The Stuff of Dreams

Today I’m thinking about how we all have dreams and about how we size up our circumstances according to what our dreams are. That is, if we still have a dream. As a believer, of course, it’s not supposed to be about us anymore, it’s supposed to be about God and what He’s calling us to be and do.

So while we are living our daily lives, a lot of stuff comes at us. Just a lot of stuff. Used to I could just sit down and write and something would begin to take shape. Don't know if that happens anymore. Because of a lot of stuff. Just a lot of stuff.

Used to think I was supposed to be a writer. But that thought always comes back. What my Daddy said.

"Who would want to read anything you wrote?" He was just kidding, but still, the words ring out when I think about them. Sure, I know all about the devil now. Didn't used to but I do now. Oh, boy, don't I know. And so do you. If you know Jesus.

Thinking about the Rules

I think about something I read about the length of paragraphs when writing online. It stuck in my head: 50-75 words. Now I’m OCD about it. From being a reporter I know for most newspaper articles paragraphs are supposed to be about three sentences long. Lots of stuff to think about. Lots of stuff. What about what you’re trying to say? And who writes the rules? Depends on who your editor is, maybe.

Where do you begin rifling through the stuff that comes at you? As a believer in this world we listen to a lot of stuff. Comes from church, comes from the world. Comes from the devil, comes from the Lord. Comes from all the voices inside our head. What to listen to? What to reject. What to accept, what to correct.

Songs should rhyme. Something else to think about. Want to write songs. Signed to write songs. For the past two and a half years seems like the well changed direction. What do I have to say anyway? Who is it for? Used to be so simple.

Thinking about the Process

Finding out what you are here to do and doing it. Isn't that it? The Bible says whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord, rather than unto man. But what about all the stuff? The world and the church both scream that you should follow your dreams. Is there something that has to happen first? Are we on the right path? Sometimes the path looks dark. Sometimes you feel sluggish. The enemy condemns.

I'm not going to count the words in that last paragraph. I'm just going to continue sharing my heart. I was hoping I could say something that would encourage you. I knew that you probably need encouragement as much as I do. We know the devil seeks to steal, kill and destroy. But we have one living inside who has overcome the devil. Right? So don’t forget that. If we seek Him, we can’t get off the path. That path of truth and righteousness. The path we want to stay on. Right?

I am pretty sure the Lord wants to encourage you and me to keep doing what we know to do, especially Matthew 6:33. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all those things shall be added to you.” So we are still in process. All of us are still in process. We are on this journey together. We need each other. You and I, we are fitting together to do the work of the kingdom.

Don’t Give Up

The enemy says give up, forget about you. You can't compete. Nobody needs you. Just worry about the money. Keep the money coming in. Whether it's minimum wage or real money what difference does it make? Just keep the money coming in. But something inside is telling you something else.

I'm not even comfortable sitting here in the library writing. I like to write by myself, alone, in my room where it's quiet, except of course for the dog when she wants me to play fetch. This is the most I have ever written in the library. They just got these new computers with WIDE screens.  

Don't know why that's supposed to be such an improvement but because of these computers they've changed everything, hidden the old computers all over the library. I don’t like change. So I have no intention of going over there and finding one of them. So I settle for the new improved widescreen computer.

Thinking about Reality

Hopefully we can arrive at a perspective that we can stay grounded within, not waver and not fall and not be afraid and not stay stuck. I don’t think we can go wrong if we keep our mind on the business of walking with God. We all have to work, yes. If you don’t work you don’t eat, the Bible says. And he says he will take care of us, give us our daily bread.

I have a great book that helps me when I’m worried about how I’m going to make it. It’s called All I Have Needed by Elva Minette Martin. I go to it every time I’m feeling the most afraid. I know I shouldn’t depend on a book, but the Lord has used people to write books that help us in this life, and this is one that has helped me.

The book is about Elijah and how God provided for Him. It’s a devotional, supposedly for women, but I haven’t figured out why. At all. In fact, I just noticed when I looked it up on Amazon. The bottom line is this: God is faithful. When we need something we go to God. He never said this was going to be easy, but He said He would never leave and never forsake us.