Are you living out your dream?
For years, when I would ask women that question, I would often get a blank stare in return. Finally, after writing my book, When a Woman Discovers her Dream, I finally know why.
I have found that those who haven’t yet discovered their dream (or never even thought about having a dream) usually have one or more of these things in common:
- They are the oldest child (or oldest girl) among their siblings and never got a chance to dream because they were too busy caring for their siblings.
- They weren’t encouraged to dream or achieve when they were a child.
- They began pursuing their dream at one time, but gave it up (or forgot about it) when they were wounded through a negative comment or circumstance connected with that dream.
Might any of those situations describe you? If so, it isn’t too late to discover — and live out — the dream God has whispered on your heart.
Step 1: Admit You Have a Dream.
The first step in discovering your dream is admitting you have one.
We all have a dream. Most of us have just never discovered it. And it’s not so much your dream, as it is the dream of your Maker. Like every Daddy who dreams of what his daughter will become, your Creator has a dream for you as well — a dream He had in mind when He fashioned you in the way that He did, when He put you in the family that He did, and when He allowed life’s circumstances to play out the way they have. It was all a part of His plan. And that plan — that dream He has for you — is more exciting than anything you’ve probably dared to imagine.
If God took such great care and detail to “weave” you together in your mother’s womb and ordain all of your days before there were any (Psalm 139:15-16), wouldn’t He also have woven into your heart a special purpose that He had for you? And wouldn’t that plan and purpose be as unique to you as your fingerprints?
The same God who counts the number of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:30), and records your days in a book (Psalm 139:16), and collects your tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8, NASB), surely would not just set you on this earth at random, not caring this way or that about what you do with your life.
Yes, He has a dream for you. And I believe the dream God has for you is very closely connected to what you have always wanted to do with your life, as well.
I want to help you discover –or maybe rediscover– what that dream is and do my best to help you start living it out.
Over the next several weeks, I’ll be addressing the ten steps necessary to discovering and living out your dream. In the meantime, ponder this question (and please let me know your answer below):
“What did you want to grow up to be when you were a little girl?”
When I was younger I wanted to be a helper. But where I live that actually means a housekeeper, but thats not what I meant. I really meant someone who helps people. I havent found a way to fulfill that goal. I have done degrees in human resources and work in human resources, but I still feel that dosent quite touch my heart as a helper.
Sounds like maybe God has put it in your heart to be a caregiver? There is a way for you to live out what you feel called to do, Althea. Stick with me. I will be covering in the next few days how to begin to piece it all together and find fulfillment of that dream that is pressing on your heart.
When I was young growing up I wanted to be a nurse, but then changed my mind and became a wife,mom then hairstylist. Learning that hairstyling and nursing are very similar occupations. Both allow you to make people happier and both have to do with lifting peoples spirits. I have left my passion hairstyling to do accconting work and only do an occasional client from time to time. Approaching retirement I pray I can return to hairstyling part time to once again fulfill the dream’. See you can even put your dream on hold and pick it up again to hopefully experience a greater and deeper reward…. Thank you Jesus for my gifts and talents. All glory and honor to you.
Thank you, Juanita for pointing out that our dreams can take different forms and also be put on hold and brought back again in various seasons of our lives.
I am a bit behind with life and am finally catching up on your posts. This is a good one as I feel God creates us with gifts and talents in which to serve others, that’s what we have always taught our kids. I long ago discovered I love working with kids and have been doing so in some form or another for 41 years now, at present a special needs preschool program. I have loved the art of makeup since high school. I enjoy working with what God gave women to help them put their “best face forward”, whatever their reason. I also love healthy living and enjoy sharing the benefits of that choice with others, especially others with children. God’s nature amazes me daily…I am a garden nerd:-) I am endlessly fascinated with what comes from a seed! I cannot seem to throw out a plant when I divide them. So I have a nursery in our back yard where I grow and sell plants. As different as these interests seem, I have discovered that God ties them all together for the purpose of serving others. For example; I have a private client with a child on the spectrum. I have done makeup for her mom just to give her a fun lift of spirit and for a special night out. I have taught her about healthy living for their family, so important with a child on the spectrum, chemicals and toxins effect Autism. With my garden knowledge I have helped them develop their yard with God’s beauty for their soul and growing healthy food. God is good:-)
Chery, thank you for that summary of how God ties together all of our interests, passions, and abilities for the purpose of serving others. Even when we can’t imagine how they’d all come together, God specializes at not wasting a thing. Well said!