Dreaming BIG

I recently returned from a writer’s retreat hosted by Books & Such Literary Agency. Our theme was “By Design, Creating the Career of Your Dreams” and agent Wendy Lawton (who works with my wonderful agent, Rachel Kent) and author Debbie Macomber encouraged us to dream BIG. Wendy quoted C.S. Lewis:

“Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in.’ Aim at earth and you will get neither.”

After some instructions, we were given time to write out our dreams. Most of us stared nervously at our booklets full of blank lines with promptings of “Dream #1”, “Dream #2” and so on. The room grew quiet. A few people chatted in hushed tones, others got up to get coffee, a few scribbled furiously. My mouth went dry. I resisted the urge to grab my phone and check Facebook.

Name my dreams? Put them in black and white? It seemed audacious. Presumptuous. (Excuse me, I’m a writer–I default to big words when I get uncomfortable.) I’ve always told myself it’s not about my dreams, it’s about answering God’s call. Dreams come out of my selfish desires. Right?

It’s not wrong to dream. Two verses jump to mind.

• Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 (NIV).
• Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21. (NIV). 

God designed us to dream and to imagine. Sure, our sinful natures derail us and send our desires into areas outside of His plan, but dreaming itself is not the problem.

So what is my number one dream for my career?

I sat and stared at my blank paper until I got a clear image. I saw myself as a child, spending countless hours in my public library reading every book I could get my hands on. Ever since those days, I’ve dreamed of putting more books on those library shelves, feeding the hungry imaginations of readers.

After I confessed that first dream, others spilled out onto the paper, filling the blank spaces and stretching the possibilities: little dreams, silly dreams, and so-big-only-God-could-accomplish-this sized dreams.

Have you ever sat down and wrote out your dreams? What stops you? What dream is God nudging you toward today? What is the “desire of your heart?”

If you’d like to see photos of my trip, check out  my album on Facebook. You would also be welcome to follow my author page. I keep it up-to-date with information for readers and writers, alike.

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