Tuesday, January 8, 2013

God-Sized Dreaming & My One Word

For the last few weeks I've been getting to know my fellow members of Holley Gerth's God-Sized Dreams Team, and I've been inspired by the size, direction, and progress of their goals. While I'm not in the position to write a book or teach or speak at conferences, I am equally excited to see how God works in 2013.

God-sized dreams are not the same as grand-sized dreams, as I am, thankfully, often reminded. God-sized dreams simply are the heart longings for more of what God has for us. And yet that isn't always so simple, is it?

So after searching, praying, fighting the little voice that says my dream is lame, here's my dream for 2013: to grow in hospitality, to use our new home to build community, to say yes to and pursue opportunities God brings into our lives.

Last March we felt God leading us to stay in our city, despite grad school offers in different states. Within a few weeks of making this decision and beginning to look at purchasing a house, a coworker informed me that he and his family were moving, and we had the following conversation:
K: "So I hear you're looking for a house."
Me: "Yes."
K: "Well...I have a house."

He then proceeded to describe his family's house and he quickly covered every item in our "Things We Hope for in a House but Know We Won't Actually Get Them All" list, right down to the number of bedrooms and space designated for our someday-piano. We received further confirmation about our decision when Nate was offered a new job that lightened the financial commitment and happened to start on the same day as our closing. Throw in an international mission the week before we closed, and the month of June drove us to the brink of brokenness and covered us in overwhelming, sustaining gratitude.

These converging blessings made one thing very clear: this home is God's alone. We are simply to use it to glorify Him. And so, my one word for 2013 is:
I seek to invite others into our home, to invite conversation, to invite the messy beauty of connecting with others, to invite God to use this year to whatever purpose He brings. I'm praying this one dream will grow into more, that opening our door will open another. And I'm guessing that if we are faithful in saying yes, we'll look back one 2013 once again in awe of the perfect plan of our Creator, the One still creating, moving, refining.

And of course, I'd be a fool if I didn't invite you to come along...would you share? Are you dreaming this year? Praying for your dreams today. Hoping 2013 will be one of God-inspired awe.

God-sized dreams aren’t really about size at all–they’re about 
embracing  and pursuing the desires God has placed within your heart 
that perfectly fit who you are. God-sized dreams are part of your purpose 
and they lead to more joy, meaning, and hope in your life. 
Holley Gerth 

Want to be inspired? Check out other God-Sized dreams and link up with us!

6 comments:

  1. I love, love, love your word choice!

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  2. Anne, I loved this post and I love your one word! Thank you for sharing, it's incredibly inspiring :)

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  3. I'm excited to dream along with you as we follow the DREAMS He has given to us.
    Blessings...

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  4. Anne, this is one of the most beautiful dreams I've read in all these posts. I love that you desire to use your new home to invite others and build community. You have a beautiful heart!

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  5. Anne, I love your dream as it hits close to my heart. I love hospitality and using our home to minister to others. I also really like how you put your word for the year in your sidebar. My word for the year is CHOOSE. I think I may put mine in my sidebar too!

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  6. Invite. wow, I did not realize how deep that word penetrates into every aspect, especially when we invite God to use this year for whatever purposes He has. Beautifully written Anne! I look forward to seeing how God unfolds more aspects of this word this year! :) I am excited to join you on the dreams he has given us!

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