Called Closer

I'd like to share this deeply personal story with you — one that unfolded almost six years ago. It was one of the darkest seasons of my life and although I didn't know it then, it would become the day that changed my life forever...

Rain, the Lion and Surrendering My Fears

Rain has always carried a certain mystery for me - a gentleness that reaches far beyond the skin and seeps quietly into the soul. It’s more than just water falling from the sky; it’s a symbol of cleansing, renewal and quiet strength. Years ago, at one of the lowest points of my life, rain became the backdrop of a moment that changed me forever.

After my divorce, as the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself battling not only loneliness, but also financial strain. Life felt like it was collapsing in on me. Day after day, I worked from home, exhausted, empty and unsure of where to turn.

During this time, I began to have a recurring dream. In it, a lion would chase me.
Every night I ran, terrified, hiding and believing that if the lion caught me, it would kill me. The dream haunted me - my heart pounding, my breath shallow, its claws just behind me, its roar echoing in my ears.

Then, one Friday afternoon, it all came to a breaking point. I closed my laptop, completely drained and walked out into my courtyard. With tears streaming down my face, I dropped to my knees, lifted my eyes to the sky, and cried out:

“I am ready to listen. What should I do?”

At that very moment, it began to rain. The drops fell softly at first, then steadily, as though grace itself were descending, like a blessing poured over me and in the middle of that courtyard, in the middle of my pain, I saw it - a vision of the lion, but this time, it wasn’t chasing me. It stood before me, nose to nose, its eyes a piercing, impossible blue staring straight into mine.

Those blue eyes were not cold or threatening; they were deep and ancient, holding both power and compassion, as if they had seen every fear I had ever carried.
Its mantle flowed around it like a living crown - thick, regal and powerful - untouched by the rain, as though creation itself bowed in its presence.
There was strength in every inch of it, but no violence. Only authority, protection and stillness.

I realised then that the lion had not been my enemy at all. It was God's presence reaching out to me. All along, in my dreams, He had been calling me closer — not to harm me, but to lead me into courage, trust and surrender. The lion had become a symbol of His strength in the middle of my fear.

As the rain fell harder, washing over my skin and soaking into the ground beneath my knees, something inside me shifted. I understood that I didn’t have to run anymore. I didn’t have to hold on to everything by myself. All I had to do was surrender - to loosen my grip, to hand over my pain, my fears, my burdens to the One who had been with me all along.

Whenever it rains, I see a reminder of that day. I see that courtyard. I see those blue eyes. I feel that sacred stillness. I remember His grace, His courage and His promise. Rain is no longer just weather to me; it's a sacred sign of renewal and the strength that comes from surrender.

A Reflection for You

If this story stirred something in you, I invite you to pause for a moment and sit with it.

So often in life, we run - not from danger, but from ourselves, from our grief, from the questions we’re afraid to ask, from the parts of us that are asking to be seen, healed or surrendered. Like the lion in my dreams, the very thing we fear may actually be what God is using to call us into our strength.

Ask yourself gently:

• What have I been running from?

• What keeps showing up in my life, again and again, asking for my attention?

• What would it look like to stop, turn around and face it?

Surrender doesn’t mean giving up. It means releasing the illusion that you have to carry everything alone. It means trusting that there is wisdom within you - and around you - waiting to be acknowledged.

That rainy afternoon didn't just change my perspective — it changed the course of my life. It began a journey of healing, spiritual growth and professional life coaching training that ultimately led me to the work I do today. I don't coach from perfection; I coach from experience. The day I stopped running from God became the day I finally began walking in my purpose.
I know what it's like to run and I know the freedom that comes from finally surrendering.

Call to Action

If you’re in a season of uncertainty, fear or transition, know this: you are not broken and you are not alone. Growth begins when we allow ourselves to pause, reflect and choose a new way forward.

With you on the journey,
– Storm Reagan
Life Coach | Lived Experience Guide