By Jenny Harte
You will recognise the above title from Martin Luther King’s incredible speech, but for me it’s a new, constant recurring revelation that goes something like this...
I have a dream.
I have a dream.
I actually have a dream!
It might be odd that this is such a big deal to me, but since I was a teenager I grew up listening to the stories of ordinary, everyday followers of Jesus doing extraordinary, brave, inspiring things: creating movements, reaching out and loving the broken, feeding the poor, fathering the orphans, tackling great injustices, and seeing the sick healed.
All of these stories were birthed out of dreams.
These stories drew out a hunger in me - I wanted a dream. I wanted to do it all! I wanted to change and save the world. (Still do.)
One of my favourite verses at this time in my life was Jeremiah 29:11, it gave me much hope and got me so excited that God has a plan for my life, too - I wanted it then and there:
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
But then for years I was frustrated that I still hadn't woken up with a special God dream in the middle of the night, with Him speaking an entire plan of what He wanted to do with and through me.
Even last year I was going through everyday life learning at university, serving at church and still trying to work out what I wanted to do with my life.
What I didn’t realise was that to do these things - to have a real ‘God dream’ - you had to grow deep roots in relationship with Him. And out of that you learn to not just know, but to own your identity in Him. Before you can do the work He has for you - you first have to let Him work within you.
It took me until I turned 21 to let Him in to work through the areas that needed a little fixing with me, things that would have held me back from chasing the dream I now have in my heart. It just wouldn't have happened.
Only a year ago I was too timid to ask people if they would like to grab a coffee with me, because I'd like to be friends... Now I think they'd pay you to get me to stop talking every once in a while! Once you let Him in, things change for the best.
It also took me until now to realise that the boring, everyday life stuff (university, serving and just staying the course with Him no matter what) were all necessary to grow me, my heart and my dream, realising I can worship and serve him even in what felt like the most boring, insignificant of gestures, too.
"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Proverbs 16:3
My dream grew out of my heart for the hurting, my hate for injustice, my education that's fuelling my passion for design and creativity, and my newly found voice to speak up for those who can't. Over time, it revealed itself out of a combination of my everyday life and the things that set my soul on fire. The small choices, the subtle moments that slip by without a second thought, but step by step aligning my world with Kingdom reality. The progress is found in the process.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
Get close to the Father and He will give you dreams, knowing Him is the most exciting and fulfilling adventure you will ever go on.
