Tag: godly dreams

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Celebrate on the Way to Your Dreams

The beauty of the sunset caught my eyes tonight like most nights. We picked out or I should say God picked out a house for us that faces west. It faces the coastal mountains here in the Umpqua Valley of Oregon. On these spring days the sunset is just breathtaking. God created the world saying, “It is good.” I feel that today. After a day of creating, God gives his stamp of approval. He lays out a beauty at the end of the day just to show off a little. God celebrated every day and every work. I struggle to do the same. Often, I miss what is good that God has done through me. I walk in false humility, “Nothing good to see here.” How do you celebrate on the way to your dreams?

Seeing What’s Wrong

I see what is broken or morphed and totally miss out on the good that God has created all around me. He is good and the works of His hands are good. He has given us good works to do. It is not a sin to acknowledge that. The question becomes, how do we honor what God has done instead of wallowing in our self-righteous false humility?

You are Holy

As the sun sets while I am typing, I just want to tell you good job. You have done well and you are more prized than you give yourself credit for. God loves you and knit you together in a certain way for such a time as this. You are not an accident or malformity. You are a righteous son or daughter of the King because of what He has done and not because of our works. It’s okay to celebrate on the way to your dreams.

I miss this beauty in-between the sunrise and the sunset. I can get trapped by the low, gray clouds or burnt by the scorching sun, easily swayed by the world around me. If you aren’t, well props to you. This man is swayed, and I have found that a few things remind me of my identity in Christ and keep me on the center line of Christ and His Glory.

List of Your Identity Helps to Celebrate on the Way to Your dreams

I must keep a list of my identity in Christ. I have to say the words out loud because I often feel like the opposite of what He has said I am when I trust Him with my life. Write a list of the areas you have the strongest doubt. Neal T. Anderson wrote a great book on this that will help you called, Victory Over Darkness. This powerful, life-changing book will help you if you struggle with your identity in Christ.

Godly Friends

I need people to speak the truth of the Gospel over me when I don’t believe it for myself. We need friends the most when we don’t have time to build those relationships. If you don’t have Godly friends in your circle at the moment, that’s okay. It happens to all of us. Start today in building relationships. Join a small group, attend church, reach out to old friends. Everyone is lonely right now. Don’t give up on trying to attain a tight knit group; it will be worth the price.

Silence and Solitude Helps to Celebrate on the Way to Our Dreams

Getting alone with God allows His Spirit to be heard. He is speaking, are you listening? We are busy running around chasing dreams. I’m worried that we are too busy to hear our Father whisper His plans He has for our lives. Get alone with God and listen to who He says you are to celebrate what He has done through you in the day.

Worship

Worship is to celebrate Him in all we do. He was there in the mundane and the big moments of the day. Did you slow down enough to see Him in it? As we worship through word and deed we see Him in all things and can celebrate what He has done.

Well done today, you did your best. God is big enough to handle your worst moments and your best. Your undying faith and your wavering doubt. Some moments you will walk away proud and others with your head low, but in it all I want you to hear your Father saying, “It is good, give it to me and sleep.” Be blessed on your journey as you follow God and do what He has told you to do. It’s okay to celebrate on the way to your dreams.

What helps you to celebrate the journey?

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Having Joy While Chasing a Dream

I’m a serial dreamer. I always have something cooking in my mind and I’m pretty sure that’s the case for every entrepreneur. It’s a blessing often to be a dreamer, but it has some challenges as well. When you are a dreamer you live in a constant state of reality, not matching the dream. Always improving and tinkering, wavering back and forth between being in a state of feeling overwhelmed or bored. It’s a big reason why I wrote Chasing Dreams in a Minivan. Early on I was failing at bringing joy along while chasing a dream.

Joy is not based on circumstances, but man it’s a lot easier when circumstances are “right.” For example,  when I reach the summit of a mountain, joy is a lot easier than when I’m struggling up a shale rock path taking two steps forward and sliding back three steps. The problem is that hiking up the mountain takes up the majority of time. So please don’t be like Eeyore, it’s kind of sad. When you need joy in the journey I’ve got a few tips that should work for you, so give them a shot.

4 Ways to Have Joy While Chasing a Dream.

Kingdom Perspective Brings Joy While Chasing a Dream

God gives us many of the dreams in our hearts and we chase after them for His glory and in His name. I have noticed though that slowly I take the dreams that He has given me and make them an idol. An idol is when we take a good thing and make it the main thing. I think in our in-between state it’s easy to obsess over a dream that has not been realized. When we notice our joy leaving us we need to remember that the dream is great when God is chased above all. In a kingdom perspective we pursue God and the dream below that. Then we have the fruit of the spirit which one of them is joy. It is really that simple, however, I must confess it’s not easy. I often need help getting there and so I added some tips below.

Stepping Away Brings Joy While Chasing a Dream

Even as adults we need a timeout. Some of us more than others. One of the things that happens in a timeout is that blood pressure lowers and perspective returns. The bigger the loss or heartache, we need to step away a little longer. Take some time in nature; go for a walk or even get away out of town and out of cell phone reception. When we get away from it all we can hear God’s voice whisper to our hearts and fan the flame of passion for a dream. In those moments we can be drawn back to a Kingdom viewpoint and have joy in the journey.

Exercise to Hear

I have been working out a few days a week and it helps my joy level. My mind is so active and sometimes I act like I can worry and stress my way out of the depression. That maybe if I think about it long enough, bam! It’s suddenly okay. When we exercise there is a certain point when oxygen is hard to come by that stress and pressure dissipate. A bonus of exercise is that creative ideas happen when our body is moving. Connect with God by exercise and watch joy make an appearance.

Surround Yourself with Your Tribe

Sometimes I just need a hug and told it’s going to be okay and I’m not a failure. In our chase to reach our dreams we can take on the identity of the dream and forget that our identity is in Christ. In these moments we need people that we trust that can speak the truth of our identity in Christ over us. When we can’t see who we are we need them to remind us of who we are. Surround yourself with people that love you and love Jesus to remind you of who and whose you are to have joy return.

We will have moments on the journey that just plan suck. Other points will make you cry and question why. The key is not to get so frustrated that you don’t see Jesus in the moment because He is there with you. Take a moment and step away, exercise to get out of your mind, and get encouragement from your tribe. God wants to do something through you but more than anything He wants to do something in you. When we commit our lives to God and focus on Him and in the end TRUST Him and His plans we will be filled with joy.

How do you bring joy to the journey?