Living the dream.

Something which seems quoted far more than experienced.

We all long to live the dream…whatever that is. As a child I dreamt of becoming an A-list Hollywood star, an FBI agent, and at one time even the first female American football player for the Detroit Lions! (I know, can you imagine?!)

Yet how many of our childhood dreams become reality? At what age did I realise my talent isn’t quite A-list, I would be pathetic as an undercover cop, and the football helmet would definitely mess with my hair / make-up way too much to be worth the millions I was going to make!

All too early in life we choose to shelve the dream instead of trust it; we assume that the child was simply being a child and as an adult – things must look different. Maybe it comes with our first job, first bill, first mortgage, or first child, but somewhere along life’s continuum a decision is made to either forego the dream, or at the very least to modify it (read into that make it safe). And sometimes that is right. Me attempting to become the first female football player is right up there with the Queen trying out for England’s Rugby team. It just isn’t going to happen.

But are there dreams which have been modified to the point of moribund? They are barely gasping for breath, lifeless and weak, when at one time they were the strength behind us getting up in the morning. And those dreams, the ones which had true life in them at one time, are the ones which we need to re-examine. Have we shelved something out of despair instead of direction? Might it be time to pull a dream off the ventilator and breathe new life into it?

Joseph had a dream which landed him in prison. (Genesis 37) But whilst there he continued believing in the dream and acting with integrity, until it came to pass. Yes, it looked different than he originally imagined, but seriously, don’t they all?

This thought came to me a few months ago during an intense time of ministry. As I was ‘complaining’ to God about the stress and difficulty I was under, He reminded me that I grew up in a tiny Midwestern town in the US, and am now living in England, have a flat in London, am travelling and preaching at meetings, writing for magazines, and working for Him.

I am already living the dream; I was just too busy to see it.

My sense is someone has a dream they are questioning, wondering if anything will ever come of it? Bring it before the Throne room, ask the Lord for His direction, trust Him, be willing to fully obey, and always follow your peace. (Colossians 3:15)

Because who knows, quite possibly the child’s dream … isn’t just a dream….

They appeared dead.

After two weeks on holiday and a long journey home, I wearily entered the house, put down my things, and made sure I hadn’t forgotten anything important – like leaving the iron plugged in whilst away. The fact my flat had not burned to the ground should have been my first clue that things were probably okay, but one can never be too careful. Does anyone else have that reoccurring fear of having arrived at your holiday destination thousands of miles away, only to remember you left something electrical plugged in and turned on?

Thankfully everything appeared as normal…everything except the foliage.

The sound of them gasping for breath was nearly audible; and if they wore clothing, I can assure you vanity would have jumped out the window, alongside every item of clothing, in their feeble little attempt to cool off. They were clearly dying from lack of water.

Spiritually we often find ourselves in the same position. We take an unintentional holiday from the Word and before we can say ‘oh oh’, we find ourselves gasping for life. Clothes of righteousness, patience, kindness, and generosity have been thrown off along the way without us even realising they were gone; inside we have begun to wilt and droop as a result of no spiritual energy; and the way we look in the spirit has begun to resemble a balloon which has lost its air – deflated.

Amazingly one glass of water turned a plant which looked like it had just crawled the Sahara into the radiant, plush, and beautiful being it once was (okay that’s a slight exaggeration as this one has yet to even produce a flower …. but I am quite certain that has nothing to do with my horticultural skills). The point being the leaves are once again green and standing tall, as opposed to knocking on death’s door begging for entry.

And so it is with us. If you have found yourself lacking the water of the Word and refreshing of the Spirit lately, let today be the day you pick it up again, dive in, and drink deeply.

Not only will you feel better on the inside, you will look more appealing on the outside.

No holiday required.

It simply said Death.

Normally when I have a haircut, death is far from my mind; and might I add, this is generally a good thing.  Yet on this occasion as I stood at the counter preparing to pay, my eye caught an image on the arm of the man behind the counter.

It was beautifully scripted, written in a lovely colour, and looked somewhat poetic; yet this fine work of art boasted only one word – DEATH.

Deftly striking up a conversation, I eluded to the bold statement hitching a ride on his bicep, commenting on his unique choice of words to indelibly print on one’s body.  Mr Tattoo laughed and said others had also questioned his decision, wondering if he had been depressed when it was done.  He assured me he had not been; also that he was not a masochist, nor did he have a death wish or any other disorder — he simply liked the design.

It made me wonder: what unsuitable image imprinted on my spirit am I tolerating, simply because I like the design?

Insecurity can look quite attractive when it masquerades as humility.  Or success can appear rather colourful when the true design is labelled pride.  ‘Freedom of expression’ sometimes hides behind the swirls of laziness, or ‘just appreciating her beauty’ becomes a smokescreen for the marks of lust written upon one’s heart.  We are lured in by what looks attractive and acceptable outwardly, bypassing the true writing on the wall.   Or in this case – arm.

Jesus bore the marks of death all over His body, so we would not have to.   Those marks contained no façade –they declared total surrender.

His scars still write today.  They engrave Freedom on the heart of anyone who seeks to be truly identified with Him…

…and that my friends, is a tattoo worth displaying.

“You show that you are a letter from Christ…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:3