Two years ago, my pastor publicly humiliated me, yelling and screaming with others around. He was out of control. I dreamed of him not long after that lying in a casket with a navy blue suit on. –Annie, 57, St. Louis, MO

Lauri: It seems as though you were saying that he is dead to you now. Treating you like that—in front of others, no less—was not at all a proper way for a pastor to behave. This incident probably “killed off” a certain amount of respect you had for this man. You probably considered leaving that church, which would essentially “kill off” his role as pastor to you. Death in dreams is rarely about an actual physical death, but rather about something coming to a close. The color of his suit is also significant. Very often, blue in a dream points to depression. I wouldn’t doubt that you got a bit depressed after that experience. Even though the pastor was wearing the suit in the dream, it was a reflection of your feelings about him.

Annie replies: I woke up this morning with such a heaviness. Your reply has truly uplifted me—I know that God is shutting that door at that church because He wants me to move on. Part of me does not want to, because I have belonged to that church for 12 years, but the spiritual part of me knows it is time. The pastor’s part in my story is over. Thank you for helping me to see it with much more clarity. Bless you!