Every January, when I was a classroom teacher, on the very first day back to school following our winter break, I asked my students to spend a few minutes away from the content of the class and, instead, to focus on themselves. I asked them to set tow goals for the semester:
One goal related to their academics — “I will pass my math class,” or “I will attain at least a B in my Senior English class.”
The other goal would be a more personal goal that had nothing to do with schoolwork, such as
“I will stop arriving late all the time,” or “I will be patient with my younger brother.”
I used this as a moment to encourage my students to think about the relationships they have in their lives, the good and bad habits they developed over the past several months, and to focus on one area of their lives in which they needed to improve.
I then requested that they write both goals on a piece of paper and place them in an envelope I provided. They sealed their envelopes and gave them back to me for safekeeping. At the end of the school year, I passed the envelopes back to them and asked them to reflect on the progress they had made in reaching their goals.Now, don’t worry — I’m not going to do that with you this morning. However, this IS a new year, and that brings with it many thoughts about all things news.
The beginning of a new year is a great arbitrary milestone. It’s an automatic time for reflection, for re-assessment, and for making changes. As we know, this is the season for making New Year’s resolutions to work on new goals or ways to improve our lives. But instead of talking about making New Year’s resolutions, today, I am going to ask us to think about our dreams. Not the dreams we have when we sleep — the dreams we have about our lives. What have you always wanted to do? Start your own business? Become a professional athlete? Go back to college? Sail around the world?
We all have them — those ideas deep down inside of us that we have daydreamed about. Sometimes, we feel like our dreams are possible — some day….some time. But we haven’t reached them yet. Or we don’t have the money yet or the time. Or we got older, and we just figured it was time to stop daydreaming and stay in reality. It doesn’t matter how old we are — we have dreams about our lives.
Theologian and author C.S. Lewis wrote: “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
Zack Brittle, a therapist from the Gottman Institute, encourages us to ask the following questions when we are trying to determine what our life dreams are:
“What do you want to be when you grow up? Think bigger than your career. Where do you want to go? What do you want to accomplish? What problem do you want to solve? What mountain do you want to climb? What hero do you want to meet? What book do you want to read? What book do you want to write? What do you want your kids to say about you? What do you want written on your tombstone? — Zack Brittle
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, had a dream. It was a dream for humanity that changed the course of history. His speech, which is commonly called “I Have a Dream,” has come to be regarded as one of the finest speeches in the history of American oratory. Along with the Mark on Washington in 1963, King’s speech helped put civil rights at the top of the agenda of reformers in the United States and facilitated the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
What dreams are hidden inside of you that you have never expressed to anyone? Take a minute and look at the list of dreams on your table. The items on this list might appear at first glance to be very simple, but they are not. Look at the list and see if anything resonates with you. Do you want to travel? Learn something new? Change careers? Retire? What items on this list are calling to you?
These dreams are just as important as making it big or starting a business. These dreams are achievable notions that have been nagging at you for days, weeks, months, or years. What is in our way of reaching these dreams? Often, we are blocked by the proper lining up of the things that need to fall into place so we can move forward.
Well, I am declaring that today is the day! Today is the day to start making a plan for our dreams to come true. As 2024 was coming to an end, I read some of the many articles about how to find the courage to pursue our dreams. As a result of my research and my ideas, I have come up with four steps that we need to take to pursue our dreams.
Acknowledge our dreams
We need to be honest with ourselves. Let’s honor that dream that we have ignored for so long. Name it. Say it out loud to someone. Tell me, if you don’t have anyone else to tell. There is tremendous power in naming our dreams. Remove the word “someday” from the sentence.
Claim it as fact.
I am going to travel.
I am going to get organized.
I am going to write that play.
2. Confront our doubts and fears.
Of course, we have doubts and fears. We are striving for something outside of our comfort zone. Everything new the we undertake in life is a challenge.
We are standing at the bottom of a huge hill that we have to climb up. The hill looks intimidating. It would be easy to say to ourselves, “I can’t climb that hill,” and then go sit back down on our couch and watch another episode. But is we have a dream that is nagging us, we can’t turn away from the hill.
So we start climbing. We take it one step at a time, and before we know it, we have made progress. Remember that progress when the doubts and fears creep back in.
One of the best ways to overcome fear is to stay in the present. Author Natalie Jesionka says it
this way: “Be where your feet are, which means to stay in the present moment and not worry about the past or future. If you are caught in an infinite loop of worry, you can’t focus on what you need to reach your goal.” — Natalie Jesionka
We all know that we can spin ourselves completely out of control when we allow expectations and worry to take over our imaginations. Most of the time, what we fear and worry about never happens. What a waste of our time and energy.
3. Surround ourselves with supportive people.
Don’t listen to the skeptics and the negative people who want to squash or belittle your dream. They are speaking out of their brokenness. Deep down inside, they have dreams that they have ignored, too. They are just a little bit jealous that we are climbing that hill.
We don’t have to correct them. We just don’t have to listen to them. And while we’re at it, this is a good time for us to take on the role of supporting others who are striving to achieve their dreams as well.
4. Take the first step.
This is certainly the hardest part. Moving from talking about it and thinking about it to doing something about it.
I have a wonderfully bright, intelligent nephew who has talked for years about becoming a teacher. He has several degrees, both on the undergraduate and graduate levels, and yet he works in a restaurant. He always talks about teaching. He says it’s his dream — it’s his calling. But he won’t take the first step and start the journey up the hill. I don’t pretend to know his mind or his doubts, but I have to wonder if he is happy in the restaurant business.
What is your dream? How do you start the climb up the hill? What is the first thing you need? More information? Do some research. Money? Well, I can’t help you with that. But there are grants available for more than you know.
Maybe it’s something as easy as updating your resume or talking to the right person who can give you some advice. Make sure you move past the talking about it and get to the doing it part. Don’t stuff it away. Don’t ignore it.
We are all familiar with the powerful image of a child standing at the edge of the deep end of the pool — her toes curled just over the tile, her arms hoisted up over her head as she positions herself to dive into the water. She looks down at the water and shifts her weight back and forth, poised for the dive, but is frozen in place. She is frightened to do it. She is ready but unable to move Let’s not be like this child. Let’s jump! Dive in! Take the first step. Finally, my friends, let’s pray about our dreams. Let’s ask God for some help. Matthew 7 offers this advice:
“Ask, and you will be given what you ask for. Seek, and you will find. Knock. And the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Anyone who seeks, finds. If only you will knock, the door will open.” — Matthew 7:7-8
It’s 2025. A new year! It’s time! Let’s be brave. Let’s be courageous. We have the right to pursue our dreams. Amen.
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