Foolish Dreams

What are your dreams?

When I was young, I had a dream of being a writer. I wanted to write books. I wanted to write stories that were fun and sweet and heartwarming, like the "Ramona" Books by Beverly Cleary. I thought she was a great writer, and I wanted to be just like her. I wanted to be an author.

The problem with having that kind of career-goal is there's no sure-fire way to get there. If you want to be a teacher, an accountant, a lawyer, a doctor, a computer programmer, a real estate agent...there are programs and college courses to follow. You might not succeed if somewhere along the way you can't keep up, pass the exams, change your mind, or life gets in the way--but there is a clear path for those who can make it from start to finish.

To be an author though? Not so much. It's easier today with advances in technology and the success of the Internet, but when I was in school, the only path was "a hope and a prayer". And for a long time, that's all it was for me: a little dream in my heart. I pursued other things. I went to college, but my major wasn't English, Literature, or Journalism--the three that most aspiring writers choose, since there is no listed major of "Authorship". (Pretty ridiculous when you consider that most college courses require reading-material written by whom?  Authors! But that's another topic.)

We're talking about dreams. Dreams that may or may not have a clear path for you to follow. Dreams that may be realistic or more lofty. Dreams that may not be clearly defined at this point. Perhaps you want to help others, but you're not sure how. Perhaps you want to work in a particular field, but you're not sure in what capacity. Perhaps you already have the career you want, a family of your own, and other childhood dreams, but now you wish your marriage was better, your job more fulfilling, your efforts more fruitful, your family more peaceful, your friendships more meaningful, your spiritual life more solid.

Most of those kinds of dreams don't have a specific path either. You live from day to day, hoping for a brighter one. You try harder. You pray. You do the best you can. But then you fail, or your best isn't good enough, or others let you down. God lets you down. Everything seems so unfair and pointless.

My journey to becoming an author was never guaranteed, and I did a lot of meandering along the way. But I never gave up hope. It was a foolish dream, an imaginary destination for a lot of years, but I could always picture it in my mind and held onto it in my heart. I've learned to do the same when it comes to my day-to-day life. Hopes I have for myself, my family, my friends, my readers, and this world in general. Hopes for love, peace, others knowing God, having more faith, and being more fruitful.

In John 17 we can read about Jesus' foolish dreams. He asked His Father for things like eternal life for all, for everyone to know Him and believe He came from God, divine protection for His followers, unity, complete joy, purity, His glory to be in them, and the fullness of His love indwelling their hearts! Talk about reaching for the sky.

Whatever your dreams are, no matter how foolish, lofty, or out-of-reach they may seem...don't give up. Keep hoping. Keep praying. Keep listening. And keep following. Jesus can get you there. He knows the way. So follow Him, trust Him, get to know Him, and rest in His love. That's a superhighway to wherever you are meant to go. Ride it all the way to whatever ultimate destination you're hoping for, and enjoy the journey along the way. Roadblocks and detours can be discouraging, frustrating, and make you feel lost and hopeless, but you are never alone. Let Jesus light the way, give you what you need, and carry you when you can't take another step.

"I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." ~ Jesus  (John 8:12, NLT)

You Are Loved

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."  John 6:35


Have you ever tried to love someone who won't let you? Have you ever done something to show someone you care and they ignored your actions, tossed them aside, or perhaps even criticized you for your efforts? Have you ever had to tell someone they are behaving in a destructive way that will lead to pain and heartache and they accuse you of being judgmental and unloving?

Being accused of not loving someone you love dearly is painful. It's raw emotion there is no remedy for. Except to love all the more, which usually leads to more heartache. Until that person acknowledges your love for them, they cannot receive it, and because you love them so much, you can't pull the plug. You keep loving them anyway.

Sometimes people tell me, 'I don't think God loves me. I don't feel loved.' It breaks my heart to hear them say that, and I can imagine God's heart must break too. They know what Jesus did for them. They know they are blessed in countless ways. But still, they doubt. They can't feel it, so therefore it must not be true.

Think about that person you love who won't receive your love. Do you love them? Yes. Do they feel it? No. But you do love them. Their unbelief doesn't change your love for them, it only changes their experience of it. Instead of appreciating your efforts to help, guide, and encourage them, they push you away. They accuse you of not being loving, when in reality they are not receiving the love they desperately need.

Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. (You need Me every day, and I'm here.) He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (I will satisfy you.)"  He is inviting you into His love, into His care, into what will fill the deepest needs of your heart. His love is not the variable in the equation; It's our belief. His love is guaranteed. Our faith? Not so much.

Perhaps you don't think God loves you. Perhaps you don't feel loved. But you are. Don't go by what you feel. Go by what He says. When you believe Him, then you feel it. You see it. You realize how blind you've been.

God loves you. That's the truth! Believe it. Believe it with every fiber of your being, and if you can't, ask Him to help you believe. There's nothing else He would rather do.


We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

The Gift of Words

12 Days of Christmas: Day Twelve

"The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."  John 6:63


When God created the world, He spoke everything into existence. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. He spoke us into being. The words of God hold power. There are various places in the Old Testament where God speaks directly to people, and His words are recorded for us to read. In the New Testament, we have the words of Jesus. One of the names given to Jesus is Emmanuel, meaning "God with us", and He still is. Through His Spirit and His words.

I've been reading the words of Jesus on a daily basis for a long time, and they still speak to me in new and fresh ways. Some of the thoughts I've shared during these 12 Days of Christmas are ones revealed to me years ago, and others came fresh as I was writing. How often do you read the words of Jesus? Have you ever made a point of doing so, or do you only "listen" occasionally when they happen to come up?

Perhaps while following my blog this month, you have been encouraged and challenged by my insights into the words of Christ. Perhaps Jesus came out of the manger a bit. Jesus said, "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."  On the printed page, His words speak the truth to our souls. Truth that brings life. It changes us. But only when we read and "hear" them, as if Jesus is speaking them directly to our hearts to teach and inspire us to a better way of life.

I pray as the New Year comes, you will make reading the words of Jesus a daily habit in 2014. "Keep Christ in Christmas" is a popular holiday slogan. I hope you have done that, and I hope you keep Christ in your year. Start with the words Jesus speaks in John 1:38. What is your answer to His question? Make it personal. Make it real. Make it life-changing. That's what His words are meant to do.