How to Make Your Hopes and Dreams Come to Life
You have a list of hopes and dreams. Things you want to accomplish. Places you want to visit. Hopes you hold on to for the future.
You set goals.
But the truth is…
Some of your hopes and dreams will happen and some will not. And I always find it interesting that even of those realized, some will provide the imagined satisfaction and pleasure and some will not.
When I was growing up, I dreamed of being a mom and a teacher. I played with baby dolls and set up pretend classrooms. In all honesty, I didn’t think past my family and career.
Now my kids are grown and I haven’t taught in a classroom for years but I still have hopes and dreams and I’m guessing that whatever stage you are in life . . . you have hopes and dreams too.
Sometimes dreams need goal-setting and a to-do list that will inch us closer to our hoped for outcome. But sometimes they’re beyond us.
That’s where I find myself these days. My current hopes and dreams rest in God’s hands because they’re not for me . . . they’re for my loves.
My Hopes and Dreams
1. That the people I love will know and love Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that through Him they will “love God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love their neighbors as themselves.”
I want people to know how much God loves them and that a relationship with Jesus is not about religion, rules, or doing it right. It’s about trusting His love and surrendering to His will . . . then letting the Holy Spirit do His work in our lives.
It’s so much easier than we make it, isn’t it?
2. That a broken family relationship will be restored by God’s grace.
There’s not much to say. It’s a mother’s dream.
It’s a short list . . . but one that is deep in my heart.
Have you ever wondered what to do when your dreams are beyond your reach?
How My Hopes and Dreams Can Come to Life
Self-help books tell us how to accomplish our heart’s desire. How to set goals through well-planned baby steps. One after another . . . until we reach our desired outcome.
But when our dreams aren’t ours to attain. When our dreams rest in the hands of a sovereign God then, we have to hold on to the most important truth.
God loves me and He loves my loves even more than I do.
So, I don’t worry and I don’t set goals.
I pray.
I trust God and I live.
Not because I’m a fatalist. But because I believe God.
Do you remember the account of Ezekiel in the Valley of Dry Bones?
The floor of a valley was filled with dried up old bones and God asked Ezekiel, “Can these bones become living people again?”
Ezekiel wisely answered, “O Sovereign Lord, You alone know the answer to that.”
And I love the next part…
Then God said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
So I spoke this message, just as He told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.
Then He said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”
So I spoke the message as He commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. Ezekiel 37:4-10
Can you imagine?!
God can make dried-up old bones a great army. He can and does create life from death.
It’s the message of Jesus, isn’t it?
Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies; and everyone who lives and believes in Me [as Savior] will never die.” John 11:25–26 (AMP)
The miracle of life from death. He is the God of possibilities for me, for you, and for our loves.
So, take your hopes and dreams and surrender them to God in prayer. Trust Him, He can bring dreams to life. He will work His will His way for His glory and speak life and peace into you while you wait . . . if you let Him.
Do you have hopes and dreams beyond your reach?
Just finished listening to our chat with Holly — SO FUN! (We watch NCIS here, too.)
Thanks, Michele! It was so much fun! Holly’s great!
I think our hopes and dreams must be surrendered to God. He knows what is best for us before we do, and we can trust that if that dream or hope is of His will, it will see fruition.
Blessings, Deb!
I completely agree, Martha! When we give our hopes and dreams to God we can trust He will guide us, and work in people and circumstances to accomplish His will. We can trust Him. I love that I can always hope and dream knowing that He has to bring life even when something seems impossible. Have a wonderful weekend full of blessings!
I love your perspective on goals and dreams in a world that is so filled with how to achieve goals thru courses and lists and doing doing doing 24/7. I love your gentle reminder to rest in God’s sovereignty. I love YOU and your heart to keep Christ the focus as we struggle thru the tension of letting go of our humanness and trusting the Lord! xoxo sweet lady!
Beautiful encouragement, Deb. Encouragement I need today.
Deb- Since becoming a mom 16 years ago, I forgot how to dream. My dream as a child was to be a mother. I hadn’t dreamed beyond that. God’s bringing me what He wants me to dream about. It’s nothing I would have every thought. Somehow I know it will be better than anything I can imagine!
Blessings!
You alone, Lord, know the answer to that! Thanks for this verse and all the wisdom you’re sharing here today Deb!
I believe God wants us to have those hopes and dreams and turn them into requests. It draws us into God to align with his will. You are so right not all of them will come to fruition, or they may just look a lot different once God gets a hold of them. I love the two most important dreams you have. I am right there with you with my momma’s heart.
“whatever stage you are in life . . . you have hopes and dreams too.” most people tend to forget that and surrender to life’s cruelty. Dreaming is not just wishing for better things to happen – dreaming is feeding our soul with hope, with blessing. Thank you for that wonderful post, Deb!
Deb,
This was without a doubt one of the most encouraging posts I have read in awhile. I needed to read this, to read that truth in Ezekiel today. Thank you.
I am praying with you for that restoration and as a mom, agreeing with you that the goals we have for our loves would be that God be their first and most important pursuit.
Blessings!
Dawn
It’s so easy to put limits on our dreams, isn’t it? We don’t think beyond a certain point or situation. But God does!
Everything here is so linear. I can’t imagine what it’s like for God with yesterday, today, and tomorrow coexisting. The idea of eternity brings so much hope to dreams!
Some simple truths to your post that are wonderful!
Like “God loves me and He loves my loves even more than I do.” Awesome! Thanks for hosting and visiting me. Blessings to you!
I have chills reading this because I just got done writing something about dry bones coming to life! God is truly driving that point home with me this week, especially with the warmer weather we are having. Thanks for this post, dear Deb!
Yes! What a wonderful word of hope, Deb!
Continuing to pray with you for restoration!
This is beautiful, Deb! I’d never before thought about the fact that some of our hopes and dreams won’t ever be ours to accomplish, like our prayers for our unsaved family and friends. You are so right that only God can complete those according to His own will and timing. Thank you for such a great post!
I share your hope, Deb. I really needed to read these precious words!
Wonderfully encouraging, Deb. Thank you for reminding us that God can breathe life back into some old dreams we have put on hold when they are His will and purpose for our lives. Blessings!
Thanks for this sweet encouragement!!
This post really helps me make a very important decision for myself. For which special thanks to the creator. I look forward to new posts from you!
I’m so glad it blessed you, Kathryne! God bless you!