"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Mark Twain
When I read this quote it caught the eye of the dreamer in me. I think we can stay too close to the safe harbor sometimes because we are afraid to go after our dreams. We can be paralyzed by all the "what ifs?" or the "I just don't see hows". The times that I have had the courage and faith to follow the glimmering lights of hope through some very dark and unknown places, have led me to open up some of the most incredible gifts in my life.
What are some dreams that call out to you from deep inside? We are all so unique, it will probably be different for each of us, and different dreams in different seasons of our lives. There are no dreams too big or too small. Don't let fear hold you back, you may miss out on something beautiful. I'm not advocating being irresponsible or reckless for sure, but I think sometimes we let our fears or limited sight keep us from reaching for something we were created for. Where do those deep desires come from??? Who placed them there???
It's interesting to take a look at what you have bookmarked on your computer. It reveals a lot about what you tend to be drawn to. For me, my longest list of favorites is under "spiritual", my second longest list is under "adoption", my third is "decorating" and my forth is "signing". I also have a passion for reading and writing, but haven't googled too much about those. I do however keep a running list of books in the back of my day timer and you'll never find me without a book, a pen, and a notebook for journaling. The two blogs I've started are about my greatest passions: my family and pondering the deeper, spiritual things in life.
At different times I feel myself being drawn toward certain things and it's almost like there is a magnet in me that makes it hard to resist. Sometimes they keep me awake at night. I'm learning to listen to my heart's desires and ask God, is this something you have for me??? God says we were created to do "good works." I'd hate to miss out on some of the tasks I was uniquely created for. I don't want to look back in twenty years at all these unwrapped gifts and wonder what my life would have been like if I had opened them.
For quite some time, signing has been a growing desire in me. To me it is the most beautiful language I've ever been exposed to. I recently contacted a deaf school in the area and asked if I could volunteer there in the fall when the girls start school, just so I could be around it and absorb it. Who knows where it will lead? That's not something I need to figure out. I just step in the light that shines before me and see where it leads. I find when I follow these promptings in me, it usually leads to a two way blessing... not only does it bring a deep satisfaction and fullness to my life, but it often benefits another.
Consider what speaks to you, calls out to you, draws you, keeps you awake at night... It may be a gift that God has for you to open. It's up to you to open it. He doesn't force gifts on His children. He doesn't punish you for not opening them. He just offers them to you and invites you to share in some of the beautiful things He's doing.
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