The Dream Challenge

I’ve got a writing assignment due soon for a 6-week class that I’m taking at church. This class is for women only, and our first week’s assignment is to journal or creatively express how we can empower other women.

A few things came to mind, but I eventually settled on this: One of the ways I can empower women is to encourage them to dream.

What do I mean by dream?

I’m not talking ‘head in the clouds’ mind-wandering daydreaming.

I’m talking about constantly keeping before you an idea or inspired goal that God has planted in your heart and refusing to let go of it. A dream you have become increasingly passionate about and know you must pursue. I’m talking about bold focus. A healthy attachment to something you want to see done in this world and knowing God has called you to do it.

One thing I’ve noticed is that many women have simply stopped dreaming. Some of us are stretched terribly thin or burned completely out. Overwhelmed by life’s battles or simply bored by the ho-hums of the day, many women are simply existing and have lost their desire or ability to believe they are capable of achieving great things. We’ve either lost our ‘spark’ or gotten so far away from who we really are that the dreams we once had can no longer be identified.

As women, we can carry so much and feel responsible for so many, that sometimes our dreams  – some we’ve held since childhood – lose steam, grow weak and eventually become scattered thoughts.

We wear many hats and we get bogged down a lot. When life gets rough or becomes routine, our dreams can fade out or get buried under a heap of burdens.

Even worse, we never attempt to dream at all, because someone told us our gender comes with a ready-made box that we should never think outside of.

Truth is, God gives dreams to women, regardless of our past mistakes or insecurities, because we are invaluable to Him. He chooses to inspire us with ideas and goals to achieve that will bless us and those around us. We are not ‘merely’ this or ‘simply’ that. We are made in His image in a wonderful way, and He believes each one of us has limitless potential.

Dreams can be big or small, supported or misunderstood. At the end of the day, all that matters is that your dream never dies.

If I can empower women, I will do so by encouraging them to dream. And for some, to dream again.