Do you sometimes feel that working towards your dreams are useless? Have you worked really hard, but seem to have gotten nowwhere? Or, after some years of mental growth, have you seen that your dreams have changed?
Well you are in the right place. I am going to share some of my reflections on dreams, and what I think about creating my dream life now. It is true that our dreams and desires change during the course of our lifetime. And there is nothing wrong with it. We grow and change, and so does our view and philosophy of life.
When I first started writing this blog, I had I had high hopes of making my dream life happen within a year or two. I never expected to be at the same job for this amount of time. After submitting more than a dozen of resumes and cover letters for various jobs over the course of five years, I felt like there was no job out there for me. I began to despair and believe I was writing something that I wasn’t truly living for myself.
However, thankfully, from a recommended video on YouTube, I read the book, “Start” by Jon Acuff. And I have to say it really opened my eyes and allowed me to get out of my depression from not completing creating my dream life. In the book, he says he actively worked on his dream of becoming a professional writer while working in various other jobs. This allowed him to have more opportunity to take risks. If money came from his writing, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to risk failure. This was really a great eye opener for me. Although I don’t have much money, I still can write and explore writing without the burden of having to think about making money with my writing. And I am here to say, if you feel like your are working on your dreams without any progress, then read this book. It will truly help you become excited and continue to do what you are doing.
From reading this book, I can now say that I am living my dream life. I am doing the things that I love to do, such as blogging, writing my novels, learning how to play two instruments, and learning things that I know will benefit me in the future. It may not have been the vision when I first started this blog, but I have been doing what I love, even while having a less than glamourous job.
Remember, having a dream life is not about having a dream job, but actively trying to create a life that glorifies God with what you are gifted. I don’t think I shared what my dream is, but it hasn’t changed. I supposed when I first started writing, I was very into making sure my blog post had a certain theme, only writing on topics that are involved with creating a dream life. But recent reflections and revelations from God, has shown me every area of my life should be dedicated to serving God. I shouldn’t be so set on writing for a certain niche that I leave out the bulk of what I do. As I pray every night that my desires and dreams should be God given or God driven. It isn’t about me at all or what I have done or will do, but rather what God is able to do in and with me as His creation. So here is my dream statement.
My overall dream is to glorify God in all that I do, so that others can see the love, grace, and power of God through me.
And I truly hope that I am actively carrying out this mission, though singing in a church choir, learning how to make quilts for the needy, and even though the low paying job that I have.
Believe me, I would love a job that would make me more financially stable and be able to live on my own. However, I don’t take the time that I have lightly. I am forever searching for ways to improve myself and learn new things. I believe God has given me this time to really work on writing my novels and carry out other projects that I know I wouldn’t have the time to do if I had a regular full-time job. This is not to say I am not actively looking for a better paying job. I do want to be financially stable, not only for myself, but to help my family. As my parents are getting older, I want to be able to help them out in any situation, which I can’t do with the job I currently have.
I am sure a lot of you think that living your dream life automatically means that you are financially stable. However, that is not often the case, especially for people who are just starting to carry out their dreams. For myself, money has always been a hard topic of mine. I suppose it all started when my dad was laid off three times in the space of two years. Because of this , I vowed to myself to be really smart with money, making sure that I save hundred dollars or close to that amount whenever I got any job. I always would get stressed out if my hours were cut at work, worrying about how my future would be if I couldn’t save a certain amount.
But after reading, the book “Money, Possessions, and Eternity,” By Randy Alcorn, it really opened my mind. Instead of viewing money as a satefty net, I started to view that money is God’s, just like the earth, and we should have a stewardship relationship with money. It is not ours. And we cannot take it with us when we go. So instead of trying so hard to be at certain financial places, I now view my money as something I can contribute to the Kingdom of God.
That is not to say that we shouldn’t be wise with our money, rather we should look at it as something that is lent to us, and that we must use it for the greatest good, for ourselves and others.
So I am just encouraging you to continue to do what you are doing. We all have dreams and desires. However, as the author’s of Life Purpose Planning workbook write, ” You will not find fulfillment by simply getting a job or having a vocation. Lasting satisfaction is found by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and by faithful obedience to do the “great works” of God that He planned for you before you were even born. ”
I hope that you found this reflection helpful if you are currently struggling. Remember just using your talents and gifts to help and serve others is a dream in itself.
Have a great week and keep on dreaming,
Alyssa
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