My Dream Journal

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." 
John Lennon

I'm a dreamer. I dream about living in a big city, being a talk show host, and changing the world. However, it wasn't until my sophomore year of high school that I spoke those dreams out loud because I was scared - scared of what people might think/say of me, scared of never achieving them, scared of being vulnerable - and it wasn't until a few years ago that I decided to put it on paper. 

I have yet to regret it.

I just recently finished reading The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson, a book about "praying circles around your biggest dreams and greatest fears." I've always heard that a person is more likely to reach a goal if they write it down and according to Batterson, "You'll never achieve the goals you don't set...setting a goal creates structural tension in your brain, which will seek to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be, who you are and who you want to become." He goes on to say, "The more you pray, the more God-sized goals you'll be inspired to go after. But prayer doesn't just inspire godly goals, it also ensures that you keep praying hard because it is the only way you'll accomplish a God-sized goal. Simply put, prayers naturally turn into goals, and goals naturally turn into prayers. Goals give you a prayer target." 

As much as I would like to touch on every single point Batterson makes about goal-setting, it is much too difficult. However, the quotes in this chapter are too good not to mention, so below is a list of the quotes that caught my eye:

"And that's why the are life goals. They might take a lifetime to achieve, but they are worth waiting for and working for." 

"Goals are dreams with deadlines."

"If you don't give your dream a deadline, it will be dead before you know it. Deadlines keep dreams alive. Deadlines bring dreams back to life." 

"With a vision, people prosper." 

"If dreams are the destination, goals are the GPS that gets you there." 

"Goals are as unique as we are. They should reflect our unique personality and passions."

"It's okay to make revisions to our visions." 

"Journaling is the difference between learning and remembering. It's also the difference between forgetting and fulfilling our goals."

Batterson then provides ten steps to goal-setting:

1) Start with Prayer
2) Check Your Motives
3) Think in Categories
4) Be Specific
5) Write It Down
6) Include Others
7) Celebrate along the Way
8) Dream Big
9) Think Long
10) Pray Hard

As I mentioned earlier, it wasn't until a few years ago that I made the decision to put my dreams and goals on paper. I went to Target, found a journal with an inspirational quote sketched across the front cover and went to work. I turned to the first page and blatantly began stating my biggest dreams and goals because, as Rick Warren says in Purpose Driven Life, "[We] were made for a mission...God wants to say something to the world through [us]." I firmly believe God will use the things I'm most passionate about (encouraging others, being happy, people, being a positive influence, reaching out, looking on the bright side of every situation, seeking God's will for my life, etc.) to say something to the world through me. Guess what!?!? He'll do it for you, too! 

This journal has become my way of praying circles around my biggest dreams because it is through these pages I am able to see God's hand at work in my life - right here, right now. I'm sure you're wondering, "But Kristin...did you really need to buy an entire journal to do that? Couldn't you have just used a sticky note or the back of a bookmark to write down your dreams?" Well, you see, Curious Cathy, my dreams and goals are not the only thing I've written inside my journal. This journal is where I record my journey. I write down experiences I've had (with The Ellen DeGeneres Show, per se...see Giving God the Glory for what Really Happened at The Ellen DeGeneres Show) and the conversations I've had (with strangers, my college minister, my friends, my Phi Lamb sisters, etc.) so that I can look back and see when/how God used people/circumstances to prepare me for my purpose and reaffirm the direction my life is going! I also write down Bible verses and quotes that inspire me, and I tape notes/letters I've received from my closest friends and family randomly throughout the pages that encourage me to follow my dreams and remind me that, no matter what, there are people who love me and believe in me. 

I don't know where you're at in life, but I know you have dreams, too. I know there are certain things in life you are passionate about that set your soul on fire, things that you go to sleep thinking about and hoping for every single night. You are passionate about certain things for a reason! I pray you find the courage to speak those dreams out loud, whatever they may be. I pray you not worry about what people might say or think about you but instead seek approval from the Lord, the only One whose opinion matters. I pray you take the time to write down your biggest dreams and goals and you know that "bold prayers honor God, and God honors bold prayers." Ultimately, I pray you never forget that "getting what you want isn't the goal; the goal is glorifying God by drawing circles around the promises, miracles, and dreams He wants for you." Let God answer your prayers in His time, His way! Be patient - "He will answer them somewhere, sometime, somehow." 

Remember, "God isn't offended by big dreams; He's offended by anything less. Your dreams may start out small, and God will honor those humble dreams, but as your faith grows so do your dreams until you dare to dream thirty-, sixty-, hundredfold dreams. And when you draw those God-sized circles, it gives the Omnipresent One room to work...if you have the courage to circle the dream in prayer, you can't never always sometimes tell...take a step of faith when God gives you a vision because you trust that the One who gave you the vision is going to make provision. And for the record, if the vision is from God, it will most definitely be beyond your means. Having vision beyond your resources is synonymous with dreaming big. And it may feel like you're setting yourself up for failure, but you're actually setting God up for a miracle. How God performs the miracle is His job. Your job is drawing a circle around the God-given dream...it's not our man-made plans that move the Almighty; the Almighty is moved by big dreams and bold prayers." 

CHALLENGE: Buy a journal and begin this journey with the Lord. Discover what you're most passionate about and if you can't figure it out, ask God to show them to you. Write down your biggest goals and dreams, no matter how big or unattainable they may seem to you. Share your heart with those closest to you - I promise their encouragement and support will make all the difference down the road. Pray hard and pray boldly. Circle everything in prayer. Have faith. Believe in yourself. Trust God and let Him work! 

Cutting the Complaining

I love setting goals for myself whether they are career goals, relationship goals, short-term goals or long-term goals. As the school year came to an end, my friends and I began discussing the goals we wanted to set for ourselves this summer: read x amount of books, work out every day, be in God's word first thing every morning, spend more time with loved ones, etc. 

I was trying to think of another goal to set for myself that would really challenge me spiritually. It was then God placed Philippians 2:14-15 on my heart which reads: "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation." 

I NEED TO STOP COMPLAINING! 

Have you ever taken a step back to analyze just how much you complain throughout the day? I did last week and let me tell you, it was NOT pretty. I had NO IDEA just how much I "grumble" throughout my day-to-day schedule! I complain before/during/after my run (I really don't like running), I complain about the heat, people who don't use their blinkers when driving, being sore, being sleepy. The list goes on. I complain about the littlest things and it never occurred to me that my grumbling was not bringing glory to God...until now! 

In his book, It's Not About Me, Max Lucado states, "We are His mirrors, you know. Tools of heaven's heliography. Reduce the human job description down to one phrase, and this is it: Reflect God's glory." In other words, we should "behold God so intently that we can't help but reflect him." 1 Corinthians 10:31 states, "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." It doesn't tell us to pick and choose what we do for the glory of God. It tells us that we should be seeking to glorify God in whatever we do. 

As Christians, there are several ways in which we can stand out from the world and, believe it or not, by not grumbling or complaining about our circumstances (whatever they may be) we can be a witness for Christ in a lost world. My friend introduced me to a Pinterest quote that says, "Your life as a Christian should make nonbelievers question their disbelief in God." WOW - WHAT A BOLD STATEMENT! We should be living in such a way that when others look at us, curiosity strikes. Heads turn. Nonbelievers should find themselves questioning, "What do they have that I don't have?" 

Lucado goes on to talk about his dad who was confined to a hospital bed, dying from ALS. "He lost his voice and his muscles, but he never lost his faith. Visitors noticed. Not so much in what he said but more in what he didn't say. Never outwardly angry or bitter. Jack Lucado suffered stately." Instead of complaining about his circumstances, Lucado's dad understood that "he was sick for the sake of God." He understood that "a season of suffering is a small assignment when compared to the reward" and he used "[his] hospital room as a showcase for [his] Maker." What if we did the same thing on a smaller level in hopes of making a big difference for God's Kingdom so that when others see us, they see Him. What if, instead of grumbling about that driver we almost hit because they didn't use their blinker, we thanked God for their life? What if, instead of complaining about running in the heat, we found ourselves thanking God for blessing us with the ability to run. Imagine the impact we could make if we praised God and glorified Him at ALL times, no matter what it is we're doing!

A few weeks ago during the record-breaking East Texas rainfall, I was riding in the car with my mom. Naturally, I began complaining about all the rain we were getting! It was in that moment, my precious mama cheerfully said, "but the rain will bring pretty flowers and green, green grass!" I smiled and stared out the window. My mom had never looked so beautiful. 

Lucado's dad influenced the lives of those around him because of the things he didn't say. In the same way, we can influence those around us by "never [being] outwardly angry or bitter." We should focus on Christ, not our circumstances, and strive to reflect His glory at all times...even when it's raining. Even when we're sore. Even when we're irritated. 

Remember, "[we] may be the only Bible some people will ever read" and, as children of God, it's our responsibility to ensure we are reflecting His glory at all times. In other words, "because we are children, we bear the Father's name, and we need to be sure that we are consistent in living a life that will speak well of the name we bear." Let's challenge ourselves to cut the complaining and start loving (yes, even that person who cut you off in traffic this morning and made you miss the green light). It won't be easy. In fact, it may be one of the hardest things we'll ever do, but if one person's life is changed because we chose to not grumble about our situation, it will all be worth it. 

In closing, I'd like to leave you with one of my favorite songs - Live Like That by Sidewalk Prophets. Listen to the words. Let them sink in. Ask yourselves, "When they see me do they see You?"