Yesterday I casually mentioned to my husband Marshall a big dream I have for the future of my copywriting Studio. It was one I’ve been thinking about for several months, maybe even a couple years.

Marshall was surprised. I guess I hadn’t told him about it before, or at least not told him it was an actual dream that I have in my head to take baby steps towards. 

More than just a cliché.                                                                         

“Dreaming big” is a buzzy phrase these days. I say, “these days,” but actually, I think it has been buzzy for a long time. The American Dream was first coined as a term in 1931 and it has stuck around ‘til it seeps into our western psyche like a Universal Truth to Strive For.

I’m pretty skeptical of the typical American Dream that seems to often settle for mediocrity and Little Boxes instead of abundance and pushing borders. (Although it is important to note that it is the heart behind our lives that makes the difference, not just the actions. God may call some of us to live “typical” lives but with beauty and purpose in a way that changes the world and isn’t just “settling.”)

Don’t be afraid of what seems impossible.

But. On dreaming. I want to just encourage you to not be afraid to dream. My studio was a dream that seemed impossible and overwhelming earlier this year. Now, eight months and a lot of long days later, it is actually real and actually is actively making beautiful words.

My dreams now, beyond just the initial studio launch? Right now they seem far away and like it would take an inordinate amount of work and knowledge to reach them.

Maybe though, if I break them down into small steps, the way I did for launching the studio, those dreams will happen.

Maybe your dreams could be separated into manageable steps and started. Maybe it means calling a designer like I did (or copywriter 😊) to get  a quote on what it would cost to start rebranding your stale business. Maybe it means taking a deep breath and scheduling an appointment with your primary care doctor to look at your fertility options. Maybe it means just spending five minutes on one drawer to begin your quest for an organized kitchen. Is there one thing you can start today? It might not actually be as hard as you think.

Follow the God Who gives dreams. 

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” is of course the oft-quoted  Bible verse in this conversation. Often it is taken to mean that God will! Give! You! Whatever! You! Want!

All of us have lived in the world long enough to know that that simply is not true. But what if it is true that God has given you that desire for a thriving business, a happy family, more space in your calendar? What if He would walk with you each step as you start to pursue it? What if He will redirect you at times along the way into something even better than what you’re currently dreaming of? Isn’t that the type of God He is?