Life Dreamin’

Dreaming is one of the greatest gifts that we will ever receive in this life.  Dreaming occurs when we allow ourselves to be lifted beyond our current circumstances to a place where we can envision a grander future.  Dreams most often happen when we are asleep; whereas visions most often happen while we are awake.  Either way, when we dream we are vulnerable, we are empowered and we are in tune with our authentic and creative self.

There are dreams embedded in the hearts and minds of each of us. These visions, ideas, desires, and goals have been placed within us and need the right stimulation in order to come forward at the appointed time. Mental, emotional and most of all spiritual stimulation helps to elevate our dreams from the state of intangible impossibility to the realm of tangible reality.  In the Old Testament book of Joel, the prophet writes this:

And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.  And also on my menservants and on my maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28-29 NKJV)

Our best dreams are those which are a result of us coming into contact with the Holy Spirit of God.  For, it is God who gives us the ability and power to dream.  And ultimately, it is God who brings our dreams to pass.  God speaks to us in our dreams.  To be clear, God is always speaking to those of us who are in relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.  However, in our dreams, God is able to give us insight and understanding that we often cannot hear in our waking hours due to the clutter and noise surrounding us.  Nonetheless, whether we are awake or sleeping, once God has our attention, we will be amazed at all that God will tell us, show us and give to us to make our life’s journey better.

For me, the formation of Joy4Life Ministries, LLC, is a dream come true.  I have been getting bits and pieces of this ministry through dreams, visions and revelation for well over five years.  I did not know exactly when it would happen; but I knew it was coming.  I am a living witness that there is power in our dreams.  And, I want my journey to inspire you to keep dreaming about the life you want, even if that life currently seem far out of your reach.  I encourage you to tap into the passions, ideas, visions and yearnings that God has hidden deep within your heart, and subconscious mind.  And, then, allow them to motivate you to live life in such a way that your dreams can be manifested.  When it comes to your dreams, commit yourself to do these three things:

Dream Big:  Ephesians 3:20 says: God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (NKJV)  This is an invitation for us to dream big.  If God is truly able to outdo the very best that we can ask or think then we should at least give God a challenge.  Some of us are so myopic and ordinary when we dream.  Instead of taking to God grandiose ideas and broad desires for our lives, we play it safe.  We only want to do that which seems possible to accomplish in our own might and we only desire that which we can consume by ourselves.  Consider the fact that God wants you to dream big.  God wants you to stretch your imagination and remove the limitations off of your faith.  You and I were created for greatness; don’t let small absorb you.  Take the time to imagine the unimaginable and then ask God to do the impossible, intangible and unlikely through your life; by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Dream. Big.

Dream Bold:  Once we elevate the level of our dreaming, it will be necessary for us to become more definite and vivid as well.  Too many times, our dreams are too ambiguous and scattered to be of any use to us.  Bold dreams are dreams that are well-defined and outlined.  Even our biggest dream must have measurable aspects otherwise how will we ever know if we are moving closer to its completion.  Dreaming is a very amorphous endeavor, it is true; yet and still we must be disciplined enough to set goals and outline parameters for them, otherwise they will just sit and ultimately die.  We should dream on a level that requires faith, and we should remember that faith without works is meaningless. (See James 2:26)  Fill in the details of your dreams; use vivid colors. Dream. Bold.

Dream Better:  We should become better at dreaming the more that we do it.  This means that the quality and quantity of our dreams should increase the more that we put dreaming into practice.  Dreaming should be a routine exercise and we should invest the requisite time and energy into doing it well.  When our dreams become better, they won’t just be for material means, but rather we’ll find ourselves dreaming on spiritual levels.  When we learn to dream better, we won’t be so in-ward focused and self-consumed. Rather, we will dream of how to improve not only our lives, but also our community, our nation and our world.  Better dreaming is what will change the landscape of life not only for those who stand with us, but also for those who will come after we are gone.  You never know what God could use you to do, if you’d only; Dream better.

Do you have a dream that you’ve deferred? Tell us about it.  Share your big (#dreambig) bold (#dreambold) or better (#dreambetter) dream with us on Twitter or FB.  We want to hear from you and pray with you for your miracle.