Every time I drive by a cemetery and see headstones everywhere, I have these two questions that pop in my brain.
1. Did they know you Lord?
and
2. Did they fullfill your dreams for them and what you put them here to do?
I know you don’t want to think about death or dying and you thought this post was about pursuing your dreams, which it is, but first we are going to do things a little backwards.
The other day I asked my boys what they wanted to do with their lives after graduation.
They kinda rolled their eyes and in their most monotone voice answered with the typical answers: “go to college, get a good job, get nice cars and a nice house”, etc. etc.
Then I asked this:
“Okay, so now picture the end of your life, you’re standing in front of God and He is rewinding your life backwards and what you did with what He gave you.
Now, answer that question again, would the answers be the same?” (I know, pity them their mom is weird)
Suddenly, a light flickered in their eyes, they came to life and their answer? I think you can guess.
Our world tells us how to plan for the future, set goals, how to live the “American Dream”, but what they never told us was how to dream backwards with eternity at the forefront.
It’s not that any of those things are bad in themselves, it’s just we waste so much time and energy on the things in this life that aren’t going to last.
It says in Ecclesiastes 3:11 God has set eternity in the heart of every man.
So because of that, we need to pray like Moses did, “Teach us to number our days alright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
So my reason for this post? One of my greatest passions?
It is to help you dig up some of those dreams you’ve buried and to find your “wow factor” (the next post) and to be your guide and cheerleader on this journey.
So, we are going to end this today with a fun exercise to fire up your heart and brain. I got the idea from Michael Hyatt’s book Platform.
In the book he asks his executive team to think of the most powerful, wow moments in their lives. He says, “a wow experiene exceeds your expectations and creates delight, amazement, wonder, or awe.”
So, I did the exercise and wrote down every thing I could think of from people that wowed me, experiences, books, places, etc.
Now you do the same.
Have fun with it. You can write a few or as many as you want. (I promise we are going somewhere with this, and it may wow you a little. 😉
There are no wrong answers, but keep these things in mind:
A wow experience is something that made your mouth gape open, your heart beat fast, or something or someone that touched you in an unforgettable way.
So in closing, why is it crucial to go back to the dreaming board? Or for some of you to start dreaming?
This scripture, friend, says it all:
“No mind has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
If you and I don’t take the time to dream, we are going to be in that cemetery one day missing not only all the amazing things He has for us, but what He put us on this earth to do.
We will get caught up in just the “American Dream” instead of His Dream for us.
So that chair in the picture above? It’s suppose to entice you to go, sit, and get still. 😉 To do your exercise and think about all your wow moments. Psst…get excited about dreaming.
(Comment below and share some of your unforgettable wow moments!)
(Part 2 Finding Your WOW Factor)
{Image source: canstockphoto.com}
Ok I really don’t mean to be obtuse, but what did the kids say was their new answers to the question?? It wasn’t obvious to me.
I often walk in cemeteries and wonder about those people who lived before us; who they were, what their lives were like, if they were happy. Someone will wonder about us. Maybe we could put more information on our headstones so inquiring minds will know. 🙂
Tina- When I asked them if the their answer would be the same after they thought about it, they said, “Um no.” lol I wonder the same things. My headstone would read: This lady was a little a.d.d. and cray, cray, but she loved her Jeuss. lol
We are taught at young age to chase the “American Dream”. It is embedded in us so much till if we do not have it all , we began to feel like failure and be discontented with our life. If we are doing the will of God and following His plan for our lives we can live a life of peace. Following His plan for our life will bring us more peace and joy than any “American Dream”!
Amen Lanae so true and yes following our Lord will bring more peace and joy than any American Dream. 🙂 Thanks for coming by. Be blessed.
My biggest Wow was that the Lord took a high school science educator and used me to write a inspirational poetic devotional. I just published it recently and people are buying it. I never knew what to expect but I just obeyed Him and used the gift to bring Him glory. It has been an awesome and humbling Wow experience. I also started a blog which is a wow experience because I never thought I would.
Tona-
That is incredible. I love it when God calls us to do something we would never dream of doing and He gets the credit but, we still get to be blown away and feel the joy from it all! He likes to WOW us amen? Thank you so much for coming by and sharing this. I love hearing stories like yours.