It had been seven years since God asked me to take a journey with Him. A journey that would lead me back home to a place I was meant to live, a place where my soul could find rest, the garden! It is our original home, a paradise abode were we find ourselves communing with God in a deep intimate personal way that truly satisfies all of our hearts desires. I want to share with you an excerpt from my book ‘The Bridge’ that describes my personal experience of the day my soul made it back home to the garden.

The Day the Door Opened

It is 12:49 AM, early in the morning of Tuesday, November 28th, 2017. I am lying in bed sound asleep and for the second time in my journey I hear God whisper in my ear “PSSSS!” I awake and look around the room to see no one, and immediately no it’s God! Reluctantly I roll over and say to Him,” What Papa?” he says back to me, “Get up! I’m taking you into the garden right now! Hurry, the doors about to open!” I’m thinking to myself, “Are you serious?” I’ve been walking and waiting for 83 months with one month to go, and I finally get the call! Could it be true? Am I really about to go in? Can I handle this? Will it be what I expected? Could I possibly be let down? Is it a real place? These and many more thoughts raced through my mind as I lay there staring upward. Then I began to realize that it has to be true because that’s how God operates: expect it when you least expect it! I mean it’s the middle of the night with no warning or inclination that this was the time; just kind of snuck up on me like a thief in the night! But with the little breath I had left from my state of euphoria I said, “I’m ready!”

     As the door slowly opens, I instantly sense three things, the aroma, the sound, and the light; it was unimaginable. The smell reminded me of the soap house at the farm in South Carolina where I used to go to make soap. Every heavenly scent you can imagine going in and out of your nostrils at the same time yet equaling one perfect scent! The sound of a universe in perfect harmony is resonating in my ears, with every part of creation from the plants to the animals, to the stars and the moon participating in this heavenly choir! And the light, so gentle! Except there is no light, it’s God’s presence that lights the garden! I walk in and take my first step and my bare feet land on the softest, greenest grass one could ever experience. But probably more amazing than the smell, sound and light, was the sense that fear wasn’t there! It wasn’t allowed in. It had no place in the garden. Tried to imagine that for a moment or two. No Fear! If you live on this earth and have never entered the garden, you can’t comprehend the notion of ‘No Fear!” the enemy rules the earth with fear; it’s his MO. At this moment I’m not only imagining it but about to experience the garden as well.

As I stand there in awe, just a step or two into the garden, I realize what I am about to taste and see is going to be amazing! So, with God gently holding my hand we start walking and I know without hesitation I’m not to utter a word; just soak it all up as God unfolds its mystery!

My prayer is that you too one day will find your way back home to the garden, where you soul can find the rest it has been longing for all of your life! In our next blog we will take a journey across the most amazing bridge in the garden! See you then!

Dario L. Perla