Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
~Langston Hughes
When we first hear or think about the word "dream," we often associate it with images or stories given to one that is in a deep sleep, or with some imaginative goal or pursuit for the "if I could do anything I want one day it would be..." type of context. Is it no wonder that as a whole, many people do not believe in the idea of dreaming because they seem either elusive or ephemeral to even grasp? As a child, you cannot imagine that when you are chasing your brother around the house, that you are NOT the quickest detective in the world; that when you are talking to your stuffed animals, you are NOT the most effective teacher in the world; or that when you're doing the latest routine dances, you are NOT the next big choreographer to lead the biggest performer yet to come. What happens as we transition from each social stage that causes the belief in these dreams to diminish and dissipate more and more to the point that we settle for status quo? For what's easiest? For what's most comfortable? It's not just pondering "what happens to a dream deferred" but also remembering to"come like children" as Jesus illustrates how to enter into the kingdom. Jesus here associates children with humility, unwavering trust, and confidence. However, as life experiences mature us, they also harden us.
As I continue on the journey to my dream fulfillment, I cannot lie and say I haven't experienced road blocks, emotional taxation, and sporadically doubt. But, I have learned that just because my feelings about my dream changes, doesn't mean God's dream in ME changes. Dreams are like seeds delicately planted "while [we] are in the womb." When we receive and accept God's spirit in us, that seed or dream becomes awakened or germinated. Therefore, it is our responsibility to protect it, nurture it, water it and watch it come alive. One way the plant or dream becomes withered is through our words. As much as we can speak life into situations or people, we can also speak death. In the Bible, Zechariah was first told that he was to have a son in his old age through the angel Gabriel. God knew that Zechariah's disbelief or doubt would affect his speech, thereby muting him until the day his son John was born. God basically took away his ability to speak to ensure that death did not befall the dream or seed he wanted to plant into Zechariah.
It is indeed possible to work toward your dream one day, and the next day contentiously deny that you can even do the very thing you began. As you grow tired of hearing no or seeing a lack of resources to move at the pace YOU think YOU should, you throw in the towel. Falling into this same outcry, I had to remind myself of the very question I posed to a friend just earlier this week: Who would be most impacted if I gave up on my dream? Anything God gives to us is not just to benefit us; it is to bless others. The same is true for our dreams. Yes, the journey can be tumultuous, which can cause us to speak what we feel. But, it is critical to understand that my faith moves God, not my feelings. Therefore, our belief, our faith, and our speech - once aligned - is what allows us to "say to this mountain, move."
It is indeed possible to work toward your dream one day, and the next day contentiously deny that you can even do the very thing you began. As you grow tired of hearing no or seeing a lack of resources to move at the pace YOU think YOU should, you throw in the towel. Falling into this same outcry, I had to remind myself of the very question I posed to a friend just earlier this week: Who would be most impacted if I gave up on my dream? Anything God gives to us is not just to benefit us; it is to bless others. The same is true for our dreams. Yes, the journey can be tumultuous, which can cause us to speak what we feel. But, it is critical to understand that my faith moves God, not my feelings. Therefore, our belief, our faith, and our speech - once aligned - is what allows us to "say to this mountain, move."
