God-sized dreams
Three baby steps for the gal who is on the verge of a God-sized dream to keep momentum while honoring the Lord with open hands.
I talk with vision-minded women often. Women who have swing for the fences ideas, women who just have the first nudges of a creative spark, entrepreneurial women, women who have creative careers, and women who feel like their dreams are too big - or too small - to take action on. The Lord knows that talking about our dreams matters, and He has given me space to speak life and energy into the dreams of His daughters.
If you need a pep talk to take a step in your dream today, these words are for you.
Can I encourage you that your first step might be to place value on this idea? What if the idea was good because He already said it was? Our God is Author and Creator. We are made in His image. This means what is true of Him can also be true of us. Sister, can I tell you that you already have the divine capacity to keep dreaming with Him about what this thing in your heart can turn into. I know that the more you flesh out this idea, the more you will recognize the character of God in your heart, and in this thing before you. We can place value on our dreams because the Author of them already has!
"we can place value on our dreams because of the author of them already has."
Let’s brainstorm some ways we can place value on this dream today. You could go sit outside in the fall colors and sketch what it looks like in your mind. Bring your coloring pencils, rulers, an old school eraser, highlighters and sticky notes. Go to town letting ideas live on paper and not just in your mind. You could go for a drive and talk out loud to the Lord about all the loose ends. Talk about your fears, your excitements, your questions. You could make a private Pinterest board with different sections that describe the different categories of the dream. Then add quotes, color pallets, photos, and anything else that helps you visualize and value that this really can be reality. You could call up a friend, head to your local coffee shop, order chai lattes, plop down in the big leather high-back chairs in the corner by the window, and ask her to listen to sacred themes while you verbally process. Whatever way you choose to place value on the dream, remember that it has value because He says it does!
If step one is to agree with Heaven that the dreams in your heart are valuable, then step two is to ask God what He wants to say about them. Don’t forget that your assignment is not to accomplish the vision alone. When we have God-given dreams we can absolutely count on Him to walk us through the blueprints. Your assignment is a beautiful trust-fall of creativity and obedience to the Father who is writing a story better than the one you could come up with on your own. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. He knows your heart and what you need in this season. I trust the Holy Spirit to be a good communicator to you as you ask Him what He thinks.
to the gal...
To the gal who is feeling far from God in her dreams, my encouragement to you is to look at the character of God. He is not a God who withholds; He is a God who protects. He didn’t withhold the promised land to the Israelites, He protected them from what they weren’t ready for and held them through learning so that they were able to walk into the land the way He knew they needed to. He isn’t withholding answers from you. How might looking at His character as a protector of your dreams change the way you approach Him with your wondering?
We recognized how valuable our dreams are, then we consulted with the Protector and Author of our dreams - the final step to really solidify momentum in value is to take an actual step. Small steps over time lead to change. Actually do something today. Taking a step doesn’t need to be super scary. You don’t even need to post it on social media. Baby steps are worth celebrating as markers that remind you where you came from. Baby steps might look like buying a domain, researching a conference in the field that you’re interested in, updating your LinkedIn, searching for an e-course or how to video on YouTube, updating your podcast preferences to feed you inspiring content that keeps you going, practicing public speaking in a mirror or on your drive to work, buying an easel for your paintings instead of using your desk, sharing a Google doc with someone to edit or proofread, sending *that* email, hosting a get together, starting a list in your notes app, recording a voice memo… you get it. Start small.
Scripture says not to despise the day of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). Your day of beginning doesn’t have to wait. Today can be today when you decide to let your dreams matter to you like they are valuable treasures in God’s eyes.
sarah lantis
Sarah is a Michigan native who is making a life in Nashville, TN after obeying the Lord's call to minister to the people in that city. Sarah is a talented writer, a woman who pours into young women through various organizations including her church, and loves a beautifully curated coffee shop that she can sneak away to with her thoughts and a pen and paper! For more from Sarah, follow along on Instagram @sarahlantis.
Photographs by Cate Autumn Photography