Do You Still Want to Be a Ballerina?

Do you still want to be a ballerina? Do you still want to live in a castle at Disney World? What were your childhood dreams? When I was about 5, I told everyone that I was going to be a rich brain surgeon. I was going to marry a “bag boy” from the local grocery store, and we were going to have 10 kids. When I was about 8 my friend and I fantasized about living with our husbands in a cabin in the middle of the woods; no running water or electricity. Man, where did I come up with these ideas?

When I was little, some of my dreams were radical and out there, some were attainable, but the point is, I had dreams. I spoke about them often and with passion. And I still remember much of them today. So what happened between then and now? Because as of recently, I didn’t really have any dreams that I could recount to you. I have this one big dream yes, but nothing for the day to day, or the year to year. I couldn’t have told you anything I truly desired to do or wanted to experience. I think that sometimes as an adult we get so caught up in just getting through, just paying this bill, getting this promotion, losing this weight etc. that we forget to dream outside of our day to day.

Thankfully, I have been reading Becoming Myself by Stasi Eldredge and the book has been eye opening and life changing for me. In it, she wrote a chapter that largely dealt with dreams and passions of the heart. She reminded me that God gives us dreams; He stirs our hearts. So instead of dismissing the dreams that spring up in your heart, like opening a coffee shop, going to Haiti, learning a new language, taking a college course, writing a book, starting a blog (ahem) etc., go for it when you can; and when you can’t go for it immediately, don’t dismiss it, but rather write it down.

Stasi encourages her readers to make a dream list. Write down, just for you, any dreams that you have, and any that come along in the future. Write the big things and the little things. What do you want to do? Where do you want to go? What new food would you love to eat? What would you like to experience? What do you want out of your relationship with God? What do you think He wants from you? You don’t have to share this list with anyone. But take the time to write it, allow your heart to dream. Pray, and ask God to reveal to you the desires He has given you that maybe you have suppressed….

Dreaming is such a beautiful thing, and it is free, and freeing. I made this list myself and I was surprised by the things I came up with. There was a time when I couldn’t even answer the question, “So what do you like to do?” But now I know. By making this list I got to know myself a little more; I am slowing Becoming Myself. Thanks Stasi!

If you are feeling bold today, comment below and tell me your dreams…or even just one of them.