God likes to use the unexpected person to do the most amazing things in life. What is the likelihood of a shepherd taking a stone and using his slingshot to kill a 9 foot giant? Yet God did that very thing through the story of David and Goliath.
A God-sized dream can feel GIGANTIC and too enormous to fulfill. God-sized dreams often take us out of our comfort zone. Yet, if we stop and take a deep breath, we realize we have all the resources we need to start our God-sized dream.
God has been preparing you for this dream all of your life. None of the detours were truly dead ends. There may be a few U turns or 3 point turns, but all the roads are leading to what God planted in your heart the day you were knitted in your mother’s womb.
David was destined to be a king, yet he started off as a shepherd who stood on guard to protect his family’s livestock. He spent his days picking out the perfect rocks, practicing his precision with his slingshot, and staring his fear in the eyes. David was prepared to fight off intruders even before he met his over 9 foot giant, named Goliath.
The story of David and Goliath taught me three life lessons for God-sized dreaming.
1. Be You.
As Goliath taunted King Saul and his army to come out and fight him, they were all fearful of the 9 foot giant. They were feeling defeated, yet David believed he could take on the giant. When King Saul suggested David put on his armor, David did at first but it was clear that it was too big for David. Then David did something extremely risky, he went out to fight Goliath with no armor on.
It was like David was declaring, “I’m not a solider. I’m a shepherd. I will attack Goliath the same way I would attack an intruder in my field. I will use my rocks and sling shot.”
Like David, I am not Fashionista. I’m a Tomboy by nature. I don’t wear make-up or jewelry on most days. Jewelry for me is a special occasion item. Yet God has called me to be a jewelry designer because he gave me an artistic eye. Society and marketing majors would recommend that I rock my jewelry everyday but that’s not me. God called me to this God-sized dream which means it’s okay for me not to wear jewelry every day.
2. Focus on the target not the size of the problem.
When David prepared to send his rock to Goliath’s skull, he had to focus on where he was planning to send the rock. He had to concentrate on the skull and not focus on the size of Goliath. He had to narrow in on what mattered most, hitting the mark.
David was fierce and confident in his ability to protect his flock. Yet I can’t imagine the amount of courage it took to use those very same skills to slay a 9 foot Giant. Until I stop and think about my God-sized dream of loving big on orphans.
There are over 147 million orphans and abandoned children in the world. When I look at just the number, my giant seems like it is a gazillion feet tall.
Yet when I take my eyes off the enormity of the problem and focus on just a child I can serve, the depth in which I can make an impact does not seem insurmountable anymore. Having a dream of connecting with 40 orphans and abandoned children is my way of slinging rocks at the large number.
I am choosing to focus on the target and not the size of the problem.
3. You can do incredible things with few resources.
Creating new things for Clothed in Love is a labor of love. Especially on those days when I spill beads all over the floor and I have to start again on the jewelry piece. I often pray for God to give me a new design or pattern so I can create something people will buy. I’m a self-taught jewelry designer. I often give God praise for the amazing Do -It-Yourself community who love to share their skills and techniques.
I use my hands to honor God. I create jewelry to raise funds for orphans. I use part of my income to support Clothed in Love. I use my free time to work for Clothed in Love. I use what I have to honor God. That’s what did David right?
You have EVERYTHING you need to start living your God Sized Dream. You just need to take the first step and trust that God is going to be there every step of the way.
Shared by: Delonna Gibbs
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This week we’re sharing how we can trust that God’s given us just what we need for our God-sized dream.
Share your story on your blog and link up with other God-sized dreamers below.
{For those who don’t have a blog, we invite you to share in the comments or on Facebook.}
We want to share your tweets and Facebook posts, so make sure to use #Godsizeddreams or tag us.
Let’s all display the link up photo so we can find each other! Click here for link.
Next week, we ask, “How can you make time for your God-sized dream?”
We’ll meet back here next Tuesday and share our posts and comments.
{Prompts are from Chapters 8 and 9 of Holley’s devotional, Opening the Door to Your God-Sized Dream.}
Delonna,
I wrote from David’s Psalms last night, letting me know this was a God-thing. I am so grateful that God has always provided everything we need to move forward, even if we don’t always remember it.
Thank you for this blessed assurance…this confirmation arrived just at the right time.
WOW! I love that God used me to give you confirmation this morning. JUMPING UP AND DOWN over here Chelle. I love to read how God is moving among us and transforming our lives. He is a faithful and loving God. He who has begun a good work in you will finish it 🙂 He will take all of our brokenness and make it a beautiful mosaic. Keep leaning in. God has so much more to show you. Love you girl!
I really enjoyed this post. I like that you remind us why being who God created us to be is so important. If David had gone to the battle in someone else’s armor, it would have been cumbersome and a hindrance. Some days I get lost in “if I could do ___ like her, then I could succeed.” But the truth is that God created me to fight the battle wearing my own armor!
I also tend to get distracted by the size of the problem instead of the one “starfish” that I can help. This post is right on time!
Stacy – yes, girl God designed you to be just that YOU 🙂 He put certain skills and flares in your life that only you can bring to the world. Don’t hide your light, SHINE IT so all the world can see it. God needs you to shine brightly and so does the world. I am so glad you stopped by and showed some comment love. Thank you!
Delona,
Aligning your story with David’s in scripture is inspiring! Praying for you on your journey to help spread love to those who are hurting.
Thanks Valerie for your words of encouragement and prayers. I am trusting that God will do some amazing things with these hands and feet of mine. My heart for orphans came from him so I’m expecting some pretty cool things to happen in the lives we serve. I am so glad you stopped by.
Oh, amen, sister! I am so proud to call you friend! Just step out onto the water, into the person God made you to be, with eyes on Him and His power. Love this post so much, Delonna!
Thanks Mandy! I will continue to keep my eyes on Jesus and watch him do some amazing things. My knees might knock a little or lot on those really hard days but I am going to continue to trust him for his promise. I love that we get to walk this journey together 🙂
Delonna,
I love this & how you used David’s example! The one part that really spoke to me in the BE YOU section was this: It was like David was declaring, “I’m not a solider. I’m a shepherd. I will attack Goliath the same way I would attack an intruder in my field. I will use my rocks and sling shot.”
Sometimes, when our dreams are new & we’re still seeking God for direction, it’s easy to look at someone’s dream and “try it on” for size. Yet, that’s not how God wants our dreams fulfilled-He gave the dream to US to fulfill a specific purpose & it just might not look like the dream of anyone else!
Thank you so much for sharing-always love reading your posts! So excited for you & how your dream is unfolding!! ♥
Satin,
There are days when it feels like being a copy cat of someone’s else dream is the expected route. Yet God is teaching me that I’m an original and he wants me to be me 🙂 I am so glad my words were encouraging to you today. Happy to be walking this journey with you.
L
Oops. That’s what happens when you hit something you didn’t intend to on the keyboard!
Anyway, love this!! I sometimes wonder how on earth I am going to accomplish what God has tasked me (me! lil ol’ me!) to do. Thank you for providing David as a prime example and role model!
It is in the LITTLE ole me’s that He works most miraculous Ashley! Thanks for coming over!
Very nice writing.
Oh my word so amazing!! Thank you for this, especially today. Such a beautiful reminder of how He does great and mighty with so very seemingly small 🙂
I so agree with Satin about the idea of “be you”! We are uniquely created, each with our own set of talents, passions, skills and dreams. Isn’t it just like God to take a “tom boy” and give her an artistic eye and flair for creating jewelry? I love that! He breaks the mold of expectation and does exceedingly, abundantly more 🙂 Your third point also resonates with me. When God nudged me toward outreach ministry in my community I had no background, no training, no team and a whopping budget of $250. Four short years later, we are a team of more than a dozen who have coordinated more than half a dozen major outreaches (and many smaller ones) with enough funds to run them. This spring alone I am so excited about partnering with a home for unwed moms, life skill classes at a local homeless shelter, a community garden on the church property to benefit a local food bank, and a workday where 200 volunteers will go to about 18 different non-profits, organizations and schools to do service projects. God has blessed this ministry unbelievably! The church’s pastoral staff supports it and the church body “gets it” and is being challenged and changed as they reach out to others. People who don’t “do church” are attending because they want to help in the community, but they’re finding God in the process. And those we serve are learning that God – and His people – love them “no strings attached”. God bless you and those your are serving, and thank you for sharing some of your story, it’s so encouraging!
Thank you Delonna, for that get illustration of David , he knew who he was at the moment others doubted his capabilities!
I know I need to honor God more in my abilities as a quilter,knitter and crocheted…I belonged to the church quilt ministry till work got in the way. As of just yesterday my job got eliminated and I can see where I will have more time to devote to what God has for me to do for His Glory!