About Julie Lefebure

Julie Lefebure is a simple Iowa gal who finds joy in un-rushed mornings, a great cup of coffee, and breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. She values “doing life” with others and often speaks and writes about authentic living. Julie enjoys encouraging others to embrace the good, the yuck, the challenges, and the joys of life.

A wife of 25 redeemed years to Bill, they can be found touring the U.S. on their tandem bicycle in their spare time. Julie is also mom to two amazing young adults, Alissa and Zach, who make life a beautiful adventure.

Julie’s ministry consists of public encouraging, writing at her blog, working part-time at a local church, and serving in leadership in Bible Study Fellowship. Her God-sized dream is to publish her first book in 2018.
Julie's ministry consists of public encouraging, writing at herblog, Julie Lefebure, working part-time at a local church, and is in leadership in Bible Study Fellowship.
Join the journey with Julie on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook.

Following Our God-Sized Dreams When We’re Afraid

April 16, 2018 By Julie Lefebure 18 Comments

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What’s your God-sized dream?

At a conference years ago the speaker asked us, “What’s the one dream that makes your stomach churn and your knees shake? What’s that dream that appears to be so big, it’s larger than life?” It scared me to even allow the dream to play in full-color in my mind. It was beyond what I thought I could ever do. It scared me more than I care to share here.

The speaker then said, “This dream–the scariest one–is given to you by God, Himself. And, with His help, that dream will become a reality.” Her words made complete sense to me.

If it wasn’t God-sized, it wouldn’t be scary.

If it was a dream that was easy to achieve, that didn’t require God’s assistance, it wouldn’t be scary at all. It wouldn’t take much effort, and it wouldn’t feel like much of an accomplishment when achieved. But, if it’s a dream from God, it’s big and it can be scary.

If it wasn’t God-sized, it wouldn’t be scary.

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That was the first time I heard the phrase, “do it afraid.”

Afraid. It’s probably not a word most of us delight in. I would venture to guess most of us despise it. There’s no doubt, we’ve all felt it. We’d do about anything to escape it.

afraid :: feeling fear; filled with apprehension

Whether it’s in seeing a scary movie, or facing the unknown, or walking through a difficult experience, feeling afraid is real. But, the reality is, it doesn’t have to paralyze us. Oh, it wants to, but we don’t have to let it.

I believe the enemy of our souls wants us to walk around filled with fear. Because when we are–when we are afraid–we aren’t much of a threat. We shrink back in fear, we stay where it’s comfortable, we find ways to justify not pursuing our God-sized dreams. And when we do, we and the rest of the world miss out on the dream within us that’s meant to become a reality.

This is when “do it afraid” becomes our mantra.

It’s no wonder I connected with Keri Lynn’s story in chapter 10 of You’re Made For A God-sized Dream, by Holley Gerth. Chapter 10 contains stories of real-life God-sized dreamers like you and me. In reading them, you’ll probably connect with one or two also.

I too, like Keri, find that God prompts me to keep on dreaming and to pursue that dream He’s given me. You know, that scary one. And yes, I’d have to agree with her, the dreams just get bigger and scarier. Scarier, not to stop us, but to face the fear and grow through it. Interestingly, the fear won’t leave until we do.

How do we “do it afraid?”

Focus on truth.

There’s power in the truth of God’s Word. Here are a few I cling to when I’m afraid:

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3 (ESV)

Do not be afraid—I am with you! I am your God—let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you. Isaiah 41:10 (GNT)

When I needed the Lord, I looked for Him; I called out to Him, and He heard me and responded. He came and rescued me from everything that made me so afraid. Psalm 34:4 (VOICE)

Step out in faith.

When we believe the truth above and trust God is bigger than our fear, taking one step forward in faith causes the fear to shrink. Sure, it may be uncomfortable, but the more we step out, the less uncomfortable it becomes.

Keep moving forward.

As God guides us, we continue to move forward, listening for His whisper, focusing on truth, and taking one step at a time. Soon our God-sized dream will be in reach!

All because you and I “did it afraid.”

In what ways are you “doing it afraid?” How can you encourage another to keep moving forward in his/her God-sized dream? How can you encourage yourself?

Keep “doing it afraid.”

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That God-sided dream–that scary one–is within your reach as you and God partner together. Keep “doing it afraid.” I’m cheering you on!

Shared by: Julie Lefebure

An InLinkz Link-up

When God Sees More Than We See

January 3, 2018 By Julie Lefebure 8 Comments

Happy 2018!

Here we are just days into a new year. A new year filled with promise, with hope, with anticipation of new adventures with God in this journey called life. I love the clean slate a new year offers. There’s just something about fresh starts that rekindle dreams, hopes, and aspirations.

A new year is a perfect time to revisit our God-sized dreams.

Dreams that God has placed on our hearts. Desires that don’t seem to go away. Thoughts that encompass exciting what ifs?

But, wait. Am I equipped? Do I have what it takes? Will I have enough time? Am I too old (or young) or am I being too selfish? The questions come flooding in, don’t they? They sometimes stop us before we ever get started. And, before we know it, another year can slip by and our God-sized dreams stay tucked inside us.

Yes, it’s scary to allow that dream to rise to the surface. It’s often more comfortable to let them lie. When we brush them off and give them life we open up ourselves and our dreams to scrutiny, to reality, and sometimes to anxiety. It’s much safer to keep them tucked away, isn’t it?

But, the thing is, our God-sized dreams are unique to each one of us. No one else has the same one. So, either your God-sized dream is realized through you or it’s not realized at all. The same goes for me. If we choose to keep it buried, the blessings attached to the dream are never experienced either. Not by us individually nor by the rest of the world.

Our God-sized dreams are unique to each one of us.

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God sees more than we see.

Since God created and formed us, He placed within us specific talents and gifts which are also unique. He continues to grow us through them as we mature in Him through this life. There’s more within us that we can’t see. He sees it all perfectly, however, and when the time is right, He’s going to prompt us to do something with it. Something we’ve never done before.

He’s going to nudge us to step out in faith because He sees what we can’t.

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Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it.
Hebrews 11:1 (NCV)

Allow me to give you an example. A few months ago a strong desire within me seemed to come out of nowhere. A desire to connect with and encourage women during the holiday season. That strong desire turned into something I couldn’t shake. I knew if I didn’t follow through with it, I would have regrets and would always wonder, what if?

God could see more than I could.

All I could see were my limitations, my inabilities, and my doubts. But, within a week God arranged the details for a women’s evening of encouragement at a local cafe, and on December 4th, that desire became a God-sized dream that blessed me and fifty other women. All because God could see more than I could. He could see “the more” He placed within me. And wouldn’t you know, there’s another evening of encouragement planned for this month as well!

We don’t have to worry about the results. We can trust them to God, the author of our dreams. All we need to do is be obedient when God says it’s time to brush off our dreams and give them life.

We don’t have to worry about the results. We can trust them to God.

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May this year be the year our God-sized dreams are realized. Not necessarily for our sake, but more for God’s and others’.

Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
1 Peter 4:10-11 (MSG)

I’m cheering you on and praying for you today. Happy New Year!

Shared by: Julie Lefebure

This post is based off Holley Gerth’s book, You’re Made for a God-sized Dream.

The Gift Of Helping Others Achieve Their Dreams

December 4, 2017 By Julie Lefebure 17 Comments

Last month my husband and I took our yearly “leaf-looking” drive. One Saturday each fall we hop in the car and spend the day searching out trees displaying hues of stunning reds, burnt oranges, and bright yellows. It’s one of my favorite days of the year.

We landed in a town an hour and a half away. After our lunch in their local Mexican restaurant, I couldn’t help but notice the cute boutique across the street. Its windows were filled with everything autumn, and what caught my attention the most was the chalkboard sign on the sidewalk in front indicating they had the “best caramel apples” inside.

It didn’t take long for me to learn this would become my new favorite place to shop. On-trend clothing styles, reasonable prices, unique gift items, and yes, the best caramel apples around. But, what I appreciated the most was the story behind it all. The lone sales clerk gave us the highlights. The owner had become unemployed, and after some passing of time, she decided to follow her dream of opening her own store, and voila!

I was standing smack-dab in the middle of another woman’s dream.

Many years ago I learned a valuable, truth-filled tip.

When you help another achieve his or her dreams you are better equipped to achieve your own.

I may not have helped this unknown woman achieve her dream, but after learning her story, I knew I wanted to help her continue it.

I believe each of us has a dream that’s buried inside of us. Some of us have buried it so deep, we’ve forgotten all about it. Some of us are too scared to let it free, because goodness, what would happen if it grew wings? And, some of us see reality and it appears our dream has no place in it, so it’s better left tucked away.

I believe each of us has a dream that’s buried inside of us.

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But, not this woman. Not this beautiful boutique owner. She was brave enough to let her dream free, and it grew mighty wings. I could guess how much her dream blessed her community there on the corner, but it also blessed me who happened upon her store–and her story–one Saturday afternoon in October.

Choosing an army green vest and a tie-dye cold-shoulder blouse (and a caramel apple) was my way of helping her continue her dream. You can bet each time I wear these items I think of her and rejoice. I’m reminded of what a gift it is to help others in their dreams.

Helping others achieve/continue their dreams helps us achieve ours.

Doing so provides us an awareness of our own dreams. If someone else can do it, so can we!

It spurs us on to treat others as we want to be treated. We’d all appreciate someone helping us achieve our dreams!

Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! Luke 6:31 MSG

As we bless others in their dreams, we can’t help but be blessed in return!

There’s just something about coming alongside another in his or her dream.

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Look around you today. Who can you support? Who’s the one who might benefit from your encouragement?

The mom and pop grocery store around the corner?

The photographer who’s just starting his business?

Maybe the woman who is stepping out into ministry?

Or, maybe it’s the child knocking on your door to sell you a tin of popcorn for school.

Let’s be about helping others achieve their dreams.

Let’s do all we can to help others succeed.

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I hope to meet this woman someday. I look forward to encouraging her in person. Even though her boutique is an hour and a half away, I plan to return again soon! And, hopefully, they’ll still have caramel apples!

Shared by: Julie Lefebure

An InLinkz Link-up

When You Feel It’s Too Late To Pursue Your Dreams

August 30, 2017 By Julie Lefebure 12 Comments

Age. It’s a funny thing, isn’t it? It has a way of sneaking up on us, and one day we find ourselves wondering, “How did I get to be this age so quickly?”

It’s seems like a handful of years ago I was moving out of my parents’ home and beginning my first semester of college. With fresh hopes and big dreams tucked neatly in my back pocket, the world appeared conquerable and my goals were aplenty. I was going to be the next great success story. I just knew it. Nothing was going to stop me and my intentions.

Life’s twists and turns and ups and downs, however, led me down unexpected paths. My dreams shifted and faded into the background behind my day-to-day reality. Paying bills, raising a family, and learning how to balance work and home became my priorities.

Some day, I promised, I would return to pursuing my dreams.

It’s no secret we can get lost in it all. The day we realize age has caught up with us, discouragement can muscle its way in to deter us from believing we can still achieve our dreams. We may start entertaining thoughts of lost chances, wasted years, and living a purposeless life. It’s easy to think it’s too late to pursue any sort of dream at this age.

Is it too late to pursue my dreams?

Friend, allow me to remind us all, age is only a number. It has absolutely nothing to do with our potential, our opportunities, nor our ability. Age has nothing to do with realizing our God-sized dreams. If anything, age might be to our benefit. We may be wiser, more experienced, and more mature than we were in our 20’s. (I know I am!)

Age has nothing to do with realizing our God-sized dreams.

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Numerous people have realized their dreams later in life. Take Abraham and Sarah in Genesis, for example. God promised 75-year old Abraham he would be the father of a great nation with more descendants than the number of stars in the sky. Those are big God-sized dreams right there, aren’t they? Minus a few moral blunders (those give us hope too!), Abraham and Sarah took God at His word. That is, until age crept up on them.

They questioned too. Is it too late for this promise, this dream to happen? Am I too old to keep dreaming and believing? Abraham even laughed to himself at the thought of having an offspring at his old age.

Nine chapters and twenty five years later, God fulfilled this promised dream, and Sarah, at age 90, gave birth to Isaac.

Age has nothing over God.

No, maybe we won’t give birth at age 90 (whew!), but if we’re still on this earth, God’s not done with us yet. We still have work to do, lives to impact, generations to influence, and dreams to pursue. What unfulfilled God-sized dream has He placed in your heart? What’s that one dream your heart continues to return to? Don’t believe the lie that it’s too late.

What unfulfilled God-sized dream has He placed in your heart?

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Friend, it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.

God began to do a good work in you. And I am sure that he will keep on doing it until he has finished it. He will keep on until the day Jesus Christ comes again. Philippians 1:6 (WE)

I may have given up my God-sized dream for a time, but it’s now dusted off and ready to be pursued again. I invite you to do the same. God is still working in and through you. Continue to seek Him, to ask for His guidance and equipping, and to simply put one foot in front of the other. Let’s walk our dreams out, believing and watching for what God will do.

Let’s walk our dreams out, believing and watching for what God will do.

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Blessings!

Shared by: Julie Lefebure

It Takes Two To Realize Your Dreams

July 24, 2017 By Julie Lefebure 14 Comments

I used to be the queen of dreaming.

Seriously. If there was ever a person who could dream the biggest dreams and believe with all her heart they were hers, that person could very well have been me. Not only could I dream the most grandiose dreams, I could also get lost in them. So much so, that I would nearly live in the dream in my mind without ever achieving it. Crazy, huh?

There’s something about realizing a dream, however. One can’t just dream it for it to happen. Effort must follow the dream for it to come to pass.

I also used to be the queen of independence.

It’s good to be independent, isn’t it? Sure, but not when it’s taken too far. Not when you’re the girl who thinks she can do everything on her own. After all, my dreams were my dreams. And I didn’t need any help achieving them, thank you very much.

There’s another truth about realizing a dream: God is the One Who helps us realize our God-sized dreams.

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It takes two to realize your dreams.

You and God.

It takes two as you put the effort into realizing the dream while God teaches, equips, blesses, and assists you in making it happen.

We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it. Proverbs 16:9 MSG

It takes two as you and God partner together. You and God make a great team!

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Together, you and God can make it happen.

What dream causes butterflies in your stomach and makes your heart flutter a little faster? Which one inspires you to step out of your comfort zone, yet appears out of your grasp? What about that one that provokes wondrous thoughts of, “Could I really?” and “What if I did?”

My God-sized dream looks like a mountain in front of me. Some days I question if I’ll ever see it realized in my lifetime. I can get overwhelmed and second-guess my desire in the day-to-day progress (or lack of).

But, what keeps me going is what I know of God. God is faithful. He can be trusted. He’s not going to lead me astray. I know He’s good at being God and I believe He’s got everything under His control.

So, I will keep trusting. I will keep believing He can see what I can’t. I will do my part and allow Him to do His. And, I will continue putting one foot in front of the other, following His lead in the realization of this dream… this dream I believe He’s placed in my heart.

I invite you to join me.

Let’s invite God and partner with Him as we walk this out together.

Father God, You are faithful. You are sovereign. Nothing is beyond your ability, and Your power is limitless. Thank you for being the God who gives us dreams–God-sized dreams–and for being the One Who helps us realize them. Father, this dream looks big and beyond my grasp. But, you already know it’s in my heart and on my mind, and I cannot shake it. I hold this dream out to you, Lord, and I leave it in your hands. If it’s to be realized, I ask you to guide me in it, to equip me, to teach me, and to assist me in every way. Help me to trust You and step out in faith. For your glory, not for mine. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I can’t wait to see what you and God do together!

Shared by: Julie Lefebure

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Friend, We Need Each Other

March 13, 2017 By Julie Lefebure 18 Comments

Being the only girl in our family of four children, I was raised to be strong, independent, and self-reliant. Living with three brothers, I learned quickly how to stand my own ground. In fact, one saying our father coined in our family was, “You gotta be tough.” So, I was.

My loving parents did everything they could to prepare and equip me to be able to take care of myself when I got out in the real world. That included changing my own flat tire, pumping my own gas, balancing my checkbook, and cooking, cleaning, and the like. They taught me to work hard, to stand up for what I believed in, and that nothing was impossible for me to achieve.

Maybe it was because of my independent spirit or my self-reliant attitude that for a long season in my life I believed I could handle most anything and everything on my own. I wasn’t one to ask for help, and I certainly didn’t want to appear like I needed any. Goodness no!

That changed the day my father died.

Life, as I knew it, came to a standstill. The pain of my heartache was excruciating, and I buckled under the weight of my grief. This was well beyond what I could handle, and it didn’t take me long to understand this was something I couldn’t bear on my own.

Friend, I pray you have not experienced such heartache and grief in your life. I pray you’ve never lost anyone so close and so dear to you. But, if you have, I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry. I imagine you might be able to relate to and understand such brokenness and pain.

God, however, met me in ways I never could have expected. At times I could almost feel Him holding me in my heartbreak and pain. That verse is true about Him being close to the brokenhearted. He provided a handful of friends who came alongside to help carry me and my grief. God taught me it’s okay and acceptable to allow others to help, and it can be a blessing to ask for it.

We weren’t meant to travel this road of life alone.

We need each other.

Read with me Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

God didn’t design us to walk this road of life on our own. You and I are designed for community. We are fashioned to do life with those around us. To walk alongside each other, to lift, to bless, to serve, to infuse hope. To encourage one another in our God-sized dreams and to do life with each other.

We need each other.

We already know life is a precious gift. But, it becomes even more special when it’s shared with others. A life shared becomes more than it could ever be on its own.

Life becomes even more special when it’s shared with others.

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But, what if you find yourself alone? What if you don’t feel you’re a part of a community, or you feel you don’t need one? What then? My best suggestion is to pray. Whatever situation you find yourself in regarding community, I encourage you talk with God about it. He has the answers no one else has, and if you’re desiring community, He has one just perfect for you.

A bond grew between me and those friends who traveled that road of grief alongside of me. They became the community I didn’t know I needed. A community placed in my life by God, Himself. A community that helped me dream again. And, a community I can’t imagine my life without.

Friend, we are made for community. We need each other.

Shared by: Julie Lefebure

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