A Letter to My Kiddos: Don't Ever Forget to Dream

My sweet Harper and Bentley,


I have been thinking a lot about dreams in life lately... and it's hard for me to separate the concept of reaching for my dreams from the two of you.  I look into each of your sparkly, beautiful eyes and you have no idea how many dreams your dad and I hold for you both.


Your daddy and I have some big dreams and aspirations in this life... for you, for our family, for each other.  There may not be many seemingly simple concepts, such as dreaming, that are as important to practice throughout life.  For without dreams, without reaching for that which is bigger than us, without believing that the impossible just might be possible... we risk losing hope.


Hope is the lifeline to truly living.  Without it, we are dead... dead in spirit, dead to direction, dead to be used to help others.  I have brushed up against moments of feeling hopeless, feeling dead, and feeling like not a lot matters.  Looking back, it was during those times of depression and despair that I was most disconnected from the true source of hope... God.  It was during those times, when I couldn't see beyond tomorrow and the only dream I had was to feel again, that I had put my hope in something or someone other than Jesus.  It was during those times, where I took my eyes off of Him, that my dreams and my hope got warped.


Those times in my life remind me of Psalm 43:5


"Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."


Kiddos, if I could tell you one thing about your dreams and aspirations in life, it would be this... center your hope and your dreams in Jesus.  You can not fail that way.  You will not fail that way.  He is the one who can inspire your dreams to be BIG. He is the one who can inspire your dreams to be beautiful - far from dreams of selfish ambition and pride.


Your dad and I often feel moments of fear to live out our dreams.  Fear to step out in faith.  Fear to fail or not be enough.  Because the dreams the Lord has put in our hearts and our minds are big and wild; and that makes us uncomfortable.  Thankfully, I am reminded often, that dreams inspired by the Holy Spirit are the ones worth going after whole-heartedly.  Not because we are promised earthly money, power or fame... but because they are the ones that will teach us and refine us to be more like Jesus.  More often than we realize, by seeking after the dreams that Jesus has given to us, we inspire and give courage to others to dream themselves. 


You two are so little right now, but there is a big world out there that is dying to meet two hearts like we see inside of each of you... There is an even bigger and greater God who has desires and possibilities for you that are beyond human imaginations or dreams.  It will be a long time before you read this and fully understand what your mama's heart is wanting to pour into yours.  


Maybe you'll read this... sitting in a lonesome dorm room, crying because of a broken relationship or simply lost, without a dream to dream... It is my prayer that in that grueling moment, you'll turn to Jesus... that you'll talk to Him... and ask Him to give you hope and dreams.  


My sweet bug and boo, it is my prayer, daily, that you will personally put your hope and root your dreams in Him.  Always.