Big Dreams

~~Acts 16:31~~ Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.

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Photo by Carley

Well, it is finally here.  The first day of summer!  Yea!!!  I love summer.  If God let me run the world, the first rule I would make would be ‘No more winter’.  The second rule would be ‘No more need for long pants’... or shoes.  I am not a huge fan of long pants.  I like living in shorts, skirts and tank tops as much as possible.  It feels so much less restrictive; and I love feeling so feminine.  Some may think that this is a silly dream, but I think that is a fun dream.  Summer is a great time for dreaming.  What do you dream about?  I think about romance, drive-in movies, long walks along the beach at dusk, water-balloon fights, and pansies (because they were my Grandmother’s favourite).  The whole world just seems lighter, happier, and freer in the summer time. 

I had a chance recently to write about one of my dreams.  The requested topic was to write about a place that I would like to travel.  Well, that was not something I had to sit and think about for more than half a second.  Italy.  La bella Italia.  Just the sound of it is romantic.  I have dreamed most of my life of going to Italy.  In a perfect world, I would go on an extended tour, taking maybe a couple years to take in the culture and beauty of Italia.  Then maybe I would buy an old villa in the Tuscan country side that I could fix up, where I could spend some time.  I am not sure why I have always had such a passion for Italy, I just now it is there. 

A perfect day would be to wander through city streets chatting with fascinating people and having lunch at some small bistro.  Then I would go on to spend the afternoon picking through old treasures at a flea market.  One of a kind items that I could never find anywhere else.  Things that I could bring home and use to decorate my house in Canada to look like that old Tuscan villa.  Another afternoon might be spent posing for a slightly risqué portrait painted by a fine-looking ‘starving’ Italian artist.  Or maybe, I could go to a vineyard and experience a wine and cheese tasting, Italian style.   Then, to accept a dinner invitation to a big Italian party from a handsome gentleman who speaks to me with such romance, yet I have no clue what he is saying; and it does not matter because we are having so much fun together.

As I did some research on this topic so I could write about it, I found myself being led to biblical resources about faith.  I was surprised, but as I thought about it; that is exactly what a dream is all about.  It is faith in God that the dream He has put into your heart will indeed come to be reality one day.  When you have a dream that is a passion you cannot explain and it never seems to die; it is then you know that your dream is from God.  If God put it there, it is there for a reason.  Our pastor tells us all the time that “God does not waste anything”.  It is by the gift of grace from God that, because we have faith, He will save us (Ephesians 2:8).  What is faith?  “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 – Emphasis mine).  If all it takes for God to do the amazing undertaking of saving us from spending eternity without Him is for us to simply believe in Jesus, then surely He will have no problems with a dream or two while we are here on earth. 

What are your dreams?  Travel?  A big home?  Missions trips around the globe?  A marriage and a family?  A fulfilling career?  Or maybe, it is simply just to have a vacation for a couple of weeks in a serene place where you can just escape the reality of the world, and focus on Him.  Whatever your dreams, have faith; and it just may become a certainty.  I do suggest, though, that you keep it to something realistic, and never let anyone else take your dream away from you.  For example, I do not expect God to put me in charge as much fun as I am assuming that would be.  Nor do I expect to escape the winter cold, long pants or shoes.  Through prayer and listening to His voice you just may find that the dreams you thought were ‘too crazy to be real’ just may become your world!  Do not be afraid to dream big.  God can handle big dreams!  Maybe I will get to travel to Italy one day.  I have faith.

If I still believed in past lifetimes, as I did before I was a practicing Christian, I would think that in a past lifetime I was Italian.  I feel like I miss it.  I think if I went there today I would want to stay.  I can honestly see that happening.  Well, until next time 'Ciao Baby'.

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~~Dear God~~ Your ways are so amazing.  You give us dreams so that we can hold on to faith in You.  Please help me to always hold on to my big dreams because as long as I have them I will know that I have big faith and that You are forever with me.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

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