AEH: The Value of a Dream, pt. 1

Right now I’d like you to close your eyes and visualize your fondest dream. If you could have any wish right now, what would it be? Hold onto that thought for me.

Which brings me to my topic: the value of a dream.

There’s a Rodgers and Hammerstein song that says, “You’ve got to have a dream, if you don’t have a dream, then how ya going to have a dream come true?”

I’d like to tell you three things about dreams. But before I do, I have to say there’s only one dream remaining on my unfulfilled list: before God calls me home, I'd really like to go on a cruise.

That’s not to say that I don’t look forward to seeing my children get married . . . or to spoiling a grandchild. Sure, I’d love to write the great American novel and see my books at the top of the best seller list and have a couple become classics and never go out of print. But I’ve learned not to waste a lot of time and energy on dreams that may or may not be part of God’s plan for me.

The first thing I’d like you to know about dreams is that they can lead you in the wrong direction.

When I was young, I never dreamed of being a writer. Not once. I’ve always loved to read, and I’ve always been a bit of an introvert and fairly self-motivated. I’ve since learned that those are qualities that help a writer, but I didn’t know that growing up.

One thing I did know—I had accepted Jesus Christ as my savior when I was six years old, so I knew my life belonged to him. I didn’t know how he would use it or where he would take me, but I knew I was His and that He had a plan for me. I also knew that God would tell me what he wanted me to do in three ways: through His Word, the Bible; through the leading of my parents and spiritual leaders, and through His voice.

Well, because my grandmother sang, my mother sings, and God gave me a measure of musical talent, everyone encouraged me to involve myself in music, so that’s what I did—piano lessons, the band, the chorus, the church choir. I took voice lessons and learned how to conduct. I learned all this stuff, and wondered what I would do with it, but I was DREAMING of love and romance. I had a complete set of pots and pans in my hope chest by the time I was fifteen. I had a secret fiancée when I was sixteen and a ring—a diamond chip —when I was seventeen. And my dreams were leading me in the wrong direction.

One afternoon I was reading my Bible, and I heard—not with my ears, but with my heart—God say, “You will travel and sing.”

This was a surprise to me, because I wasn’t dreaming of traveling and singing. I’d been planning my wedding. Twice I brought home fine young Christian men whom I loved, and twice I told my parents . . . . and they said no.

I'd love to tell you that I meekly accepted their advice, but I wept and gnashed my teeth . . . and then I realized that God speaks to me through my parents, and if I wanted God to bless me, I needed to honor and obey them. So I broke off two engagements and waited. I realized that dreams don’t always point us in the right direction, but the plan of God is good.

What does any of this have to do with writing? I'm beginning to wonder myself, but sometimes God's plan is like that. (VBG). Stay tuned.

Tomorrow: part 2

Angela Hunt, www.angelahuntbooks.com