As January 2018 comes to a close, remember:  Choose your dreams by your heart, not by your reality.

As you move toward your dreams, things will happen.  God will light the path, step by step.  Going after your dream, your vision and fulfilling your destiny will require you walk in faith as your reality may scream, “It’s impossible!”  We can all find a myriad of reasons and rationale why we shouldn’t take the risk.  Our fallen bent is toward safety, security and well, just plain ‘ol laziness at times, making no effort other than to just get by ~ mediocrity.  It takes daily discipline to go against this bent and it requires spiritual help and determination along with perseverance through the hard times to not slide back.  And boy, do the hard times come.…  to all of us.  Even the lazy and those clinging to supposed security and safety.  So in the face of “reality” and whatever suffering there is going to be in life, you might as well be working toward your self-development and better things and have some things to be proud of at the end of the year and ultimately, at the end of your life!  There are abundant stories out there of those who pushed through suffering and trials, setbacks but persevered and learned a lot through it while developing strong character, then in due time found their heart dreams and visions coming to pass, despite the hard realities along the way.  So why shouldn’t this be you too?  God created man to take dominion and was given the gift of creating.  Mankind is expected to develop himself.  Trees don’t resist being all they can be in difficult environments, flowers strive to bloom even in hidden away places, so why does man resist becoming all he can be, despite who is observing and the less than supportive environment he may be in?

When mankind fell away from connection with the Lord and moved away into autonomy, he brought a lot of pain to himself and the rest of the created world.  However, God had a plan for redemption through Jesus Christ to get mankind back on track, not wallow around in a fallen, defeated, spiritually dead state but to move back into connection with Him and with renewed spiritual sight to take dominion, expand, grow and develop.  He promises His Presence, power , strategy and help all along the way.  You are highly valuable and gifted and individually called by Him to your place and time on this Earth.  It is vital you move forward in your dream and calling and not let visible realities convince you to stay stuck and frozen.  If you doubt the importance of this, read what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 25 in the parable of the talents given to the three servants.  You will get the full impact of how serious the Lord takes the issue of developing what we have been given from Him.  See the reward and blessing He promises. So go ahead and get moving!

Parable of the Three Servants  Matthew 25: 13-30 ~ Amplified Version

Watch therefore ~ give strict attention and be cautious, for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.   For it is like a man who was about to take a long journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his property.  To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one—to each in proportion to his own personal ability. Then he departed and left the country.  He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he gained five talents more.  And likewise he who had received the two talents—he also gained two talents more.  But he who had received the one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.  Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.  And he who had received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying, Master, you entrusted to me five talents; see, here I have gained five talents more.  His master said to him, Well done, you honorable, admirable and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much.  Enter into and share the joy ~ the delight, the blessedness, which your master enjoys.  And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, Master, you entrusted two talents to me; here I have gained two talents more.  His master said to him, Well done, you honorable, admirable and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much.  Enter into and share the joy ~ the delight, the blessedness, which your master enjoys.  He who had received one talent also came forward, saying, Master, I knew you to be a harsh and hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you had not winnowed.  So I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.  Here you have what is your own.  But his master answered him, You wicked and lazy and idle servant!  Did you indeed know that I reap where I have not sowed and gather grain where I have not winnowed?  Then you should have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest.  So take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.  For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will be furnished richly so that he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.  And throw the good-for-nothing servant into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.