Reaching Your Dreams

Okay. So I know this is kind of a cheesy title, but it's the title of a book I'm reading right now that's rocking my face off. Honestly, it's going right along with all our Esther studies, I think. Let me quote to you the very first paragraph of the book and then you can see what I mean.

"Every one of us on Planet Earth was created by God to have a dream, a destiny, and a reason for living. When God created you, He needed something done on earth that nobody else could do, so He designed you to do it better than anyone else. There is a certain way you give love that nobody else can duplicate; a certain way you praise God that nobody else can imitate; a certain way you relate to people; a certain way you serve; a particular sense of humor you have; a particular way of singing, telling stories, building a business, designing, or decorating. You add something to this planet that nobody else can add. God receives special pleasure from you that he receives from nobody else."

Now, doesn't that make you want to read this book? Here's another excerpt: "That unique destiny, that dream, that special something you do better than anyone else is meant to change the course of earthly history. Each person has a moment when his or her dream and destiny can literally impact the lives of millions -- perhaps billions -- of people."....."As you walk through life, you have preplanned appointments and opportunities to carry out your destiny in a way that will leave a mark on this planet forever."...."By dreams.....I am referring, rather, to the goals and visions that fire your heart and saturate your soul with joy at the very thought of them. I mean those continuing visions of what you want your life to be at its highest level of fulfillment -- what you want to do, how you want to do it, what kind of person you want to become in the process."

I missed this Sunday school lesson, but I've heard a lot about it from other....God's name for you. God has a name for you that you will hear when it's your time to step into that destiny...your dream, per se. That thing that you just can't let go of no matter how many years you've tried not to think about it. Your name that God has for you is your destiny, from the way I understand it. How cool is that? Whether is be Mother, Father, Missionary, Teacher, Prophet, Soldier...it's your destiny.

In Esther 4:12-14 Mordecai had heard of the plot to wipe out all the Jews in a single day and was obviously devastated. In these verses he's talking to Esther when she tells him that she can't go into the king's presence without an invitation or she will be killed. This is my favorite part in the whole book...

When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your fathers family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?

If you think that God might be calling you by His name for you, awesome. Who knows that you were born for such a time as this? Step in to His will for you. God has you here for a specific purpose. Maybe you're going to change millions of lives. Maybe you're going to be the mother/father of someone who will change the course of history. Maybe you're going to change the person that's going to reach the world with the Gospel. Maybe, just maybe if God's calling us by His name for us that's what we should step in to.

"Most people don't achieve great dreams. They give up. They fall short. They get off track. They SETTLE. Or....they dream too small." -- John Maxwell in Dare to Dream....then do it. God might be calling you to do something that you think is absolutely crazy. It probably is. But if God's calling you, He's got a specific plan for that to have a part in your life.

"In America and other wealthy countries, oversatisfaction is the rule. People go to great lengths to expand their leisure time, reduce their work hours, and acquire items that help them relax: DVD players, jet skis, second homes, and third automobiles. We have made recreation a way of life.

Nothing is wrong with satisfaction unless you are oversatisfied. God hates it when we become too satisfied and quite pursuing our dream. It's a paradox that Jesus satisfies our souls but also creates a constant dissatisfaction within us to keep us moving forward. The prophet Amos said, "Woe to you who are complacent in Zion (Amos 6:1)" Paul said, "I do not count myself to have apprehended (Phil. 3:13)."

So here's my challenge to you: Don't be complacent. Go out searching for your dream, your destiny, that one thing that you can do better than anyone else out there. Go after your dream. Wage war against the things that challenge or hold you back. Once you step into His will for you, you never know...YOU could change the course of history! Who know but that you were created for SUCH A TIME AS THIS?