To Catch a Dream

    I remember spending countless hours as a little girl watching a red and white bobber float along still waters. After awhile, I’d get impatient, reel it back in and cast out to yet another “perfect” spot.

    I soon realized that the weight of the bobber alone wasn’t enough to carry my line out very far, so I learned how to add little round split shot weights to my line so I could cast out farther and stand a better chance at some of the bigger fish.

    It doesn’t take much effort to keep casting our line close to the shore, does it?

    It seems that if we only have faith enough to toss our line within reach, we can only hope to catch the smallest, youngest fish. Sure, it’s safer and easier that way, but there’s really not much of a challenge in dreaming of the small and attainable when there are so many big fish out there.

    It takes the weight of faith on our line, faith big enough to cast our dreams and our goals way out beyond the lapping waves and into waters swirling well over our head where the biggest fish swim.

    It's the strength of that faith that grabs that line and makes it soar way out beyond where we're able to reach on our own. And it's the weight of our faith that allows us to think beyond the shoreline and into the unknown because God's hands fashioned both the shallow and the deep waters.

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied

by action, is dead." (James 2:17)

    I want to encourage you, sweet friend, to add the weight of faith to your dreams. Cast out far beyond the break of waves and into the deepest unknown. You may have to cast out many, many times before you catch what you’re looking for and you might even snag your line in the undergrowth. But don’t let that keep you from trying. Because of Jesus, we have the power and the authority to think far beyond the attainable, reachable goals and into the open waters of possibility. Praise God!

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 1428-31)

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Get Your Faith On!

 

Confession time - I’m guilty.

I opened the door to negativity and it walked right in and sat down!

Been moping around for a few days discouraged, disappointed in myself and questioning my dreams again. Feeling like I’m not “doing life” right.

You know the story…walking and kicking up dust in that same rut down a road that leads to nowhere fast.

I kept looking in that tiny rear-view mirror with all my past mistakes smoldering behind me instead of the big, broad view ahead that shines of God’s goodness, blessing and favor.

“Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19

So, what’s an encourager to do when she could use a bit of encouragement herself?

She has a pity party.

But I have found that a pit party’s an ugly place to be. I don’t wear “sad” well and tears are my contacts’ worst enemy. 

But this time, just before the tears came…God showed up in a big way, picked me up off that dirty, dusty road to nowhere and set me back on the solid ground of His Word.

I just love how He works.

He sends little sparks…little jewels that serve as reminders of His constant presence.

When we’re down, we can only focus on the closed doors; opportunities lost and second chances just out of our reach. We don’t see the OTHER doors God is opening just around the corner…and He definitely is!

Why do I question His greatness or his ability to work things out when my dreams and ambitions have been woven into the very fabric of who I am by His capable hands?

If you’ve been spending too much time looking in your rear-view mirror lately and giving your days over to regret and on things better left in the past, I invite you to join me today in kicking negativity to the curb and putting on the full armor of God! 

It’s a “one size fits all” kind of thing.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:10-11)

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