Have You Stopped Dreaming?
If your dreams don’t scare you, then they aren’t big enough.
Do you believe that having a vision, a dream for your future is important?
This past year, I attended an online live business training where the focus was on preparing your business message, vision, and dream for the future. Our business coach asked us to write it down and then leave a comment in the live feed. Imagine your dream; with no limits. Anything is possible. What did we see for ourselves and what would that look like?
As I listened and read all the live comments scroll by filled with all the dreams of the women attending this training; I just felt paralyzed. I had nothing. I suddenly realized that at some point,
I stopped dreaming.
I experienced a moment of shock. I used to dream. I used to envision what I wanted, what I saw for my future, and for my family. But at some point, I just settled. I don’t even know when I stopped dreaming but if I were to guess, it was probably in the midst of juggling kids, family, business, work, home, and ministry life. These things naturally began to take precedence and it was easier to push and stay in survival mode and just get through the day. In the midst of it all the buysness, it was easier to encourage my friends and women I met and I found myself becoming everyone’s cheerleader…encouraging other women to reach for the stars. I loved helping them to realize their worth and their potential. And while there is nothing wrong with that, I lost sight of myself.
It was easier to come alongside a friend and help them achieve their dream rather than be disappointed if I did not achieve mine.
But, If I were to dig a little deeper…
And really be honest with myself. I would have to admit that busyness was just a cover up and this is why…
I believe that fear is a BIG dream thief.
I have had many fears. Fear of failure. Fear of growing my business too fast. Fear of success. Fear of rejection. Fear of letting others down, just to name a few. Fear can be crippling and paralyze you. (Read my blog here on fear and uncertain times and how to overcome here).
Fear can keep you from your purpose and living out your passion.
Toward the end of 2019, my sister and I went on a business trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma where we learned about our limiting beliefs and the glass ceiling these beliefs create in our life. This glass ceiling prevented me from reaching my dream; it was just out of reach because I didn’t realize that I had come to believe some things about myself that simply were not true. The only way to break that glass ceiling was to acknowledge the false/limiting belief and replace it with truth.
And start dreaming again.
But is it wrong for Christian Women to dream?
That is a good and valid question. My answer,
“No it’s not wrong…and don’t just dream girl!!! DREAM BIGGER!!!!”
Let me tell you a story about Abraham in the Bible. Abraham, referred to as Abram in this narrative, was concerned because his wife, Sarah, was barren and he had no heir.
Why is this important?
In this time, it was important to have an heir to pass on the family legacy. There was no currency. All they had was their livestock, perhaps some things of value, and their belongings. An heir was needed to pass this responsibility onto, preferably your own child in order to preserve the lineage and the family legacy.
So, Abraham had a dream or a vision and the Lord said to him,
“Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
Now Abram’s response,
“O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
Shut the front door. Did Abraham just ask God, “what will you give me?”, right after God, creator of the heavens and the earth and everything in it, just said to him, “your reward shall be very great.” Stop to think about this for a moment.
Talk about thinking small!!!
Please do not let your current circumstance keep you from seeing all that God has for your future!!!!!
God said to Abram, Fear not. I am your shield. Your reward will be…not just great…but VERY GREAT!!!
Abram could not see past his current reality to the promise God had for him and his future.
I cannot help but wonder if God had a deep sigh, parent moment as Abram spoke these words to him. Especially when Abram went on to say,
“Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”
Can you hear it now….(long pause, deep sigh), ……but God, in his mercy and boundless grace responded to Abram’s small thinking and limiting beliefs and said,
“This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.”
And then, something amazing happened…..
God brought Abram outside and said,
“Look toward the heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.”
Let’s pause right here.
Can you even begin to number the stars??? Visualize all the stars in your mind…the vastness of the universe and all that’s in it. Imagine yourself lying in the grass under the brilliance of the stars in awe and wonder.
Can you see it?
Then God said to him,
“So shall your offspring be.”
Boom. Mic drop. I love how God does that!!!
Abram asked for God to give him one son. God gave him a nation.
Girl, we have got to start dreaming BIGGER.
Taking a step back, I cannot help but wonder at how many deep, sigh parent moments God has with me in my lifetime???
I can only imagine.
So my question now is, what is holding you back?
What is keeping you from dreaming and pursuing your dream?
It’s very important to think about this. Do not skip this step. Write down anything that has in the past or currently is hindering your from pursuing your dreams.
Sometimes our greatest hurdle is our self worth.
Do you feel unworthy?
Understanding your worth.
Listen, you could tell me all day long good things about me. My good qualities, my gifts, and what a great person I am. BUT, it wasn’t until I understood my worth through the eyes of God that I actually believed, I am worthy.
Worthy of love.
Worthy of forgiveness.
Worthy of acceptance.
And Worthy as His child.
God’s Word has a lot to say about our worth. Let’s take a moment and look at some key scriptures about how God sees you.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing” Zephaniah 3:17
Listen, some of us are still holding onto our past.
Shame about what we’ve done or what has been done to us can hold us captive. But God says, our sins are forgiven and that nothing, NO THING, can separate us from His love.
It’s time to be set free.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”2 Corinthians 5:17
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”Jeremiah 1:5
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of Life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1-39
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8
Now receive this…You are precious in His sight.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9
“Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:7
“He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Ephesians 1:6,7
“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:11, 12
It’s time to stop living in the bondage of the past and move into the freedom we have been given in Christ Jesus. Satan would love for us to stay paralyzed with fear because then we are not fulfilling God’s purpose for our life. It is time to break free and move into His purpose for our lives. Until this truth sinks deep into the soul…it’s going to be hard to break through that glass ceiling. It’s going to be hard to hear truth. God open our eyes to see as you see and our ears to hear and understand truth.
Still don’t believe me that God wants you to keep dreaming?
In Habakkuk 2:2, God said,
“Write down the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who reads it may run.”
When we seek God, He will give us a vision for our future. It’s important to write it down so that we:
won’t forget it.
can set goals to achieve it.
Proverbs 29:18 says that,
“Where there is no vision the people perish, but happy is he who keeps the teaching.”
So write your dreams down. Pursue them. And teach others what you have learned!!!!
Be purposeful.
Be intentional
.And don’t give up.
Surround yourself with people who will encourage and uplift you.
Know your tribe.
When I rededicated my life to Christ fifteen years ago, I realized that I had little to no support system. That was a hard reality. But, as I pressed in and pursued God, He began to place others in my life who came alongside me to help me. We need people to come alongside us as we pursue our dream!!! For me, that was hard because it forced me out of my comfortable places. I had to step out in faith and go out and find a church, join learning groups, and I started a small group. In that process I found women who also had a dream and vision for their future. I found women who were excited and they encouraged me.
So don’t be afraid to step out in faith and build a community of women that will help you in this faith journey.
Final word.
Child of God, there will be ups and downs. There will be victories and failures. It’s all part of the growth process. Everything you learn will only help you become stronger in your faith and equip you to be an encouragement to others. There will be days you feel discouraged, but it’s in these valleys that we meet God, who faithfully walks with us and gives us strength to keep moving forward.
This isn’t religion. It’s all about relationship so pursue your dream and don’t every allow anyone to tell you that you are not worthy or worth it.
Don’t bypass writing down your dream and don’t lose sight of who you are serving. Don’t sell yourself short because your time is worth it; your dream is worth it. Your family and your children are worth it. But most importantly, you are worthy. You have value. You are special. Your purpose and motivation is beautiful! So reach for the stars!!!!
And don’t stop dreaming!!!!!
This is our Dreamer Necklace with a custom initial charm. Such a beautiful reminder to keep dreaming and reach for the stars!
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We found this company called Sweet Water Decor and fell in love with their message which is to inspire women to go after their dreams!!! This daily journal is super cute and a great way to begin journaling your dreams and set goals for yourself!
