Daring to Dream.

{Via}

I have been thinking a lot about dreams lately. About how I have these ideas I want to pursue. 

But something stops me from even sharing what they are, let alone chasing them.

It has been on my heart and mind a lot since talking with Rae about doing the Kite Project.

I really can't decide what holds me back from them.

Maybe its fear of what others will think, because as much as I try not to, other people's opinions do matter to me. Even if they shouldn't.

Fear of failure because I don't want to announce a dream I have and then fall flat on my face in front of a whole bunch of people. 

Fear of being vulnerable.

Writing about fashion and sharing cool finds is much safer.

So I'm not sure that I haven't been hiding a little these past few weeks.

Waiting out the busy crazy season in which sometimes I mess up big time trying to complete my million and one projects.

Everyone else seems to be managing so I don't see why I feel I can't keep up and cope.

So I say yes, to too many things.

I'm working on learning how to say no.  

Somewhere along the way I have been wrestling with the issue of understanding how me chasing dreams is really a God thing.

I have been searching through scripture because the last thing I want to do is chase something that I want if its not what He wants for me. 

Because I really do have these dreams.

Some big ones.

Some which make me shake because they scare me so much at the thought of them actually becoming a reality even though they are dreams which I really would love to have happen. 

And I've struggled with seeing how these fit with being the best wife I can be, 

supportive of my husband's own dreams,

and the best light for Christ. 

Then because he is amazing, God showed me through my morning devotional some thoughts on what He thinks of these dreams.

Throughout the Bible He revealed himself to his children through dreams and visions.

He even gave Joseph and Daniel the gift of interpreting dreams. 

So I really believe dreams are important to God, they are right there in scripture.

I realise that the scriptural references are to dreams while sleeping.

But are these not just our subconscious thoughts?

It is defined in the dictionary as the following:

dream

(Noun)

'A series of thoughts, images and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep.'

  

I really believe that if God reveals himself to us not only in dreams while we sleep, but also visions and dreams we have while awake.

He is not limited by something such as sleep. 

I have even had visions during worship, which I have sometimes been embarrassed to share

as not everyone agrees on the nature of these. 

But I truly know that these have been given by the Lord.

Especially since everytime I have been brave enough to share them, they have touched someone else who heard them. 

That has to be a God thing. Not me.

Solomon reminds us in Ecclesiastes chapter 5 that dreaming apart from God is meaningless. 

It is nothing. 

So I have been trying to be careful about checking my dreams are in line with God's agenda and not mine.

But this devotional reminded my that by laying my dreams out before Him 

and submitting to His will....

He will do more than I could ever dream.

 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

(Parable of ten Minas, Luke chapter 19)

Sometimes that might mean a dream does get removed or doesn't work out as planned.

But I would rather dare to dream and have it not come true than not live completely alive

to all the possibilities God has placed on my heart. 

As Rebecca St James writes:

'On the other hand, not being willing to dream keeps us out of 

touch with certain parts of our hearts, and therefore we live

but are not fully alive. I don't want to live that way anymore. I

want my heart to be fully alive and kicking - even if it does hurt at times.'

I don't want to grow older and forget how to dream like I did as a kid.

Or to settle for mediocrity.

I would rather keep dreaming.

Surrender those dreams to the Lord & see what He does with them.

Life may not ever look the way I dream it will.

But knowing Him, 

I have a feeling it will be even better.

So stayed tuned.

This girl is done hiding and is ready to see what God does with these big dreams.

Much Love,

L