1 Sep 2010
Marybeth
Whalen"Hope
deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled
is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12
(NIV)Heads bent together, they study
what to me looks like a mess but to them looks like
something beautiful. The table is littered with glue
sticks, magazines, scraps of paper, and scissors. "Mom,"
my daughter informs me as she looks up, "We're making
dream books." Her eyes shine with possibility. It is
clear that she believes in the dreams she is pasting in
her book.
Looking at her, I am reminded of my own
little girl dreams, of a time that I saw life as
bursting with potential: I simply had to believe hard
enough to make those dreams turn into reality. Life had
not taught me otherwise then.
I listen as they
discuss what they are pasting into t heir dream books.
"This," says my daughter's friend, "is my desk area. And
this will be my husband's, right beside me," she says
with satisfaction. I don't tell her that she might not
be able to afford a house that is large enough for two
desk areas. That her marriage may get to a point that
her husband might not want to be right beside
her.
"These are my twins," my daughter says, her
face shining with enough pride that they could be her
real children. "Their names are Hunter and Hannah." I
don't tell her that her husband may not like the names
Hunter and Hannah. That she may not be blessed with
twins, with children at all. I don't cloud their dreams
with the realities of adulthood. I turn my attention to
the dinner that needs to be cooked, the pressing needs
that seem to overtake what I once dreamed.
But in
my heart, I feel God whisper,
What are your dreams?
Have you forgotten? Have you lost hope? You could take a
lesson from your little girl. I am challeng ed to
hang onto what I once believed about life—to not let
setbacks and heartbreak scream louder than the echoes of
my dreams. What kind of woman can I be if I have stopped
believing that dreams can come true?
What kind of
home can I create if it's a place where dreams are
discarded like the trash?
God has planted dreams
in all of our hearts. He did not intend for our dreams
to get trampled by our own busy feet. Just like my
daughter and her friend catalogued their dreams, maybe
it's time for you to take some inventory in your life. 2
Corinthians 9:8 tells us, "And God is able to make all
grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good
work" (NIV). That includes your God-given
dreams.
Do you remember your little girl dreams?
What did they look like? Who did you dream of becoming?
It's not too late to dream dreams, to envision a future
that accepts reality, yet embraces potential. Just for
to day, allow yourself to remember your dreams. Smile,
feel giddy, hope. Whether it's starting your own
business, writing a book, having a great marriage, or
running a marathon... whatever dreams stir your heart,
don't push them aside today. Create your own dream book,
even if the pictures are just painted on the canvas of
your mind.
Dear Lord, I know You created me
to shine for You. I know that You gave me unique talents
and abilities, with dreams to match. Help me to remember
my dreams and to trust You to fulfill them in Your
timing. In Jesus' Name,
Amen.Related
Resources:Visit
Marybeth's
blogThe
Mailbox by Marybeth Whalen
Shaped
with Purpose Workbook and
accompanying
CD
by Renee Swope
What about your husband's dreams?
Consider sharing this book with him
Hero:
Unleashing God's Power in a Man's
Heart by Derwin Gray
Visit
our Radio Show,
Falling
Forward, for more free
encouragement!
App lication
Steps:If you had a dream book, what
would it contain? What parts of your life would you
keep? What parts would you like to add? Write about this
in your journal and consider clipping a few magazine
photos for some visual
inspiration.
Reflections:What
is one little girl dream you had that you have already
seen come true?
Have you taken time to celebrate
that?
Power
Verses:
Psalm 62:5, "Find rest, O my
soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him."
(NIV)
Proverbs 23:18, "There is surely a future
hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."
(NIV)
© 2010 by Marybeth Whalen. All rights
reserved.
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