Last Friday, I was excited beyond words to return to my former elementary school to read one of the stories from my book, Life with Bobby and Bonnie, then give a copy of my book to each student in the 4th grade class. This is my God-sized dream: share stories with at risk kids about how Jesus loves them, and to give them a book of their own to remind them of that love. My God-sized dream is to share a message of love, hope and forgiveness with kids who need it most through my books.
A couple of weeks ago I posted a picture of a darling six-year-old girl, named Angel, who was shot down in a 7-Eleven parking lot. Her cousin, one of my former students, is one of the students in the class I visited. It wasn't an accident that I had an opportunity to share in Isaiah's class last week. The Lord knew Isaiah needed validation and a reminder that Jesus loves kids.
When I texted my friend, Rosie, who teaches the class to say I was sending a book for Isaiah to share with Angel's family, she thought that was pretty cool. Reminded Rosie this is what I retired to do, reach out to hurting kids and families with the love of Jesus.
There are so many kids out there who are sad and scared and lost. I believe Jesus calls some of us, including me, to minister to "the least of these". I'm hoping to share with some kids at a church in town soon that is trying to reach out to its declining neighborhood. What better Christmas gift could there be than hope?
I bet you have a dream. Maybe you're like me and chasing after it with all the passion, resources and energy you can muster. Perhaps there used to be a dream, but life got hard and the dream became too slippery to hold onto while trying to hold onto everything you and your family needed. With all the voices in the world, it's possible in a young world that you haven't heard your dream's song yet.
Your dream is out there. Your name is written on it, nobody's but yours. I have been richly blessed by the encouragement to dream and to hope by some incredible Christian writers and speakers lately. Devoted people like Holley Gerth, Beth Moore, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer and Mark Batterson. Please check them out online. Their words can stir a soul to reveal the dream within you, or to fuel your hard work.
I'm not sure how or where the Lord is going to send me next with His message and my stories. What I am sure about is that He wouldn't give me a dream that He didn't plan on supporting. So far on the journey, He's taught me a great deal about vision, trust, obedience, faith and perseverance. Perhaps a closer, more intimate walk with Him is really what the dream is all about.
Thank you again for your part in making my dream come true! Whether it's viewing or liking a post, purchasing a copy of Life with Bobby and Bonnie, or offering up prayers, you are a critical partner in this infant ministry. My prayer is that the Lord will bless you and your God-sized dream as much as you are blessing mine.
Habakkuk 2:2-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
2 Then the Lord answered me and said, “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that [a]the one who [b]reads it may run.
3 “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it [c]hastens toward the goal and it will not [d]fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.