Wake Up And Dream!

Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for any appointed time: But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it. Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. Habakkuk 2:2-4 NKJV


When we were young, we had dreams.

Most children can tell you with a degree of certainty what it is they want to do when they're adults. Now, this may change, almost with the weather, but they know intuitively that this is not all there is. They have dreams. Once we had dreams. And many of us accomplish them. But, sadly, I believe most of us do not. Many I've noted, are in careers that seem on the surface what they probably wanted to do as kids, or just always wanted to do, but once they matriculate, like children, majors get changed, for whatever reason. So I'll go out on a limb and say  even though successful, very few are living their dream.

We encounter dream killers along the way. Responsibilities come along once we have families, and they are our first priority. Haters come and remind us how old we are, why do you even want to do that, etc. Fear, although self-inflicted, swirls around in our heads and tells us we are not up to the challenge, the sacrifice and the discipline for such an undertaking. All types of things get in the way of us living our individual dream. And sometime, you can get all of this discouragement at the same time. And we buy into it. We push our dreams aside and get back to the business of living. But we always have that nagging inside. What if? I could do it. No I can't. The internal struggle is horrific.

What if Steve Jobs was discouraged?? There'd be nothing Apple in the world. Or Bill Gates? How did we live without Microsoft? Don't forget Larry Paige and Sergey Brin, Google's founders. We'd still be using encyclopedias without them. More recently, Tyler Perry. That man is REALLY living his dream. Studios, back lots, a movie compound? They all started out with only a dream. All had humble beginnings, although I venture to say Jobs and Gates weren't quite as humble as Perry's. They worked their dreams part-time until they could devout all the time they deemed necessary to make it a success. Their successes, I've no doubt have exceeded their wildest dreams.

Personally, I believe God is the giver of dreams. He knows the way, the perfect plan for our lives. He knew it, the bible says, before we were formed in our mother's womb. It's up to us to discover exactly what that is. What sets our souls on fire? I think gifts and dreams go hand in hand many times. We all have them. Sometimes people can go through life never utilizing their gifts or moving toward their dream.

So, as I said, what sets your soul on fire? What is it you enjoy? What idea do you have? Find it, I implore you! Think about it. It doesn't have to start out a big splash. Start small. Employ a vision board. That seems to be the "thing." Put everything you'd like to do toward your dream and as accomplished, tick them off one by one. Do small things that put you in the game. Someone said, "the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Maybe you're an entrepreneur? Maybe a great cook/baker? What is it? Find it and run with it. The only way to activate dreams is doing something. Dreams need hands and feet. No matter how much you want it, or its potential, you must work it. It won't fall out the sky and into your lap. Work it!

Which brings me to one final thought...
Parents, stop trying to get your children to live out your unfulfilled dreams. They have their own. God gave them one just as He did you. If that particular dream has passed, it's not too late to find another. But let them do them. Just like us, they only pass this way once.

You may ask, "Ilia, what's your dream girl?" Voila! This is it. My jump off. My beginning. This is my dream. To write. I've been doing it since elementary school. My mom kept a lot of my writings, but now that she's gone, I don't know what happened to them. I remember a couple of my poems made the church bulletin. I was soooo happy and she was soooo proud. Years later, I just stopped. Until a friend and I had a conversation and a light went on, I remembered I've written speeches for others, wedding toasts, and letters for businesses. Writing sets my soul on fire. There's nothing I'd rather do. All these years I wasted. I'm grabbing the bull by the horn now. I hope, no it's my prayer, that all of you do as well. Don't waste anymore time. Regret is a hard pill to swallow. Do what you can and rely on God to do what you cannot. If you take one step, He'll take ten. He'll open doors, make people receptive and maybe make some of your haters your footstool.

Live your best life. Do what you love. DREAM!!!!

Ninakupenda