| D R E A M B I G |
At the beginning of this year, I heard the Lord challenge me with those words … DREAM BIG!
At that time, I was entering my last semester of bible school and had no clue what was next for me after graduation.
Dreaming seemed like a waste of time. I wanted to KNOW what was next, the planner and organizer inside of me wanted a strict agenda. I wanted a plan that was perfectly laid out and I wanted to draw out those plans myself without any help. I thought, if I created the “perfect” yet safe path for my life, I would ask the Lord to bless it and He would join right along and everything would play out in a “Happily Ever After” fashion.
But thats not how HE designed it.
Nevertheless, I still went on my way, orchestrating my life plan. I would finish my degree, then do something adventurous, like maybe move to California for a while, then get a safe job, then get married, then have children … and the rest would be history.
To me, that was dreaming big.
It wasn’t until the week after I graduated from CFNI that I finally let go of the reigns of my life and courageously handed them over to God. I remember the one moment that changed everything, the moment the Lord opened my eyes so clearly …
I was driving to work after meeting with a friend for coffee. I was pushing back the thought of possibly dropping everything and going on an 11 month trip to serve with The Lord.
- “That’s too crazy, I’m not the missionary type.
- “I wouldn’t be good at that.”
- “That’s not in my Life-Plan.”
As those thoughts continued to rush into my head, I suddenly heard it one more time …
“DREAM BIG, Bethany.”
Those words hit me like a punch to the stomach. From that moment on, my petty “dreams” of going back to school and living a life that could match the all-desired “American Dream” were crushed by the reality that there was so much more for me. I had to destroy that planner inside of me and truly give over those rights to the One who knew every step I would take, even before I was a thought on this earth. I had to remember that my life was not my own, and in order to live this life to the fullest, I would have to die first.
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who
live, but Christ lives in me …” (Galatians 2:20).
A few nights ago, I was reminded of the journey the Lord has already carried me through and how patient and faithful He was toward me.
That night, I wrote these words in my journal…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Remember when You told me to dream big?
Then I did, but you said, “dream bigger.”
So I tried, but I kept limiting myself inside my “possible” box and refused to let myself dream beyond the tangible or beyond the “I can make this happen”.
Nevertheless, You pushed those boundaries for me. You opened doors I didn’t even know were there. Without me even knowing, You were preparing my heart for what was next. You surprised me in the best way.
Thank You for Your surprises.
Thank You for filling my life with joy that can’t even be explained.
Thank You for seeing the adventurer in me.
Thank You for creating me perfectly in YOUR image.
Thank You for preparing me for such a time as this.
Thank You for loving me and showing me what it is to love others.
Thank You for giving me an opportunity to get to know You more.
So here we go about to go in this adventure together.
And the dreaming doesn’t stop there … ‘Cause You never stop surprising me.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What’s keeping you from dreaming big? I challenge you to stop and ask The Lord what His dreams are for you. There is no greater freedom then walking hand-and-hand with your Creator down the path that He so perfectly laid out for you.
| D R E A M B I G |
