Folks, dreams have a place in our lives, no matter what our age. They motivate us. They keep us going, when the going gets tough. I believe it is important to always have a dream in front of us but just how do they become a reality?
The Secret Ingredient
We can put all kinds of effort into trying to make things happen on our own, but there is one key ingredient we must have if we want to see our dreams come true.
Some say it is will power. Ha. I know my will power only goes so far - just show me a a container of caramel popcorn. We can try to use will power but sooner or later our will power will run out. We cannot succeed through brute strength, intelligence, knowledge, or great wealth. All of these things are helpful but without this one key ingredient we will not be successful.
The one key ingredient to seeing your dreams come true is the power of Faith. We must BELIEVE it is possible to lose that 20 pounds, run that marathon, write that book, or take that trip of a lifetime. We must believe God is at work in our lives even though we may not see changes right now.
Personal Story
Ever since I toured the Argentine Tall Ship that docked in the Baltimore Harbor one summer, I promised myself "Someday, I am going to go to Argentina." It had been 10 years. Now traveling to South America as a single woman is not exactly an easy thing to do. There are safety issues, language issues, and travel issues. Yet, I had faith. I was going to go to Argentina.
Some say it is will power. Ha. I know my will power only goes so far - just show me a a container of caramel popcorn. We can try to use will power but sooner or later our will power will run out. We cannot succeed through brute strength, intelligence, knowledge, or great wealth. All of these things are helpful but without this one key ingredient we will not be successful.
The one key ingredient to seeing your dreams come true is the power of Faith. We must BELIEVE it is possible to lose that 20 pounds, run that marathon, write that book, or take that trip of a lifetime. We must believe God is at work in our lives even though we may not see changes right now.
Personal Story
Ever since I toured the Argentine Tall Ship that docked in the Baltimore Harbor one summer, I promised myself "Someday, I am going to go to Argentina." It had been 10 years. Now traveling to South America as a single woman is not exactly an easy thing to do. There are safety issues, language issues, and travel issues. Yet, I had faith. I was going to go to Argentina.
I decided it was time. After a few months of planning, lots of research, and applying for a Brazilian visa, I was off to South America on American Airlines. I wound up visiting not only Argentina, but Brazil as well. It was a dream come true and all because the seed of Faith was planted 10 years earlier.
What is Faith?
To put it simply, Faith is the positive belief of things not yet seen. It is the belief that our dreams can come true. It is the fuel that fires up our engines.
What is Faith?
To put it simply, Faith is the positive belief of things not yet seen. It is the belief that our dreams can come true. It is the fuel that fires up our engines.
Without faith, we idle through life, never really achieving anything great and watching our dreams pass by. A life without faith is not the abundant life we were intended to live.
Faith begins with a belief in God because God is the ultimate source of all good things and he gives us the power and the resources to achieve them. If we exclude God from the equation, we set ourselves up for a lot of hard work and eventual failure and disappointment. What does the Bible say? It says "Build your house on solid ground, not sinking sand", (Matt 7:24-27) meaning it is God who gives us the grace and the power to withstand adversity when it eventually comes.
Faith is a Muscle
I like to think of Faith as a muscle we all possess. In the same way we need to develop our physical muscles to lift stronger weights, if we want to achieve greater things in life, it is necessary to strengthen our spiritual muscle. Each goal we achieve builds our faith and our confidence. We can stand on our victories and our failures like stepping stones that help us step up to the next level.
Failure is Part of the Process
We all fall at times. The key is to pick ourselves up and get back in the race. Proverbs 24:16 says "Though the righteous may fall 7 times, but the Lord will always raise him back up." There is no shame in failing or falling. In fact, failure is one of the best ways to strengthen our spiritual muscle.
Look how many times Thomas Edison and Abraham Lincoln failed. Failure builds character and strengthens our spiritual muscle. If you have failed or fallen recently, I encourage you to get back in the game. If you're still on this earth, God still has a plan and a purpose for your life, but it is up to us to do our part to make our dreams come true and make a difference in this world.
Whatever trial you're going through, use it as an opportunity to strengthen your spiritual muscle and to grow your faith. When you look back at your life and see what God has brought you through and how many of your dreams really have come true, you will be amazed and filled with gratitude.
For Reflection
Faith begins with a belief in God because God is the ultimate source of all good things and he gives us the power and the resources to achieve them. If we exclude God from the equation, we set ourselves up for a lot of hard work and eventual failure and disappointment. What does the Bible say? It says "Build your house on solid ground, not sinking sand", (Matt 7:24-27) meaning it is God who gives us the grace and the power to withstand adversity when it eventually comes.
Faith is a Muscle
I like to think of Faith as a muscle we all possess. In the same way we need to develop our physical muscles to lift stronger weights, if we want to achieve greater things in life, it is necessary to strengthen our spiritual muscle. Each goal we achieve builds our faith and our confidence. We can stand on our victories and our failures like stepping stones that help us step up to the next level.
Failure is Part of the Process
We all fall at times. The key is to pick ourselves up and get back in the race. Proverbs 24:16 says "Though the righteous may fall 7 times, but the Lord will always raise him back up." There is no shame in failing or falling. In fact, failure is one of the best ways to strengthen our spiritual muscle.
Look how many times Thomas Edison and Abraham Lincoln failed. Failure builds character and strengthens our spiritual muscle. If you have failed or fallen recently, I encourage you to get back in the game. If you're still on this earth, God still has a plan and a purpose for your life, but it is up to us to do our part to make our dreams come true and make a difference in this world.
Whatever trial you're going through, use it as an opportunity to strengthen your spiritual muscle and to grow your faith. When you look back at your life and see what God has brought you through and how many of your dreams really have come true, you will be amazed and filled with gratitude.
For Reflection
What dream do you want to see come true? Ask yourself this question "Do I truly believe this can happen in my life?" Stretch yourself. Start saying things like "I believe I can break this habit." "I believe I can lose this weight." "I believe God will heal me" Even when we don't see a way, God can make a way. He promises to make our crooked paths straight when we turn our lives over to him. Remember, we walk by Faith and not by sight.
If this post was uplifting, join our community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my free eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" for you or to pass along to a friend who might need some encouragement.
Stay tuned for more practical and positive wisdom to help us all find healing, wholeness, and harmony so you can ignite the power within and discover your destiny!
Keep looking up!
Ariel Paz
If this post was uplifting, join our community by entering your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my weekly posts plus a copy of my free eguide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path" for you or to pass along to a friend who might need some encouragement.
Stay tuned for more practical and positive wisdom to help us all find healing, wholeness, and harmony so you can ignite the power within and discover your destiny!
Keep looking up!
Ariel Paz
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