Nothing is Impossible
“Without
vision my people perish.” Proverbs 29:18
“What
is your big dream for this coming year?” We asked our readers. Funny, I asked
something similar during one of my holiday dinners. While I had grandiose
plans, a co-worker simply said, “I hope to get through the second year of my
mother’s death and all the decisions surrounding the home on the coast she left
me.” Another just wanted to hang onto his job for the year. I understand their
hope-frozen state of mind.
When
my baby daughter was in the hospital dying from cancer, a friend came to visit.
During lunch she had the nerve to ask, “What is your vision for the future? What
are your dreams?” All I could think was, How
can you ask me such a thing; all I can think of is my family? Yet, it was just the prescription I needed:
focus on something beyond the temporary roadblock.
Without
Christ, the hope of glory, I’m near-sighted. With Him, there is no dream too
big, nor too small. My big 2014 dream is physical in nature: walk the Santiago
pilgrimage trek from southern France to the St. James cathedral on the coast of
Spain with my eldest brother. Not for religious reasons but for relationship. I
want to get to know my brother better. I also get to know the heart of the seekers and the natives we meet along the way.
Spiritual,
I want to embrace a deeper level of who my Master Creator is. I want to
experience another one of God’s European counties—the dawns and dusts of his rising and
setting sun. I want to taste the fruit of the Spanish vineyards, walk the dusty
roads of past and present all the while praying and pouring out what God equips
me to release. I want to be his secret missionary interceding for all I see
and meet.
No
matter what the dream—fun, small, huge or hard—I lean on the verse from Luke:
“Nothing is impossible for God.”
Wednesday, January 01, 2014
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Sit Down you're Rocking the Boat
you might just walk on water.
A new deposit of hope.
A fresh start.
This is prime dreaming time for me. And I've got some BIG ones going into this year.
Watching my five-year-old nephew building things this Christmas with his assortment of legos had me questioning my tinkering tendencies. I had this realization that just as my nephew loves tinkering and building with blocks - I too love tinkering and building - but with ideas, strategies and structures. I think innovation might just be one of my love languages.
But it's one thing to dream about how to bring new innovations into my classroom, for instance, or in getting a book published, or renovating a home - then to actually stand up and do it.
Pursuing dreams sometimes means you have to stand up and rock the boat a little - or a lot.
Pursuing dreams sometimes means you have to entertain the impossible as possible, long enough to get that foot out onto the water.
And rocking the boat, or entertaining the impossible, are not always the easy route to take.
Confession: I want to live a life "leaning on my beloved." To actually make decisions and actions based on the belief that there is an Almighty God co-laboring with me, wanting to be a part of my life of dreams - ready to meet me in the journey. Ready to meet me out on the water.
I don't want fear to keep me in the boat.
I want to be able to let go of things that seem to bring stability, but keep me from the fullness of life Christ died to give me.
How about you?
What are you willing to rock the boat for?
What are you willing to rock the boat for?
Lord, I pray you would release a gift of faith to Your people this year. Give clarity to our eyes for the dreams of this season. Give courage to our hearts to trust You with the impossible. And when all is said and done, take all the glory, Father - that the world would know who You are and the love you have for us, inviting us into a life filled with your wonders.
Monday, December 30, 2013
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Voyage of the Dream Tracker
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain
I, like Joline, don't have any sailing experience. But the imagery is quite lovely. I love the quote above by Twain. It paints such a powerful picture of the connection between man and the powerful unseen. For a sailor is ultimately at the mercy of the wind and the sea - a captain of his ship, but merely a co-laborer with the forces of nature. But oh, the adventure.
To give yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit requires a leap of faith. Let's face it, we often have our own plans; sometimes we are rather fond of our plans, or worked hard for them and letting God redirect us can cause apprehension. Here's something I like to keep in mind with Holy Spirit at the helm - He always wants what's best for us -He's on our side. I find the more I get to know who God is, the more trusting I am when he leads me to do things that remind me of jumping off a cliff.
In my life right now, I see Holy Spirit filling my sails for a adventure in writing. I love writing, and although I dream about releasing stories to the masses, it's really been just a hobby. Right now, the Lord is challenging me to consider what it would look like to really take hold of my time and use it to invest in this passion - and to believe Him that beautiful things could come from this journey. Going after your dreams can be intimidating because what tends to live in the realm of imagination is being pulled into reality - an often bumpy transition.
How do you steward what God is blowing on in your life? If you have favor with certain people or in certain situations, consider why God is blowing you into those situations and opening doors. How can you let your light shine there? How can you expand His kingdom there?
And the question the Holy Spirit has been blowing into my heart of late,
"What are you waiting for?"
He's ready to chase a dream or two. How about you?
Thursday, July 25, 2013
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Ask for Dreams
"Never give up on your dreams!" Blech.
Until I turned 40.
Then, I was all, "Wait just a gosh darn minute! Why is it silly to dream about reaching some life goals that have been tucked away for years????"
So, I unpacked them.
Dreams are not pointless. Just ask Joseph.
I began to pray. To pray about who and how God had created me. To ponder how I could glorify him through reaching some of dreams I was afraid to voice. I began asking Him to help me pursue some fears and evict them from my soul.
Since 2010 I have watched God turn my life upside down by replacing my default fear mode with the courage to live. A new career. Being recognized in Pittsburgh for an acting role, taking a 20th anniversary dream trip with my husband, being just 3 months away from paying off every bit of credit card debt we have. These seemed so far away and unreachable before I asked God for help.
He designs dreams. He is the GPS to reach them.
Key word for both ascertaining and reaching one's dreams?
ASK.
Joline Atkins is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
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Banter with Bradford
For our avid DFF readers, you will recall
that I was once a descendant of William Bradford.
Our relational ties lasted only a few weeks,
until Ancestry.com revealed someone’s misplaced green leaf, and my connection
to the man who risked life and love leading a small band of believers overseas
on the Mayflower was severed.
Alas, we move on.
But, if given the chance to sit down and have
a chat with someone from history, he would still be on my list.
“Bradford,” I’d begin, “what in the world
were you thinking, man?”
It still boggles my mind the courage of this
small band of pioneers to get on a boat and sail to America in search of
religious freedom, let alone be the man who is leading the charge, watching
your friends and family fall victim to the hardship of the journey. “What were you dreaming with God, Will? What
confidence did He give you to motivate you to embark on such a journey?”
I often wonder if I would have had what it
took to get on that boat.
Sometimes I wonder if I have the courage to
get on the boats God is putting before me now.
Impossible dreams make for great adventures.
And sometimes a small group of believers can
help birth a nation.
Imagine what courage for your dreams might
birth?
“It was to the astonishment of many and almost to the
wonder of the world, that from so small a beginning such great things should ensue, as in due time was manifested; and that
there should be resting place for so many of the Lord's people here, when so
sharp a scourge had come upon their own nation. But it was the Lord's
doing, and it ought to be marvellous in our eyes.” - William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth
Thursday, September 13, 2012
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At Your Service
My body was done. We had climbed long hills and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Nashville prior to the final leg of our first half marathon. But by mile 8, my feet were screaming and weariness had set in. I was running on little fuel as nerves hadn't allowed me to eat much the night before nor prior to the race. I was feeling it now.
Months before my dear friend had asked me if I would train with her to run the Nashville half marathon. Neither of us were what you would call "athletic." It was a dream of hers and I think I had something to prove to myself. So we began months of training, encouraging each other, praying for each other. It was an incredible journey.
When fatigue set in at mile 8, discouragement quickly followed. My friend had hit a great stride and appeared be floating down the course. I couldn't keep up. It took all I had to keep her in eye sight to watch her cross the finish line. I puttered in after her, gathered up some snacks and found the first place to fall out on the ground. Exhausted.
I remember the weeks that followed as I returned to the treadmill how I wrestled with discouragement. I didn't realize how much I had envisioned crossing the finish line together, and how disappointed I was in myself that after so much training I just couldn't keep up at the end. And it was here, as my feet pounded the belt, that Jesus showed me His grace and wisdom. He began to ask me how it felt to watch the transformation in my friend as we trained, to understand this dream in her heart and to be in a position to champion her in her journey. My heart began to soften as I took the focus off of myself, and onto my friend, and the privilege it was to run beside her. I recognized that I received a great gift that day. I got to see her cross the finish line - something that would have been harder to do had I been right beside her. I literally got to stand back and watch the moment when my friend achieved her dream - and that was worth the whole journey for me.
I think God gives us unique opportunities to serve the dreams of those around us. Whose dreams are you serving? Do you really know what your neighbor, your brother, your small group member dream about? Do you know you may have just the resource, the time, the words of encouragement to help them achieve that dream? Let us consider this week how we might serve those around us. It might just begin with asking them a simple question.
What are you dreaming about?
"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
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Summer School
Leave it to the teacher to drag us back to the classroom.
We have about two more weeks until summer break at my school. You might have guessed that had you seen the extremely excitable children bouncing around my classroom of late. Summer, for many, brings schedule shifts - whether it's adapting to kids being out of school, planning a trip, or weekends simply filling with summertime activities. While one classroom will be closing down for me, another one will be in full session for the duration of the summer. I just got my class schedule, and I can't wait! Here's a sneak peek...
Home Economics 101. Perusing Pinterest to find new healthy, quick meals and taking each for a test spin. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20(NASB)
Bible and Fellowship 203. Dusting off some unfinished Bible studies and meeting once a week with roommates to share what God is teaching us.
"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Acts 2:42(NASB)
Dreaming with God 301. Add a few more dreams to the dream list. Spend some time with the Lord discovering what makes me come alive and make some goals to reaching some short term dreams. Check visit Yosemite off of my dream list.
"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." Ephesians 3:20 (Message)
Worship 202. Tuning up the old six string and learning my favorite worship songs from the year.
"I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High." Psalm 7:17(NASB)
Trails 102. Hitting the local trails where I can celebrate the beauty of God's creation.
"Let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exalt, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD." Psalm 96:11-13(NASB)
Thursday, May 24, 2012
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Permission Granted: Dream at Will
Last fall I had the privilege of participating in a Sunday School class at my church. The whole premise of the class was dreaming with God – our first challenge? Spend some time with the Lord and write down 100 dreams. (Confession: I haven’t gotten to 100 yet, but I will!). I remember so fondly the second week we met, where our teachers asked the class if anyone wanted to share some of their dreams.
When one of the teachers began to ask him questions about this dream he shared about a dear friend who had passed away and how the loss had really impacted him with the reality of how short life is and the need for people to know Jesus. He wanted to start a pomegranate farm because farming was a gift of his, pomegranates (he had researched) were profitable, and because it would put him into relationship with buyers, drivers, and workers with whom he could share the love of Jesus. I had to dry my tears. I was struck by how unique our dreams are and how beautiful they are to the Lord.
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Phil 2:12,13)
He has given you dreams. Dreams, that believe it or not, please Him. Some of our dreams are simply inspiring – like ending human trafficking or discipling an entire nation. Others, we may think, are second rate or even selfish, like owning that dream car or passing our driver’s test. It is not what the dream is that matters so much, God can use anything to serve His purposes, rather it is the process of dreaming that draws us closer to Him and reflects His character to those around us. Dreaming is about relationship.
And if you haven’t gotten it yet, let me release you now - you have PERMISSION to dream wildly with Jesus, to fall more in love with Him, and bring the world along on your journey of abundant life. You never know how your dreams, might release others to dream!
From glory to glory. Dream on!
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Super Size this devo: There truly is so much more to think about concerning this topic, so I wanted to leave you a few resources for your perusal.
Two highly recommended reads :
Dreaming with God by Bill Johnson
Check out these facebook groups for testimonies and encouragement from other dreaming brothers and sisters: "Bethel Church DreamCulture", "Dream Culture"
Sara Rust is your server this week! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
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No Dugouts in the Field of Dreams
One thing I’ve discovered about my little journey of dreaming with God is – there’s no sitting on the sidelines. Writing your dreams down is only a first step. But what do you do next? You pursue them - and anticipate God meeting you in the journey. God is really fond of doing things WITH you.
Exhibit A. After graduating from college in 2003, one of my dreams was to be free from student loan debt. Feeling called to the mission field, and in turn a meager income, I knew this dream could take 30+ to walk out. Regardless, I simply set out to begin paying off my loans. For sake of space I will spare you all of the delightful details, except the last one. In five years God had provided in such a way that I was completely debt free. I had been paying what I could on a monthly basis, received two educational stipends from participating in the AmeriCorps program, and finally was given a check for $10,000 by one of my missions supporters for the sole purpose of paying off my student loans. Dream Fulfilled.
Exhibit B. My roommate has an incredible dream. A talented cook with a heart for healthy living, she dreams of combining her passions to make nutritious foods and cooking accessible to all people. To walk out her dream of earning a degree in nutrition she is working at a group home to pay her way through prerequisite courses at the local community college. It’s not an easy gig. Taking Chemistry, a subject that doesn’t come easy for her, after a decade of being out of school has been a daunting challenge this summer. But God is meeting her and she keeps saying “yes” to her dream. I loved watching her rejoice when she got an ‘A’ on her first Chem test! Dream in process.
We are active participants in our dream lives. God will meet us in the journey, but we also need to be willing to say “yes” to his faithfulness by stepping out into our dreams. Not all dreams are fit for every season of our life. But right now, I believe, God has each of us in a place where we can begin to walk towards one of our dreams. It’s time to ask Him where our next stepping stone is.
“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
Grab a bat. Grab a glove. Game's on.
Super Size this devo: Here's some more ideas to prompt your dreaming. I've included examples from my own dream list to prime your pump:
We can have fun dreams. (I want to ride a hot air balloon someday).
We can have emotional dreams. (I want to live without worry).
Physical dreams (I wan to run a half marathon through Napa Valley).
Travel dreams (I want to visit Israel).
Spiritual dreams (I want to pray for a blind person and see them healed.)
Financial dreams (I want to pay off someone else’s student loans.)
Legacy dreams (I want to invest in a home and some land somewhere beautiful that could be passed down to my kids and future generations).
What are your extravagant dreams? What are the dreams that seem so small, you feel God shouldn’t even be concerned with them? What are your fun, emotional, physical, travel, spiritual, financial, and legacy dreams?
Sara Rust is your server this week! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
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Dreaming Through Discouragement
Sometimes when we set out to dream with God we are confronted by two sneaky voices. There’s the one that tells us it’s a waste of time, and not to get our hopes up, and there’s another one that warns us to get ready to be disappointed again. There’s a man I know who dealt with this discouragement. His name was Joseph.
Now, Joseph had literal dreams that spoke of his destiny. He was headed for the top but his journey to get there stuck him in a pit, and then a prison. He would walk through some hard times before arriving at the palace and fulfillment of his dreams.
At his lowest point, wrongly convicted and sentenced to prison, the Word says this about Joseph, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” (Genesis 39:21)
This peppy devo about dreaming with God may actually be crossing your path during the most difficult season you’ve faced. And if you’re honest, dreaming with God is the last thing you have any strength, faith, or hope for.
He’s not shaken by that. He knows. He’s not disappointed. But He wants you to know He’s with you. He wants to show His steadfast love to you and give you favor. Maybe this week He wants you to rest in simply knowing that you are His dream wrapped in flesh.
He’s invested dreams in you! And He will make good on that investment. So rest, dear one. Dreams will be awakened in due season. For now, just know He's near.
He’s invested dreams in you! And He will make good on that investment. So rest, dear one. Dreams will be awakened in due season. For now, just know He's near.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
Super Size this devo: Check out Jason Upton's song Jacob's Dream. This song has touched my heart deeply with the powerful lyrics about His desire to dream for us and our dreams drawing us into intimacy with Him.
Sara Rust is your server this week! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
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They May Say I'm a Dreamer
King David loved music. Had you snuck up on him tending the sheep at a young age, you might have found him strumming away to his latest one hit wonder. Music was his childhood passion AND it was something he loved to do to connect to God.
Hopefully you’ve had a little moment to dream with God about things you loved as a kid. Today, I’d like to share how David’s childhood joys played an integral part in one of his adulthood dreams.
“David said to Solomon, ‘My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God.” 1 Chronicles 22:7 (ESV)
David was gathering materials to build the immensely expensive and elaborate “Tabernacle of David”. He was giving his son a heads up on what was to be done with all the materials and plans he was drawing up, as he would not live to see it’s completion.
Now, if you recall Moses had this same gig years before. But he knew every measurement and material that would be required. God had commanded him to build it and given him the precise instructions for how to do it in a vision.
A prophet told David that God wanted David to do what was in his heart in terms of building a dwelling place for Him. So David’s plans for the tabernacle were derived a bit differently. In fact, you might say, he dreamed it up. His childhood passion of music gave new life and vision for a tabernacle as he hired whole families whose entire job was to minister to the Lord using various instruments or by writing songs. Did you catch that? It was David's idea to add some tunes to the Tabernacle. How did God respond to this musical dream? Let’s just say he got a little fired up. (Check out 2 Chronicles 7).
God wants to hear your dreams! He wants your dreams to be a part of His plan – in fact, that may just be why they are in your heart in the first place.
Sara Rust is your server this week! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Monday, June 27, 2011
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A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes
“Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Luke 18:17
Imagine you're five again. Someone places a blank piece of paper in front of you on a table covered with newspaper. Beside you is a white paper plate full of paint. You roll up your sleeves and prepare to compose your masterpiece.
Dabble here. Splatter there. In about five minutes you are done and take your exquisite art around your classroom or home and show it to any potential art connoisseur you can find (careful of the dripping), because after all, no one has ever created anything like it. Proudly, your artwork is displayed on a bulletin board or refrigerator for the entire world to adore. You can’t help but smile every time you pass by.
Years pass, and as you continue to sit at tables and have blank papers placed in front of you, you can’t help but grow nervous. I’m no good at drawing horses. I can’t figure out how to shade my tree. I’m horrible at watercolor. Somehow, age and the perceptions of others have begun to strip away that five-year-old freedom to just get your fingers messy and enjoy the process.
Dreaming with God can bring up similar cautions. We can fear having the “right” kind of dreams, accomplishing everything on our dream list or even coming up with a dream that seems plausible in our life.
Much like primary finger painting, dreaming with God is less about the outcome and more about the process. There are no right or wrong dreams, per se, and a dream list is not meant to be an outrageous “to do” list. It’s about sitting with Him and allowing Him to show you what’s going on inside you – what makes you smile, laugh, and love life.
Here’s a great place to start dreaming with God: What did you love to do when you were a kid? What did you find fun without anyone telling you it should be fun? Take some time to dream with God about those things and how they might resurface or look different in your life now.
Sara Rust is your server this week! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
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Dreaming with God
If everyone did what they loved, the world would be a better place.
– Sara Rust, age 7…or 8.
I can’t remember who I was debating at the time I made that resolute argument – mom or dad or some older sibling. Though, I vaguely remember the opposing argument– the impossibility of a world being able to function if everyone simply did what they wanted all the time. After all, there are responsibilities we all have that need to be done, even when we don’t feel like it.
Even 23 years later, however, I remain unmoved from my position – though let me clarify what my limited first grade vocabulary couldn’t. I didn’t mean if everyone did what he or she felt like all the time the world would be a better place. I meant if we lived fully alive, as intended by our Heavenly Father, then life on this planet would transformed for the better.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”. John 10:10
Here is my proposition. I believe a part of living this abundant life is dreaming with God.
Dream with God, you say? Whatever does that mean?
Well, I’m so glad you asked. For me, dreaming with God means stealing those moments with Him in the morning or as I drive or as I read His Word and having a little convo about what’s going on in my heart – what are my desires? What do I enjoy doing? Who do I want to be? How can my life display His glory? Who did He create me to be and what did He create me for?
This week, I invite you to begin (or continue) a conversation with God about the dreams in your own heart – and if you feel so moved – begin to write them down in a “dream list”.
Buckle up, folks. It’s time to consider what it looks like to dream with the ultimate Dreamer.
Sara Rust is your server this week! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
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