped up and ran over to talk to her and it was wierd because only I could see her. She told me she was mad at me because I walked past her in lunch and didn't say hi. I told her I didn't see her and that I was sorry and then we both started to cry. I told her that I missed her and that I wasn't doing really well. She told me that she loved me and she missed me too, then I asked her why she wasn't in heaven. She told me that she had to say goodbye...We walked all around and we talked about everything. I swear it was so real. We saw [some people] and Lora said, "She can't see me." I asked her why and she said, "Only those who believe can see me". We walked all around campus and I told her how my life was, I told her about my friend killing himself and we hugged and cried. Jan, when I woke up I felt 100% better. I got up and went to class and before I got there I stopped by the post office and your package was there with Lora's sweatshirt. I ran all the back to my room...I miss her, when I dreamed that today I almost felt like it was the real thing. I told her that I was sorry for the stupid fights we had all year and that I loved her...and the good thing is I heard her tell me that she forgives me and that she loves me too. I don't care if anyone here believes me but I know that the Lord let me see Lora today in my dreams...I am so very thankful." Later that same week In talking with Sarai, one of Lora's friends from high school, I heard of yet another "gift-dream" from Lora. Sarai had flown from Utah to Montana to attend Lora's funeral. She recommitted her life to the Lord during the prayer at her funeral (though she did not have the courage to stand and acknowledge it at the time). The week following, Sarai started having panic attacks, worrying that she or their other mutual friend, Jessica, would die soon. It got so bad that at one point she broke out into hives during the night, and she called her parents back in Montana to pray over the phone with her. They did. That night Sarai had a gift-dream from Lora. In it, she saw Lora walking towards her, smiling. "Lora!" she shouted, "You AREN'T dead, after all!" "No, Sarai, I am--but it's alright. Really! I'm very happy." Sarai said she and Lora walked around together, visiting, hugging and telling each other how much they loved one another, and over and over, Lora reassured Sarai that she was alright, and that she was very happy. Sarai awoke the next morning, and has not had a panic attack since that night. She told me she "knows that she knows" that she truly DID visit Lora that night--and that Lora is immensely happy living with the Lord in heaven. Monday, December 20, 1999 It was 8 am. The alarm on my clock/radio went off and as if on cue, a song started playing. I held my breath--the singer sounded EXACTLY like Lora! She was singing "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," and I just froze, listening... tears welled up in my eyes, it was so real, as though Lora herself were serenading me awake. I called the radio station afterwards to find out the name of the album, and rushed down to the Christian bookstore to buy it... but when I played the song "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" ... it didn't sound like Lora at all! Then it hit me---it HAD BEEN LORA singing to me after all!! And I cried all the more, grateful to our Lord for His tender mercies to me at this difficult "first Christmas." Sunday, December 26, 1999 Monday, January 5, 2000 Email from Kelly, one of Lora's friends and her "accountability partner" at college: "Just wanted to tell you that Justin and I were in a car accident last week. We were going to Mansfield (by school) to watch a movie about 8 o'clock on Wed. We came up over a hill and though the roads were clear the snow had drifted on a part of the road...we lost control of the car and fished tailed left and right, then did a 180, crossed the center line, hit the ditch and flipped 1 1/2 times and landed on our side. Justin was driving my car and we landed on my side. We were wearing our seatbelts but I believe that by only the grace of God, we were spared. Not a single scratch on us. I don't know how but we came out of there in perfect condition. God and His angels (LORA) were watching out for me. The ironic thing that happened though was that in the side panels of my car we have these wooden crosses. Everything but the crosses were thrown around...the crosses stayed put. You can't tell me that is a coincidence." Thursday, March 23, 2000 |