We are still in the honeymoon era of New Year resolutions. I have some goals written for 2013 but haven’t hit the print button yet confirming their existence and launching their life.
What is stopping me? Really it is a who. Who is stopping me? Holly Gerth is my obstacle
Many of you know Holly as the blogger and co founder of (in)courage and active with DaySpring. I love her enthusiasm, warmth and friendliness. She has a great smile too.
Yet she challenges me. She has invited us to say yes to a God sized Dream. She explains her project on her blog here.
She writes:
“This is an invitation to come alive and live the life you were designed to live. And when you do, you can’t help but encounter the wonder of God—those moments of spiritual awakening that make you long to know God more.”
Ok so I revisited my goals and dreams and have discovered something I am not proud of: I think I can do them myself and God is on the sidelines. Yes some are lifelong dreams, but if I try hard enough, and work hard enough, they will come true, right? It ‘s all about me, right?
No?
Sigh. How often am I to learn this lesson? It is about God. God is in control. God is the Creator.
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19: 21
Once again I stop and put all my hopes and dreams into God’s hands. I let go. And I wait.
The limits of human dreams are specks in the nighttime sky compared to God’s potential explosion of ideas….
Holly’s challenge this week is this: “Give words to the question: What’s Your God-sized Dream?”
I don’t have an answer yet.
I really believe that the hopes and dreams I have written down could be part of Gods plan, but I started first with my ego, not with His heart. Accomplishment-driven, I wrote down ideas what are doable, possible and human. A God sized dream is one that is impossible this side of a miracle. No limitation. Beyond my comprehension and imagination Clothed in mystery and adventure.
I told God I was willing to be stretched this year. See my post about my one word for 2013: STRETCH.
But did He have to start right away? And with my trusted every year reassuring secured goals and plans? You mean I am going to trust God with my future?
My prayer from last year extends into 2013:
“Lord, I am open and willing.”
I hear God say,
“Join Me. Let’s go on adventure. Grow a bit. Stretch. Get out of your comfort zone.”
Reminds me of the old story about the bike ride:
I used to think of God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn’t really know Him.
But later on, when I met Jesus, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Jesus was in the back helping me pedal.
I didn’t know just when it was He suggested we change, but life has not been the same since I took the back-seat to Jesus, my Lord. He makes life exciting. When I had control, I thought I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points.
But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at break-through speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it often looked like madness, He said, “Pedal!”
I was worried and anxious and asked, “Where are you taking me?” He laughed and didn’t answer and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into adventure. And when I’d say, “I’m scared”, He’d lean back and touch my hand.
He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, our journey, my Lord’s and mine. And we were off again. He said, “Give the gifts away; they’re extra baggage, too much weight.” So I did, to the people we met, and I found in giving I received, and still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He’d wreck it, but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I’m beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus.
And when I’m sure I just can’t do any more, He just smiles and says… “Pedal.”
(Author unknown)
Holly you asked me to put words to my God-sized dream. You wrote, “Dare to say “yes” to a God-sized Dream in 2013. Your life {and this world} will never be the same.
My words?
An Adventure with God.
Stretch.
Open and willing.
Pedal!
What is your God-size dream?
I certainly agree with you and that is one reason why my ‘goals” this year sounded so ego driven. Let’s keep pedaling. I really like your blog by the way.
Hi Mary, thanks for leaving a comment. I am like you not sure. I do have goals and dreams but this series is challenging me to release them to God and let Him take them and make them what He wants. Lets keep praying and listening!
I find that encouraging that God only shows you one step at a time. I really think HE does work that way.
I agree about the self centeredness of most of my dreams. When I look back at my life, I never could have imagined God leading me in the ways he did, so I never could have put that into words as a dream. I am trying to stay in the present, more than anything, and let God lead me where he wants, I’m trying to be willing to walk blind.
Holley is challenging and inspiring me also, Jean. I haven’t had time to link my dream post yet…hoping to jump in soon. Your thoughts are lovely and give me courage. Lets stretch together. 🙂
To be honest, the word “dream” puts me off. I had too many “dreams” in the past, and me, me, ME was at the center of them all, even the ones that I was trying to convince myself were of ME “doing great things for God.” hah. Thank God He saved me from them, is all I can say — and that riding on the back seat, shutting up and pedaling, one turn at a time as He directs and steers, settles much more peacefully, and prosperously (as in fruitfully), on my soul!
Sylvia R @ sylvrpen.com
I love the story of the bike…I have read Holley’s blog and the dream series. I don’t even know what my dream is, but I am praying and asking for his guidance and direction. Praying he will show me my dream. Thank you, Jean for a great post.
BTW, I came over from New Life Steward!
Really like the bicycle story, and I am so happy you got Holley’s e-book & will be on the adventure with us…and I love that bike story….God hasn’t given me me two goals/dreams for now…I like He gives it to me a step at a time because I think I might freak out if He showed it to me all at once…
I love it: lets both stand in the middle of God’s explosion. What a blessing! Thanks Nancy
“The limits of human dreams are specks in the nighttime sky compared to God’s potential explosion of ideas.” You’ve expressed so well, Jean, where I want to be: right in the middle of God’s explosion of ideas. No hesitation. Full of faith and passion. Eager to embrace what HE has for me. Thank you for the strong visual!
Hi Sharon, as far as I could ever research, the author is unknown and this could be shared. I hope it blesses others in your blog!
Thanks for stopping by from Holly’s blog. Her topic has really got a lot of us thinking!
love your comment about my picture showing up with your comment. funny. and glad you could relate to my humbling realization that once again I took the lead instead of listening and keeping my eyes on Jesus first and only. will I ever learn???
I love this bike story. Have also heard it called the Tandem Bike story. great image, isn’t it? Thanks for the encouraging comment. I appreciate it.
Great point, Sonya. Sometime he has me put on the brakes like He is right now with my goals. I really sense I am to wait and listen before preceding any more
Yes and He is stretching right away. Watch what you pray for right? I love your God sized dream. Great goal!
If that bicycle story is anonymous can I share it? I would love to put it on my blog post.
Stopping by via Holley’s blog and pedaling right along with you! Your honesty is encouraging. Thank you for sharing your heart.
Grace,
Brenda
And I really do not know why your picture keeps showing up instead of mine. Maybe we are more alike than I thought?
Ha – “Did He have to start so soon?” Oh, yes. I can relate. And I really relate to the whole concept of being an achiever and starting with my own ego. Oh, yes, I can.
I’ve never heard the bicycle story but I love it! It’s so true! And I love you word, stretch, too. Mine is courage this year, which scares me a bit. I know your God-sized dream will come – & it will be perfectly fitted to you. Blessings in finding it!
And, yet sometimes we must pedal backwards in ordrer to go forward!
Haha, sorry I had to laugh… you say ‘stretch’ and you will be stretched… awesome God.
My God-size dreams are scary, but real. I want my books translated and published in Israel.