Gaining Pleasure From My God-sized Dream

Holley's God-size Dream Assignment:  We've been walking the path of God-sized dreams together for a few months now. Will you share an update with us about your dream? Let us know where you are with it–the happy and the hard. Tell us how we can pray for you and your dream too. Share that in a post and link up.

Right now, I am smiling because I realized that I have been working on all of the dreams that I originally listed.  

It's kind of like getting an unexpected present, because during the middle of the time period we had been praying, writing, and working on these dreams -- I had shortened my list.  Holley had said to write about a God-sized dream, and I wrote down five;  therefore, I shortened my list of dreams to reading the Bible through in one year and getting the clutter out my house.

A God-size dream is about God's purpose in one's life and what is in one's heart.  When I wrote down five dreams, I was writing what was in my heart;  and guess what--as I pursue reading the Bible and getting the clutter out of my house, I see the results in my original dreams-list.  I think the only one I haven't done is paint on an empty canvas;  however, I have sketched and done some small watercolors.  And, I suppose being a better wife, grandmother, sister and friend might depend on an individual's idea of what that is.   As far as the book is concerned, I think I am about ready to start writing it.  I have been thinking about that book quite a bit. 

Who would have thought it?  While I was pursuing the dream of reading through the Bible and decluttering my house, I was also accomplishing important steps for my other dreams.

There is more!  Just click on "Read More" below this line.

You Are An Investment - you could be a God-sized dreamer

Original Art by D. Bolton

I didn't write for my God-sized dream last week, the assignment that Holley Gerth gives us God-sized dreamers to teach us and to encourage us to pray and think about where God is taking us, or what step God might want us to take next.  And it just hit me, although I have never had an official life coach, that Holley is life-coaching us.  She is being a shepherd, but she is encouraging us to go to the Shepherd of all shepherds and sheep, Jesus.  Maybe, I will go back and do last week's assignment another day this week;  but for right now, I am going to write despite the band of pain around my head,  because I am not too fatigued to think clearly.  

Here is this week's assignment:

Take this "do what you can" step for your God-sized dream:  Find a way to pay it forward.    You've been encouraged in your God-sized dreams by your sisters here the last few months.  How can you spread that encouragement forward by investing in other dreamers?  It can be small and simple or BIG and wild.  Ask God what you can do and get creative.  

At first, I felt a little flummoxed by this request, but I realize I am already doing that in the area of getting my home decluttered.  This is one of my God-sized dreams.  The other one especially for this year is reading my Bible all the way  through.  

 

Image Courtesy of[Grant Cochrane]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you ever seen the picture of the cat hanging on to the tree limb by it's nails?  When you are ill every day, that is often how you feel --like you are barely hanging on.  It has nothing to do with whether you have faith in Jesus Christ.  It is like being constantly battered, until you have only faith left.  And if Satan could take that away from you, he would.  But He can't.  He may cause you to doubt, but he and all his cohorts cannot separate you from the love of God, absolutely not!  

Read Romans 8: 31-39.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (KJV)

For years, I struggled, I read books, I read the Bible, I went to doctors, and I was not able to be the person I was before I got sick.  Guess what I discovered.  I would never be that person again.  God had been allowing me to go through the valley of the shadow of death, only instead of dying and going to heaven (believe me --I would have much preferred heaven), He had something He wanted me to do.  And that thing is what I am doing now.

If I had never been sick and if I had not been down to the very depths of my soul, I could not do what I am doing now.  And because of that I have been able to do more than I thought I could do, because God gives me the strength.  And when I don't know what to write, He pulls it out of me.   And I rejoice in the confusion and adversity I have experienced, when I see how crystal clear God can make even one moment of the reason for my life, as it is.  I rejoice in Him, because His Word tells me to rejoice. 

Sometimes, when I  write I feel the same joy and closeness to God that I experience in  worship.  And is it so strange to think that our lives  should be engaged in praise to Him in all we do?  Not to me, although I know that is not always so, because I am not perfect, so not every moment of my life is praise.   Sometimes, it is tears, depression, or griping.   However, even in my lack of perfection I can praise Him, because He has made me a creature that can only be saved by faith in Jesus.  And that is closure for sure -- wonderful, marvelous full circle Grace.  What a  wonderful Gift that God would do that for mankind,  send His only Son as a sacrifice for our sinful selves.

So what crazy, wild or small, simple thing am I doing or planning to pass on the encouragement of my sisters in Christ?  I am continuing to step by small step pass on the things I have learned about decluttering my surroundings, as a person who is still very ill.  I am going to continue to administer the facebook pages I have started, and to encourage the people who God is connecting me to, as long as I am able or God calls me to do so.  At least, that is the plan.  Proverbs has a verse that says,  "Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1, NKJV).
So I guess I am not really doing anything wild or crazy, although I have thought of various things like:  a new award for bloggers (one which I have received, but I have not finished writing about yet), or start a magazine, or start my own .com, which is wild and crazy when you don't have the money for that.  I really don't know right now.  I just keep putting one foot in front of the other, so to speak, baby steps all the way.  And then, I look back and I cannot believe how far I have come.

This is what I would like my sister  dreamers, wherever they are to do.  I would like them to have moments they can look back and see that step by baby step, their lives can change.  Even if they have a chronic illness, if they know God, He has not left them.  They may feel  alone, or like they can never have joy again.  They may think they can never get the clutter out of their houses.  They may feel stuck in that miry clay of whatever valley they are in, but God has a way of escape.  He gives us hope.  He gives us people in our lives that can encourage us.  

So I suppose I am already doing my crazy thing.  I am an imperfect person, who is definitely clutter impaired to a degree, especially since I have been ill;  and, I am encouraging/people to declutter their houses.  Not only that, there are other people who do it better than me.  Well, that is kind of crazy too.  Why bother when I could just point people somewhere else?  I do it because, I was tired of failing;  and, I think one of the reasons I was failing was that I could not keep up with the other ways offered to learn a better way of keeping house, so I would feel even worse about myself.  By the way, if I think of any other ways to encourage other dreamers, I will let you know -- I am pretty sure of that. 

What can I do to invest in other dreamers?  I can encourage them almost daily online.
I want other people to know they don't have to give up, and I want to suggest simple, small steps they can grab hold of to make their own.  We don't have to be perfect to start something:  but we do have to be willing.  In fact, the most proficient professionals mess up.  I know that every time I watch a baseball game with my husband.  Does that keep those guys from playing the game?  No!  They are out there playing day after day.  They cannot fold up  and say, "I made a mistake:  I will never play again.  They keep practicing and they keep playing.  That is life.


So, are you ready to have God-sized dreams, dreamer?  He will help you to take the right size steps for you.  If you have experimented with a dream in the past and you think you failed, look to it as experience, as a lesson learned.  Don't be afraid to dream.  God made us to dream.  He made us in His image, and He is the creator.  Come join us at Holley's blog.  Perhaps, you need to join us, Sister Dreamer,  from  right where you are.

Feeding Our Hearts

Wow!  What is the why behind my God-sized dream?  I like that question.  In fact, the why should get clearer if the dream is, indeed, God-sized and shaped by Him.
  

Number 1 on my list is reading through the Bible in one year.  The neat thing about this year is our pastor encouraged our entire church to do it;  and those of us who committed to this have the encouragement of fellow believers.  We are using the One Year Bible, which has been a different way for me to read my bible.  I usually study a book at a time, but I am reading the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs at the same time.  My husband is too, so it is nice to have family feedback.

Reading through the Bible was something I had already started, but the accountability factor here has been a blessing.  Another thing I have been doing is looking for the thread of Jesus through the whole Bible.  It's there.  Hallelujah.  And this is worth fighting for, because reading God's word will help me know Him better.  He is my reason for being, my Creator, and I need Him.  I think we should all know our heavenly Father and Jesus better.

Jesus said when He was being tempted in the desert after having fasted for forty days and nights, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (KJV, Matthew 4: 4).  I have also heard the Bible called the bread of life.  And I can testify that through the joys, the trials, and the tribulations of life, scripture has been my food.  It is food for my heart and for my mind.  I am taught and uplifted.  I can never hear or read too much of the Holy Bible.  Indeed, I am sure God has used His word in the best and the worst times of my life. 

God's Word feeds our faith, comforts our hearts, and helps us to grow in following Him.  

I am reminded of prisoners of war during the Vietnam era, who spoke of how the verses, they memorized as children in Sunday school, gave them hope.  Can you think of any better hope?  They would actually whisper these verses, tap them out in secret, and pass them to each other.  It brings tears to my eyes, because they knew they could die any moment.  The conditions there were horrible:  many of them had been tortured beyond belief.  And I know this is still happening.  There are Christians that are being persecuted and dying for their faith, even now.  What especially touched me in the testimonies of these Vietnam veterans was that the scripture they learned as children, who did not know their futures, became their mainstay -- their connection to God and His care for them during intolerable, horrifying situations.  It is beyond what most of us can comprehend, never having been where they were.

My number 2 dream has been a part of my life for a long time, because  I have always wanted to be a Proverbs 31 woman, a godly homemaker and helper to my husband.  However, it is no longer easy for me to keep house.  And since I have always been the head organizer and decorator of the home in our marriage: the uncluttered, clean house has taken a big hit.  I'm having to find ways to do things differently.  I can no longer manage my former household tasks the way I did when I was healthy.  And even though my husband is very supportive and helps me, there are still jobs that tend to fall in my domain. 
  
So, the number two dream is to declutter my house.  

Also, I am still trying to organize after having moved into a smaller home.  You would not believe the memories I have gone through, the boxes of paper I have shredded.  I actually wore out our second shredder, a very good one.  There are places you can take boxes of paper to be shredded, but I didn't know that at the time.  And I doubt there is one near me.  

Simplicity is my goal.  I figure, the less we have, the less my husband and I have to clean.  Chronic illness has cured me of wanting more things than I need.  However, I still have to admit to holding onto a few things I might use again someday, like those records I don't have a record player for.  For you youngins'  that is a round plastic disc with grooves that plays music  -- giggle.    And there are a few clothes that may fit me again someday, when I lose twenty to thirty pounds.  Please don't ask me when that is going to happen: maybe that will be my next dream.

One more thing:  the following is one my favorite scriptures.  We used to have verse four on our babies' nursery wall on a Precious Moments poster.
Psalm 37

⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.

                          New King James Version     

What precious promises God's word has for us.  Aren't you glad? 
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Now, I would like to invite you over to Holley's place to share a cup of coffee or some tea with us.  Holley makes me feel right at home, and she has graciously connected us with other God-sized dreamers, lovely women who I think will inspire you too.

Seeing God in the Routine of My Life

A God-sized dream = A desire in your heart for more of what God has for you.

When I wake up in the morning in a comfortable bed and realize I feel relaxed, I am grateful in my heart; even while I am trying to open my eyes enough to truly feel awake. Then, I drag myself out of the bed in the fog I usually feel in the morning, hoping I can make it to the bathroom.  My inner plumbing isn't quite what it used to be.  When I get there without a slight accident, I thank God for that simple thing.  I believe God is aware of everything going on in my life, so I thank Him for things that people may not usually think to thank Him.  

When I turn on the coffee maker, I am thankful to God for a husband that loves me so much he prepares another small pot of coffee after he eats his breakfast, because I sleep later than he does. 

  

This was after I had a hip replacement in 2011. We were both happy I was home.

This was after I had a hip replacement in 2011.
We were both happy I was home.

Another blessing from God is my dog, a rescue chocolate labrador retriever mix.  Even if my husband had not dreamed (an actual dream) about her before she entered our lives, I would have no doubt she is a gift from God.  I thank God for the sweet cuddles and love  our dog is always ready to share.  She greets me with a lick and cuddle most mornings.  Usually, she wants a tummy rub.  Sometimes, she just snuggles beside me and I drift off again. 

When my husband kisses me on his way in or out of the house or walking by me, I am thanking God in my heart,  that I’m blessed with a loving, caring man.  He treats me with love and respect:  he always has.  And he lets me know I am important to him.  When I am not able to do the things I have always done in the home, he takes up the slack -- preparing a meal, going to the grocery store,  cleaning the kitchen, or folding a load of laundry.  And he encourages me as a writer.

Are you ever amazed when God answers a question that is spinning around and around in your brain?  Or are you surprised when you are feeling a little depressed and God gives the perfect word to you through another person?  When I read the Bible and the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart that God loves me, and understands me better than I understand myself,  I thank God.  When a friend puts just the scripture I need on Facebook, I am thankful to God and to my friend for her obedience to Him.  Sometimes, it is that call on the telephone from a relative or a friend that ministers to exactly the need you have at that moment.

Every day is a little bit different.  I never know exactly how my body will feel that day; and yet, I find so many things that are blessings from God.  My friends on Facebook encourage and inspire me.  I can have Christian fellowship most days, because I have learned to use a computer.  Twenty years ago, I did not even want to be on the internet, even though my son said I would like it.  But what a blessing it has been making contact with friends from high school and far away, making new friends, and finding support and understanding about my illnesses.   That has been a healing thing for me.  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (KJV, Romans 8:28). 

And then, there are the things that I always took for granted as a young wife:  cooking meals, cleaning house, and running errands.  Now, whenever I am able to make a small dent in that process, I am ever so grateful.  It is funny how things I used to feel I had to do, have become opportunities for specific thanksgiving to God.  I thank Him when I have enough energy to finish a job, or I have been able to clean the sink.  It is interesting how one's perspective changes from I have to do this chore to I would like to do this chore.

One of the things I am very happy about is that I don't always feel guilty or frustrated by the things I cannot finish in one day.  I am no longer a woman that can fly through my house like a wonder woman, as my husband used to say; and it is cleaned, vacuumed, mopped, wiped down, and dusted.  Any work I do has to be broken up.  It is silly to be depressed over something I cannot do anything about.  However, I have not always felt this way, as I grieved over the loss of life as I had known it.

God has taught me patience and happiness in enjoying the small and simple things of life.  I often enjoyed and was thankful for those before, but I have an additional boon to enjoy.  I have learned to live in the present -- to leave the past in the past and let tomorrow take care of itself.

You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (NASB, Matthew 6:30b-34).

Indeed, I am blessed;  and, my long ago, God-shaped dream to be a Proverbs 31 woman is still doable.  Through illness and age, I can still pursue that ideal.  And all the while, God has continued to give  me new dreams and new aspirations to follow Him wherever He leads.  This year I have seen my God-sized dream whittled down to reading the whole Bible in 2013 and to getting my house decluttered.  However, I  think some of my other dreams shaped by God are going to come to fruition, as I pursue these two things.

And, as I live my life, I look to the author of life, God, to guide my steps.  

You may not be in the place I am right now.  After I became ill, there were times it was not as easy for me to see God in the ordinary things of life.  My life had become topsy-turvy.  I think I began to question almost everything in my life.  There were times I despaired to the point, that I wanted God let me die before my time.  God taught me and guided me very gently through that time.  I would sometimes see light for a moment, then the darkness would cover me again.  God brought me through the shadows into a place where I see more clearly.  I feel happy again.

If you are going through a difficult time in your life, don't give up or do anything drastic you would regret later.  Pray, read, share with others that can understand where you are.  I believe God will guide you to a better place.  And if you don't know the Lord, He does want to change your life for the better.  He offers salvation and the promise of an abundant, eternal life.

*(If you are going through a difficult time in your life and you need answers and hope, click on the blue sentences in this paragraph.  God is love, and He sent His only son, Jesus to give us eternal life.)

May the Lord bless you and keep you,  May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.  May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.  Amen. 

The God-sized dream team would love to see you join us on Holley Gerth's page.  We are having a blessed year, sharing with other God-sized dreamers and encouraging one another.