About Alecia Simersky

Alecia writes to encourage Christians to live differently because of the grace we’ve been shown through Jesus. Alecia's heart is to encourage others to get off the rocky shore of self-doubt and sail into the life Christ has waiting for them. She is quiet by nature, introverted, quirky, and fiercely loyal. She will share her heart, story, struggles, and her pain -- just don’t ask her to share her chocolate! You can connect with her at her blog, Alecia Simersky,Twitter, or Instagram.

A Different Kind Of Ambition

February 5, 2018 By Alecia Simersky 15 Comments

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life (1 Thessalonians 4:11)

Social media overwhelms me. It’s a loud, loud place. And unless you have good boundaries, one minute of scrolling can somehow turn into an hour.

It seems like everyone has something to say.

Everyone wants to be noticed and heard. They want to know their voices matter.

I love chapter 3 of You’re Made for a God-sized Dream because it reminds me I don’t have to shout, wave about, and do cartwheels to be known. I am.

The One who stops me from striving, who gives me permission to slow down, who tells me my worth is already won forever. Yes, this is the ambition I want to live with, to live for. A quiet life…especially on the inside. (pg. 61)

I’m known for taking short fasts from social media when I feel like the voice of the world is louder than God’s.

I also do it to bring some peace into my life and refocus on exactly what God has called me to. I can get caught in the comparison game fairly quickly. When I feel the murkiness of discontent rising, I know it’s time to put social media in a timeout. By the time I realize the need for a fast I’m usually soul-tired, weary, and ready to quit…because most days I don’t have the time or energy to figure out what I’m having for breakfast much less how I’m going to achieve my dream.

Once Instagram and Facebook are in their corners, my world gets small, my quiet time has more meaning, and my focus and excitement returns. It’s a truly amazing thing!

And then I remember why God doesn’t require us to strive. Let’s just say if striving were an Olympic sport, I’d be a gold medalist. Seriously? Like it’s up to me to get it all done and accomplish it all in my strength. When’s the last time I parted a sea? Or rose someone from the dead?

God doesn’t need my help!

Could God really only require me to be faithful? That’s it? Seems too easy.

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It’s true.

Faithful, quiet, and small are not words the world we live in knows too well. But they are exactly why we can rest easy…and exactly what we can be when we know we are His. Our influence and reach may at times extend quite far. We may find ourselves with a microphone on a stage and that’s fine, but it’ll be God who puts us there.

I know it’s silly, but I find rest in not having to be the biggest and best. I find freedom in being able to just be me and know that it’s ok and good enough.

The quiet life is not the life the world values and appreciates, but it’s certainly a different kind of ambition…and one I live for.

The recurring crisis of the gifted leader will be whether or not he/she can resist the seduction of ambition. If we think we’ve conquered it, we’ve more likely renamed it goal setting. There’s still time to be a fool. Go deeper, not bigger. Only hardy roots can handle height. (Beth Moore)

I want to challenge you to go deeper, not bigger. What are some ways God may be asking you to trust Him with your ambitions?

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Photo by Rodolfo Sanches Carvalho on Unsplash

An InLinkz Link-up

Encouragement Gifts

December 6, 2017 By Alecia Simersky 2 Comments

This month we are focusing on how we can give the gift of encouragement to our fellow dreamers. As a dreamer myself, it always means so much when someone gives me a gift that acknowledges that part of who I am. Today I’d like to share some gift ideas with you for the dreamers in your life. (Or yourself!) 🙂

Let’s begin with our ever-so-comfy t-shirts. I have several different ones and can attest to the quality and comfort of each one. The slouchy sweatshirt is so soft I could sleep in it. The long sleeved tee is loose around the middle (which I love!) and long enough to cover my, um…my rear. And all the skinny jeans wearers rejoice! Did you know we have a storefront at TeeSpring? We’ve designed slouchy sweatshirts, long-and-short sleeved v-neck and athletic shirts, and a coffee cup design. All of those are available in a variety of styles and colors (if you click on an individual item it will let you see the other available styles, colors, and sizes) and most are less than $25.

Store

Right here in our shop, we have beautiful prints to inspire any dreamer. At only $3, these are gifts you can afford to give and keep one for yourself, too! They are instant downloads so, no need to wait for shipping…bonus! Click each individual print below to be taken to that specific print, or click here to see the entire collection.

Shop Prints

Let’s not forget about the book that started it all, You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream! We’re kicking off the New Year by writing through Holley Gerth’s book, the one that inspired so many of us to chase the dreams that God has for us. We’ll dig in to answer questions such as, How do we know if the dream is from God? and What about my doubts and fears? It’s going to be an exciting series you won’t want to miss! Join us as we read and learn how to discover what we are created to do. Go ahead and get your copy now and you’ll be ready to join us for some great conversations starting in January!

You’re Made for a God-sized Dream (and while you’re at it, grab the Go Deeper guide, FREE!)

(Affiliate links below)

Have you been over to Dayspring? I just love the beautiful, encouraging gifts they have to offer. No gift list would be complete without adding a few of my favorite things from them! I took some time to browse their site and found some items I could curate here for you. Check them out!

God-sized Dreams Day Calendar

Begin each new day with fresh inspiration and encouragement to chase those dreams. For only $10.99, this calendar will remind you, you’re made for a God-sized dream.

While you’re there grab the 40-Day companion devotional for You’re Made for a God-sized Dream. It’s on sale right now for $6!

One of the biggest setbacks we hear that keeps people from achieving their dream is FEAR. Wear this beautiful gold necklace as a reminder to be FEARLESS. It comes with two dog tags…one with the word FEARLESS and the other with Psalm 23:4. Only $14.99.

Do the holidays have you stressed out? What better way to combat holiday fatigue than with praise and COLORING!! Only $9.99.

I hope these gifts I shared inspire you to get ready to dream chase in 2018. Whatever setbacks you had in 2017, whatever battles you’re facing, whatever fears have crept in, let’s strive to keep moving forward and dare to chase the desires and dreams God has placed inside us all!

Encouragement may be the greatest gift we give this Christmas.

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Do you have a book or item that inspires you to keep chasing your dreams?
Please share in the comments!

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Give A Little Love

November 1, 2017 By Alecia Simersky 18 Comments

I’ve declared today, “Give a little love day.” Why? You ask. No particular reason.

Lately, it feels like the world is overwhelming. I have friends in health, marriage, you name it they’re in it crisis. So, instead of writing the most encouraging and enlightening blog post of your life on following your God-sized Dreams, I’m doing a giveaway!

Check out these beautiful hand-made necklaces and clutch. They’re from the craftsmen(women) at Fair Trade Friday.

If you haven’t heard of the Fair Trade Friday club yet, take a minute to click over to their site. They have some new boxes that I didn’t know they had! They’re not just pretty necklaces and earrings anymore. Girl Boss Box anyone? (We’re not affiliated, just big fans)

Leave me a comment below on how you are encouraging a fellow dreamer in your life and I’ll choose one winner.

I hope you win!

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

Let’s Take A Moment To Breathe

September 25, 2017 By Alecia Simersky 4 Comments

Can you believe it’s fall already? The temperature here in the South has not gotten the memo and it’s still in the 90’s. What I wouldn’t give for a nice fall day. I’ve got my jeans, sweaters, and boots waiting in the wings…sadly it looks like they will be waiting for a while.

Another reason I love fall…it means summer is over and life has structure again!

One day a couple of weeks ago, after school had begun, I met a friend for coffee to catch up. I hadn’t seen her all summer, and I missed my friend! Finally, there was time to sit down and chat over coffee to fill in the gaps of time.

Before she said a word, I could sense the tiredness in her.

I listened as my friend spoke of her non-stop summer. A child going to college, home renovations, marriage struggles, and two other kids with busting-at-the-seams schedules. Of course, she’s tired!

The hour flew by, and as we realized the time and sipped down the last bit of our now-cold coffees, we both laughed and agreed how ready we were for summer to wind down. We welcomed the steady rhythm the school year always brings.

I was thinking, later, of how her story was no different than mine and countless others. “If you’re not moving fast you’re doing it all wrong!” the culture screams. We are fast-paced human beings who forget that taking a few moments for ourselves to stop, listen, and breathe actually gets us further.

It’s an upside down, topsy-turvy world, this kingdom of God’s.

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It’s almost like we’ve been trained from childhood to stay busy or you’re lazy.

This past week, instead of taking Sunday to rest, I worked straight through the day and fell into bed exhausted. Because of my desire to get things done, I’ve been a day ahead all week. Monday felt like Tuesday, I thought Tuesday was Wednesday…you get the picture. It has made for a long week!

So, in order to bring a little calm to the chaos, I thought I’d tell y’all about a new devotional releasing October 3rd, “A Moment to Breathe: 365 Devotions that Meet You in Your Everyday Mess.”

(Also, several of the writers here at God-sized Dreams have the honor of authoring a few of the stories in this book…including yours truly.)

I schedule and rush to ensure all the things get done and all the people get where they need to on time, and I think a beautiful mug of tea and sweet inspiring words are just what I need for an afternoon break.

The words in A Moment to Breathe will be speaking straight to this hurried soul. I can’t wait to take a few moments and relish the words of writers and friends who are encouraging the weary to keep their eyes on God. Each devotional begins with a passage of Scripture and then a related story, ending with a simple challenge for that day. Don’t you just love reading something that makes you shake your head and think, Me too! Well, this is that kind of book.

In the midst of our busyness, I pray we all slow down and look for God’s handiwork in the seemingly small, ordinary of things.

And I hope we can remember we are not alone in this messy, fast-paced, crazy world.

May we all take a moment to breathe.

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Here’s the link to order your very own copy!

P.S. If you pre-order the book, and as supplies last, you’ll receive the most beautiful FREE mug in the whole wide world, and the mug ships right away, yay!

P.P.S. Even if Fall is letting me down weather-wise, this book makes me smile big.

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

An InLinkz Link-up

When You’re Tested, You Grow (and a Giveaway!)

June 21, 2017 By Alecia Simersky 18 Comments

I became a full-time working mom last year…in real estate. I’ve become a sponge, soaking up every bit of knowledge I can.

It has been exciting, hard, and some days discouraging. This business is tough and so very far out of my comfort zone.

There have been moments I’ve said, I don’t want to do this anymore; it’s too hard…too much.

I’ve had this verse from James rolling around in my head, James 1:2-4: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger, right?!)

James reminds me each challenge is an opportunity to grow, develop, and persevere.

I won’t give up or give into fear…but you know, it would be super easy to do just that.

As I was thinking of what I would like to share with you today, I remembered how the past six months have tested my endurance. I’ve had days when other agents who began their realtoring (that’s a word in the Real Estate world 😉 ) the same time I did would get leads that actually led somewhere. I would force myself to be happy for them but inside, feel the sting of jealousy and wonder when it would be my turn.

And while it did eventually become my turn I thought, you know, I need to share what it takes to get disheartened and give up on your dreams and I think I’ve really narrowed it down…I came up with four practical ways.

What are my four ways?

1.Sit around and do nothing. I get it. Go ahead, give up. Give into the voice in your head that says, you’re not smart enough, talented enough…whatever the lie is, give into it. Let it win, the pull is strong, who cares anyways?! You tried, gave it your best and it wasn’t good enough. Wallow in your self-pity and let it overtake you.

And then, wipe the chocolate from your mouth, comb the rat-nest out of your hair and TRY AGAIN. Dreamers, winners, champions get knocked down so many times they have bruises on their hearts and knees. But, they get back up, brush the grit from their scrapes and do it again.

2. DO NOT PRAY. For heaven’s sake, if you want to get nowhere fast, decide praying is a waste of your time and energy. Believe those heart-felt cries and pleas are a vapor disappearing into thin air. I’m sure God has more important things to do than worry about your dreams.

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17

And yet, with everything the good Lord oversees, He cares about our desires and dreams.

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He looks on us with love and even singing! Pray…and then pray some more!

3. Always, always, always, compare yourself to others. I recently asked this question in our private FB group…What keeps you from fully living? A fellow dreamer said this: “Comparing my journey to others and then not worrying that I’m not ‘keeping up.’ I’m fully alive when I rest in who he created me to be and the unique path He has me on.”

Want an infallible way to kill a dream before it’s even begun? Go ahead and compare your talents, your personality, your ability, etc. to those around you. Let’s see how far you get. Then come back and sit before God and let Him silence the not enough’s. He wants to reassure you, affirm you, and bless you, so let Him!

4. Do life alone and stay isolated. If you know me at all, you know I’m an introvert. I don’t mind being alone most of the time, but sometimes I enjoy it too much and I forget there’s a big ol’ world out there with lots of people who care about me.

Isolation will lead you to feeling like you are the only one. The only one struggling and having problems. The only one doubting God’s goodness and promises. (The only with a crazy family and kids who behave like zoo animals.)

You are not the only one!

Right here in this space, we understand that dreaming is a group effort. It takes a tribe. No man is an island. We are your people, your fellow dreamers, out-of-the-box thinkers.

If you dream in isolation you will only get so far, but together, no one can hold us back.

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Together we are unstoppable.

Your turn: What would you add to this list? Join me in the comments for a chance to win a copy of Holley Gerth’s book, You’re Made for a God-sized Dream.

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

P.S. Interested in joining our PRIVATE Facebook group? Friend me on Facebook, and I will add you. 🙂

Spring is in the Air! How About a Sale?

April 17, 2017 By Alecia Simersky 2 Comments

Alleluia! He is risen, friends!

We hope everyone had an Easter in which you were able to reflect and focus on our precious Savior. What a beautiful weekend it was to celebrate the resurrection!

Spring is in the air down south, and I absolutely love this time of year. So, I was thinking…how about a sale?!

We interrupt our normal posting schedule to announce we have relaunched our t-shirts!

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We only do this a couple of times a year, so if you’ve been wanting to order and missed out on the last sale, this post is for you!

(Click on a shirt or this link to be taken to store)

We even have a cute mug in a variety of colors!

The sale will last until 4/23/17; as soon as it closes, T- shirts and mugs will print and ship.

We know these shirts and mugs will inspire you as you keep chasing your dreams. You have a team of cheerleaders here praying and cheering you on…no dream is too small, too silly, or too unattainable.

Psst…did you also know we have prints? Only $3 for an instant downloadable print!

View the full collection of prints in our shop here.

We are always brainstorming to come up with fresh quotes for each sale. Is there a quote you would love to see? Share in the comments, and maybe you will see it in our next sale!

An InLinkz Link-up

What Do I Love?

February 6, 2017 By Alecia Simersky 13 Comments

What do I love?

This question has been floating around in my head the past few weeks. And then I read a post by Lisa Jo Baker titled, If You Are What You Love, What Are You?. In her post she wrote, “For me, my love is always in tension. My love of self in tension with my love of the Gospel and my desperate love to live up to the gifting God has entrusted me with.”

I look within to search for what it is I put first and value most. What would those closest to me say that I value? Would it be that I love my alone time way too much? My phone or computer? Or, what about the book that I can’t put down, and when my daughter beckons me to come help her with a project for the umpteenth time, I keep impatiently replying, “One second, let me get to the end of the chapter!”

What do I love? Really?

I love God and the idea of being radically different. But then when I’m misunderstood, I realize I love people-pleasing more. Being different means I will be misunderstood because that is what being a Jesus follower is all about.

Oh, yeah. What I really love is the acceptance and approval of man, not God.

The Bible says to expect and welcome hard times, so I declare, “Bring on the rain! I’ve got the faith to handle what comes my way!” But then the downpour comes, and I cry and question, Where are you God?

I see very clearly how much my heart loves comfort and ease.

I received warning early in my spiritual journey that following Jesus doesn’t mean life will be easy. Jesus wasn’t kidding when He said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble…”

Salt and light comes with a price. I MUST lay down my life.

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Lately I have felt like a walking target for the enemy. I duck and swerve his fiery darts, but more hit than miss.

If I don’t want the battles that come with kingdom living…the set-apartness that comes with living a life of difference…then I should walk away from God.

But I can’t.

There’s something about Him that keeps me near and draws me in to see the beauty among the pain. Comfort and ease are not a part of our lives this side of Heaven.

At the beginning of the year when everyone was declaring their word of the year on the Internet, I quietly chose the word, surrender. I will choose to actively surrender my plans, dreams, marriage, children. God has shown me I don’t trust Him as much as I say I do or want to. I white-knuckle my plans, my dreams, afraid to truly let go…because what if I don’t like what God does with them? Pride keeps me hanging on, just in case God gets it wrong. And people-pleasing keeps me from boldly living out my faith in ways that I know will cause people to take notice.

People-pleasers are not God-pleasers.

In Deuteronomy 11:8 we read God’s command to his people: “So it’s you who are in charge of keeping the entire commandment that I command you today so that you’ll have the strength to invade and possess the land that you are crossing the river to make your own. Your obedience will give you a long life on the soil that God promised to give your ancestors and their children, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

God walks with us through the journey, and our promised land is on the other side of our pride and fear, if only we will surrender and love Him more than our plans. If you continue reading the verses in Deuteronomy, God charges us to love Him and serve Him and when we do this, He promises to provide what we need when we need it. What a sweet promise to hold on to.

So…I ask you the same question I’ve been asking myself, What do you love?

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

An InLinkz Link-up

Announcing Our New Sailors!

January 27, 2017 By Alecia Simersky 5 Comments

Hey, dreamers! We had an overwhelming response to our call out for new writers. Choosing from such a talented and unique group of dreamers was TOUGH. But, after some time we made our selections and are so happy to bring you our newest sailors!

Please welcome:

Michelle Nehrig-Shultheis

Patti Hemphill

Stacy Jeffries

Cindy Fumbata ( no picture at this time)

These ladies are not only talented writers, but each have such different perspectives. And, wow, will their faith blow you away! I can’t wait to read what they have planned for us. You can look forward to reading their words beginning in February. Take a moment to get to know them by clicking on their names above and reading their bios. We know you are going to love them as much as we do!

A Winter Sale And An Announcement

November 28, 2016 By Alecia Simersky 4 Comments

As we prepare for the Christmas season we wanted to let you know about our storefront on Teespring, we have several t-shirt designs and colors to choose from plus a fun new mug. .

And don’t forget about our print shop! Need a little reminder on your desk or wall to keep chasing those dreams? Our prints are perfect for you.

Every purchase either from our shop or affiliates goes back into running the site. We thank you for your help in keeping this site up and running. Because of you we are able to encourage dreamers to discover and chase their God-sized Dreams.

We consider it a calling and a honor to serve you on this site, you are more than readers and supporters to us, you are our family. We have some exciting new things we are rolling out and working on behind the scenes.

Now for our fun announcement: If you missed our public call out for writers on our Facebook page, we are looking for new writers in the new year. If you are interested email us at godsizeddreamers@gmail.com. This is the first time we have ever put out a call for writers and are so excited about the response thus far. We’d love for you to consider joining our team! Send us a link to your blog and we will be in touch.

An InLinkz Link-up

How To Keep Dreaming & The #DreamTogether Linkup

November 14, 2016 By Alecia Simersky 8 Comments

May the Lord, bless you and keep you,
the Lord make His face shine on you;
the Lord turn His face toward you
and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

If I had to tell you what I need more of in my life, it would be courage and grace. More courage to take that leap of faith with my eyes open (instead of squinted shut like a scared little child) and to dream in spite of the humongous possibility of failure.

I need grace for those times of failure, when I want to beat myself up instead of starting over…again.

For awhile, dreaming with other like-minded dreamers began to feel like a curse because it seemed that we all had similar dreams…and they all included writing. But as I read Holley’s book, I came to realize that “even if someone else’s dream looks, sounds, or even feels like yours, it’s not the same.”

Comparison nipped at my heels, and I began to wonder, Why in the world would God give everyone the same dream?

He didn’t, of course.

And as I looked closer, I realized that while each of us on this God-sized Dream team may want to write, God has laid different plans on each of our hearts and lives. Some are writing about their adoption journeys, some are working through painful pasts, some share through photography…etc.

Though our dreams felt the same initially, the details were different because we each lead very distinct lives and have our own unique experiences.

Dreams are different because we each lead different lives and have unique experiences.

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Comparison and insecurity are funny feelings. I have to remind myself that God’s kingdom is big enough for all of us, and being secure in that and knowing that I have a place in His plan is so reassuring. This alone gives me the confidence to keep going.

Personally, in my own life, writing has taken a temporary back seat. I decided in the spring to look for full-time work and began scouring the Internet for something that piqued my interest. I landed on Real Estate.

I took several months to think about it, pray about it, talk about it, and finally went for it.

I signed up for the online course, and for two months I studied and prayed that I would be smart enough to pass. One final and state exam later (passed on first try!) I am now a Real Estate agent. I spend my days getting mentored and learning all that I can so that soon I can confidently list and sell on my own.

Have I been scared? ABSOLUTELY. However, God has given me courage on the days I’ve wanted to quit. And the grace to cut myself some slack when I feel overwhelmed.

Thank you, Lord, for courage to keep dreaming and grace when I fall down.

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What about you? What do you need more of (or less) to help you with your dreams?

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

An InLinkz Link-up

Excited to join @GodsizeDreams for their #DreamTogether linkup!

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