the building blocks of dreams
an intro to the next four weeks & an invitation to dream with God
Hey friends, ma here :)
Dream: a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.
All human beings are dream carriers. It is in our DNA.
Everything we are, we inherit from our creator. That means that God, who made us in his image, is also a dreamer.
You were once a dream in the heart of God. Now that you are here on earth, you are a dream unfolding.
Our ability to dream is a gift from God that reflects his heart for us. The Father has given us a piece of himself, setting us apart from all creation, so that we might know him and partner with him on earth. No other creature can dream like we can, moving things from ideas to reality, problem-solving and engaging with our environment to create something new and wonderful. The ability to dream is a unique gift, and I believe it has a unique purpose.
From a young age we carry our dreams close to our hearts. Who we want to be when we grow up, our dream college, sports goals, dream jobs, wanting to fall in love, getting married, having children, and traveling hopes are all dreams! As human beings, we spend our lives purposely moving toward these dreams because we know they are worth it.
Dream-chasing gives us a sense of direction and purpose. But usually, we set our sights only on dreams that feel achievable or within our own capacity and control. Our dreams rarely ever expand beyond our own circles, and we can generally find other people moving toward the same thing. I am not saying that these dreams are bad dreams, but they are safe dreams. Safe dreams do not require God to move, and they don’t lead us into dependence on the Author of our stories. If we only ever pursue safe dreams, who is writing our stories? Us or God?
I think there is a more joy-producing invitation, as members of the Kingdom of God, to dream beyond what is possible, culturally accepted, or of benefit to your own personal world.
There is an invitation to dream with God.
Instead of just pursuing the dreams of your heart (which are often worthy of pursuit and good), you pursue the dreams that God carries in his heart.
Side note: if you know me, then you know that this is a topic I get amped up about. Dreams and creativity are the two God-given flames burning in my heart. Carrying the dreams of God is an invitation to come closer to him. It is an invitation to partnership. And if we know anything about partner projects, we know that one person usually does all the work (in this case, it is obvious who 😉). But we are invited to show up and take part in the beauty God is working. Partnering with God in his dreams on earth will sanctify you, fire you up, and leave you in awe of the one you are doing it with.
When God began putting the topic of dreams on my heart, I asked him “Lord, what are the building blocks of dreams? How did you bring me to this place of dream-chasing with you?” My prayer is that as I address these questions with God in respect to my own journey, your heart will also be ignited to take up new dreams with God in your life! In the next four weeks I am going to answer these questions and invite you into dream-chasing with the Lord.
This will be a four part series beginning on Monday, Feb. 12. If you are a free subscriber, you will receive the first two parts of the series, but will not have full access to the final two parts. All paid subscribers will receive the full series! You can always upgrade at the button below.
Over the next four weeks, we will be discussing:
Embracing your God-given potential & true identity in Jesus.
Discovering the intersection between your passions, skills, and faith.
Overcoming barriers to dream-chasing.
Navigating fear in the face of the unknown.
Catching God’s heart through scripture and prayer.
Taking leaps of faith.
Pursuing God’s dreams.
Prompt
While you wait for next week’s newsletter, I want to give you some scripture and some questions to take to the Lord. Read Genesis 17:1-8 (or the whole chapter if you feel led):
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.
Take a moment to answer the following questions in your journal:
What does this scripture reveal about our hearts and our lives?
What does this scripture reveal about God?
How can you apply this to your own life?
Having children together was a dream in Abram and Sarai’s heart, but they were unable to conceive. At ninety-nine years old, God spoke a better word over their marriage. He invited them into his dreams for them. God’s dreams are always bigger and more wonderful than our own! God gave Abram a new name, Abraham, and invited him not just to be the father of one heir, but to be the father of many!! More than the number of the stars in heaven (Genesis 15:5).
The size of our dreams reflect the size of our God.
(side note: I am 80% sure Erwin McManus said this in The Artisan Soul, the book that ignited my creative heart. Whether you’re an artist or not, read it!)
If we looked at Abram and his circumstances, we would have told him to give up on his dream of bearing even one child with his wife Sarai.
But when we look at God, the creator and giver of all life, we can believe that even the most impossible, wild, and outrageous dream can become reality.
I am feeling so inspired and encouraged already. God loves you and is full of wonder at the possibility of YOU. His dreams for your life are not hindered by your age, mistakes, circumstances, or history. He simply invites you to believe! To believe that he is who he says he is, and that if he speaks a word, nothing can stop it from happening.
See you guys next Monday for more on dreams,
ma
Three Things Worth Sharing:
Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon: I just bought this and “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon (an Austin local like me). And finally, I am learning how to “steal” from those that inspire me without copying. No one wants to be a copier, but we all need to start somewhere! If you are trying to develop your personal style in any art form, I recommend.
Jo Jo Rabbit: If you know me, you know I love a good film. Jo Jo Rabbit is not a new film, but surprisingly few people have seen it! It is the most precious look at Nazi Germany through the eyes of an eleven year old. Light-hearted and somber all at once. One of my all-time favorites. Plus, who doesn’t adore Scarlett Johannson 💛
Mejuri Round Topaz Hoops: This one is for the ladies… or the men looking for gifts for their ladies (valentines day is coming, hint hint 😉). I LOVE my Mejuri hoops. So wearable, and I feel so feminine and cute in them. Worth the investment, I promise.