You’re invited to receive
When was the last time you explored your dreams and desires? January? Five years ago? Or before you had a gap-tooth grin on the playground? Have you gotten curious about where you’re going? How about what you want to do and why you’re doing it?
If it’s been some time, you’re in the perfect place, friend, and let’s get clarity on your dreams and desires. Over the next three blogs, I pray these words give you hope and empower you to take action on your dreams. Part one starts with exploring your dreams and desires.
For the next few minutes, quiet all the distractions in your life. Read, reflect, and hear what God has to say to you about your unique dreams and desires. Notice what stirs in your heart. I have three things to help you unlock your dreams and desires and get clarity on the journey God has for you.
Unwrap your dreams and desires
First, God gave you unique dreams and desires.
Imagine your best friend gives you a beautiful present. But you set it aside and decide you don’t deserve it, so it just collects dust and remains wrapped. Are you doing that with the gifts in your life? What is your tiny box of hope you’ve neglected in the corner of your mind? Open it up, friend. What is holding you back? Are you afraid? Do you feel you can’t use your gifts because you need to make space for others? Are you overwhelmed with the busyness of life?
But let’s be honest. Sometimes the wrapping is ugly, torn, and deceiving. Can we acknowledge all the hardships of 2020 for example? Hello there compounding struggles. What’s the point of dreaming? But friend let me stop you…
Don’t stop seeking the good.Your experiences shape your heart’s desires
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Don’t give up just yet, because I know for a fact there’s also crazy good hope! We were born for such a time as this, to give, love, and speak from our heart and build our communities. You see, losing my dad unexpectedly seems like an awful gift I’d much rather return for anything to get his bad dad jokes and one last chance to tell him I’ll always be his little girl and love him.
But now, almost four months later, I can also see how God has grown and strengthened my heart to rely on his love. He’s met me at my worst and loved me still. This season has strengthened my parenting and made me more intentional in my marriage. There was so much good to come from this season of grief, but I first had to accept this as part of my story and my calling to serve women. I know I still have much more to learn, but I am grateful for the Lord’s work in my life to comfort and encourage you with the comfort I have received. And I continue to choose to trust his good plans for my life, no matter what hardships or trials.
You have permission to dream
Second, Give yourself permission to dream.
Stop being practical. Give yourself permission to ponder your dreams and desires. Stay curious and in-tuned to what makes your soul light up. Ask a friend to share when she notices it in you.
I love hiking and for several months I passed a particular trail that led up a hill. What was beyond the other side? I wondered. But I never had time to explore, so I stayed on my well-trodden path. However, since the pandemic, I lost my typical gym routine and had to get creative. Finally, one day in April I mounted the hill to find beautiful groves of oaks, green fields with wildflowers, and birds singing. It was so beautiful and peaceful. So much good was just on the other side but I first needed to make time and climb to reach new vistas. I had to give myself permission to explore. Give yourself permission to explore your dreams and desires.
Friend, did you know you are fearfully and wonderfully made? God has a unique plan for your life based on everything you are. He will not let any experience or hardship be wasted in shaping your beautiful story. Your dreams and desires are perfectly designed to work within your story.
You saw who you created me to be before I became me! Psalm 139:16 TPT
How to discover your dreams and desires:
Reflect on your gifts and talents
Note the biggest challenges you’ve overcome
Notice what makes your heart sing
Where those three overlap – that’s where you want to look for the most fulfilling, energizing life journey. Your sweet spot is the unique calling God gifted to you, in this season, in this community. There is space for you, friend.
God-sized dreams and desires
Lastly, God-sized dreams and desires are bigger than your current life! And that’s good! So don’t dismiss BIG ideas that make your palms sweat and heart pound. If anything, those mean these dreams are important to you.
How God surprised me
Six years ago I had a longing in my heart to get plugged into a beautiful community and Jesus-loving church with my husband on board. We moved three times since then, including an overseas assignment, and settled then on the Central Coast of California.
As soon as we moved to California, our hearts knew we had found our home. The Lord placed us within a loving, welcoming community in a local church. We became instant friends with so many people and effortlessly began doing life together. Being away from our families, our new friends became our lifeline, especially when I saw the little pink plus sign. We were loved on with meals, prayers, visitors, flowers, and notes of encouragement when our daughter was born.
The Lord knew I’d need this community for the highs and lows this life holds, especially in debilitating seasons of postpartum depression. I needed those friends to walk alongside me and encourage me to keep seeking the Lord, to keep seeing the good, One friend (thank goodness) practically dragged me up the mountains to Hume Lake for a women’s retreat. I left feeling deeply seen and loved by my Heavenly Father, and the fog of hopelessness began to clear.
It blows my mind to see the goodness of God.
He can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine – I invite you to lean into that. God gets to work and span the gap between what you see and what you hope for. Friend, I encourage you to trust his good heart and timing. He is faithful and is inviting you to say yes to starting a wild journey together, especially for you.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20 NIV
Challenge
In summary, your challenge is to write out and discover your dreams and desires – all you want to be, do, and have. Writing them down helps us get clarity on where we are and where we want to go in life. Then share the list with a close friend. Unwrap your tiny box of hope. I promise you, it is grander and more beautiful than you can imagine.
Stay tuned for next week’s blog all about HOPE – why it’s important for our dreams and desires and how to get it.
Additional Resources
Podcast episodes:
“Dream bigger and build the life you want.” Christy Wright podcast, Episode 80
Books: