To the Dreamer...

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

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Have you ever had a dream? I know that I have, and I still do. I'm not just talking about random inspirational fantasies. As a child, I had a lot of those. One day I wanted to be a famous tap dancer, and the next I wanted to be a scientist. If you look back through your childhood, I'm sure that you can find a time that you wanted to be a ballerina, an astronaut, or a race car driver. But I'm not talking about those dreams.

I'm talking about the dreams that bring life to a calling deep inside of you.

Dreams that grip your heart and dig talons so deep that to remove them would leave scars disfiguring you forever. Maybe your dream is to start a bakery. Maybe you dream of being a recording artist, a lawyer, or a school teacher. It could be you dream of being a mother or finally achieving world peace. I dream of a family, training leaders, and restoring cities.

The past several weeks I've been thinking a lot about dreams. Dreams are a vital part of life that feed the soul and fuel your passions. Dreams don't just give you something to wish for, they give you a purpose. In a way, they define you. I wouldn't say they are your identity, but dreams do say something about who you are. They have a unique way of telling people what you stand for. More importantly, dreams remind yourself what you were made for; they bring your calling to the surface.

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As wonderful as dreams are, dreams are tough. They are alluringly described in so many picturesque movies and poetic songs, but none of those stories seem to capture the difficulties of a dream. It's important to remember that there is always someone or something out there ready to drive your dream to ruin. Dreams don't just happen. They take patience, hard work, courage, tenacity, and faith. You have to fight for your dream. Because hard times come, people often forget their dreams and lose sight of who they are. Those without dreams become wandering and aimless souls who search for a place to call home.

No matter what happens, don't give up. If you do, the consequences of quitting are much more severe than the struggles of continuing.

The trials you face will not be easy, but you can conquer them. As long as you press on, you will have the passion and purpose of your dream to give you strength to push forward. Eventually, you will see your dream rise like the sun over the horizon, and it will all be worth it. The moment you give up, you sentence yourself to wander meaningless in the dark. Confusion and loneliness become your only allies.  

The trials you experience are growth for the dream you are hoping for. Preparation can be painful, and it usually isn't very fun, but it's necessary to succeed. Just like an athlete trains for a race, this is your training. A runner can't compete in a marathon without going through the pain of preparing first. Without the training and growth, you will never reach the starting line. Embrace your struggles as best you can because those struggles will give you the endurance you need to finish the race.

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Once you cross that starting line, don't be discouraged if your dream doesn't happen exactly the way you imagined. Over time, things evolve and situations change. The exact details of your dream may unfold differently than you originally planned, but that doesn't mean your dream has changed. Despite all the specifics, the skeleton of your dream is still the same. Enjoy your dream for the beautiful masterpiece that it has become. 

My last word to you is this; No matter what anyone says, your dream makes a difference. Your actions and achievements have an influence on the world and people around you whether it be for better or for worse.

It is up to you to decide what kind of difference your dream will make.

"Therefore we do not lost heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

- II Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)