When You Know That You Know The Dream
First of all, let me just say that I’ve encountered a new phenomenon in my life: I’m dating a man who likes to read.
You guys, I hardly know what to do with this, except to say that I could pretty much tap dance on the ceiling every time he suggests that we sit by the fire and read, bring books along to the coffee shop to read, read aloud in the car, or add to the our list of books we want to read together. Swoon.
Peter and I are reading Wide Awake, where Erwin McManus writes about creating the life of your dreams, making sure your best moments be the ones you’re living not the ones you’re sleeping through. Chasing down what God might have for you and believing the life you want could really be as big as God wants it to be.
Add to this Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert’s book on living fearlessly creative, and then also the conversations in my house this week about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dreams of equality and redemption and courage on a daily basis. He lived a dream so much bigger than himself that his dream lived long after he died in pursuit of it.
Somehow, in all my current books and conversations, it seems that Dreams have become a theme. They’re all pointing me back to some important questions.
What is my dream?
Am I dreaming big enough?
Living big enough?
If my dreams can only come true if I dare to dream them, then am I living a smaller life than I could because I have dared not think big enough?
God, what do you have for me?
It’s been sort of a feverish pursuit, as I’ve been on the lookout for what I should be doing. I finally felt God whisper to me,
“Tricia, you keep asking me to show you the dream, but don’t you see I’ve already shown you? Don’t ask me to the light the match just because it feels good and powerful to be set on fire. Just stay the course and remember what I’ve shown you. You know the dream.”
It’s true. I dream of books and words, of speaking and writing with influence. That’s the dream, one I’m pretty sure he gave me because it’s one I can’t do on my own. So here I have been, asking him to show me, when the truth is sometimes you just have to buckle down and get to work on the dream.
Sometimes you have to work from the flame within instead of waiting to be set on fire all over again. When you know you know the dream, you just have to get to work.
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Candy says:
My husband Bob loved to read as much as I do and we would sit for hours enjoying books. What you wrote about today goes along with a book I am reading entitled IT’S YOUR CALL: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? by Gary Barkalow. He says:
“I believe God has instead given us something glorious to bring to this world that has to do with joy and intimacy with Him, not a forthcoming job evaluation.
The truth is that we are here to do something, a contribution that only each one of us can make. There is an outcome that hinges on us and therefore a fear that we might miss it—our moment, our part, our potential, our purpose, and our life. This is not some peculiar fear experienced only by a certain generation or culture or religion. I believe it is a fear born out of a desire written on every human heart, a desire for meaning, to know that my existence matters to someone and something. In short, that I’m good for something. The hunger or desire to find and live the life that we have been given, to live a life that is consequential, is good and noble.”
I think you would love this book.