All of us have dreams and they usually start when we’re young. Maybe it is to travel, become an astronaut or have a horse… Granted, some of our childhood dreams aren’t always realistic. When I was a little girl I wanted to become a superhero like Wonder-Woman. I would dash around the house in a leotard, cowboy boots and have the top of my blankie stuffed down my back, with the rest dragging behind me as a cape. Obviously, my becoming Wonder-Woman didn’t come to fruition. Thankfully, I also had aspirations of becoming an author, thanks to my second-grade teacher Mrs. Gurnon who encouraged that I might actually have a talent for writing. And last week, at the age of 38 I finally found myself sitting in front of a real life acquisition editor from a publishing company, presenting my very own book proposal.
It was thrilling even though I was completely shaking in my boots. Too bad those Wonder-Woman’s boots weren’t around. I will confess that an hour before my meeting with the publisher, I sat in the parking lot and seriously contemplated NOT going inside the building. Fear and doubt came over me like a dark cloud and with heart pounding, I thought,
“What am I doing here? I can’t go in there!” It was as if I was up in an airplane with my parachute pack on. The door was wide open and all I needed to do was jump… But I was too petrified to take the flying leap!
And then I caught sight of my book proposal sitting on the passenger seat. I had poured countless hours of energy and heart into it. And it wasn’t going to be in vain. This was my chance- my dream! So I whispered a prayer asking God to help me be what He wanted me to be, and say what He wanted me to say. After all, it was His story, not mine. I was just a vessel. This lifted the pressure off and I felt peace. I unbuckled my seatbelt, grabbed my proposal and walked in, still shaking but moving forward.
This is something I believe all of us are meant to do: Use our God-given gifts and talents and go forward. Maybe people think dreaming is just for young people. But I believe you’re never too old to give up on something. It’s never too late to try.
When I worked for a non-profit literacy council, I mentored an adult in his 50’s who never learned to read. It was humbling for him to admit but he refused to say it was too late to begin. And with the help of a dedicated volunteer tutor, he learned to read his very first chapter book at the age of 55: Shiloh. He now enjoys reading to his grandchildren.
Did you know that best-selling and beloved author Laura Ingalls Wilder was 65 years old when she published her first Little House book: “Little House in the Big Woods”?
And then my favorite: Sarah and Abram, whom God called to be first-time parents when they were long past the age of having children. After decades of being barren, Sarah may have felt her dreams of becoming a mom were too extravagant or out of reach. I would love to have heard her laugh when she discovered she was going to have a baby at the age of 90.
We need to believe that nothing is too hard for God. He can do anything through us if we are willing. So keep reaching, allowing and believing. Whether you're a young elementary student or a retiree. Learn what your spiritual gifts are and use them to glorify God. Think of what it is you’ve always wanted to do and then go after it with all of your heart as unto the Lord.
Maybe you’ve thought about starting up a new business, training for a 10K, going back to school, learning a new hobby, traveling overseas, writing a book, hosting a fundraiser, coaching a team, or auditioning for a play. A funny, but true statement encourages us to, "Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, and professionals built the Titanic.
Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”