Dare to Dream

“God can do things that are not possible for people to do.” Luke 18:27

“God always rejoices when we dare to dream. In fact, we are much like God when we dream. The Master exults in newness. He delights in stretching the old. He wrote the book on making the impossible possible.

Examples? Check the Book.

Eighty-year-old shepherds don’t usually play chicken with Pharaohs…but don’t tell that to Moses. Teenage shepherds don’t normally have showdowns with giants…but don’t tell that to David. Night-shift shepherds don’t usually get to hear angels sing and see God in a stable…but don’t tell that to the Bethlehem bunch. And for sure don’t tell that to God. He’s made an eternity out of making the earthbound airborne. And he gets angry when people’s wings are clipped.

Do you have a dream in your heart?”

Taken from: Grace for the Moment (morning & evening edition), September 4, Max Lucado

We all have dreams, don’t we? Some of them stay locked away in our hearts forever…others are freed and become more than we ever imagined.

I had a dream that was locked away once.

Looking back, I’m not sure what I was thinking. I didn’t know what I was doing…I was too afraid to act…I didn’t think I was ready…I could not possibly handle what I knew needed to be done. Truthfully, I still do not know what I am doing sometimes (with every new journey, there is so much to learn), I am still afraid more often than not and there is no way that I can handle all of this alone.

I can’t, but God can.

It wasn’t until I stopped trying to figure it all out that I “got” it. It wasn’t until I stopped talking about it and started acting on it that I began to see His hand at work. We can spend our entire lives talking about our dreams and our passions and knowing all along what He is calling us to do. As we continue to talk about how much we want to be living the life He is calling us to live and the reasons why we can’t for whatever reasons we think we can’t do something, the life that He created is passing by. Every day that passes that we use talking about what we hope to be, want to be or should be doing is a waste.

I wasted too many days. How many have you seen go by that could have been used to glorify Him, but instead where used to only talk about ways you hope to give Him glory one day?

Why can’t that one day be today? So many of us claim to have faith, but if we dig just a little, sometimes to just below the surface, we find that we really have very little of it. Digging a little deeper may reveal that we have none at all. If we have faith, true faith, then, “we are sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) and if we really have faith, we know without a doubt that, “…what is impossible with men is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)

I used to talk about having faith and I really believed I had it. I didn’t.

I used to talk about how one day I would work in the missions field…working to reach those that are already orphans and working to prevent orphans. I didn’t believe it. How could I? I had too little faith.

Sure, I had your basic “I have faith” faith. You know what I’m talking about. The kind of faith that makes you say to people, “Every thing is going to be OK…just have faith”, but not believing it yourself. Or the kind of faith that makes you think He is going to help this person out of a difficult situation and prevent that person from falling in to one, but never really believing that He would help you in the same situations….because you had been there before and He didn’t seem to care.

I dared to dream, but that was it. My dream would never become a reality because I couldn’t make it happen.

But God could. He did. And He continues to every day of my life.

That child that I never thought we would be able to adopt….because we couldn’t afford to adopt at the time, because the country we wanted to adopt from had become risky, because we were too afraid…is now our son because of Him. My time in Guatemala when I never thought I would survive…because I was too afraid, too weak, too blind….I did because of Him. And that dream of working with at risk families and orphans, but doubted I ever would…because again, I was afraid, weak, uncertain….I do because of Him.

My faith is still not as strong as it should or could be and I wonder if it will ever be. I doubt that it will ever reach it’s fullness during this life and at least I know that it can never stop growing. But I have faith and it is stronger in this moment than it has ever been. I rejoice in knowing that His way is perfect and that I have no reason to fear if I follow Him completely. It is amazing what taking leaps of faith can do to increase your faith. Still, “Lord, increase my faith” is still and always will be one of greatest requests. May we always remember that as long as we breathe, we never stop growing, never stop being stretched and will continue to be stirred. And may we always remember that living a faithless life is the equivalent of living life without Him.

What do you need to have more faith about today? What dream do you have that can be accomplished only because He can do can the impossible? Do you need to believe that He will provide a way for you to adopt that child that is waiting only for you? Do you need a reminder that He loves you right now, no matter what your past or present looks like? Do you need to be reassured that if you quit your job to begin His work that He will provide for your every need? Do you need to take that very first step in your walk with Him, but you are afraid to start?

So many friends and even strangers have shared their hearts with me in the past couple of weeks. I am not sure why some of these people share what is going on in their lives so openly with me, but I love being able to pray for others specific needs so hearing what is on their hearts means a lot to me. I know of many people right now that are currently trying to make decisions about adopting. Others are struggling with figuring out how God is calling them to make an impact in the lives of orphans and vulnerable children. Those that know they are supposed to spend their lives caring for these children are finding it difficult to take the leap of faith that is being required of them. I’ve been there and I know how hard it is. At times, I am still there…knowing that I have to go a little further, but hesitating before taking another leap. This was never meant to be easy, but we know that in the shadow of His wings we are safe. My prayer for those that I have spoken with over the last two weeks or so remains the same…that you will trust Him enough to dive so that you will learn first hand that in Him all things are possible. This post started because of you...because when I woke up this morning and read this, you came to mind. Thank you for allowing me into your lives and for giving me the opportunity to pray for you as you dare to dream.