Dare to Dream It, Woman! Then Write Your Vision ... It’s where dream seeds are planted
Dreaming is scary
Dreaming involves risk.
What if someone finds out about your dream and you look unequivocally stupid for even considering the mere thought of it? As if you, of all people, could ever make it a reality.
Well, I’m here to provoke you to dream anyway.
I’m here to get you thinking about that thing you’ve had tucked away deep in . . . well, your insides . . . perhaps since you were a wee little one.
And if you’ve never felt a particular dream or calling, I’m here to pull one out of you. (I have skills.)
Dare to dream, girl ... dare to dream!
No one ever achieved anything great
without first dreaming it.
Oo, that’s good.
Think on that for a sec …
Now think on your dream.
Give yourself a moment to really sit with it and marinate on it.
Thinking …
Dreaming …
Marinating …
Is your dream swirling around in your head? Okay, let’s move on.
Write Your Vision
Brian Houston, pastor of Hillsong Australia fame, believed this statement deep within his being when he first dreamed up a downright outlandish vision he called, “The Church That I See”.
"The Church That I See"
“In 1993, Hillsong Church was just ten years old. I sat down with a blank piece of paper in our office in Castle Hill. looking out the window to forlorn shops across the road, I penned these words at the top of my journal: ‘The Church That I See.’ It was a bold declaration of the future, a fleece before God and the cry of my heart––a vision of the church I desperately longed to pastor. The statement spoke of international ministries, of influential music, and both the convention centers and altars alike filled with people. I dreamed of television ministries not yet birthed and college that seemed impossibly possible. It was a faith goal, and when I shared it with our church one Sunday morning I knew I had just stepped out of the boat.”
“Years later, we are living in the days dreamed about. The faith we had then wasn’t even big enough for the depth of expansion and plans God had for our future.”
~ Brian Houston
Founder & Global Senior Pastor of HIllsong Church
"Live, Love, Lead: Your Best Is Yet To Come"
What If He Never Dreamed It?
Had Brian never allowed those crazy thoughts of international success to culminate in his mind and make their way to a piece of paper, boldly written down for anyone to maybe, actually, perhaps, you know . . . SEE . . .
And had he not risked standing in front of his modest congregation and … shutter the thought . . . verbalizing his grandiose vision . . . what are the chances that ALL those things he’d dared to dream, and more, would have come to pass?
And now let’s consider the massive impact Hillsong has had on the world. What would the world be without Hillsong as we know it today?
Well, that would take WAYYY too much time and more words than even I have. So just consider this if you will. If there were no Hillsong as we know it today . . .
There Would Be No "Oceans"
Hello? The song that swept the world with unprecedented success and is sung in churches around the globe. No. 1 in both 2014 and 2016, No. 2 in 2015, and No. 10 in 2017. That’s FOUR YEARS (and still counting) of massive world impact.
From just . . .
one . . .
song.
And it’s not about a “song”, of course. It’s about what the song does. It’s about how it changes lives. How it draws you and me and everyone who hears it to the very heart of Jesus. How it imparts courage to step out onto the water and trust Him with everything you have. How it empowers you to believe. How it brings you peace and helps you rest your soul in His embrace.
That Song Changed My Life
Come to think of it . . . for me personally, “Oceans” was just about the only worship song I could listen to during a deeply traumatic, fearful, and hopeless time in my life. I fell asleep listening to the mesmerizing voice of Taya Smith and let the moving lyrics soak into my spirit. As I lay in the dark of night, Holy Spirit poured through me like a refreshing stream of healing waters, gently nursing my wounded soul and beckoning me to step onto the waters again, to rest in the safety of his arms and . . . TRUST.
Oh, how I desperately needed to trust.
It's extraordinary how my life has evolved since that grievous season. God has indeed proven himself faithful, truly exceeding my wildest imagination. And that song has been like a beautiful thread woven into the tapestry of my journey, emboldening me to bravely dream and courageously step into several hopes, dreams and desires.
Total Thrive is one of them.
As I began writing this post, the first for Total Thrive, I didn't know exactly where my writing would lead me. I hadn't planned to write about “Oceans”. And as I did, I didn’t even remember how significant that song was to that tender season of my life. There's more to that song for me than I’ve yet to even say, but right now I'm pretty much in awe at how Holy Spirit led me to write about that seemingly wasted time of my life. It’s as if he's nudging me on the shoulder and whispering, “It wasn't a waste Jenna. I was there. And I’m here now. Just look at how I’ve turned that season of loss and despair into a beautifully flourishing garden. I told you I would. And I did . . . And it's only the beginning. Now write. And sing. Embrace your destiny.”
“ . . . he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.”
I don't know about you, but I need a tissue. Box.
Perhaps this is something you need to hear today. Whatever you've been through. Whatever you’re going through right now. He is there. He sees you. He is with you. And he will give you beauty for ashes.
Rest in him.
Trust him.
He keeps his promises.
“Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will Achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable Dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.”
That's the theme verse for Total Thrive, the root of all the thoughts I have about impacting women's lives . Because he's done it in my life, every fiber of my being wants you to believe he will do it for you too.
Now consider this.
"Oceans" would not exist without co-writer Joel Houston, son of Brian Houston, the Australian pastor who sat at a desk in 1993 and dared to dream up “The Church That I See”.
It's Your Turn
Now go find a desk, girl.
Sit at it.
And write down that thing that YOU see in your future. Because it’s not just about you. It’s about me. It’s about the people that will be impacted by the dreaming you do today and the steps you take to make your dreams a reality.
Tell Me About It!
Write it in the comments below or message me. I want to know you and what you’re dreaming about!
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