You might be actively working toward your big dream right now. Or you could be covering it up, telling yourself it's not the right time, you're not the right person, that it's not the right dream for you.
I know about big dreams. I also know they require more than we imagine.
Eight years passed between the time I realized I wanted to write and when I actually wrote my first book. The book stunk, and I was overwhelmed by my duties as a stay-at-home mom. I prayed and felt God asking me to set the dream aside for a while. I complied. More years passed and, during them, I joined a writer's group, wrote assignments, and read tons of novels.
Fourteen years after I initially claimed my dream, I began seriously pursuing it. My prayers led me to the green light, but I still had so much to learn.
I naively believed that having a big dream meant it had to come true, and soon! Sacrifice is always rewarded, right? But I underestimated just how competitive this field is, how much additional learning I would need, and how much I needed to grow spiritually.
There have been times I've wanted to quit. It would be easier for me to get "a real job." But after twenty years, this dream won't go away, and I'm convinced it's not just mine, it's God's dream for me. How do I know this? Because I pray. Every day. I ask God to lead me to where I'm supposed to be, what I'm supposed to do. And this is it.
I'd like to share a paragraph of All In:You're One Decision Away from a Totally Different Life by Mark Batterson.
"Going all out for God is not just about getting where God wants you to go. It's about who you become in the process. And it's not about how quickly you get there. It's about how far you go."
Yes. This has been my experience. Every day I work toward my dream, and I've become much more than a writer. I've become someone God can use because my dream became less about me and more about Him.
I've been on top of the world, honored, thrilled, validated, and I've been defeated, rejected, humbled, brought low. The one thing I remain? Committed.
Don't be afraid to go after your big dream! Pray on it. God will give you the strength you need. The road will have turns, but He'll point you in the right direction. Someone else's path might be half a mile. Yours might be six thousand miles. It doesn't matter. Stay committed.
Have you taken steps toward your big dream? Have set-backs made you reconsider? How did you move forward?
Have a lovely Monday!
The only thing you can do is take one step at a time
ReplyDeleteThat's the best advice, CJ! :)
DeleteMorning Jill! At ACFW Indy 2010, I think God rocked my perspective for life. It was writing that took me there. But it was His message to me that reorganized my world. Remember several years ago the Prayer of Jabez was so popular? There's a phrase in there, I never memorized so pardon if it's not perfect, but the prayer includes asking God to "enlarge my territory." I realized that as a writer, this would happen if I got published, but it is the one thing that terrifies me. I told God my territory was already big enough. He gently pulled the rug from under my surety and reminded me--it's not my territory--it's His. I've never felt so humbled in my life. This lesson has reached far beyond writing for me. I can only compare it to Jacob wrestling with God--He's put my hip out of joint. I have a permanent spiritual limp that requires God as my crutch!
ReplyDeleteWow, Anne, this is powerful. Fear can work a number on me too, but I love that God reassured you He's got this. He'll handle your enlarged territory. For the record, I know you could handle anything He sends your way!!
DeleteI think how helpful your faith must be for you--knowing that this is your path and that your unique, God-given talents led you to this point. So many others will question if the rigor of the writing life (and its ups and downs) are worth it or if they should be part of it...so good to have a special compass.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, it is helpful. Without my faith, I would be tempted to make poor decisions. That's true of me, but not of everyone. :)
DeleteI really love talking about dreams. :) I'm reading a book about God-sized Dreams as part of Cara Putman's online book club...it's so good and I'm only two chapters in! But one of the things that has hit me so much so far is the emphasis on the fact that our dreams aren't so much about the end result as they are about how God changes us in the process of pursuing our dreams. Dreams that come from him, the author says, are meant to further our intimacy with God. That's really had me thinking over the past week.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've had setbacks in the pursuit of my dream. They were...hard. As most setbacks are...haha! But God used each one almost as a sort of signpost decision point for me: Am I going to move forward or am I going to stay here, stuck and moody? Thankfully, he always eventually gets me past the moody stage and on to moving forward.
I'm doing Cara's book club, too, Melissa!! Isn't Holley's book fabulous?? And I agree, even the setbacks are worth it for signs and growth!
DeleteJill, it's such fun being on this journey with you and watching you live out your faith as you pursue your God-given dream. You're an inspiration. On that seemingly illusive someday when your dream comes true, which I have no doubt it will, albeit not as soon as we might like, I'll be one of the many happy dancing with you. But I'm rejoicing right now because you're a shining example of faith in action and are making a far greater impact on people than you may realize.
ReplyDeleteI love being on this journey with you too, Keli! You've encouraged me so many times over the years. Thanks for everything you do!!
DeleteJill, what wonderful, truth-filled words from the voice of experience. I love how you encourage people to follow their dreams, but inflect the reality that it won't be all roses and perfume along the way. Commitment, learning, and relentless prayer play vital roles in realizing the dreams that God has placed in our hearts. It's a pure joy to watch God working in your life and through your writing. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI hope not everyone thinks it will take 20+ years to see their dreams come true!! Ha! But sometimes we're not in the right place or we are but God says, "not now." Thank you for all the encouragement you've given me over the years, Donna. :)
DeleteToday a good friend of mine reminded me that we need perseverance to find and accomplish our passions. It is easy to give up. Harder to keep going iftoo know it's what God wants. You are a wonderful example to me of someone who goes after God's dreams for you!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same about you, Terri, and I know how much you've had to deal with over the years. Can I tell you how happy I am to see your house going up? Finally, right?? :)
DeleteMy dreams have taken a long road, and there have been many setbacks, but I'm not giving up. Here's why.
ReplyDeleteWhat I've learned is that they are not really about me. First, if they've come from the Man Upstairs, they are really reflections of His glory, with which He's entrusted me.
Second, they're like the gilded threads in my part of His tapestry. They run through the whole pattern, and so they are only 'partly' mine. They also serve to inspire others, give them hope and scope to dream. If I give up - if I cut those threads - I weaken, and can perhaps unravel the aspirations of others.
Someone's watching, even if we don't know it. As others have inspired us, we pass that on. We're in this together.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/
This really spoke to me, Andrew. I agree--God's always there, always watching us, even when we feel smaller than a flea. Honestly, I needed to get over my need to "be somebody." That's been part of my growth. Those small moments are my most important.
DeleteA wonderful post, Jill. "It's about who you become in the process ..." That resonates with me. I get so impatient in pursuing my dream of publication that I don't stop to consider God's plan for me in the journey. Comparison steals my joy pretty quickly, too. Thanks for offering encouragement and a fresh perspective.
ReplyDeleteGod's been leading me into a greater level of patience and faith, how to prioritize, prepare, and keep trusting in this time of waiting. Great post, Jill!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Jill--I thought, too, that having a big dream automatically meant it would come true. When that doesn't happen, it can be discouraging. Now, with the wisdom of a few more years, I realize its the process of following a dream that counts, especially because amazing things happen when you commit to a dream with faith.
ReplyDelete