By Cyndi
As we are getting ready to travel overseas again in just a few weeks, I’m preparing all the “to do” lists that are necessary for the trip. We’ll be staying for three months again so not only do we have to think about things there, but we also have to keep up with things here in the States.
Two Questions
In the midst of making these lists and beginning to check items off and add more on, I heard the Lord say to me, “I have two questions for you: 1) What dreams do you have for your life, family, and ministry? and 2) What will these dreams cost?” Well, these things weren’t exactly in my thoughts at the time, nor on my lists so I stopped and pondered a bit.
Many times I get too caught up in the daily actions of life and ministry trying to make things happen — the smaller picture — that I don’t always stop to look at the bigger picture — what is the vision, the dream.
My Dreams
My dream is to see my son graduate college in December, find a good job, and ultimately find a God-given wife, raise a family and fulfill the destiny that God has for him. My dream is to see the world shift into a love-based paradigm of God’s amazing grace where we view Him as a loving, gentle Father Who wants us to fulfill our destiny even more than I want for my own son. My dream is that all may know Him as He truly is and that we, as a mature fathering church, will walk in His love and anointing amidst a hurting world.
The Cost
In a nutshell those are some of my dreams. Now to the second question — the cost. Well, it’s very easy to focus on either the spiritual side of things or the natural side. Spiritually there are many things: prayer, fasting, preparing messages, teachings, intercessors, keeping spiritually encouraged, resting, accountability, etc. And then there’s the natural/earthly side of things: bills, banking, housing, tickets, family you’re leaving Stateside, security issues, savings, retirement, board meetings, dentists, doctors, and our cat — just to name several off the top of my head.
The Worth
So after taking some time to ponder, the two questions return and the Lord asks me: “Is it worth the cost?” and I most hurriedly answer a resounding “YES!” Dreams can be expensive and there are many who have gone before us paying dearly for the vision God put before them, both from the Bible and from our history books, but it is well worth the cost to fulfill His calling for our lives.
Proverbs 29:18 tells us that without a vision we will perish. We all have a purpose. God has placed dreams and visions in each one of us. Have you taken the time to ask yourself these two simple questions? I pray that the Lord will help you fulfill everything in your heart and give you the grace for whatever it costs.