I always love unexpected interruptions. Today, I went to meet with one of my close friends and about midway through our conversation, this girl walks up that I met briefly a couple of weeks before. She had a few extra minutes before having to meet someone herself, but the small talk quickly turned into pulling up a chair, and almost being a little late to a meeting she came 15 minutes early to. It’s always nice when someone you met once remembers your name, but it’s even cooler when they ask for more of the previous conversation. The time I met Ashley Marie was about two minutes before a prayer team meeting that I wasn’t a part of. Sure, I felt invited, but never wanting to impose, I excused myself.
Now, over two weeks later, I ran across Ashley Marie again to continue our previous conversation. She wanted to know all about what exactly it was that I was doing in the Philippines and what my long term vision was. I gave her my normal three minute testimony rundown that has almost become memorized, and she just kept asking for more. It seems like everyone she knew wanted to get out on a mission field, but had some major obstacle in the way (finances, education, relationships, etc.).
Everyone I talk to wants to know how they can overcome all these obstacles. I think one of the best places to start is by not allowing your dream to become just one option. Set it up to be your future, the only option, and either go for it, or start moving stuff out of the way. It’s really a lot easier than people make it out to be, even though it might take some time. As our conversation continued, I got to hear a little of her story along the way, and I was really encouraged at her timeline.
God willing, Ashley Marie is on track to be engaged and married in the not too distant future. Her boyfriend is in PA school and she’s teaching ESL. This seems like a great place to start seeing as how she wants to teach English in a foreign country and he wants to do medical missions. Sometimes that first step is just putting in the time to learn the trade. Some life changing decisions happen very quickly, but many life shaping decisions happen over the long haul. These two know what they want to do and they are attacking the obstacles that are ahead.
As I talked to her, I just saw a drive to serve the Lord and love people. She has a plan to fulfill her dream, and really what she needs now is encouragement to stay on the direction God has given her. When I tell people I want to help them live their dream and develop their story, sometimes it just involves listening. Honestly, I’d be willing to bet that more people than not know what the next steps are, but they’re not taking them. It’s not my job to provide some plan for them (though I will gladly), it’s to encourage them to a point where fear and paralysis are removed. If we could eliminate that in a quarter of the people we talk to, this world would look a lot different.
I want to encourage you to take the time to listen to someone’s dream today. Now, before you give them “wisdom” or point out the holes in their plan, just encourage them to move. I think we’re almost getting too educated. It’s getting to a point where we have all this knowledge and can mentally walk through any plan to see how it will play out before we ever take a step. Here’s one truth: THERE ARE HOLES IN EVERY PLAN. We have to allow for mistakes. My dream is to see people in an environment that brings them the confidence to take steps and when they fail, that same environment is one that picks them up and encourages them to keep moving forward.
This isn’t a new dream or vision, but it’s still seems like a rare one. I love listening every time someone tells me their plan and dream, but my first question is always the same: What steps have you taken to see it come to life? It’s not enough to dream about it or have good intentions. YOU were given the dream for a reason. If something stirs your heart, it’s not just a warm fuzzy feeling to lift you up. It’s screaming out for YOU to walk into it.
So, tell me your dream and let’s figure out what’s next…
