photo by BaronBrian
The trail curves to the right and I follow it. Trees on both sides, dirt below, blue skies above–I should be enjoying this ride. But I’ve never been mountain biking before and I have no idea where I am or how far I have to go.
I’ve come on a first date with this cute boy {now my husband} and I’m determined to impress him. But now he’s nowhere in sight. I feel a twinge of panic in my chest and an ache in my legs. I imagine getting chased by a bear. Or a squirrel. Either one could probably take me at this point.
Then I swerve around the next bend and see two things: the parking lot and that cute boy. I was only a few feet from the goal but I didn’t know it.
That’s how it can feel with our God-sized dreams or anything new in our lives. We’ve never been this way before and we’re unsure of exactly where we’re going. Excitement gives way to worry. We don’t know if our hearts can keep up the pace much longer. And by the way, where’s God? Wasn’t he supposed to be taking the lead?
Then all of a sudden, we’re there.
I don’t know how far you have to go on your God-sized dream but I do know this: you’ve already come further than you realize.
Last week your “do what you can” step for your God-sized dream was this: think back to another time when you took positive action in your life. {Unless you’re still eating baby food, crawling and wearing onesies you’ve already come a long way!} What’s one thing that helped you move forward that you could apply again now and someone else could benefit from hearing too? Write a post about your answer and link it up here tomorrow. {If you don’t have a blog, you can share in the comments.}
I pull my mountain bike up next to the cute boy in the parking lot. Trying to play it cool I ask, “So how far did we go?” He grins and replies, “Eleven miles.” On the outside I say, “That’s great.” On the inside I think, “Eleven miles! I can’t believe I went that far and a killer squirrel didn’t eat me.” If I had known on the front end how far I had to go, I might have suggested we bond over cupcakes instead.
But it turned out I had more strength in me than I realized. You do too.
And wherever God is taking you, you’re going to make it.
You may even be a whole lot closer than you can see.
Keep going, friend.
XOXO
Oh Holley, how I needed these words today. Thanks for being obedient to write them, and praise God on His perfect timing!
Holley, This post spoke to me as I reflected on the path God has taken me over the last 30 months – 30 months of widowhood – I looked at how ‘far’ God has taken me on this path, the path that seemed impossible to travel without the one person here on earth that was my earthly strength, best friend, love…….He promises to hold our hand and walk with us, yet looking at the end goal can seem so impossible but taking one step at a time while clinging tight to His Loving and Guiding Hand takes us farther than we can imagine. Thank you for your post this day. Blessings!!
How I needed that today. It’s been a few weeks of fighting that feeling of wanting to shrink back…and rather than walk right through it, knowing it was only a feeling, I’ve been rationalizing it and trying to talk it away. Thinking when it disappeared that’s when it would be time for the next step. No! I’ve already come farther than I thought and it’s time to keep going! Thank you, Holley.
When I just read this post, I felt like you had put a microphone in my heart and could hear everything I’ve been feeling and thinking. I got on my face last night in my dark closet and just sat with the Lord….listening….waiting. I’m in the midst of waiting on my God-sized dream to come true and I know it’s close, but I’m not there yet and I feel like I’m just treading water. Every day I am hopeful, but nothing happens. Although I try my absolute best to be positive and focused on Him – I can feel myself growing weary. My heart cried out to Jesus last night – “Am I doing the right thing? Do you still want me to wait? Where are you? I need you.” and then first thing this morning I read your post. Yes, Lord. I get your message. I’m holding on! We can make it together! After all, maybe I am closer than I think, right? Holley, you have been a messenger for me today and I thank God for you and your ministry. What a blessing to be used by Him! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU LORD and God Bless you, Holley!
Thanks, Holley, for this inspirational message…love it! I have health issues (first time in my life!) and would appreciate any prayers. Blessings~~~
Holley, A year ago the “Trek” finding my God-sized dream. I wanted to be obedient in the Lord. it seemed after letting go of a foreclosed home, a car I
was still making payments on, a relationship that ended, I feft so lost.
There was no one who understood.
I kept running to show how strong I was. Now after a year I care more about myself than I ever have. Im well
Over retirement age, standing still as I
continue to see God’s hand in it all.
Just made a step one thing I
did, wrote a note of honesty. I’m on my way to a new God- sized dream: a car,
a home next year, friendships. It took about 60 days of making important life long knowledge into action with the Lord at my back. I’m a precious jewel,
I finally feel that!
That YOU are!
“But it turned out I had more strength in me than I realized. You do too.
And wherever God is taking you, you’re going to make it.
You may even be a whole lot closer than you can see.”
Thank you Holley, this is so encouraging and uplifting to me this morning. I always wonder if I’m only a few steps away when I feel like quitting, and the thought that I might “just miss it” keeps me going.
Blessings,
Laura
Jan 28th.
These words have certainly got me thinking, thinking back to approx 6 YEARS ago.
This was when my daughter had been abused by her previous partner. To cut a long story short she did eventually move on in her life and is now with someone else, who loves her and adores her. However for me it took a lot longer, and I felt so awful about this as I claimed to be a CHRISTIAN and yet I wasnt able to move on like her. However whilst on holiday in Scotland I was on a fairly deserted beach
and was walking were no one had walked in the sand, and for whatever reason when I looked back all I could see were these footprints in the sand, which reminded me of the poem “FOOTPRINTS”. It was then that I realised that God was still with me and had never left my side and that he had Carried me through this terrible time I had with my daughter and former partner. From then on I found forgiveness in my heart and I have never looked back. God works in mysterious ways for sure.
Thanks, Holley, that’s just what I needed this morning. Thanks for allowing God to use you in this way. Sara, Hampstead, NC
Thanks for the encouragement Holley. Needed it. Mondays are often hard for me.
Thank you, thank you, Holley. These are the perfect words for me today as I head into the last week of a writing project that has been on the go for four years at the same time as dealing with a major flare in chronic illness. I love God’s timing in giving me these words today through you!
what a great post! I rarely spend time thinking about how far I have come…rather I tend to focus on how much is ahead. I need to be grateful for the progress that I have made rather than overwhelmed with where I think I should be heading.
Thank you for the beautiful inspiration of today’s message.
It was inspiring and encouraging. Bless you!
By HIS grace did take a step forward. But it left me completely drained. A new step is exciting, but then I have to pause and rest awhile before growing strong enough in HIM for my next step. HE understands and takes us up only one step at at time.
Thanks Holly, I really needed to hear this today!
Thank you for the uplifting and encouraging message today. I just finished my blog post and hope that I will remember to come back tomorrow and link it up.
Dear Holley,
Like so many of the others, this is really what I needed right now. I’ve been feeling like giving up. I’ve been seeing no signs that I’m even on the right road. But your post just made me cry. I’ll keep going.
Love and blessings,
I’m going to say something obvious which will probably appear trite, but here goes:
Taking the first baby step is easy toward our God-sized dream; however, continually peeling the onion until we reach it with a little step each day is excruciating…esp. in this overcrowded world of voices coming at we humans from all directions…
And my heart says “where He goes I will follow”! Just being reminded that we are stronger than we think validates it for me. No matter how hard we imagine it we know we can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. Thank you Holley for the wonderful reminder.
I made a vow to myself to speak how I am feeling. Since a young child I was silenced in my thought, my feeling. I remember the exact moment when my heart, my mind, my soul said ENOUGH. So, I speak. I do not want to hurt, I simply want to express my thought, my feeling. With God taking my hand in his, he will help me walk through this part of my life where I will find my voice.
Thank you, Holley, for those encouraging words. I needed those today!
Holly,
Thank you for those wonderful words.
I am walking a new and stange land, as my dear husband of 25 years died in November 2012. Tour story today touched me. I may get stuck at thime, I h ave come fat.
Blessings,
Connie
Boy you really hit home this morning. I needed that. In May, 2012, my husband went to work 2000 miles away at the oil fields working. My job is seasonal. I know the Lord led him there. but we don’t know what His plan is for us. My husbnd will work there long term temporary is what I tell everybody. Nobody understands why Fred went there to work. But I do. I believe his job that he quit after 16 years was dissolving. We need prayer for strength and patience.
Wow, did I need this today!
God just keeps saying, “Don’t give up. Don’t give in.” Anyone who feels like quitting today, go to utube and listen to Misty Edwards “I’m Gonna Turn It All Around”. I’ve been living there for days!
Good Afternoon Holley,
Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. I needed that. To know that our God is so much bigger than anything we can think or say or do. It’s not about me. God’s Got It. Thank you and have a beautiful day in the Lord!!!
I just set up a blog on 1/27/13. This is what God has told me to do…I’m not much of a writer but I try..
“You’ve already come further than you realize” hits home for me.
Thanks so much!!!
Words are turning into a secruity blanket!!!
Thank you Holley. I sat in front of three different groups of women Saturday and watched God do something in me new and amazing! I’m giddy grateful to keep going with Him and my dream sisters!
Thank You for your encourageing words. I am right in the middle of a grief time after the loss of my son of 40 wonderful years. It a true struggle however, God is guiding me through this difficult journey. Still wondering what God has planned for the coming years.
You will never know the encouragement you give me as I read your messages. Thank you so very much. XOXO back!
Thank you for your words of encouragement. In the big picture of life, I am in a very good place … blessings of home, kids, grandkids, good job and enriching my mind with more education. But I am still waiting for what God *really* has in mind for me as I have my God-sized dream but I’m still not sure if that’s His dream for me and what it looks like in His eyes. I am willing and moving forward day-by-day. I am hoping on a God-sized partner in life as well for that God-sized dream as with all of life’s fullness – it can be a bit lonely without “the one” by your side.
Thank you for sharing you with all of us … it obviously makes a difference to so many of us Holley!
Have not been by in awhile, yet God led me to this message on this day. I think I needed to read this: “You’ve Come Further than You Know.” This week I sat with a young mother going through some of the struggles I went through raising kids. It was a good evening out, but I walked away thinking “what could I possibly offer, I still struggle with my teenagers/young adults; still struggle in marriage; I wanted to give her hope and encouragement (and I think I did, pointed her to the One who got me through and still does). But I questioned myself and this post was like God speaking to me. Thank you. Still going to chew on this tonight.
Thanks …I really needed to hear those words today!!
How much I needed to read those words today – inspires me for a difficult appointment tomorrow. The dream is alive! Praise God.
Thanks for the inspiration from God that you share with us.
Bon (from New Zealand)
Thank you, Holley! Just what I needed to read today.
These words were the encouragement I needed. I’ve struggled a lot living in rural Africa for the past 1.5 years with the Peace Corps, and now the Lord is calling me to serve another year. Sometimes I think I won’t be able to handle it, or that there’s still so far for me to go. But I am trusting in Him and His plan, and your words were the comfort and encouragement I needed today!
So funny and cute.
Holly, How true ! Thank you your inspiration reaches all of us. My God size dream, I believe is bigger than I first realized, with each day come’s new opportunity for growth. God is stretching me. I too realize I could never do it alone. I have many dreams in my heart. But your question caused me to have to Focus harder on the God size Plan for my life. Each day as I take steps towards my God size dream I am reminded of the grace I have been given. I want so much to inspire others to move forward with God’s plan you are not alone ! Thank you
Thankyou for encouraging words again!
Hahahaha…….darn killer squirrels anyway!
I adored this, Holley.
Kinda like being in the middle of the cornfield and having NO clue just how close to the fence leading out, you truly are.
LOVE the killer squirrels! Hahaha!!!
You are always so uplifting. Thank you for this lovely message.
A first step that came to mind as I read “You’ve Come Further Than You Think,” was about 28 years ago. I received a flyer for a singles conference and I tried
(more than once I tried). I had just started a new job, from which I would have to ask off a half day. I wanted someone to go with me – I surely didn’t want to drive two hours to an unfamiliar place by myself. Not being able to let it go, I called and made my reservation. I did end up going by myself. I was in a hotel room by myself, and God allowed my path to cross with two gals who would have been rooming with an older couple. They were able to move in with me, and I got a bed to myself. 
God is so good. The conference was wonderful. I heard from God that I needed to break up with the guy I was “dating.” He gave me the strength to go home and do that. The weekend of the singles conference a new guy came to our church. They told him about me being away at that singles conference. We eyed each other at church and one day he asked if he could hang around with me. He was in the army and did not have a vehicle. I said sure, and now he is my husband. God is so good when we take that first step. Than you for reminding me. God bless you and your readers!
to throw it away, but couldn’t. I actually went through the motion to put in the trash – not able to let it go.
‘But it turned out I had more strength in me than I realized.’
Wow! I do have more strength in me than I realized.
From one God sized dreamer to another, I say THANK YOU.
Thank you, God for sharing/caring through Holley, and bless you, Holley! I often feel frozen in moving forward, and trying to take one step for me is overwhelming. With your sharing I try again.
Thanks friend, I neede that.
Thanks for your encouraging words. I can really relate to this story. After 32 years of traveling a road of a struggling marriage, God has brought restorations and healing. I rejoice in all that has happened along that road to bring my husband and I to where we are today. As I read your story today, I thought about my own journey and how many times I got off my bike and off that trail of where God was leading us (In fear of the bears or squirrels that were distracting my attention). And each time I got back on the bike and felt like I wasn’t getting there fast enough, fear would set in. What bear or squirrel would trip me up again? When I finally persevered and got to the end of the trail, I was amazed at all that God was doing in our lives to bring us to the perfect ending he had planned for us. I realized I had more strength than I ever imagined and God had a purpose for every mile I traveled on that road.
Keep traveling God’s journey…You will make it and you may grow along the way. You may be closer than you see.
I recently discovered your blog and am so excited already! I have purchased the book “You’re Already Amazing” and I plan to purchase your other ones as well! I am 23 and this is really helping me in so many areas of my life. I could write my own book!! Thank you so much!!! You truly are an “Amazing” woman.