Despite All Obstacles Part V

Poppa In Heaven

Bedtime.

I fall asleep after 9:20PM. I start dreaming.

I'm in Heaven, in a white robe, looks just like momma's bathrobe. I see poppa with a man with white woolly hair and dark skin, both wearing the same thing. The man who poppa is talking with, his features remind me of Revelations 1:14-15. His hair's kinky, like mine, if I was natural again. We're having a feast with the homeless people in white robes. Heaven looks rich, like in Revelations. Everywhere in Heaven reminds me of every Revelations' chapter I have ever read in church and alone.

"Hi, Gracie," poppa happily greets me. I can't believe I'm seeing him for the second time. I know I'm not in a coma, unless I died in my sleep.

"Hi, poppa. Am I dead?" I ask, kinda scared.

"No, baby. You're dreaming. Dreaming about Heaven. God gives you this dream for me to talk to you," he says.

"Talk to me about what?" I ask him, curious. He seems like a kind and gentle man, just like how momma described him.

"About how life can always feel like a non-ending rollercoaster ride. I saw everything that was going off on Earth with you. You are a strong young woman, Barbara Grace Steward-Roberts. I'm watching over you and your momma. I always will," he passionately says and touches my shoulder.

"Why did God take you away from us, if He's so good?" I ask outta sadness and hurt.

Poppa looks at me with shock and grief. "Because He said it was my time. Here are a lot of good people who don't deserve to die, yet they died. God's doing His work. Earth is full of trials, baby. It's unfortunately not a playground. Life has levels to reach to. Just like in video games, the next level gets harder. You keep fighting, baby. I don't want you to hurt yourself just to see me. I'll visit you in your dreams, and your momma's, whenever I can. I'll always love you both." His sincerity and love make me smile to him.

We hug and I cry. "I'll always love you too, poppa. Please keep me protected as long as I'm living. Please."

"I'll do my best, Gracie. You'll always be my Gracie." I love that he calls me Gracie. Now, I know he would've called me Gracie, while momma calls me Barbie.

"May I talk to you, Barbara?" A bold quiet voice speaks to me beside poppa. I turn around and it's the man with white woolly hair.

"Barbara, this is Yahushua. He's a Hebrew Israelite from Bethlehem, Israel, who died at 33 in year 30 in Jerusalem, Israel, from crucifixion. He was crucified for claiming to be 'King of the Jews'." Poppa describes this man like he's supposed to be Jesus.

"But, in America, I would be called Joshua. That's my name in Hebrew," the man says.

"What are your parents' names, Yahushua?" I ask him, to see is he really Jesus.

"Miriam and Yosef. In America, they're known as Mary and Joseph. They're sitting at the end of this long table," he points to the end of the table towards his parents.

I turn around and see two dark-skinned people, also with white woolly hair. Miriam has her hair in long dreadlocks and Yosef has his in a tiny woolly bun. Their skin is like a burnt bronze color, just like their son.

"But wait. You said Joshua. Aren't you supposed to be Jesus?" I ask, really confused. I thought Jesus was this Caucasian man with long, wavy, and silky brunette hair and light blue eyes, looking like the evil Joshua. I can only compare Him to Morgan Freeman, now!

"Well. That name wasn't invented until the 1900's, when they invented the 'J' as the new Greek alphabet. The Romans changed my Hebrew name into a Greek name, which was Iesous to a Latin name, Iesus to the English name, Jesus. Scholars believed that my original name was Yeshua, while rejecting other spellings of my original name, when really, there was no 'e' in my name." Wow. I feel so deceived by my church now. I think it's disrespectful.

I'm shaking my head, real shocked about this. "Why would they change your name and your looks?! That's just wrong! In the Bible, it's quoted that you should never carve your own image and worship it, and don't worship other idols that God is a jealous God! Yahushua, how do you feel about this?!"

He shrugs. "I am not offended by it. If it is who they want to worship, they shall worship it. That God is judging them for their days of judgment. Also, the real Bible to read is the King James Version, which you do have now, but the true stories that the Romans didn't want anyone to read were ripped off and then published to deceive your ancestors during slavery and spread to generation to generation."

This shouldn't be true. I'm shaking my head. "But why would they do that?"

He slowly shakes his head in grief. "They were filled with greed for power and dominance, but now you know the truth. Barbara, you pray to me and your poppa before you go to school and before you go to bed, because of your poppa. God wants you to stay close to your poppa." He smiles once He says this. I'm meeting the real Lord and Savior!

"Have momma met you, yet?" I ask, really happy to see His real face. I never thought I would ever see Him.

"Yes, I do, Barbara. Whenever she calls my Name, which she does every day before she goes to work. She also sees Richard in few of her dreams."

I turn to smile to poppa. He smiles back to me. I wanna do something nice for him and Yahushua.

I stand a little further from the table, which causes everybody to face me.

I sing "Take Me To The King" by Tamela Mann. I love her.

Poppa joins me, singing along. Yahushua joins me and poppa, and everybody else starts singing along with the three of us. 

Poppa, Yahushua, and I receive a standing ovation from the whole table, especially from Miriam and Yosef. Both poppa and Yahushua smile and gladly give me applause. I bow for them.

I know I'm smiling in my sleep, right now.