Forgotten Dreams by Lorilee Guenter

 

Once upon a time, many years ago a young lady gave up her dreams. She buried them deep. Memory faded as time continued its march forward until she could no longer remember where she hid her dreams. The dreams remained shrivelled in the dark, until one day she tried to find them.

She looked here and there with no success. Old journals recorded thoughts and events but the treasure she sought could not be found among them for she had not dared to write what she did not want to admit. She read books about uncovering your dreams, about living life abundantly. She knew God's abundant life included using what He gifted her for His glory. However, the dream remained hidden.

She listened to comments from friends and family wondering if they could see what she no longer recognised. Every once in awhile she caught a hint of what might be. She prayed and she listened. She read and she journaled her questions, her doubts and her fears. even so, no more than the hint could be found.

Time continued to move forward with its steady markers. The dream remained elusive.

I buried my dreams in fear and doubt. With God, I have been working to excavate them. It is a slow process in part because the roots of fear and doubt are tangled together around the dreams that died in the dark. I know faith drives out fear and God in his power is removing those roots and replacing them with His character, His grace and His love. I can start to see some glints like sunlight on bits of glass of the dream that is. 

One day I hope to look back and see not a buried dream but a beautiful flower sprouted from the shrivelled seed of neglected dreams. I trust He is aligning the desires of my heart with His and nurturing the seed until I am ready to recognise and accept what was and is. One day the blurry pieces will fit together into a beautiful image of God's abundance where I did not even know or dare to ask. Until then, I write and I draw. I live and I trust because, whether I know the dream that lies beneath the surface or not, God will use all that I am. He continues to pour out His love and grace in my life and beyond.