The following letter is
Addressed To & For: Mr. & Mrs. Ralph McLin
As well as it is also
Intentioned To & For: Mr. & Mrs. Matthew McLin
 

Dear Ralph & Kathryn,

After our wonderful meeting last Saturday at Black Lake, it now seems like I've known you for a long time. In reality I first heard of Joel and then of your family, on Wednesday, May 14, when I received a phone call from Jaime Cornutt. She asked me if I would join my prayers with all those who were praying for Joel, "A fine young man, who is at this moment, very overdue from one of his solo treks into the mountains he loves to visit." Then she added, "Joel is one of the most wonderful Christian young men I have ever met. I'm extremely concerned about him. Will you pray for him with me right now?"

After she and I finished praying, I said to her, "Jaime, I have the sense that Joel's alright, that the Lord has Joel in the palm of His hands."

The next day she called me, very upset, to tell me that, "They found Joel. He fell 900 feet while climbing Mt. Washington."

I was surprised by this last comment of Jaime's, as I said to her, "Jaime, this sounds like the dream I just had. In it I was falling from a high mountain altitude. And the word 900 was also in my dream too." At that point I was beginning to realize that there was a connection going on between my dream and Joel's fall.  I then shared my dream with her. And Jaime responded by saying, "I think the Lord is in this, and I also think that you should share this with Barb and the McLin's."

Here's the dream, as best as I can remember it:

In the first "snapshot" of the dream:
I saw a man who had just slipped off a high mountain peak or ledge. My view was as if a few feet back. The physical position of the man's body actually looked like someone who was skydiving out of a small plane, as his body was parallel to the ground, facing down. The background was of mountainous terrain and was very high up.

The next instant:
I became the one falling down the mountain.

The next instant:
I had the sensation of one who was landing in a soft snow bank. I had the same feeling as one, who intentionally, from position of ten feet up, jumps down into a wonderful pile of fresh, new & deep fresh powder snow and lands on his back.

I immediately asked Jesus, "How far did I fall?" He said, "Between 800 and 900 (feet?)."

I then asked Jesus, "How come it didn't hurt when I hit?"

Jesus said, "Because I caught you before you landed."

And I had no sensation of or fear in falling. I believe Jesus shortened that time in falling to an instant, so there was no sense of fear or anxiety.
So, one second I was falling off the peak or ledge.
And in the next instant – I was feeling a soft landing on my back.

In addition – after the dream,
I shared the following thoughts with you at our first meeting at the lake with Barb Burch:

I believe just like Enoch in the Old Testament, God has taken Joel home to be with Him because He wanted
him there with Him now.

And also because, "Joel has graduated and I have special work for Joel here with me now."

I believe the Lord also said to Ralph and Kathryn, "Well done, my good and faithful ones, as you were excellent stewards of Joel for Me."

And to Ralph, "You were an excellent Dad to Joel. And it was because Joel had an excellent earthly Father, Joel so easily entered into his wonderful relationship with Me, his Heavenly Father."

In closing:

Ralph and Kathryn,

Right after Jaime and I had finished our conversation and I hung up the phone, on that Thursday, May 16, I immediately had the thought to call her right back.

And when she picked up the phone I said to her, "Jaime, I believe the Lord just told me to call you back to remind us all that the Lord always has each one of us who know Him and walk with Him personally, in the palm of His hand."

"And that what I said to you yesterday about Joel's condition, when I said, 'I have the sense that Joel's alright, that the Lord has Joel in the palm of His hands'- was true then, and still is true now."

Oh, that we would have a true reality of what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross and by His resurrection, and what was meant by, "Oh death, where is your sting?" and the true love and care He has for us as, "He will give His angels charge over you, so that not even your foot will be hurt by a stone."

All praise to King Jesus!

Our loving Lord Jesus has shown Joel, your family and all of us as your friends, His tremendous compassion and care for us with all of these wonderful touches of His love, that He has so mercifully demonstrated towards us. It reminds me of the song,
"For His eye, is on the sparrow,
and I know, He watches me."

Let us rejoice and "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."

God bless you & yours.

With much love
&
In His service with you,
Mark
Mark Andersson
PS – Please feel free to call me anytime if I can be of any further assistance to you.
425-893-9999

"Praise the Lord, for His love and mercy endures forever." 2 Chronicles 20:21