Wide Awake
So I am reading this very interesting book called Wide Awake by Erwin R McManus. If you know him or have read any of his books you know ... he is a bit challenging and gets you thinking. He is radical.
It's about our life...living it wide awake -
It starts out with 'for years I woke each day with a sadness I couldn't shake and then more sadness met me the moment I crawled out of bed'
I was just thinking how true this could be for many of us. We are doing what does not make us complete...
There is nothing like living a life beyond your wildest dreams...
So this great little book takes us through who we are as an artist,explorer,alchemist,believer, the seer,the activist,the hedonist,the romantic,the human!
It's been so exciting so far...I am only on 'the believer'
The last few weeks Mike and I have made some decisions with our life...and this book has helped me to see...that God has big dreams for all of us. It's our definition of 'big dreams' that we must careful of I think.
Big - doesn't necessary have to mean you will become the next PM - it can ... but it may not. Your own dreams for your own life - are so personally and include what you have a passion for... which is so different than anyone else. Because YOU are unique...we don't need to have other peoples dreams and passions - we have our own...
First I think we need to really be honest with our passions, dreams and visions...and of course our talents and gifts. God has gifted us with a certain personality and character - and He has given us passions and dreams...We have imagination and we should use it! One quote McManus wrote is ' A dreamer - A dreamer who dreams of a better world. A dreamer who dreams of a better world and risks everything to make it happen. " I love that...God gives us dreams and passions - but how more cool ... He gives us these dreams and passions so we can make a better world. If we use what He gave us - the world will be a better place. He goes on to say that ' we try to recruit God into our dreams sometimes - dreams and passions that are not of God...God is not going to invest himself in a dream fueled by greed, arrogance, self indulgence and self centerdness...Jesus spent much of his influence trying to get those who would listen to change what they cared about'
So we start with... what do we care about...what do we dream about to make the world a better place - what do we really have a passion for...living wide awake gives us opportunity to investigate in who we really are...
God has created us to be a part of something - we need to figure out what that is....
- what do you want
- who are you to become
- what will you embrace
- what must you face
- are you ready to live...
It looks so different for each of us. We need to discover with in us a - dream worth living...But I do believe that it does start with a relationship with Jesus Christ - first and foremost - asking Jesus into your life - surrendering to Him and His teachings and ways - become His disciple - Then you discover a dream worth living - and that is the exciting part of our journey here on earth - there is so much to do here ...to be a part of here...
One of my dreams - it has always been a part of who we are - Mike and I...is missions - and orphans...One of my dreams is to be a part of making the world a better place for kids around the world - how that looks I am not sure - it's looking different within our seasons... my 'dream' is to go back to Russia and set up a ministry centre to help the over 800,000 orphans that are 3rd generation orphans - a ministry centre helps these 14 - 16 years old - when they leave the orphanage and are put on the street - find a place to hang out - learn some skills in life - see a doctor/dentist - spend time reading the Bible - build a community so that they don't end up living a life on the streets - which ends up in crime/jail or prostitution.
That is one of my dreams - and my most deepest passionate desire...to help orphans in their country - and there are so many countries and so many orphans.
Another - going to Nepal - helping the many 'orphans' there that were taken away from their families and left to starve to death - all in the name of money - That stirs some deep deep emotion within me...
So ... We are planning and processing and selling and thinking and saving and letting God build up this dream.
I want to get up in the morning - and be so excited that I am living within my passions and dreams .... and I have many...so my struggle now...discern my dreams and see where my passions , talents , gifts and desires - what they are...where I need to be...Where God wants me to be. Where God wants Mike and I to be.
I have lists of things I love to do and dream about - but I am coming to realize that - some of those dreams - are not really my dreams from God - as my gifts and talents do not add up - my desire to be an amazing musician is not my best 'dream' as much as I love worship music - to sing or play an instrument - will never happen...I can't hold a note if my life depended on it...I can't count music or beat or whatever you call it... So... I am becoming more 'realistic' in what God wants from me. That's cool.
So in the mean time - I wait on God - "And now Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You Psalm 39:7 ~ But These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow...do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass . Just be Patient, They will not be overdue a single day! Habakkuk 2:3
Timing is everything - God knows the timing perfectly...so in the mean time He molds us - builds our character, helps us to learn and figure things out, discern things...
So I am living in the goodness of God - "O taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who trust and takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8
I am trusting in Him - to continue to work in me and in my desires and passions and help me to discern what is next...so I can live a live 'wide awake' for HIM.
So...ask yourselves - what is next...what are my desires - where does God want me - He wants all of us to live WIDE AWAKE...
It's about our life...living it wide awake -
It starts out with 'for years I woke each day with a sadness I couldn't shake and then more sadness met me the moment I crawled out of bed'
I was just thinking how true this could be for many of us. We are doing what does not make us complete...
There is nothing like living a life beyond your wildest dreams...
So this great little book takes us through who we are as an artist,explorer,alchemist,believer, the seer,the activist,the hedonist,the romantic,the human!
It's been so exciting so far...I am only on 'the believer'
The last few weeks Mike and I have made some decisions with our life...and this book has helped me to see...that God has big dreams for all of us. It's our definition of 'big dreams' that we must careful of I think.
Big - doesn't necessary have to mean you will become the next PM - it can ... but it may not. Your own dreams for your own life - are so personally and include what you have a passion for... which is so different than anyone else. Because YOU are unique...we don't need to have other peoples dreams and passions - we have our own...
First I think we need to really be honest with our passions, dreams and visions...and of course our talents and gifts. God has gifted us with a certain personality and character - and He has given us passions and dreams...We have imagination and we should use it! One quote McManus wrote is ' A dreamer - A dreamer who dreams of a better world. A dreamer who dreams of a better world and risks everything to make it happen. " I love that...God gives us dreams and passions - but how more cool ... He gives us these dreams and passions so we can make a better world. If we use what He gave us - the world will be a better place. He goes on to say that ' we try to recruit God into our dreams sometimes - dreams and passions that are not of God...God is not going to invest himself in a dream fueled by greed, arrogance, self indulgence and self centerdness...Jesus spent much of his influence trying to get those who would listen to change what they cared about'
So we start with... what do we care about...what do we dream about to make the world a better place - what do we really have a passion for...living wide awake gives us opportunity to investigate in who we really are...
God has created us to be a part of something - we need to figure out what that is....
- what do you want
- who are you to become
- what will you embrace
- what must you face
- are you ready to live...
It looks so different for each of us. We need to discover with in us a - dream worth living...But I do believe that it does start with a relationship with Jesus Christ - first and foremost - asking Jesus into your life - surrendering to Him and His teachings and ways - become His disciple - Then you discover a dream worth living - and that is the exciting part of our journey here on earth - there is so much to do here ...to be a part of here...
One of my dreams - it has always been a part of who we are - Mike and I...is missions - and orphans...One of my dreams is to be a part of making the world a better place for kids around the world - how that looks I am not sure - it's looking different within our seasons... my 'dream' is to go back to Russia and set up a ministry centre to help the over 800,000 orphans that are 3rd generation orphans - a ministry centre helps these 14 - 16 years old - when they leave the orphanage and are put on the street - find a place to hang out - learn some skills in life - see a doctor/dentist - spend time reading the Bible - build a community so that they don't end up living a life on the streets - which ends up in crime/jail or prostitution.
That is one of my dreams - and my most deepest passionate desire...to help orphans in their country - and there are so many countries and so many orphans.
Another - going to Nepal - helping the many 'orphans' there that were taken away from their families and left to starve to death - all in the name of money - That stirs some deep deep emotion within me...
So ... We are planning and processing and selling and thinking and saving and letting God build up this dream.
I want to get up in the morning - and be so excited that I am living within my passions and dreams .... and I have many...so my struggle now...discern my dreams and see where my passions , talents , gifts and desires - what they are...where I need to be...Where God wants me to be. Where God wants Mike and I to be.
I have lists of things I love to do and dream about - but I am coming to realize that - some of those dreams - are not really my dreams from God - as my gifts and talents do not add up - my desire to be an amazing musician is not my best 'dream' as much as I love worship music - to sing or play an instrument - will never happen...I can't hold a note if my life depended on it...I can't count music or beat or whatever you call it... So... I am becoming more 'realistic' in what God wants from me. That's cool.
So in the mean time - I wait on God - "And now Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You Psalm 39:7 ~ But These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow...do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass . Just be Patient, They will not be overdue a single day! Habakkuk 2:3
Timing is everything - God knows the timing perfectly...so in the mean time He molds us - builds our character, helps us to learn and figure things out, discern things...
So I am living in the goodness of God - "O taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who trust and takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8
I am trusting in Him - to continue to work in me and in my desires and passions and help me to discern what is next...so I can live a live 'wide awake' for HIM.
So...ask yourselves - what is next...what are my desires - where does God want me - He wants all of us to live WIDE AWAKE...
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