Are You Pregnant ... With A Dream?
If I asked if you were pregnant – I’d be going out on a limb wouldn’t I?
But before I feel the need to duck, let me explain myself.
Because you see, I’m talking about an entirely different kind of pregnancy.
In church a few Sunday’s back, we had a visiting pastor from Hermitage, Pa. who had a sermon that pretty much blew me away. You see, he spoke of being impregnated with God-given dreams.
He said that God sometimes plants dreams in us that go through different stages and, when the timing is right, they swell within us waiting to be birthed.
When the pastor’s sermon was over, I turned to my husband and asked him the same question I’m asking you… “Are you pregnant?”
Well? What kinds of dreams has God placed in you?
I know that when I was a girl, I wanted to write novels. I used to steal away long hours in my bedroom reading book after book. I loved the way a writer could take a bored teenager away from a snowy, cloudy day to another world and another place in time.
But before I feel the need to duck, let me explain myself.
Because you see, I’m talking about an entirely different kind of pregnancy.
In church a few Sunday’s back, we had a visiting pastor from Hermitage, Pa. who had a sermon that pretty much blew me away. You see, he spoke of being impregnated with God-given dreams.
He said that God sometimes plants dreams in us that go through different stages and, when the timing is right, they swell within us waiting to be birthed.
When the pastor’s sermon was over, I turned to my husband and asked him the same question I’m asking you… “Are you pregnant?”
Well? What kinds of dreams has God placed in you?
I know that when I was a girl, I wanted to write novels. I used to steal away long hours in my bedroom reading book after book. I loved the way a writer could take a bored teenager away from a snowy, cloudy day to another world and another place in time.
Being a novelist made sense to me until my high school guidance counselor unwittingly squelched my dream. She was asking our class about our career goals and when she got to me, well, she gave me a big negative on my plan.
“Hmmm, she said, “well you can’t do that. How about doing something with writing that can bring in money?”
“Hmmm, she said, “well you can’t do that. How about doing something with writing that can bring in money?”
I’m sure she didn’t mean it, but my guidance counselor did a horrible thing. She put my dream into dormancy.
Our visiting pastor told us that God-given dreams sometimes do that. They shrivel up like a dried up seed, looking dead and forgotten.
But, you know what seeds do when their nurtured right? I know you do.
Some of you may be feeling like something is growing inside of you -- something good and God given. Maybe you can’t quite put your finger on it.
Our visiting pastor explained this saying: “You may not even know what it is you are pregnant with, but God knows, because he is the one who put it there.” I guess in this case, it would be a good idea to seek God for his revelation.
The pastor also said that birthing something takes faith and sometimes pain – just like a real birthing process.
I spoke with a man recently who was laid off from his job. Instead of doing nothing, he’s started his own business doing something he’s good at. It’s risky and he knows it, but he’s going for it. God knows what kind of dreams he’s placed inside you and stepping forward in faith can be a little scary at times.
Our visiting pastor told us that God-given dreams sometimes do that. They shrivel up like a dried up seed, looking dead and forgotten.
But, you know what seeds do when their nurtured right? I know you do.
Some of you may be feeling like something is growing inside of you -- something good and God given. Maybe you can’t quite put your finger on it.
Our visiting pastor explained this saying: “You may not even know what it is you are pregnant with, but God knows, because he is the one who put it there.” I guess in this case, it would be a good idea to seek God for his revelation.
The pastor also said that birthing something takes faith and sometimes pain – just like a real birthing process.
I spoke with a man recently who was laid off from his job. Instead of doing nothing, he’s started his own business doing something he’s good at. It’s risky and he knows it, but he’s going for it. God knows what kind of dreams he’s placed inside you and stepping forward in faith can be a little scary at times.
After our church service was over, I went forward for prayer. You see, I’ve had a dream bubbling up in me for a few years now, and I guess that’s why I so connected with Sunday’s sermon.
When the pastor finally got to me, I explained a little about my copywriting business and he had a word from God for me. Do you know what he said? “There are books in you.”
When the pastor finally got to me, I explained a little about my copywriting business and he had a word from God for me. Do you know what he said? “There are books in you.”
His words brought life to a dream that I thought was dead.
He also said that once God reveals a dream, we must be obedient to move in that direction.
Sunday night my Oswald Chambers devotional, “My Utmost for His Highest,” was ironically also about dreams, and it encouraged me to go ahead and do something about mine: “Dreaming about a thing in order to do it properly is right; but dreaming about it when we should be doing it is wrong…. Leave Him to be the source of all your dreams and joys and delights, and go out and obey what He has said.”
So, what’s your dream? Better do some digging and see if you’ve got one growing deep inside of you. And me? Well, I guess I’d better get writing.
Here are some Bible verses that'll help you on your journey:
Romans 8:22-27 (The Message)
All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
He also said that once God reveals a dream, we must be obedient to move in that direction.
Sunday night my Oswald Chambers devotional, “My Utmost for His Highest,” was ironically also about dreams, and it encouraged me to go ahead and do something about mine: “Dreaming about a thing in order to do it properly is right; but dreaming about it when we should be doing it is wrong…. Leave Him to be the source of all your dreams and joys and delights, and go out and obey what He has said.”
So, what’s your dream? Better do some digging and see if you’ve got one growing deep inside of you. And me? Well, I guess I’d better get writing.
Here are some Bible verses that'll help you on your journey:
Romans 8:22-27 (The Message)
All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
Photo courtesy of my friend and colleague Susan Greene at: www.SusanGreeneCopywriter.com.