How does the same year feel like an eternity while it's being lived out day by day; and yet in the rear view mirror of life it seems like only a blur of memories and events that took mere minutes to complete?
Looking back over 2012 causes me to wonder what it was that I did with an entire 365 days. I know the year started with many things on my "to do" list; things that even today, March 2, 2013, still remain undone. But, I also know with certainty that every undone task in a crazy way represents something I did do.
All of the unfinished projects in and around my house represent an internal struggle over making the best choice possible at that point in time. Last year gave me several distinct opportunities to evaluate what means the most to me; to make very intentional decisions about what I am going to invest myself in. Investments are the deposits I make hoping for some kind of a return.
It is simplistic and naive of me to think of my choices as being limited to the black and white of what is "good" and "bad". I see much more clearly these days that my choices far more often are between what is "better" and "best".
For me, 2012 was a year of trying to be much more intentional about choosing "better" and "best" far more than settling for "good". I ended up adopting the mind-set of an athlete in training, because it helped ease my discomfort or out-right pain when the choices were hard to make. When “good” was so alluringly close and “best” was so far away and out of reach. It is effortless to fall into “good”. Choosing what is “best” takes intentional forethought and consistency.
In the Bible, the book of Ephesians, chapter 3 and verse 20 tells me that not only does God want to see His purposes fulfilled in me, but He is also very willing to go beyond that by granting what is “far over and above all that we dare ask or think; infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams”.
But getting to “all that is beyond what I can hope and dream” for hinges on letting Him see His purposes fulfilled in me first. And because I do have a few cherished hopes and dreams of my own, I am doing the harder work of choosing God and His plans over choosing me and my hopes and dreams.
As I partner with Him in this process, His purposes are becoming some of the hopes and dreams I am beginning to cherish. I can see a quirky bit of humor in the way that many of my oddities and imperfections which make no sense to me, seem to make perfect sense when viewed through the lens of His purposes. And surprisingly, as I invest in learning the art and craft of communication for His pleasure and purpose, He is already unveiling bits and pieces of things that are far beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of. Even more than that – one feeds the other.
This year I have already had the amazing pleasure of presenting a workshop as part of the Highland Lakes Annual Women’s Conference; definitely a God plan and not a me plan. In a few short months, I will have the joy of participating for the first time as an amateur athlete in a ballroom dance competition; definitely something far beyond anything I could have ever hoped or dreamed for….Yet as wonderful as both of these things are, they are also the result of investment, practice, study, training, and perseverence.
It takes effort to reach for a goal. It takes courage to dream beyond the goal. And it takes something truly amazing to sow that goal as an investment in making dreams come true.
What about you, what are your hopes and dreams? Don’t worry if you don’t have any at the moment; I didn’t either when I first started this journey. But God is more than able to give hope and make dreams come true. Partnership is the key that opens the door.
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams
Psalm 30:11 You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
Jeremiah 31:4 Again I will build you and you will be built, O Virgin Israel! You will again be adorned with your timbrels and go forth in the dancing [chorus] of those who make merry.
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