Author // Rhonda Varley
It’s Time To Dream With Me Again!
It’s fair to say that my life, like many other people’s, has been a rollercoaster ride! Over the last few weeks God has been reminding me, how despite the very worst that life can throw at us, we still have the capacity to dream.
It is a gift from Him, He loves the dreamer in us, because he gives us dreams!
Our dreams are important to Him.
When I was younger and in foster care, all I did was dream.
I dreamed of being wanted, loved, accepted, safe, secure in family. I would sit for hours looking up at the night sky, watching images play out of how my life would be, and all the amazing things I would achieve one day. I dreamt of a husband who cherished me, my own children to love. I didn’t know it at the time, but these dreams were God given, they kept me hopeful, when the reality I was in was hopeless.
When I dreamed, I escaped the reality of my life for a while. In that moment in time I was happy, I had hope. Over the years, as I got older, and life got more complicated and busy, I stopped dreaming.
Life had gradually worn away all my aspirations. Failures and disappointments in my life had turned into blocks, that had now built up a huge wall around me and kept me imprisoned. I dare not dream of what might be beyond the wall, it was safer inside, and the enemy had me right where he wanted me!
Defeated and dreamless.
For years I lived this way, until earlier this year when God spoke to me so clearly.
I was sat thinking about a dream that God started in me about 10 years ago. To go to bible college, and teach the Word! What with family life and illnesses, finances and lack of opportunity, I had given up! I had given up on God! I no longer believed that He could make this dream a reality, that I could achieve it with Him. But as I sat in my pity party, I felt a gentle rebuke, “Why don’t you dream with me anymore, like you did as a child? I want you to dream with me like that again, it’s time!”
I was extremely reluctant, I had become “comfortable” within my wall. And so began a reluctant journey! God reminded me about those times as a child, no dream was too big! I could be anything, do anything, everything was achievable! And God stirred up a new hope in me, I began to dream with Him again.
I had a vision of Jesus and me sitting on top of a huge wall, looking out over all my dreams, and we were laughing together. My dreams were still there, beyond that wall that I had built around myself. God had kept them and now it was time to go after them! He reminded me of the dreams He had already given me, a husband who cherishes me, and 6 beautiful children. I spent the next few weeks learning how to dream again, and I felt led to read a book by Jennifer LeClaire called “Dream Wild”. As I read the book and meditated on the Word of God.
I could feel the foundations of the wall around me crumbling, the strongholds and lies of the enemy, were being torn down, and replaced with Truth. I am free! And I am dreaming again with God!
Now, I am hungrier for the Word than ever before. I have applied to bible college and have an interview. I am believing again, trusting again, and I will be living the dream!!
Wild Hearts 