What are your dreams?

"We cannot achieve our wildest dreams by remaining who we are." John C. Maxwell

This quote literally fell on my desk a few weeks ago. In the mail I received an invitation to host a simulcast for a leadership conference next spring. This quote was in bold letters on the flier. It caught my attention immediately. I've been thinking quite a bit about dreams lately. And my life. And where the two intersect - if they do at all right now.

I wasn't raised to have big dreams. My family is amazing and the biggest supporters of my life. But there was always a strong sense of reality in our family. A strong concept of work hard, live a good life, and don't rock the boat. So when I wanted to perform on Broadway, the reality of where we lived and our lack of resources to put toward that life overshadowed my dream of dancing in A Chorus Line. I quickly accepted that dance would have to be a part of my life in other ways, and have enjoyed dancing and performing at the extreme local level most of my life.

But there are other dreams that I have and would love to see come true. And I think sometimes it's easy, at least for me, to fall back on the idea that I have good life and the concept of "don't fix what isn't broken." But what if it's broken and you don't know it? What if the idea of settling for a good life, rather than going after your dreams and leading a great life is a broken concept for me?

Then how does this idea of what Maxwell says come into play? If I remain who I am, what dreams will I be giving up? What kind of life will I be settling for? If what he says is really true, then one could suggest that unless I am truly willing to welcome change into my life and to who I am, these dreams will never come true.

That's a scary concept. But not as scary as the idea of not seeing some of my dreams come true. I have dreams to be married and share my life with someone, so see the world, to be present for the big days in the life of each of my nieces, to own a home where I can raise a family, to share my life and the experiences and lessons I've learned in a published format. These are just a few. And honestly, I'm not sure how many of them could be achieved unless I am willing to step way out of my comfort zone, shed the ideas of who I am based on what others think and my past, and blaze a new future. All the way trusting that the God who put these dreams and desires within my spirit will provide me with everything necessary to see them come to fruition.