Dream Big:

Something fun about children is that they can dream, and they can dream BIG. Their ideas and thoughts may seem silly, and they may seem crazy to us adults at times. I know that I was this way as a young kid. I was going to be the most famous pop star in the world if you would have asked me about my future aspirations as a 5-year-old. However, as I got older, I didn’t believe that dream as much. I even stopped doing auditions as I got older for different singing opportunities because I didn’t want to go through the heartbreak if I didn’t get the part or the solo.

I also sometimes struggle to dream big about my faith and where my faith in the Lord can take me. “I can’t tell that person about the Lord. They will never listen to me, and then they may even hate me.” or “I can’t speak at church because I have nothing important to say.” Lastly, a big one for me, “I can’t write anything of value. No one will want to read what I have to say.” Do any of these sound familiar to you? Do you have doubts or disbelief in your ability to share God’s word? Sadly, these are thoughts that sneak into my head way too often. I feel overwhelmed by everything I can’t do, so I quickly forget what I can do, or what God can help me achieve through himself.

Recently, I came across the verse 1 Corinthians 2:9, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.”  We can be so small-minded as adults.  This is why the Lord tells his disciples to think more like children.  We need to be willing to believe that God can do amazing things, even when using us, his followers.  He has used just ordinary people in the past before in the Bible as well as using everyday people now.  He uses their talents and their desires to do amazing things, even when they themselves would have never seen it as possible.

One example of God using an ordinary human to do amazing things is, of course, the story of David.  Granted, you may say, “He was a King.  He wasn’t an ordinary human.”  This is true.  He was a king, but of course, before that, he was a shepherd boy.  Let me rephrase, he was a small and young shepherd boy.  He was so young and so small that he was not invited to be a part of the military, only his older brothers were. David was simply bringing his brothers their lunches.  When he was done bringing the lunch, that is when he noticed that there was a huge giant that all the other soldiers were afraid of.  Then after talking to the king, David was the one who would go up against that giant, Goliath, and would take him down with a simple stone and slingshot.  

An example in our more modern world that is especially important to me would be Jay and Anne, the founders of the nonprofit, the Bridge of Storm Lake.  I love this organization, and I often talk about how much I love it throughout my blog posts.  Jay and Anne opened up their porch to the neighborhood kids because they saw that these kids needed love and Jesus.  Through a few years and other people helping, the nonprofit, the Bridge of Storm Lake was born and now we have a summer team every year for college students to learn how to be leaders and are serving anywhere between 50-70 kids on a regular basis.  We are reaching them in their neighborhoods, seeing what they need, and showing them love.  God used this small town and a heart for helping children and created a great nonprofit for the town of Storm Lake.  

My challenge for you this week is to write a page or two about your dreams.  I know some of you don’t like journaling or writing.  But I want you to get your dreams out there.  I want you to think about the dreams you have stored in your heart that you haven’t put out into the world before.   The dreams that you have, that you don’t always believe could actually happen.  What has God laid on your heart that may seem impossible right now? Then I suggest you pray about these dreams.  You just may never know what the Lord has planned for you next.  

I have shared some of my dreams throughout my blog posts in the past. One of my biggest dreams is to publish a book or multiple books. I want to be a writer, and I want to continue writing my blogs for many people to read on a regular basis. I want my words to inspire other believers as so many other writers have inspired me. Another dream of mine is to work for a nonprofit someday. I am really passionate about working in anti-trafficking organizations. I love working for those kinds of organizations and helping/donating in any way that I can. It is sometimes hard for me to really see that all in my future, but I will pray that the Lord will use me in the best way. Maybe my dreams just may come true. Maybe yours will too. Maybe we will receive something even better than we could have ever imagined possible.