“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-16
When I was a little girl, I used to play a silly little game with my sister. We both worked for our boss, Mr. Teddy Bear, who was an important and powerful entrepreneur. My sister was a tired, frumpy old secretary named Mrs. Horsefeathers. My name, however, was Krystal Keylock, a beautiful, successful, prominent businesswoman. We would sit for hours at our make shift desks, sign our name to papers, pretend to stamp them, and then shuffle the signed papers back and forth from each other’s desk. I dreamed of a day when I would become Krystal Keylock and all that she represented to me; that I was going to do something incredible with my life.
My dreams quickly faded as the nightmare of my reality came into focus. I lost sight of my dreams and aspirations, and was never encouraged to chase after them and, as a result I was dead inside for three decades.
God has a plan for our lives. Psalm 139:13-16 reminds us that God knit us together in our mother’s womb and wove a unique and special dream on our hearts; a dream unique to who we are.
Most of us never uncover what God’s dream is for our life. We limit God and His abilities. We put Him into a small box. We don’t allow ourselves to dream big because we have bought into the lie that controls us; the lie that says we are unworthy. We buy the lie that if we dare dream, it should be a safe dream. A friend of mine told me just last week that her dream was to own a home, but that was superficial. If God has placed a dream on your heart to provide a home for your family, that’s not selfish or superficial. That’s your unique dream God put on your heart before you were even born. Don’t buy into those lies.
We don’t allow ourselves to dream big because our dreams make us and the people around us uncomfortable. They don’t understand, agree or believe. A six year old little girl was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. Courageously she answered, “When I grow up, I want to be a Missionary Fashion Designer.” Her aunt just laughed. I mean it’s laughable and quite naïve right? (I’m not even sure there is such a thing as Missionary Fashion Designer) She patted her niece on the head, and responded with something like “Oh, aren’t you sweet. Sure you will, honey,” believing there was no way this little girl would ever become a Missionary Fashion designer. But the girl was relentless, insisting that she would indeed become a Missionary Fashion Designer. A few months later, her aunt went to Africa on a mission trip. There was a dress shop next to her hotel, with a sign in the window. Want to take a guess as to what the sign stated? “African Fashions: Designers Wanted.” God had put this big dream on this little girl’s heart, but the possibility was far too unrealistic the aunt didn’t believe it could be so. She’d been taught one way, but now she’s open for another way of thinking.
The world tells us to settle for our comfortable, safe, careful dreams that are small. We replace words like radical, reckless, and relentless with cautious, careful, and gentle. And yes, there are times when we need to be cautious, careful and gentle, but when dreaming big, we need to be as reckless, and radical, and relentless as David was when he went to fight Goliath. 1 Samuel 17:37 David wasn’t cautious, careful or gentle. As a matter of fact, he was quite radical when he told Saul he would take Goliath down. He was relentless as he tried to convince Saul to let him go, because Saul was uncomfortable with David’s purpose. And when Saul was convinced, he gave David his armor to wear, but David said no thanks. He stood tall because he had faith that the Lord would intervene. And he faced Goliath with only a few stones and a sling shot.
Sometimes it’s hard to trust God, especially when we cannot see where we are going. Sometimes I feel like a kid sitting on the edge of a swimming pool, unable to swim, scared to death to jump in; and God is in the water saying, “I will catch you. All you have to do is jump. I will not let you drown. You can trust me.” God knows how good that water will feel when we jump in, but we think we know better and we play it safe. We back away from the edge and stay in our comfortable place. It’s when we are uncomfortable that we can fully be used by God.
I want what Krystal Keylock had to offer when I was a young girl. Krystal was radical, relentless, and reckless and she had big dreams. God used Krystal Keylock to show me my dream…to be a published writer. But it’s not good enough for me just to be published, selling books off a palate in my garage. I’m dreaming big! My big dream is to be a BEST SELLING PUBLISHED AUTHOR.
I saw some graffiti on an interstate overpass. I wish I would have taken a picture of it, because it was really cool. The graffiti artist was obviously a dreamer, because the caption stated “Never stop dreaming ~ Just don’t fall asleep.” God is looking for excellence from us, and we always settle for “good enough.” I don’t know about you guys, but I am tired of settling. I am tired of holding onto small dreams and living a life that’s good enough. Jesus tells us that he has come to give us life, life to the fullest.
Somewhere there’s a sign in a window which states….God loves Big Dreamers AND African Fashion Designers and published writers, and homeowners, and pastors, and business owners, and artists and musicians and insert your dream here. Don’t fall asleep. Let’s dream big. Let’s get radical. Let’s get reckless. Let’s be relentless. With our courage, with our determination, with our trust; and especially with our dreams. Let me encourage you; God has put a unique dream on your heart, chase after it with everything you have!
Peace be with you.
would proceed to call out about twenty or so names before the credits would roll and the show would end. “I see Suzie and Michael and Sarah and Jack all having a special day. I see Hannah and Lisa and Johnny…” Every day I would sit in front of my television set, holding my breath, hoping Ms. Nancy would call my name. Every day I would say to myself, “Maybe tomorrow.”
you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” [
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