I haven’t achieved my dreams yet. Have you? All of them? Are you fresh out of dreams? Yeah, I didn’t think so. (If you are, it’s time to take another look at Scripture and realize God has a special plan for your whole life . . . and after, too. So dream.)

What are your dreams? The big ones, the realistic ones, the tiny but important ones — and the impossible ones. Seriously. What are they? Maybe you don’t even know.

But today I want to tell you to dream.

Yes, even if you’re young. Even if you’re old. Even if you’re middle-aged. Even if you’re a caregiver. Even if you’re already living out some dreams. Even if you’re weary. Even if you’re busy. Even if you have a lot of dreams already. Even if you don’t think you can come up with any dreams. Even if you don’t have money.  Even if you’ve never done fill-in-the-blank. 

Even if you live in a tiny little town in who-knows-where or a ginormous sea of a city where everyone’s already living your dreams.

And you know what? Even if you’re chronically ill. Trapped by your body and mind. Stuck. God has amazing plans for you. And I certainly hope you haven’t lived all your dreams yet. But if you have, that’s okay too. You can come up with new ones. You should come up with new ones.

Just because we haven’t obtained our dream yet doesn’t mean it can’t be obtained. Just because we’re sick doesn’t mean we should stop dreaming. The thing is, our dreams need to be ones that glorify and honor God. We need to surrender our dreams into His capable hands.

Because without Him, some dreams truly are impossible.

“It’s not gonna happen now,” she said matter-of-factly.

“I didn’t think publishing my book at [seventeen] was going to happen.” I smiled. “Not while sick.”

But it did.

And even now, despite some dreams coming impossibly true, I’ve got a whole lot of other impossible dreams I mailed off to God. I’m waiting to see what will happen. He may not fulfill all of them. But He wants our hearts, and He wants us to live the lives that He created us for. And if we’re dreaming God-glorifying dreams, that’s a good start.

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

Today, as I agonized over what in the world to do after graduating highschool, God gently asked, “What do you want to do?” And you know what my totally honest answer was? “Whatever You want, Lord, I want.” (I did list a whole lot of specific things though because giving God our dreams is good.)

So spoonie, please dream! Dream God-glorifying things, and then surrender them completely to God. Just because you’re sick doesn’t mean your life is over.

You know what my ultimate dream is? Heaven.

Yeah, yeah, I know that sounds like the Sunday-school answer, but I’m betting a lot of chronically ill Christians could honestly say they dream of new, perfect bodies in Heaven. It’s not because we’re super-Christians or especially spiritual. It’s because we’re totally human, and God is the only one who can heal our heart, soul, mind, and body perfectly.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14 NIV)

We probably haven’t already obtained all our dreams — especially our dreams of eternity in Heaven with our Savior and Lord. But let’s not give up hope. For Heaven or for dreams here on earth. You don’t have to have accomplished your dreams already. You don’t have to consider yourself to already have taken hold of everything. But keep striving for the goal! The prize of the crown of life! For which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Of course, we need to remember that whatever we may have already gained, or do gain, successes or dreams, knowing Jesus is the ultimate goal. The best dream. And the best attainable reality. Gaining Christ and being found in Him is the MOST IMPORTANT goal.

“All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” (Philippians 3:15-16 NIV)