Are You Dreaming BIG Enough?

A couple of months ago I watched this movie with Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and J Lo. I believe it was called An Unfinished Life. It was good. My mind works in strange ways though, and I would love to see it again, because something happened in my mind at the ending. It ended with Morgan Freeman's voice speaking as they showed aerial shots of the Montana area. (Montana is SOOO on the top of my list for places to visit!). I can't remember exactly what transpired or what path my butterfly chasing mind went to get to this conclusion...but the conclusion was..."Look at your dreams. If you see change in your dreaming, YOU have changed."

The thought really made my mind race, and I just knew that it was true. See the picture above? Every since I was a little , living in this beautiful coastal town, I have dreamed of overwhleming seas taking over either the jetties or the beach where I seem to be aurrounded by the creeping ocean. I only dream it when I am stressed. It's the only recurring theme I have in my dreams, or I should say, HAD! Because about 1 to 1 and 1/2 yrs ago I had a variation on the dream, and I haven't had one since! Ha! This time the dream was more vivid and much more involved. There were big roiling black thunderheads in the sky over the ocean, and swelling, frothy waves overtaking a beach, and I was part of something like a small village full of people that lived in a little area just behind the sand dunes. I was trying to get people up a path and behind the dunes and the whole time the waves and clouds were just off to the right in the horizon. Finally, at one point I pointed my finger to the clouds and ocean and spoke sternly to the storm to "Go back, in the Name of Jesus, You have no place here!", and that was pretty much the end of the dream as far as I know...

I haven't had a single water encroaching dream since! Water doesn't get the best of me anymore! I did however, dream I was going from one place to the next, and I was taking flying leaps to get there! I would hop up and fly for a stretch, then come down, and go right back up! The feeling of flying was WONDERFUL! I know when dreams are spoken of, flying dreams are common, but not for me. As I watched the ending of that movie, the aerial view reminded me of the flying feeling in the dream. Maybe that's what triggered the thought, I really don't know. All I DO know is that in those few moments, I became aware of a change in my dreams, and it felt decidedly like God was showing me a change in myself. A change that felt good. Like someone who was more secure in her faith, more secure in the knowledge of who God is, and who He is in her. Instead of that person who believes, but is scared, who believes but always feels like danger might be just around the corner...I think He might be growing me into someone who says, "Yeah, danger, OK, it happens, yawn. But, it can't have the best of me. I'll rise above it. I'll focus more on the greater one who lives within me...I will focus more on the answer than the problem. I'm pretty sure that He's got me covered, oh, and He's got my family, too!

I can't help but feel that this has something to do with our awake dreams. The things we long to accomplish or see them come to fruiton in some fashion. Sometimes there are things in us, in our character that make us not quite ready for the dreams we have. So we have to go through some things that refine us, grow us, embolden us, or maybe change our heart, and make them tender. God knows us better than we know ourselves. So as we day by day give our selves to His care, and continually keep our dreams in His hands, He is leading us, and guiding us through life. Helping us get to that place where our dream won't kill us. Where our dream won't overwhelm us!

I think of Abraham and Sarah. They waited so many years to see the promised child. But God had them in training. They needed to be able to see themselves as He saw them. Remember, He did change their names, their very identity. Each of them became father of and mother of princeS - plural - not singular. Mother and father of nationS -plural. God needed them to have a right mindset before they had Isaac, so they could raise him right. Train him right.

Jacob, you remember him, right? How about his identity makeover? Remember when he had his great wrestling match, alone in the night, in the desert? "Then He said, Let Me go, for day is breaking. But Jacob said, I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me. [The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]! And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed." Genesis 32:26-28

What are YOU dreaming lately? Don't give up! Be willing to consider, you might not have been dreaming BIG enough! I don't think in Jacob's wildest, most covetous mindset, he EVER thought of himself as "Contender with God". I don't think Abram (later Abraham) or Sarai (later Sarah) ever thought they would not only give birth to a child when they were so old, but, also that child would lead to decendents who would lead NATIONS!

If you have been going through the wringer, if your heart feels stretched, mushed, even crushed. If you no longer enjoy going to sleep, because you don't want to wake up with that same old worry, or have that same worn out bad dream. If you have seen the same scenery over and over again as you traipse around the mountain in a circular pattern, remember you are in training. Allow Him to help you see the champion inside you, the regal nature that He actually destined you to live and help your grandchildren to cultivate. Would it be so bad if your dreams were ultimately prepare you to raise grandchildren who would lead a nation one day? Just ask Him if you are dreaming right, ask Him if you are dreaming big enough! He's a really, big God, and He lives inside of you!