Dreams.
A word that has meant so very little to me, aside from the occasional story in my head while I sleep. Of course, I also had dreams about marriage and babies and what my life would look like; the usual dreams of a little girl I think.
Adventure too; that's something that is foreign to me. Loosing a feeling of adventure can happen when you marry at 19, give birth at 21, and again twice more by age 25.
Not that I no longer dream of nice things.
And making lunch while holding a newborn while corralling a small circus while managing a home certainly can feel like an adventure...
But dreams, of future and more and possibilities and excitement... I've rarely entertained them because, well, it seems that good and fun and exciting happens to those who either get lucky or take the risk. (Please know that I am not taking my life for granted; having a husband, three children, and many more blessings is good, fun, and exciting... I'm referring to those dreams that are unique to us; desires God places in our individual hearts for a purpose).
Never, and I do mean never, would I have imagined that my husband and I would take such a risk as selling our home and business, him quitting two solid jobs that he had been committed to for years, leaving our entire immediate families and all that is familiar, comfortable, and known.... taking such a risk to pick up and move to a new state, home, community...
Sure, we had talked about "selling everything and moving" plenty of times, but that was mostly in the context of "wouldn't that be fun" and in the chance that either of us would ever be brave enough to leave...
To think that we are now living in a completely different life, so to speak, is still shocking to me sometimes, and yet...it's so so right. Not once since deciding to take this leap of faith, have I ever felt unsettled about our decision. To face a change so great and feel so safe in that, has been such a blessing.
I see now that it's not that we were not dreaming before this, we were just under the impression that our dreams are just too big, unrealistic, or scary.
Living on three acres, enough room for a few pets and a dozen chickens, seeing more creatures from our windows than squirrels and the neighbors cat, gazing across miles of beauty, unblocked by the surrounding dozen houses- simple and boring as it may seem to some, it is "the dream" for us.
It may have seemed unrealistic to us less than a year ago, but after allowing our hearts to speak up, deciding to make it happen despite what people may think, and despite the fact that yes, we probably are a little crazy, we are living a life that we love.
I am so grateful to a God that gives us desires, matches us in our dreams, and blesses us beyond our own imagination.
We truly are so blessed to be where we are, and look forward to what our future holds.
So as perfectly cliche as it is, dreams really can come true, when you are least expecting or even hoping... sometimes when you're barely even dreaming them anymore. Sometimes a little risk and step of faith is all it takes.
Are we foolishly expecting life to be easier now?
Have we "arrived" and are now living the life?
No and no! Life is still life and there are still hungry bellies to feed and hearts to love and laundry and dishes and bills... we still live an average life and perhaps it is even harder now, without the close help and support of family, but we are loving our new normal and the change and risk has been worth following this path we believe God has us on.
//So come on, let Me dream, let Me dream for you
I am strong when you're weak and I'll carry you
So let go of your plan, be caught by My hand
I'll show you what I can do
When I dream for you
I have a dream for you. -Casting Crowns
What is a dream, big or small, that you have been putting off because it feels risky or maybe unrealistic?//
