My Dream (continued from previous post)

My dream ever since I was a very little girl has always been to sing.  To me this dream never really seemed like a reality, but a little girl dream.  I didn't really want to be a rock star or anything, I just wanted to sing.  Singing & music have always brought me such joy.  I have always loved country music.  A few years ago a friend introduced me to Contemporary Christian Music.  I immediately loved it!  This was at the same time that I had gone back to college.   

After I graduated high school, I took a few classes at college and then went to a technical school to become a medical assistant.  It wasn't really what was in my heart, but something practical to support me living on my own...a quick way to have a trade.  Although, I did love helping people!  Music didn't really seem like a field that would be supportive for any kind of career, especially one that involved singing.  So, going down a different path made sense to me at the time.  

Unfortunately, my love of music and singing didn't just fade away.  It just continued to grow in my heart.  It wasn't until I was back in college and my name appeared on a list of people that were supposed to take a music theory test.  This made absolutely no sense, because I wasn't even in a music major and only people that were in music fields had to take this test.  This couldn't have happened by mistake....that out of a class of 35-40 people, I was the only one that wasn't supposed to be on this list and was.  After some thinking and praying, I decided to talk to a counselor and changed my major.  This small mistake from God was my first invitation, that I felt I had no choice but to accept.  I would have never even considered it, if it hadn't happened the way it did.  I ignored what was in my heart, because it didn't seem like my dream was something realistic.   

I spent two semesters pursuing Digital Media w/ Recording as my focus.  Then I spent two semesters pursuing Contemporary Christian Music w/ Recording as my focus.  Then they made a new major called Recording Industry which I had changed to and was going to start last Fall with a minor in Digital Media.  I had decided to do both majors, because I loved both fields and I only need a handful of classes for the minor.  Then God called me home to be with my children and homeschool them, which I also love.  Someday, God willing I will return to get my degree(s).  For now, God has me where he wants me.

Recently, God has placed me as the worship leader for our Worship Band for our new Saturday night service.  It is something that would normally be totally out of my comfort zone, but God has been working so hard on me lately, that I actually have complete peace with my decision.  I keep thinking about how it wouldn't even have been possible, if I hadn't taken the music classes at Greenville College.  God had this all planned out!  I was so upset when I had to quit school, because I had waited so long to pursue my dream.  I look now at where God has placed me and I am in total awe!  God is so amazing!          

Dreams that are bigger than us....

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."  Proverbs 13:12

What dreams has God placed in your heart?  Are there things that you have thought about since you were a child?  Do you long to see these dreams come true?  Or maybe like many, you believe that they are only dreams?

Are there things that you enjoy and love to do?  Is there something that every time you hear about it, it makes your heart flutter?  Are there things that you have told yourself....oh, I can only hope for that?  I truly believe that God places dreams in our hearts for a special purpose.  Not only are we to try to follow our dreams, but the purpose that God has intended each of the dreams for.  Sometimes, we may believe that we know the intended purpose of each dream, but until God truly reveals what the plan is....it is difficult to discern what the real reason may be.   

God placed dreams in my heart as a child, which I spent nearly 20 years ignoring.  Why, would I ignore these dreams?  The reasons that I came up with for my dreams, seemed so childish and incompatible with what God could have planned.  I even went back to college after all of the years, I spent running from the dream.  I didn't start back to college to follow my dream, but to try and figure out what else I could do that I would enjoy.  God placed obstacles in my way, to show me what I was missing or ignoring.  He also placed things that encouraged me to follow this dream, no matter how scary it was.  Even though I had talked myself out of the dream in my head, my heart wouldn't let go.  After changing majors two times, God put me smack dab in the middle of where he wanted me.  Then, he did at the time what seemed like the strangest thing, he told me to quit college.  So, I did.  I didn't like it, but it was very clear that it was God's plan.

I believe that God needed me to embrace the dream, that I was ignoring.  In order for me to do that, he had to put me in the middle of it.  He knew I would run from it when he presented it again, if it wasn't deeply embedded in my heart.

Nearly a year ago, I began to feel that God was leading me to be in some type of ministry.  I didn't really understand and the word and idea truly scared me to death.  How can I be in ministry?  What do you mean you want me in ministry?  Then someone even told me that there was something coming, which they thought that I would like.  

A month or so ago, a friend unknowingly told me they were looking for someone, to do something that was really close to my heart.  I immediately jumped at the opportunity, but then I realized that I didn't really even ask for God's blessing.  So, I decided that I should decline, which I did.  I tried desperately to find others to fill this position, but to no avail.  One of the friends that I asked to fill the position, even told me that she believed that, "God had someone else in mind".  For two weeks,  I prayed God would close the door, but it didn't seem to be happening.  This made me even more confused.  One day, another friend called out of the blue and could tell I was upset.  When she asked why, I told her that I was confused.  I proceeded to tell her the story and after some discussion, she told me that it appeared to her that God was blessing me.  I was stunned.  I told her that I wasn't used to God not shutting the door in my face, which has always been my prayer. 

Now, as I sit here and type this....I am still in awe as God unfolds the next part of his plan.  God has placed me smack dab in the middle of my dream and the purpose that he intended for the dream, which he placed in my heart as a little girl.  I am so touched to be a part of God's plan, which is so much bigger and better, than any dream I could have ever come up with.  

God has a plan for each one of us.  We were all created differently, even though some of us may have similar characteristics, talents and abilities.  God made each of us for a specific purpose that only we can fill.  

Are you living the abundant life that God has planned for you?  Matthew 25:29 says, "To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance.  But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away."  

What better time than the present, to start using the gifts and talents that you were given, to glorify God!  As children of God, we are also given spiritual gifts.  Do you know what your gifts are?  Some of your gifts may surprise you!  Why not find out where your strengths are?  Click the link below to take the Spiritual Gifts Test.  God has magnificent plans for each of us, if only we will stop and wait for his direction in our lives.  Have you thought about your childhood dreams lately?  Did you give up on your dreams from childhood?  Have you learned of God's plan for your life?  When will you stop long enough to wait and listen for his direction in your life?  It really is that simple.  God wants to lead us to better things, but we must trust in what we don't know.  Give up your control and let our Father in Heaven...be the driver!  It is never too late to start!  

Don't be afraid to dream big!  Don't ignore the dreams that God places in your heart, because they are obviously there for a reason.  God is the master of all things......and that includes YOU!  Why not start enjoying the blessings that He has for you!