Protected

So Ian had been having some random episodes of waking up in the wee hours of the morning sounding as though he couldn't breath, like he was trying to draw in breath but looked as if he was almost choking.  Joe would usually go in, Ian would want a drink of water, get tucked back in and fall asleep.  But last Wednesday night was a little different.  The boys had gone to their first AWANA's night, an international program that involves games, stories, scripture memorization for kids of all ages.  Good night for everyone, got to bed, everything's great.  We were awoken at exactly 3:00AM to the sound of Ian trying to get his breath, then terrified crying.  Joe and i both got out of bed, i checked on oliver while joe took ian to get a drink of water.  I came out to the kitchen took ian in my arms as he clung onto me for dear life.  He asked me to rock him in the chair.  I asked him if he had a bad dream, and i thought he told me there was a big big bear in his room and i assured him it was gone.  His wide eyes looked so intently at me as he whispered, "But it's gonna come back."  I told him whenever he is afraid that all he has to do is say the name of Jesus and ask Him to come and be in his bed, and the bear will have to leave.  Then i continued on to pray for him and sing to him and after he fell asleep i put him back to bed.  The next day i asked him about it some more because usually if one of the kids has a bad dream they forget all about it by morning.  But then i realized i had misheard him the night before, he was saying there was a pillow in his room, a big big white pillow.  I asked joe later and he said, "Oh yeah, he told me it was a pillow last night."  Anyway, so i asked ian what the pillow did and he again answered in his serious soft voice, "It came.  And it came, and it landed on my belly.  Like this."  And he slowly moved his hand to his belly.  Ohhh, i said.  And then where did it go?  "Back to his hooome," he answered.  And where's his home, i asked, expecting him to say the window or the closet or something.  Then his voice gets even quieter as he points down and says, "Under the ground.  He went to his home."  Then i knew for sure what i had known the night before as i prayed over my little one.  Satan does not like it one bit that God's Word is being planted in Ian's little growing heart, because he knows that my boys will become great men of God.  And fear is one of his most used tactics to keep people (big and small) from trusting in Jesus.
But he lost this round because Ian knows that the big white pillow is never allowed to return, and in the name of Jesus, the fear is gone.