We think of dreams happening subconsciously while we sleep. Our strange, miraculous brains concoct stories in the recesses of our unrestrained imaginations. Ever since I was a young child, I have dreamed vivid dreams. I wake with awareness of the tiniest of details. Even now as an adult, my dreams often feel epic with dramatic twists, turns, climaxes, and endings. Maybe it’s the writer in me.

Dreaming in real life, with our eyes open, is completely different. While I wholeheartedly believe dreaming should be done with imagination and without restraint, if you want to see those dreams come true, you must go further.

You must invest in your dreams to reach them. – Tweet This!

My dream is to be a successful published author. It’s taken me years to begin taking intentional steps to make it happen. I’m not there yet, but these three areas of investment are helping me get there:

• Invest Time. Books don’t write themselves. They take time. Initially, I invested 30 days to write the first draft of my first novel during 2013’s NaNoWriMo. Since then, I’ve taken out time for writing retreats, conferences, workshops, etc. But most importantly, I’ve invested the understanding that this will take time. And probably lots of time. Weeks, months, years.

• 

  Invest Resources. Many people think of money when they hear the word “investment.” It’s not everything, but being willing (and able) to save money for the retreats, conferences, and workshops is so important. This has been a hard one for me to grasp. It feels selfish to use some of my family’s resources to make my dream come true. I’m so incredibly grateful to have a husband who recently convinced me to invest in a new laptop. My old, clunky one just wasn’t cutting it anymore. I can now write anywhere with ease.

• Invest People. That’s oddly worded, but let me explain. Letting those who support your dream help you in real, tangible ways is necessary to see your dreams become reality. I’ve accepted help from family and friends to take my daughter on play dates to allow me extra time to write. I’ve reached out to friends with connections and experience and asked for their input. I even just recently hired a sitter for every Wednesday evening so I can write for several hours when my husband is working late.

This investment of people is the most exciting for me to realize. I’m an introvert. I’m most usually happy to be on my own with my own thoughts. I don’t like bothering people for anything. But listen, please, friend. You’ve probably heard the phrase “What’s the point of ____ if there’s no one to share it with?” (or some version of it). The more people you put in your corner, on your team, the bigger celebration you’ll have when your dream finally comes true. I have never regretted having more people to cheer me on. It makes the tough days easier and the good days great. Don’t hesitate blessing people with the opportunity to be part of your experience. Nobody loses!

What is your dream?
What have you invested in it?
How can I become part of your team and cheer you on?

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TODAY’S TWEETABLES:

What are you doing today to invest in your dreams? – Tweet This!

You must invest in your dreams to reach them. – Tweet This!

If you’ve been a part of our little community here on the blog for a while, you’ve heard me talk about grace. It’s the cornerstone of my personal faith journey. It’s the message I hope my writing conveys.

But what IS grace, exactly? I’ve decided to start a new series here on the blog called [Grace Is…] that gives us a place to discuss just that. Grace is often experienced through interactions with others, in nature’s creation, study of God’s word, etc. I invite you to tell me about what you think grace is. Use the contact form and be sure and mention “Grace Is”.  Your thoughts could turn in to a guest post in the monthly series!

First a short passage from the Bible.

For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—
not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

A few words stick out for me. Maybe the same do for you.

SAVED  — [Grace Is…] life saving/changing/redeeming.

GIFT  — [Grace Is…] freely given and not earned or deserved.

BOAST  — [Grace Is…] God’s alone and not something we can take credit for.

The other day, I was asked by someone on my unofficial “team” what themes were consistent in my writing. We were brainstorming my author brand. What words do I want to come to a reader’s mind when they think about me and my stories? Grace (of course) was the first one. It’s a common word in the faith community, though. What else? I thought about it and told her this story:

As a teenager, I attending a youth retreat at my church. It was called a Radical Sabbatical. (Don’t you just love that?) For a meditation exercise, we were told to close our eyes and imagine what was spoken to us. Our leader went on to tell us to imagine standing at the crest of a hill. Below, a crowd has gathered at the edge of a lake. In the midst of the excited crowd is Jesus. Knowing I can’t get near to him through the people, I walk down the hill but keep my distance. Suddenly, the crowd begins to part. Jesus excuses himself past each person until he meets eyes with me and crosses the distance between us. Standing before me with eyes alive with excitement, he reaches out and embraces me. “You’re here! I’ve been looking for you. I love you.”

In that moment, for me, grace became real. Jesus had sought me out. Through a sea of people who had gone to him, he made the effort to come to me. I wasn’t worthy. I didn’t deserve his effort, his time, his touch. Yet, there he was. Embracing me with his arms of acceptance, forgiveness, and unconditional love.

To this day, nearly twenty years later, I yearn for that embrace. On days I feel I’ve lost him, I remember how he looked for me and held me.

[Grace Is…] God’s loving embrace.

What is grace to you?  Send me a message or join in the conversation below. Blessings to you, friends! Be encouraged today.