Tag Archives: God’s will

Dreaming Big Dreams

Do something today that your future self will thank you for.

There is a dreamer inside every one of us; that is because we are created in the image of our Creator. He is a Creator, and each of us have that in our DNA– the desire to create, design. I have heard it said that we never more like God, our Creator than when we are creating something. God gives each of us the ability to dream big dreams of what He could accomplish in and through us.

For me, I have dreamed of having a lasting impact on Christian women. I dreamed of this blog for several years before I actually launched it. I also dream of writing Bible studies, creating beautiful journals and much more to help women on their journey of faith.

So what about you? What is your hidden dream? Has God placed something on your heart? Something so hidden that you have never acted on it or even told anyone about it. God has something for every one of His children to do. How do I know this? Because you are still here; I am still here. If God didn’t have a plan for us, something He more He wants us to accomplish, we would be in Heaven with Him. So because we are still here, we can understand that God has something He wants each of us to do.

When was the last time you dreamed? As a little girl? Has life gone far different from those dreams? Have you given up on those dreams? It is never too late to dream, to accomplish something great for God. It just starts with dreaming and asking God what He would have you to do, then stepping out in faith and doing it. Is it a book that you have always wanted to write? Did God put the burden in your heart and the knowledge and experience to back it up; yet you’ve never acted on it? Has He wanted you start a blog to encourage single moms, moms of special needs children, ministry wives, single women, those struggling with addictions, military wives? Has He wanted you to start a ladies’ Bible study with some of the women in your neighborhood or women from your church? Has He put it in your heart to start a business, a new career, a non-profit organization? Has He gifted you with the ability to create a new product to help others, a new treatment, technique?

Getting Started

If He has put a burden and desire in your heart to do something, here are a few simple steps to get started.

  1. Pray specifically about your dream.
  2. Tell someone about it.
  3. Write down all the steps that it would take to accomplish your dream.
  4. Do step one and keep going until that dream is a reality.

You may say, I want to do something great, but I have no idea what. Here are a few steps to get you pointed in the right direction.

  1. Pray for God to give you a dream bigger than yourself.
  2. Write down all the ways that God has naturally gifted you with talents and abilities or the abilities you have honed over the years.
  3. Write down the things that you get passionate about– the things you could talk about for hours and not get tired of.
  4. Write down what you love to do with your free time.
  5. Read The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner. This is a great book to work through that will help you discover your passions and dreams.
  6. Ask those who are closes to you what your gifts and abilities are.

Start dreaming big. What could God do through you? I promise you, He has something amazing for you. Find it and own it!

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Stop Praying and Take a Step of Faith

Stuck in Life

There are two things that Matt and I counsel most often- broken marriages and people who are stuck in life. Today I want to talk about the second one. There has been a shift in the last twenty years or so that I have seen and felt myself. It is this idea that if I don’t step carefully, I might step out of God’s will and ruin the rest of my life. There is this idea that if God wants me to do something, He will show me. He will drop it into my life. People say, “I have faith. I know God can do that for me. If I sit around and wait and pray, God will drop this in my lap.” Now don’t get me wrong. I am a huge advocate of praying and asking God for wisdom, but there comes a time when I believe you have to take a step out in faith and do something.

How God Works

I believe God can heal cancer, but how does He usually do it? Through doctors and modern medicine. I believe God wants everybody to be saved, but how does He do that? He uses Christians, pastors, missionaries, friends and family sharing their faith. I think it takes more faith to get up and go do something than it does to sit at home and “pray about it.”I believe Satan has so many people doing nothing for God because they are waiting for something to come to them.

In my early years of listening to God, I relied heavily on my authority- my parents, pastor, and teachers. I am a huge advocate of getting advice and following the spiritual leaders God has put into your life. Yet as I have grown in my relationship and closeness to the Lord, I believe He speaks more to Matt and I personally first and then confirms it through our leadership. For example, in my freshman year of college, the college I was attending started making some doctrinal changes. I went home at Christmas and talked to my parents and pastor about it. They both decided it was time to leave there and go to another college. I did not really want to, but I followed their leadership. I obeyed and I ended up meeting Matt at the new college. I am so glad I listened! As Matt and I have grown and matured, God leads now in our hearts first. Now He leads Matt and I; then He confirms it through our leadership.

How We Stepped Out in Faith

When Matt and I left an incredible church staff to start our own church, Greater Philly Church, there were so many people that could not understand why we were doing it. We had two different pastors tell us we shouldn’t, but there were other pastors that were affirming our decision. I think even our parents were unsure. Yet God was placing a burning desire in our hearts, and we were so sure of His calling and timing that we could do nothing except answer that call, pack up our belongings, move, and start our church. Now everybody can see it, but that wasn’t the case in the beginning. Even at various times through the first few years when it was rocky, we had people try to convince us to combine with another church, resign and take another church, and other crazy things. We knew, however, that we were where God wanted us.

Praying Specifically

So often I talk to people and hear their story. I can see so clearly, even as an outsider looking in, that God is obviously working and moving this person. Yet when I tell them that I think God is trying to move them on, they say… I’m praying and waiting on God.” I always ask, “Waiting for what in particular?” Most people can not answer.  That is because they are not praying specifically, so they don’t know if God is answering or not. They are waiting for a modern-day miracle. They are waiting for something to fall into their lap. It may a person who is miserable in their job, a girl who is unhappy in a dating relationship, a couple who is not fulfilled in their church, a man who believes God has something greater for him than punching the clock. So often this person has only prayed, but done nothing. They haven’t put out their resume, they haven’t written down on paper what they believe God has for them, they haven’t talked to anybody about it. I believe it is their lack of faith that is keeping them from moving forward. Matt always says, “It’s easier to move a moving car than a parked one.” Take a step of faith. Start the process and see if God does not begin to open the doors and show you what He has for you.

Stepping Out

We have dear friends that believed God was working and wanting them to move out of the ministry they were serving part-time in and come help us with our church plant. They met with us and asked us to pray. They said, “We don’t know what God is doing, but we believe He wants us to resign from this ministry and come serve at Greater Philly Church.” They went on to say that the husband had been up for so many promotions at his full-time secular job over the past year. Every time, he was supposed to be a shoe-in for the promotion; yet every time, someone with less experience and credentials would get the position. In fact, they said it had become a joke in their family and in the office where he worked. After a few weeks, they told us that God had confirmed the decision and they had chosen to leave the part-time ministry position. Three days later, the husband received a promotion! I dare say they stepped out in faith and God applauded their step of faith.

I don’t know what God is burdening your heart to do. Maybe it’s a new job, a new endeavor, ending a relationship, a move, … whatever it is. Could it be that God is waiting for you to take the first step? He is ready to move that mountain and give you your miracle, but He is waiting to see if you have enough faith to take the first step. My encouragement to you is to take a step of faith. Start the process and see if God does not begin to open the doors and show you what He has in store for you.