Dream On

Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

Psalm 37:1-6

Not long ago, my husband registered for the test to become a professional ski instructor. He studied fastidiously. He logged his hours. He read. He made flash cards. He worked really hard. Becoming a professional ski instructor is a dream my husband has nursed for decades. And then, one day, we packed the car and we drove thirteen hours to Michigan so he could take the test on the hill where he’d first learned to ski.

He was nervous. I was confident. He was cautious about making predictions. I told him he was going to pass without the slightest bit of trouble. The testing took two days and, in the end, he walked away with a certificate and a pin, and the title of Professional Ski Instructor.

I know the idea of following your dreams often gets a bad rap. I know some people think it’s foolish to keep going after some things. Sometimes, those people make me rethink the whole “follow your dreams” thing. But I always end up right back in the same place: I honestly believe God gives us the desires of our hearts. Not in some kind of “name it and claim it” theology. And certainly not in a way that promises life will be a bed of roses.

But, if you’ve got something stirring in your heart, and it keeps agitating your hope and making it rise to the surface, I say pay attention to that thing. Keep offering that thing up to God. After all, what if that dream was put there by God?

Live fully in the season where you find yourself right now, and trust that God holds your future in his hands. Be responsible. Pay your bills. Treat people kindly. And also, make space for your dreams, and for the dreams of those around you.

We get one life. This world only gets one you.

You’ve heard all the prompts before. The ones that sound like, “If you could do anything and you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would it be?” or “What’s on your bucket list?” or “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Look around you. The world is short on dreamers right now, is it not? We’ve got fear and anger and name-calling and finger-pointing elevated to an art. But dreaming? Wouldn’t that be something, huh?

Something to Think About:

Tell me the thing that stirs your heart. What would happen if you gave it more space? What are the dreams of the people you love?

Something to Do:

Figure out what the first step would be toward making your dream come true. Take that step and see what happens.

Prayer:

God, you are the giver of dreams and the source of my hope. This year, give me courage enough to take the first step toward realizing the dreams you have put in my heart. Amen.