Many of us have dreams we want to pursue, goals we want to accomplish, achievements we want to attain.
But the problem with our dreams and our goals is that they are just like the New Year’s Resolutions that we make every year.
They never move from our mind and the piece of paper we wrote them on and become reality in our life.
See, you can lie in bed and think all night about what you will accomplish with your life.
About the changes you’re going to make and the steps you’re going to take to make your tomorrow better than your yesterday.
You can dream all you want about the difference you will make in the world.
But if you wake up the next morning and do nothing about that dream of yours, then that’s all it will ever be: a dream in your head.
Sometimes I like to hit the snooze button on my dreams just like I hit that snooze button in the morning for five more minutes of sleep.
I make excuses for waiting until tomorrow to pursue what God calls me to do.
“I don’t have the right people in my life yet”
“I don’t have the necessary qualification to start”
“Tomorrow I’ll begin for sure, I still have so much time”
The problem is I don’t have so much time.
“Someday” may be too late to start, because it may never come.
And my dream will just be a great idea that never comes to be.
“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” – Sarah Ban Breathnac
I remember posting this online once and someone asking me “So Anna, which on are you?”
And I wrestled with the question for days.
Because I knew what my answer was and I didn’t want to admit it.
I was just only a dreamer.
I had ambitions, desires, ideas, and plans.
I had the greatest of intentions to make a difference in the world.
But intention was all it was.
And one day I will be held accountable to God not for what I intended to do but what I actually did.
And the truth is it was easier to keep pressing the snooze button on my dreams.
Who wants to leave the comfort of a warm bed and have to face the day ahead?
Who wants to step out of their comfort zone and actually DO something about their dream?
It is after all action that takes your dream from your mind and into reality.
It is not enough to have a dream and to be ambitious.
It is what you do every day with your time, your energy, and your opportunities that determine whether you’ll fulfill them or not.
Marin Luther King Jr. had a dream.
He had a dream of a world of liberty and equality, for justice and love.
But his dream didn’t just remain a dream, it came into reality.
Because he chose to do something about that dream in his mind.
He spoke up about it.
He fought for it.
He did whatever he could to fulfill it.
And you and I can do the same today.
Maybe your dream isn’t so extravagant or big but I know God places desires into each one of our hearts to live our life with purpose for His kingdom.
To do things that get us out of our comfort zone and stretch us.
To live life to the fullest.
Just like Moses had a dream of reaching the Promised Land.
And Esther had a dream of liberating her people.
And Joseph had a dream of being a leader.
But they didn’t just think about their dreams, they did something about it.
Beginning by praying for it and ending with doing what God asked them to do in order to fulfill it.
What is your dream?
Is it to travel the world or be a missionary?
Is it to get a college degree and become a nurse, a teacher, or a businessman?
Is it to use your talents in a certain way within the body of Christ to reach out to people around you?
Is it to overcome your addiction and recover from your past and then use your story to change lives of people around you going through the same thing?
Is it to be the best father or mother in the world that you were never taught to be?
Is it to open your own business, write your own book, or start your own nonprofit organization?
Your dream can be a million different things but whatever it is I challenge you to stop and think “Am I a dreamer or a doer? What have I done in the last few days to actively pursue my dream?”
Because if you have done nothing… then a dream is all it will ever be.
I have promised myself that I will not be a dreamer any longer but that I will be a doer.
That I will stop hitting the snooze button and waiting for a “better” day to start but that I will start today.
That I will always remember that my days are numbered, I have an expiration date for my time on earth and I don’t want to waste a single moment waiting for “someday” to fulfill God’s calling on my life.
I won’t wait for someday because someday might just be too late.
Today… remember that you have the opportunity to take that step toward your dream, no matter how tiny it may be.
You are never too young or too old to start putting your dreams into action.
So don’t wait until tomorrow… begin doing something about it today.
Be blessed and don’t just dream, but DO today! Have a blessed weekend. -Anna…♥
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom”- Psalm 90:12
I absolutely agree with your statement!!! I even wrote and made a video about it as well in my New Year’s resolutions (how to make them work). Love your writing!
http://stateofrosie.wordpress.com
Thank you Rosie. Sounds like a post I need to check out (as I’ve given up on New Years Resolutions altogether) 😉 have a blessed day!
Thank you for posting this today. I have started moving towards my dream. I am being a doer, but sometimes it gets discouraging. You have the voices of doubt that drift into your head that you try to drown with all of the positive thoughts you can muster…then you have family and friends who try to support you, but when your dream doesn’t instantly take off, in their best well-meaning voice, say things that discourage instead of encourage. I will not be defeated though, because God connected me with wonderful writers like you and others who always come through with the inspiring message at just the right time! So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for being obedient to God, because He used your obedience to encourage me! <3
Hi Regina! I’m so glad that you’re taking steps into fulfilling the dream God has placed in your heart. That’s wonderful! I too understand how difficult it may get with discouraging thoughts that can fill your mind and even the opinions of others who tell you your dream may be impossible but with God’s help you can drown out those voices and fill your mind with His Word and encouragement instead.
I’m glad this post was encouraging and I will pray that you’ll keep on pursuing your dream and trusting God to make everything fall into place as He wants it to. Be blessed and have a lovely day!
This was a big reality check as well as a message of encouragement. Thank you.
I’m glad it was Jazzmine. Have a blessed day!
Hey, how did you know about my dream snooze button! 🙂 Great insights and encouragement here, Anna. I’ve never had a problem with the dream part, just the doing part. I like how you said that we have an opportunity to take a step toward that dream today and everyday. Amen. I have had to learn to just start and figure it out later. Awesome and timely post.
Carpe diem!
Thanks Mel. I think you’re on the same page as many people in this world. Dreaming is the easy part it’s the doing that’s a little bit harder. Sometimes all it takes is doing one little thing every day to follow your dream and eventually those little steps will take you exactly where God wants you to be. 🙂
I hope you keep on dreaming as well as doing today. Carpe diem!
Guilty! I keep putting off the dream I want to pursue. I am not getting any younger, and I know that fear is a large part of not going after it. Great encouragement! Thank you.
Hi Kali, unfortunately none of us are getting any younger and hopefully the sooner we realize that the quicker we will stop putting off the things we have a passion for and start being intentional in how we live our life every day. I’m glad this was encouraging. Be blessed!
Amen to this! Great post.
Thanks Brian. Be blessed!
Reblogged this on Passionate Dreaming and commented:
Although this post made me cry uncontrollably for a good ten minutes it opened my eyes. I am NOT a doer. I am a dreamer. Every day of my life I want and wish to do things… and in the end they never get done. I say I am going to get my degree, I say I am going to find help for my home issues, I say I want to travel the world, I say I am going to better myself…. all I am doing is dreaming. I am not doing. AND THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. I need to do. I can achieve so much more than I allow myself. I can be someone. I can make a difference. I can change. I’m tired of dreaming. I think it is time for me to start doing.
“I can achieve so much more than I allow myself. I can be someone. I can make a difference. I can change.” Powerful words right here and I totally agree!
Sometimes the greatest hindrance to us fulfilling our dreams is not our circumstances or other people but ourselves. May you move from being a dreamer to being a doer. I know God has great plans for you! Be blessed!
Thank u Anna!
Thank you Anna! Inspiration, and motivation… sometimes even doers hit the snooze button… And even if you do sometimes it takes a while to realize and live your dreams.. Thank you for the inspiration and the reminder! Hope you have an awesome weekend!
That’s so true Joe. It’s tempting to hit that snooze button even in the middle of pursuing your dreams but isn’t it great that we have God to wake us up and remind us that our time is limited and precious and we don’t have a single minute to waste on earth here with Him? I’m glad He reminds us of this when we need it most. I hope you have a wonderful day. Be blessed!
Lovely post Anna! And although I wrote about this once myself you said it better and hearing the words from another person opened my eyes. Thanks!
Thanks Hannah! Glad it was eye opening for you 😉 I love hearing other people’s thoughts on similar subjects as well! You should leave me your link here, I’m sure I already read it but I’d love to re-read it again. 🙂 Be blessed!!
Here is the link: http://wisemaiden.wordpress.com/2013/08/28/i-have-a-dream/. Have a great day!
Great post! Such an inspiration!! We’ve got to be doers….now is the time!! Thank you & remain blessed my sister 🙂
Thanks Shade. Now IS the time to start doing! Tomorrow is never promised to anyone. Hope you have a lovely day!
Reblogged this on I am a conquerer.
This is really inspiring!
I have started Doing to achieve my Dream.
Anna you are gifted and God bless you.
hhtp://www.shemhope.wordpress.com
Thanks Shem! I’m glad that you’re on your way to achieving your dream! May you continue moving forward with God in pursuing it each day. Be blessed brother!
Reblogged this on SHEMHOPE and commented:
This was an eye opener!
Reblogged this on Outlaw and commented:
DONT WASTE YOUR TIME
Every dream must also contain shoe leather. Nicely done!
A Servant
Thank you! Hope you have a blessed day!
Great thoughts, Anna. Your post serves as a wake-up call for many of your readers.
Yes, it’s time to stop dreaming and start doing something. To have my best year ever, I hope to take more risks this year. Here’s something I wrote along those lines >> http://seekersportal.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/take-risks-one-way-to-your-best-year-ever/
Thanks Adrian! Loved the post and your challenge to try new things. We certainly will never grow and build our faith if we don’t take any risks in life!
This is good encouragement! I think I’ll go do something 😉
Glad that it was. Good luck on doing whatever it is that God is calling you to do! Be blessed!
Is there a super like button here? 😉 REVIVED! ♥ Great reminder from God’s word and a strong testimony from one of His child 🙂 Thanks for sharing this Anna 😉 Abundant blessings be upon you dear! 😉 #it’sbeenawhile
Thanks Mae. Maybe we need to tell WordPress to update their system? 😉 It certainly has been a while! I’m glad you’re back into blogging! May God keep on working on that beautiful heart of yours and guiding you exactly where you need to go. Be blessed sister!
Good word Anna! I’m so grateful to Martin Luther King Jr. for having a dream and doing everything in his power to make his dream a reality for many. Like you, I’m a dreamer. I need to get busy turning those dreams into reality. Thanks for the encouragement.
Thanks Marilyn! Martin Luther King Jr. is such an incredible example for each one of us of a man who never gave up on his dream. May we all have that same passion, faith, and endurance that he had to turn our own dreams into reality. May God help you fulfill the one’s He has placed on your heart. Be blessed!
When the dream or vision or calling is genuinely from the Lord then, as Joseph learned, there is a process involved in the fulfilment of the dream. Delay is not denial. In fact, delay and patience is part of the process. The stepping stones along the route to the fulfilment are in the Lords hands. Even if we go off track through our own doing, He allows us to recalibrate and reconnect with the dream. He can even accelerate at times within the process and make up for lost time. The process can be a roller-coaster. Taking the long term perspective is key. Be willing to be the tortoise and not the hare within Gods plan. He will get us there in the end. Surrender to the process, be willing to do whatever He asks.