It is the day before Thanksgiving. I actually will be sitting down with my family to celebrate a little early, on this day.
You may be at the height of preparation for this day, when we get together with the people we love (or ask God to help us love) and basically do one thing. Eat.
You may be traveling. You may be in the last minute, grocery store line. No matter what stage you are in prep for Thanksgiving, you are getting ready for time around a table.
When I lived overseas, it was always interesting to explain to my friends that this holiday really was centered around food and a table.
There can be some major expectations set for Thanksgiving Day if you look at the Hallmark Movie channel or spend time on Pinterest. The table exquisite, the food never burned and always made right on time, the family getting along, and the turkey turning out perfectly.
Why does it look so easy on TV and the glorious world of the Internet but not always feel so easy in our real lives?
Dreaming God-sized dreams can be the same way. It feels like it should be easy and all work as planned…after all, other people do it. We can see our friends grow their speaking platforms, get the writing deals, have incredible God-sized dream experiences.
What we don’t see is the behind-the-scenes stories. The hard work. The sometimes-shed tears. The fears of failing. The wanting to give up. The rejections that lead to the open doors.
Just because my Thanksgiving table does not look like yours does not make it less than or a failure–it makes it a place for the joy of shared experiences with my people–to experience thankfulness with those God has given me to celebrate life with.
I don’t want to miss the joy of what happens around my table by comparing it to someone else’s table.
Let’s not miss the joy of our God-sized dream journey by comparing to someone else’s God-written story. Both are written by the God of glory.
True story. Last week I hosted “Friendsgiving” in my one bedroom basement apartment. I had eight people I dearly love around my table.
It could have been easy to think about the fact that I live in a tiny apartment and have a flimsy card table, decorated with Dollar Tree decorations for people to eat around. To think about how I slightly burned the casseroles, how the homemade rolls did not look as pretty as the Pioneer Woman’s, and how the gravy turned out more like glue or wallpaper paste.
It would have been easier to compare to the other Thanksgivings I see and miss the joy of what was in front of me.
We had a wonderful time that night laughing, talking and eating, all while making sure not to lean too hard on the card table so it would not collapse.
When I compare my God-sized dream story to other’s journey, I can lose heart. I can find myself feeling those twinges of envy, wondering why my story looks different from your story.
That is Satan’s sneaky way of making us miss the table God has set before us.
God has brought us to His banqueting table, His banner over us is love. (Song of Solomon 2:4)
He has set the table for your God-sized dreams. He has invited you to feast at the table with Him. Let’s not miss it by dreaming of sitting at a different table.
I pray you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your people at your places.
Maybe at some point during the day, you can sneak away and make a list of all the thanksgiving you have for the ways God has shown up this year.
Maybe it has been in surprising ways. Maybe it has not looked as you expected.
I can guarantee that as you make that list you will see, He has been among you, your dreams, and in your story, all for His glory.
Happy Thanksgiving Dreamers!
Shared By: Jennifer Hand
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