The 7 Stages Of Pursuing Your Dream

December 21, 2015 By Melissa Aldrich 3 Comments

Joe went out for the long pass. He was wide open and just a few feet from the end zone.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw his brother Reuben arch the ball perfectly in his direction. The closest defender was yards away. Today would be the day that Joe would score his first touchdown in the neighborhood games.

His fingers brushed the pigskin and he reached to pull the ball close to him. But just as Joe pulled in the ball, he tripped and the ball flew from his grasp and out of play. He looked down to see that his shoe was untied.

Joe buried his head in the grass. He knew what was coming. He could already hear Simeon rolling and laughing on the ground.

“Joe, when are you going to learn to hold onto the ball?” It was Reuben.

“I’m sorry, Reu. I tripped.”

His brother Judah spat on the ground beside him. “Face it Joe, you’re not cut out for football like the rest of us.”

“Dad says I’m going to be better than him! He says I have the potential to be the best wide receiver in the history of the NFL.” Joe replied defiantly. Football was his life.

“That’s only because you’re the youngest. There’s nothing special about you.” Judah retorted.

In the distance, Simeon and Levi were reenacting Joe’s failed play.

Joe stood up and sprinted all the way home to his father. His breath came fast and rushed in between his teary sobs.

“Joe, what’s wrong?” asked his father as he heard the boy rush inside. Joseph’s jaw tightened; he didn’t want his dad to know he had missed the pass, but he did want revenge on his brothers: all ten of them.

“My brothers are what’s wrong. They called me a loser and said I’m terrible at football.” Joe’s face was blotchy and streaked with dirt and his dad’s heart moved with compassion.

“Your brothers will be punished for what they said.” Joe felt the tiniest bit of remorse for his brothers. He knew the trouble that they would receive. He heaved a deep sigh.

“Son,” continued his father, “You will grow into your gifts with time.”

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“I want to grow into them now.” Joe said sullenly. His father stood up and guided the boy into the office. On the top shelf he took down his old NFL helmet, and slid it into Joseph’s hands.

“You will grow into your gifts, son. Take this and let it remind you of what you can become with patience.”

Joe wore the helmet the rest of the evening except when his mom made him take it off to eat. His brothers scowled at him, partly because of their punishments, but mostly because he had been given the helmet. None of them would talk to him.

That night he dreamed about football. It was a Super Bowl game. He saw all of his brothers on the sidelines. Some were special teams coaches, others were photographers, a few were players, Reuben was the quarterback, and Judah was the waterboy. Joseph was the coach. As his team won all his brothers threw Joe onto his shoulders and cheered! The team tossed gallons of Gatorade on him. Joseph was the leader and a winner!

When Joe woke up, he couldn’t wait to tell his brothers!

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As I’m sure you remember when Joseph shared his dream with his brothers things went poorly for him. The brothers, still angry about the bad report and the coat of many colors, sold Joseph into slavery. He spent years in slavery honing his leadership skills and finally ending up head of the household. Then he was falsely accused and sent to prison. And he sat in prison for years after he asked the cupbearer to remember him in front of Pharaoh. Finally, God makes him ruler right under Pharaoh and he saves his family’s life. (not familiar with the story? Check out Genesis Chapter 37 through Chapter 42)

I just re-framed this story so that you could see Joseph’s dream as if it were your own. Can you imagine from the giving of the dream to the realization of it in stages with me?

Excitement. “You called me to great things! I will do great things! I have value and are important even though I am the youngest one.”
Discouragement. “I must have imagined the dream. It didn’t really matter.”
Determination. “I will do this thing. Even as a slave I will work my way to the top of this household and be above reproach!”
Despair. “I did everything right and I’m in prison. These dreams are stupid. I will never be a leader.”
Dependence. “Okay, Lord. I don’t know what you’re doing around me. I don’t know why I am here or why this looks different from what I imagined, but I surrender to your work in me. Make me the leader I saw in the dream. Change my heart.”
Willingness. “Okay, Lord, I’ve seen the bottom. You rescued me in ways I could never imagined. Let me use my gifts of leadership to save this kingdom from certain death. Let me help these people acknowledge how much they need You through my service.”
Realization. “Wow, Lord, you did it! You used me as an instrument to save my family.”

What are you experiencing in the pursuit of your dreams?

How can we pray for you?

Shared by: Melissa Aldrich

Setting Sail To New Dreams

September 11, 2015 By Lanette Haskins 10 Comments

“We are what we believe we are.”

– C. S. Lewis

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe was one of my favorite books when I was growing up. I often imagined myself as Lucy, desperately wishing I could find my own wardrobe to make my escape to a far away land.

As a young girl I spent much time alone with a sketchbook and a pencil, drawing for hours at a time. Each picture held a unique story and each story began as a dream in my heart.

Years went by, the pictures became more detailed and my skills more refined. As a teenager I was selected by my high school art teacher to have my work displayed throughout our school and community. I was honored to be chosen and so full of hope.

I had BIG dreams of becoming a great artist and painting beautiful pictures that would hang in galleries all over the world. But then I started to compare myself to others and I began to question if I was really any good at all. There were so many other artists who were much more talented and besides, my dreams were unrealistic. After all, I was just a small town girl with a painful past — a nobody. And just like that my dreams vanished.

Much like the wicked queen in Narnia, we have an enemy who whispers deceitful words in our ears — words that cause us to doubt what we once dared to dream.

I’m guessing that many of you have had dreams that felt much too big and just like me, you’ve listened to the author of lies instead of listening to the dream giver.

God places those dreams in our hearts and wants us to believe in BIG dreams that are only possible through Him. The problem is that we’re limited by our inability to believe beyond what we are able to see.

But that’s where faith comes in. Faith isn’t seeing, faith is believing what we have yet to see. (<====Click to Tweet)

And it’s through our faith that we find hope!

“Now] we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it—a hope] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil, Where Jesus has entered in for us [in advance]…” Hebrews 6:19

Jesus calls us out of the boat onto the water, encouraging us to take a step of faith. Most often we’re so afraid of sinking (failing) that we’re willing to continue to do what we’ve always done — even if that means rowing against the current and working harder to be something we were never meant to be.

Friends can I just tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way? Even if we feel that we’ve missed the boat, His mercies are new every morning and it’s never too late to begin again! Not only do I believe that God is the dream giver, I believe that He gives us new dreams. I think He places before us opportunities and if we miss one, He offers up something different, always giving us a chance to try again.

As parents we love our children enough to give them the opportunity to start over when they fail. We encourage them to learn and grow from their mistakes and offer them another chance when they need it most. I love how Matthew 7:11 is worded in the Amplified Version, If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give good and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him!

He loved us so much that He gave us His only Son, that if we would just believe in Him, we would have everlasting life. Don’t you think He also wants us to enjoy the life He’s given us and to use the gifts He formed in us?

These days the pictures that I am painting are with my words. (<====Click to Tweet)

I’m a writer.

God has given me a new dream — to reach others with the words He writes on my heart and to lead them to Him. I was once a prisoner to the shame and guilt of my past and now I’m passionate about leading others out of captivity to the truth.

Friends please don’t stop believing and dreaming!

I want to encourage you with one last quote…

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — C. S. Lewis

Shared By: Lanette Haskins

Photo Credit: via

How Writing Down Your Goals Will Help You Succeed

July 27, 2015 By Alecia Simersky 11 Comments

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Mark Batterson

We all want to know how to be successful, right? (<====Click To Tweet)

One way we can do this is to write down what will make us successful-write down our goals. At the beginning of the year we all make New Year’s resolutions and promise ourselves–This year will be different! Somehow two weeks later all the resolutions on our list become guilt-inducing afterthoughts.

Unlike resolutions, goals give us something to work towards over time.

Goals can be broken down into small specific steps, so that each day we can work toward achieving them.

According to Michael Hyatt, “Writing down your goals has proven to be a very effective strategy in accomplishing your goals.”

If I were to write down my writing goals for the next year it would probably look something like this:

Write every day for 15 minutes to develop the habit and increase my skills.
Seek out at least 3 places to submit an article for possible publication each month.
Take a writing course (Compel) and continue with my critique group to improve my writing each week.

“Write it down. Written goals have a way of transforming wishes into wants; cant’s into cans; dreams into plans; and plans into reality. Don’t just think it–ink it.”(Unknown)

The physical act of writing down my goals and seeing them in achievable actions steps gives me forward momentum.

When I think of an idea in it’s BIG picture format-or what I think it will look like in the end, I get overwhelmed. Then I procrastinate because I’m not really sure where to begin.

But taking this approach to breaking them down destroys the seed of procrastination.

In addition to writing down my goals I also set some boundaries for myself:

No social media until I’ve written for 15 minutes a day, either in my journal or a blog post.
Set “work hours.” I have the morning portion of my day set aside to work on writing. This is the time when I feel most fresh and ready to tackle my agenda.
Have accountability. I don’t know about you but I’m the type of person who NEEDS accountability. It’s good to have someone ask me, “have you written anything today?” It gets my booty in the chair to start working on my craft.

“Hard work always pays off…” (Proverbs 14:23)

These boundaries ensure that I will carve out the time to work on the goals that I have written down. If achieving my goals is important then I will make time to work on them.(<====Click To Tweet)

I hope this gave you some inspiration to sit down today and write down your own goals.

If you sat down to write three goals for yourself to accomplish by the end of the year, what would they be? Would you share them with us?

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

5 Things You Can Do To Discover And Pursue Your Dreams

June 26, 2015 By Genny Heikka 1 Comment

Hi sweet dreamers,

I recently had the opportunity to talk about discovering and pursuing your dreams on MOPS International’s Let’s Talk, Darling program. It was a great time of sharing encouragement and practical advice, as well as the ups and downs of my own journey. And since we are all dreamers here, I thought I’d share the link with you. Even though this talk is geared toward moms, the tips are universal:

1. Just start

2. Don’t go it alone

3. Be willing to turn

4. Be willing to make mistakes

5. Be “strong” (appreciate your strengths)

You can click here or on the image below to check out the video. (You need to click on the link from a computer.) It’s about 30 minutes long – just the right length to find a quiet corner, enjoy a great cup of coffee or tea, and be encouraged in your own God-sized dream. Enjoy!

Shared By: Genny Heikka

Photo Credit: Wonderlane

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When you get your shirt snap a picture of you wearing it and tag us on Instagram or Facebook, and we will share your pic!

Today I Will Choose To Obey

June 12, 2015 By Alecia Simersky 9 Comments

Recently I was listening to a podcast titled “The Chubby Kid Mentality,” on iTunes.

The guest speaker was mentioning as a child she was taller and bigger-boned than her naturally short and petite sisters. Despite eating the same foods as her family, metabolically her body didn’t burn it off the way theirs did. So she found herself heavier than them as well.

Because she felt self-conscience about her size, she found herself complaining to her dad one night. He wisely gave her this advice: “If it bothers you then it’s time to do something about it. ‘The lazy person wants it all but has nothing, while an energetic person works hard and has everything.’ ”

Too often I can relate to the lazy person who wants it all but doesn’t want to work hard to make it happen (<====Click to Tweet). I want to sit back and pray, but do nothing on my part.

Can you relate?

After her father quoted this wise piece of scripture to her from Proverbs 13:4, she realized she had been doing a whole lot of praying but not a lot of doing, it was time to do her part. She started exercising, joined Weight Watchers, and lost the weight that had been holding her back from doing things she wanted, like going out for the cheerleading team.

This podcast struck a chord with me on many levels. Regardless if I want to lose weight or move forward with my dreams, I have to do my part.

Stuck is a state of mind I know all too well. It seems to be one I am in more times than not. Really I think it is fear of moving forward when I don’t know where I will end up that is the roadblock.

I can relate to this quote from Martin Luther King Jr., “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

It reminds me to take action even in uncertainty.

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Very few things in my life have turned out the way I planned. I think because of this it makes me weary to work so hard toward a goal just to have it not turn out the way I prayed and planned for.

We make our plans, but the Lord directs our steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

How very true are the words in the Bible, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” (Proverbs 13:12)

Fifteen years ago I got serious with God and promised to trust Him no matter what. I was tired of me and knew my ways weren’t working out so well. I thought, I’m following God, life is going to be so much easier, and it wasn’t long before I realized this was not the case. No, people in my life still did and said things that hurt me. I would still get very angry. Prayers went unanswered and dreams were just that, dreams.

The difference with God is now I have peace when life goes awry instead of rage. I have trust instead of doubt when I’m not sure how things will work out.

It’s been a long personal refining journey for me to realize I have a choice. I can choose to obey and believe that the plans God has for me are good and allow Him to work in me. Or take back control and do things my way.

I wish each time I could say I chose the former, but too many times I chose the latter. It took many times of getting up, brushing myself off, and starting over. Rebellion hurts, this I know.

But the times I wisely choose to trust, obey, and do my part I realize I don’t have to go through hard times alone (<====Click to Tweet). God is always there to give me peace, guidance, and wisdom.

I just have to choose to accept it.

I have to choose to move forward even when I’m unsure of the bigger picture.

I have to choose trust my “unknown future to a known God.” (Corrie Ten Boom)

What about you? Are you taking steps forward? If not, what is one choice you can make in obedience today?

Shared by: Alecia Simersky

When God Takes Us from Obscurity and Does Something BIG!

May 27, 2015 By Guest 8 Comments

On Wednesdays we are thrilled to fling open the doors to all of YOU! We love hearing your dreaming stories…the lessons you’ve learned, the roads you’ve walked, the dreams He’s planted in your hearts! Today we are thrilled to welcome Anne Watson to God-sized Dreams. She shares a story about how God took her from what she calls obscurity and did something amazing! Thanks for sharing here today, Anne!

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When I was in my mid-thirties I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I knew in my bones that there was something I was meant to do; I just had absolutely no idea what.

I remember one particular day crying out to God while I was cleaning my house. (I’m a multi-tasker.) “God, I’m ready. Whatever you are going to do would you please just do it? There has to be more to life than a clean house. You have to have created me for more. I’m begging you, God. Use me. For anything. I’m in.”

That was the day I pretty much sat down on God’s catapult and He flung me into a wild adventure that I still can’t believe.

I grew up completely un-churched. We didn’t even go at Christmas or Easter. I knew God existed but He was more of a genie in a bottle type in my mind. I would ‘pray’ when I needed something. That was it. But I found myself, through the years, drawn to anything that talked about God. Movies, books, music, and eventually church. In hindsight, I think God was pursuing me and I get chills when I think about it now. (<====Tweet this.)

Fast forward a few years and I am attending church in one place but doing all things women’s ministry in another. I once asked someone in my church why we didn’t have a women’s ministry because it’s awesome! That’s when I got asked to write a proposal that would change my life.

It was honestly the first time in my life that I prayed to God to do His will. I sat in a chair in my bedroom and my prayer went something like this:

“Dear God. If you want me to do this, I will. But I need help. Can you send help? Amen.”

Later that day I went for a late lunch with a friend and ended up in a restaurant at a table next to none other than Beth Moore!

God not only showed up, He showed off.

Beth and I talked for about thirty life-changing minutes. I wrote the proposal and long story short, ended up getting a job as a women’s ministry director. Me. The girl who (at that point) had never even read the Bible all the way through.

It’s been several years now and I’ve done so much more than read the Bible cover to cover. I have discovered my passion. I have discovered spiritual gifts. I have networked like crazy. I have found community. I have found my purpose and it’s not cleaning my house (although I still occasionally do that.)

So now, just five short years after that simple prayer, I am a full on Jesus-girl. I am an author at GodDots.com. I am a speaker. I am an advocate for women everywhere who worry that God can’t or won’t use them. I am a testament that it’s not only never too late, but that your greatest adventures are ahead of you.

I once dreamed about finding a purpose and God answered. He’s given me new dreams now that I am excited about and terrified by, but He has proven faithful in the past so why should this be any different? My dreams keep getting bigger, but so does my God. It’s a wild ride and I could cry I am so grateful.

Listen, if God could pluck a nobody like me out of obscurity and start making crazy, amazing things happen, then He can certainly do that for you, too. Don’t be afraid to dream. Don’t be afraid to go all in. You’ll never regret it. Your dream can change your life. In fact, you and your dream might just change the world. (<====Tweet this.)

Photo Credit: Larry Smith

Anne Watson is a fresh voice in women’s ministry. As a former perfectionist and sleep-in-on-Sundays girl, Anne is passionate about helping women love themselves for real. With humor, wit and biblical insight, Anne helps women connect the dots between God and their everyday lives. Read more from Anne at GodDots.com.

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Do you have a God-sized Dream story to tell? We’d love to have you share your journey with us!
Visit our Guest Post Submissions page to learn more!

This Is For The Dreamer-In-Denial Who Thinks God-Sized Dreams Are For Someone Else

April 27, 2015 By Elise Daly Parker 2 Comments

Do you dare to dream? Or do you think dreams are something only the really brave ones do? Or the extraordinary ones? Or the fools?

Today’s the day we’re staking claim to our dreams.

It’s time to STOP:

Making excuses.

Judging your dream.

Looking at her dream.

Pushing down your dreams.

Brushing off your dreams.

Today’s the day to explore your dream. To name it and claim it. If that scares you, that’s okay. Do it anyway. <==Click to Tweet

So what does your dream look like?

Is it something small and quiet? Something others may not even perceive if it comes true?
Is it huge and wild? An out-of-the-box idea that will forge a new path for you, for me, and maybe even for the world?
Is it a daydream? Something that creeps into the shadows as you let your mind wander?
Is it an idea or vision created in your imagination that does not seem real?
Is it new? Or something you have wanted very much to do, be, or have for a long time?

Today’s the day to stop denying yourself a good God-sized Dream.

You are worthy. You are chosen. You are called by God Himself to a purpose, a calling, a dream that He has planted only in you. If you don’t know what that is…then today I invite you, I ask you, I dare you to discover your dream. Just take a few little steps. Just start.

Start here and make a note of your answers:

What do you love to do?

What is the secret yearning that you wouldn’t dare share?

What have people always said about you? Asked of you? Appreciated about you?

What is unique, quirky, fun, different about you?

What are your Spiritual Gifts? (If you don’t know, you could take this FREE test here!)

Now give yourself the luxury of a few minutes to dream.

Get a cup of coffee or tea. Curl up in your cozy chair or lie down for a few minutes on your comfy couch. Grab your favorite throw. Do whatever it takes to relax, to give yourself space and time.
Take five deep breaths. Breathe in to the count of five and out to the count of seven. Release the tension in your body and the To-Do list, the distractions in your mind.
Invite God in. He is the author of your dreams. He is the Way of your dreams. He is the One who knows you and loves you more than you can imagine.
Go for it! Dream…
- What do you want to do?
- Where do you want to be?
- What do you think you were made for?
- If there were no obstacles – no fear, no financial hurdles, no time limits, no impossibilities, no naysayer (inside of you or outside of you) – what is your God-sized Dream? <==Click to Tweet
Give yourself 10 minutes to think about this (or more if you have the time).

Record your dream.

Get your journal, a notebook, start a folder, have Siri take a note, leave yourself a voice memo. It doesn’t have to be a novel, a few bullet points will do.

Now determine one step you can take toward your dream.

Just one step. That’s it. That’s how you begin.

You are now on your dream journey. Keep taking one achievable step after the next. You’ll face resistance. Your dream may change. Your dream may stall. Keep giving your dream space and time…always bringing it to God in prayer.

Just remember and believe with God by your side, all things are possible! (His Word, not mine)

I invite you to share your dream in the comments. I’d love to pray for you!

Shared by Elise Daly Parker

Dreams & Desire

March 13, 2015 By Kim Hyland 11 Comments

Dreams are birthed from desire. They’re sustained by desire too. But desire can be so elusive. One day I wake up with so much excitement about my dream I can’t hold it in. And another morning I can barely remember what my dream was.

Desire is suspicious, especially when we haven’t claimed our dream yet. Is it really a “God-sized” dream? Is it selfish? Is it unattainable? Am I up for it?

Sometimes the more we desire a thing, the more suspect that thing seems. But desire is the sprout that grows from the seed God plants in our heart. It might not look like much. It’s pretty fragile. But its green, fresh new life holds out the promise of something amazing. When we claim desire, we begin to nurture it, and it begins to grow. {<==click to tweet}

Along the way, we quickly learn that dreams are a lot of hard work. In the middle of all the sweat, we can forget the desire that brought us to the dream in the first place. There have been days when I haven’t really wanted my dream anymore. As I pondered this strange dichotomy, days my love and enthusiasm for my dream were abounding and days I despised my dream, I began to realize the role of desire.

When our dreams become disconnected from the original desire that birthed them, they begin to wilt. {<==click to tweet}

Let me use one of my own God-sized dreams as an example . . .

For years I dreamed of hosting a retreat for women. The dream was birthed out of a deep desire to create a weekend of community, safety, encouragement, and joy. I love encouraging women! Three years ago, I took the first feeble, excited steps toward making that dream come true, and Winsome was born!

That first year felt somewhat like skydiving. I just jumped and trusted my parachute (God). I was full of blissful ignorance and excitement. It was exhilarating!

The second year was hard. It felt more like a long climb up a steep mountain. I knew the view at the top was going to be worth it, but boy was it tough getting there.

This year has felt like labor. And like labor, there have been many times I would have walked away if I could have. But this baby is going to be born! So I keep breathing deep and remembering the joy of past retreats.

In the middle of some really rough patches, I’ve had to recover my desire. I often remind God that my hope has always been to write and speak, not to be an event planner. As you can imagine, there are a myriad of details that go into planning even just a weekend retreat. When those details are all I focus on, my desire gets lost.

So I’ve learned to ask myself this question . . . “To what end?” To what end is this endeavor? (A simpler way of asking could just be “Why?” but I like how pondering “To what end?” sounds). Asking this question brings me back to the beginning and back to my desire.

“To what end is Winsome?” “Why Winsome?”

Well that’s easy! I want to encourage women. I want to create a weekend of community, safety, encouragement, and joy. I love encouraging women!

And my desire is recovered. Suddenly, all those pesky details are infused with purpose. They become the means to a beautiful end, and I find strength to keep moving forward.

Has your desire got lost in the details of your God-sized dream? What was the desire that birthed your dream? How can that desire inform your labor?

Shared By: Kim Hyland

When You Are Ready to Succeed

February 20, 2015 By Melissa Aldrich 4 Comments

The word God gave me for 2015 was “Vulnerable.” I don’t like it at all. In fact, I may still be glaring up at heaven with my arms crossed and an “Oh, no, you didn’t” expression all over my face.

So let me go ahead and admit my deepest darkest dreamer secret: I’m afraid of succeeding.

I can sit down and write a marketing plan. I can crunch numbers until I know exactly how many pennies I need to make to meet my financial goal. I can dream a mean dream. I can take your dream and give you a 13 step plan to success! I can even write a post on how my job is obedience and God is in charge of even the definition of success.

Yet, I can’t shake the fear of success. And the fear of success brings with it the obvious temptation to fall into inaction.

Or to say it more succinctly: When I fear success and don’t act as I should, I am disobeying. (<====Click to Tweet)

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My little Aeralind is just like me.

Aeralind and her twin Bronwyn are in the process of learning to ride bicycles. Today Bronwyn nailed the 25-foot ride. Check it out! (yes, we did slap a helmet on that head right after this video. We didn’t expect her to do it!)

Aeralind mastered the jump-off-the-bicycle-as-soon-as-daddy-tries-to-let-go move (sorry, no video!). She’s not scared so much of falling, but of turning around and seeing that her daddy is no longer holding her safe.

I know Aeralind understands she is capable of riding that bike without training wheels. However, she’s not sure she wants it bad enough to fight for it and do it her own way despite the opinions of others. She’s scared of both the changes inherent in success and what others think about her journey.

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I am capable of getting up at 6:00 a.m. and working my tail off on business and marketing tasks.

I am capable of finishing my marketing class.

I am capable of taking the chance that this little business will cover the cost of two-day preschool for the youngest, so I have to time to invest to grow my business.

I am capable of sharing my heart freely and vulnerably with you even though I’m scared.

I am capable of much, but I am scared of the changes, of the journey, and of what God will make success look like.

I’m done being scared. I’m strapping on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of the gospel of peace and I’m mounting this bicycle of a dream and going to pedal hard and fast.

If I fall, I just have to trust that my Daddy will be there proud of my attempts and ready to give me a good cuddle.

Shared By: Melissa Aldrich

Worth the Risk

January 21, 2015 By Kim Hyland 10 Comments

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Dreams. They inspire and challenge. But dreams can also have a negative connotation. Consider statements like…

“Quit dreaming.”

“She’s just a dreamer.”

Dreams are often met with cynicism, because they’re risky. They upset the “status quo.” They’re not safe.

In his book, Take the Risk, author and neurosurgeon Ben Carson points out the obsession our culture has with safety, while at the same time its fascination with risk as evidenced by the popularity of reality TV shows.

This is the same way our culture tends to view dreams. They make good stories, but only a lucky few really get to live their dreams. The rest of us will live safe, sound, and be satisfied with the dreams of sleep.

It’s true. Dreams are dangerous. But so is living life without them. {<==click to tweet}

What are your dreams? Do you have any, or have life’s realities snuffed them out? Has your practical side convinced you to grow up, set aside your dreams, and live a safe life? {<==click to tweet}

I believe our dreams come from God. They’re not made of pie-in-the-sky wishes, butterflies, and daisies, but of dirt, rocks, and hard work.

And tears.

And hope.

And miracles.

We are stewards of our dreams. {<==click to tweet} God has planted them deep in our hearts for our pleasure and His plans. But I didn’t always think this way. In fact, up until a few years ago, I esteemed feet planted firmly on solid ground much higher than I did a heart set free to imagine and dream of what could be.

A lot of things happened, but the gist of it is this…my kids taught me how to dream. Watching them pursue their passions and gifts, walking beside them, and even helping open some doors for them gave me the courage to reconsider dreams I’d shelved years ago.

Like writing a book. Hosting a women’s retreat. Creating a non-profit.

So the last few years I’ve nurtured these dreams, watered them with fragile faith, and taken steps that were risky and bold. And guess what?!

My dreams sprouted!

Some have even grown tall and are bearing fruit.

And that safe life I thought I had…I realized it really wasn’t as safe as I’d thought.

Because living “safe” from the best things in life – the life I’m meant to live, complete with dreams coming true – is not what I’m here for.

And while they don’t always turn out as expected, my dreams are meant to come true and so are yours. So take the risk!

Shared By: Kim Hyland