Learning To Dream

Let’s begin this post by defining the word dream. Dreaming is defined as the ability to imagine and discover the plan that God has for our life. This is not easy. It is noted that only 3% of all Americans are actively involved in or pursuing their dream.

It is also noted that over 90% of Americans are working outside the field of their degree. Is it any wonder that we are a nation that is suffering from a lack of contentment, anxiety and loss of purpose?

The loss of a dream must rank as one of life’s greatest tragedy’s. The poorest person in the world is never one without wealth, but a person without a dream. - Tweet that!

Here are few things that will help dreamers.

1. Be sure your dream is your own.

Most people make a terrible mistake of allowing the wrong people to influence their choice of what dream to pursue. Living out your parents dream is just as miserable as not living your own.  Your commitment must first be to God and then to yourself.  This is the where we discover personal satisfaction and purpose.  A life of purpose begins when we find our dream and give all we have to achieve it.  If we do not discover the right dream, we will certainly find the wrong one.

2. Be sure and know that delay is not denial

Delay is the main dream buster of dreamers. Every dream has a season where the promise is delayed. It is during delay that God purifies the dream, builds character, and establishes trust.  Every great dream must stand the test of time and delay. In delay we learn the trust of God and equally so, God reveals whether He can trust us.

I love to say; if you cannot wait, God cannot trust you. If you cannot wait on God, you do not trust Him. A message for you to listen to is "Embracing Your Place" by Christine Cane. It revolutionized my life 3 yrs ago. 

This season I call delay can be the entrance to confusion and impatience.  This is the place we begin to search for the fine print in the dream. But like someone great said; Rose colored glasses are not made in bifocals, nobody wants to read the fine print in their dream.

3.  Be sure and not Change from the original dream.

The Bible is full of leaders who failed to stick with God’s original plan.  And of course, the devil offers us alternate plans.  He also is continually leading us off our mission into a sub-mission.

Abraham and Sarah are perfect examples of people who deviated from God’s original plan.  You see this is where most of our dreams are forfeited.  Many of us decide to take an easier path, sell out to comfort, or settle for the familiar.

The scripture reminds us to not grow weary while doing well, and to imitate those who through hope and patience inherit the promises of God.  Like the dream of the children of Israel every dream is surrounded with giants.  Every dream has both promise and challenge.  Like I have often said; it’s not supposed to be easy.  Everything great offers an equal and greater challenge.

Let’s not fail to realize that reaching our dreams requires hard work, discernment, resilience, and perseverance.

And let’s make no mistake about it; the world needs extraordinary dreamers.

Everything begins with a dream.

Extraordinary dreams inspire us all.

Extraordinary dreams release hope.

The actual witness of seeing dreams come true is extraordinary and the world certainly needs to experience that!

That’s why we must keep reaching for our dreams.  If we persevere the dream will either find us or we will find the dream!

The Slow, Regressive Progress Of Change

Growing up, I played sports a lot, but basketball was the game that stuck.

While playing competitively, I took lessons from a handful of coaches over the years, each of whom had their strengths, and taught me a different aspect of the game. But one thing was constant with each coach and each lesson I took. After changing my shot stance, or hand positioning even just a little bit, I always got worse..... Always.

There was never once where my coach would shift my release, or adjust my posture, where I would go out the next day and fire the game of my life. Not. Even. Once.

I’d hit 10 or 12 good shots. And 75 bad ones. Then the next game I’d hit 13 or 14 good shots. Followed by another coaching lesson change. Followed by a mere 14 or 15 good shots. Over time, those 75 bad shots became less bad. And the good shots became better shots. The positive effects of a shot change were never instantly felt. Even though I was making changes for the better.

Some times, when things got tough and I didn’t want to keep fighting through the difficult change, I’d revert back to old habits. In the heat of the moment, it made things easier. But never did it help in the long run.

If I went back to old habits, it would feel good, but I was no better off.

Organizational change

 

Organizational change is no different. It’s just on a larger scale. With more zeros on the end.
You know the changes that need to be made in your organization. Changes that will help move things forward. Changes that will open the door for new growth. Changes that will get the right people on your team. Changes that will help position you for a bigger community impact. Changes that will lead you into the next phase of development. But when you try to implement those changes, your organization will take a couple of steps backwards before it take steps forward. My context for organizational change is the local church. Maybe yours is the non-profit board you sit on. Or the company you work for. Or the small group you lead. Or the running club you’ve joined. When the change process begins, there’s a tension that exists between what “was” and what “could be.”

What “was” represents what

 

• isn’t that bad 
• isn’t completely broken
• is “safe”
• is comfortable
• is known
• is controllable

 

What “could be” represents what

 

• is difficult
• is painful
• doesn’t instantly make you feel good
• causes us to swallow our pride
• stretches us
• isn’t controllable
• could fail
• is unknown

But you know what change needs to happen. You see things differently. You see a preferred future, with more growth, more impact, more products (or ideas, depending on your industry), and more lives changed.  That’s why you’re there!

Quit complaining about things being tough! Without difficulties, there’d be no need for leadership. [Tweet that!]

Don’t let the regressive, two-step backwards process of change keep you from moving forward. Going back to old habits, to what feels comfortable and easy and well-worn, isn’t what’s good for you and your organization. Even though it’s more comfortable at the time.

Aim for what could be, and don’t stop until you get there. [Tweet that!]

Even if you get burned. Even if you fail. Even if it’s difficult. And trust me…it will be.

If you give up on the first few steps backwards, you’ll never realize the growth that change can bring. [Tweet that!]

I’m rooting for ya.

Don’t give up and be helpless in times of trouble. – Proverbs 24:10