God's Dreams

Dreams....I have so many. As I draw closer to God through daily time in His word He gives me the desire to do things I never would have thought about on my own. While growing up, I did not enjoy English class and the basic thought of writing any kind of report caused me to procrastinate to the last possible moment. I hated speaking to a group of my peers due to being extremely shy with no inner confidence. However, I did know that God had a purpose for me, something bigger than myself. As a young college student my only goal was to get married and stay home with my kids. That is all I wanted to do. Years later, I found myself as a mother with a full time job and miserable, for this was not my dream. I struggled with the thought of being called to do something more, that this daily grind was not what God had called me to. I started to attend Bible study and for the first time in my life began to study God's Word in depth for myself on a regular basis. It was at this time that the dreams and purposes of my life began to get more clearer and started to be more of a calling God wanted me to fulfill. In 2003, I attended a Women of Faith conference with a group of ladies from my church. In the middle of this conference, as I was listening to a speaker, I felt God say to me, "this is what I have called you to. This is your calling." At that moment, I was overwhelmed at the task, overwhelmed that He would choose me. But at the same time convinced that I had heard His tug on my heart. I may or may not ever speak to thousands as in that arena, but God has called me to be faithful and fill my purpose where I am. The details of how that will be used is up to Him. This adventure between me and my Saviour is a plan in progress, sometimes I doubt I heard Him right, but if I stop my busy life and refocus back on Him, the desire and calling come back in full force drawing me to do the next thing. This blog came out of a time when God was showing me so much in His Word that I just had to share with someone or else I would explode. My last two speaking engagements really brought all of this full circle for me. I went to the platform full of confidence that this is what God has called me to do. I still have lots and lots of dreams left on God's shelf. I just want to stay close enough to Him that He can pull them down from time to time to give me a glimpse into what He has planned. Just a little hint to keep me seeking Him for the next step. He knows if He had revealed the whole plan to a shy teenage girl who hated English, I would have ran for the hills! What has God planned for you? His dreams for your life are so much bigger than you can imagine. Draw close to Him and get a glimpse of what He plans to do through you. Let Him make beauty from ashes or in my case, confidence from self-doubt.
I Cor. 2:9- "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."
Psalm 37:4- "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

Walking with purpose

Lately, I have found myself using a particular phrase that started to make me think about the spiritual aspects of the words. It is the phrase: "Do it with purpose". I would find myself driving behind someone who, lets just say drives slower than I might want them to. I tend to get aggravated and I will say to no one in particular, "Come on, drive with purpose". What I am really saying is drive like you have someplace to go. When I have a destination or goal I want to get there.
I then found the phrase coming up again while walking through the grocery store with my kids yesterday. When we stop in an aisle for a while they tend to all gather in front of the cart and when I ask them to move they tend to not know where to go and slowly walk forward or barely move to the side uncertain of their next step. "Come on guys, walk with purpose" I tell them, but how can they when they do not know where they are going? They do not know what the next item on the list is or what aisle it is on. They have no purpose, no plan of action. Do you know your God-given purpose, something you are setting forth to be or become? Which way are you going? What is your expectant end or hope? If you do have a purpose, do you wrestle with impatience to get to it? Our true purpose in life comes from God. Not having a Godly destination can lead us into some wrong turns and devastating detours that leave us feeling empty, worthless or depressed. If you do not know what your God given life purpose is yet, He is preparing you for it. Ask Him. Seek Him with all your heart.
If you do know God's desire for your life, no more leisure Sunday drives, pursue it. Run after it, act like your going somewhere. Strive towards it everyday,that's what makes life worth living.

Romans 8:28- "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Jeremiah 29:11, 13- "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. And you will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart." NKJV