Dream Again

When I was younger, I had the next 20 years of my life all mapped out. Graduate from high school. Go to college. Major in Biology/ Pre-Med. Attend medical school. Become a successful M.D., an Ob/ Gyn. How many of you know that my life didn’t exactly turn out that way? Now, some of it did. I did graduate from college and high school. I majored in Biology but I ended up with a Masters degree in Education, pursuing a career in education, a husband, and my children instead. I have lived a very blessed life and am grateful for all God has done.

However, there are a lot of things that I would still like to do. During this season of my life, the Lord has been telling me to begin to dream again. I must admit I’ve delayed several things due to my health, light bills being due, and babies needing new pairs of shoes. Somewhere along the way, life got busy and dreams got scarce.

Today, I want to look at the story of Joseph. We all know it. He was his father Jacob’s favorite. We know that because he blessed him with the coat of many colors. That coat made him the target of his brother’s envy. In addition to being quite fashionable, Joseph had a gift. He could interpret dreams. That gift got him in trouble when he told his brothers he dreamt about them bowing down to him. Talk about stirring up the pot. They didn’t like that. While meditating on this story, something really caught my attention. You see his dreams got him in the pit and his dreams got him into the palace. Joseph’s sharing his dreams with his brothers made them throw him in the pit which led to him being enslaved. Yet, his dreams also made a way for him to get out of prison. I couldn’t help but wonder if Joseph laid off the dreaming for a while or if he became more cautious about sharing his dreams due to what had happened to him. But I did begin to meditate and ask myself what made me stop dreaming. The truth is I let circumstances and life get in the way. However, the Lord allowed me to see that it is possible to start again. Currently, I am staying prayerful and taking small steps toward what I need to do to make those dreams happen. I must admit it is a process and somewhat scary but I am excited and encouraged about the possibilities.

So, what about Joseph? He kept dreaming. When the opportunity came for him to operate in his gift, he didn’t retreat in fear even though he was taking a risk. Instead, he allowed the Holy Spirit to guide him, operated in his gift, and in return, he was blessed. Imagine having big dreams in a prison. This reminded me that amid those dry, challenging seasons, I can still nurture my dreams and make preparations. Then, I can trust in God’s timing. That’s what Joseph did and we can do the same. He didn’t focus on where he was. He focused on what God had placed on the inside of him.

Remember, God is the one who places the ability to dream inside of us. We can’t get caught up in the limitations and obstacles before us. We can’t allow what it “looks like” to allow us to retreat regardless of how hopeless it may seem. Also, it is important to still use and cultivate our gifts during trying seasons. If God is faithful to place that dream in your heart, He is more than capable of bringing it to pass. What dreams have been lying dormant inside of you? What’s stopping you from fulfilling them or even dreaming newer, bigger ones? There is no dream too big for our big God.

If God said it, He will bring it to pass. If He gave you a vision, pursue it. Go for it! I have been deputized by the Holy Spirit today to be a Dream Pusher. I want to push that dream out of you. The world is waiting on you and that dream so they can be blessed through it.

Dream Again!