A Journey With My God-sized Dreams

God-sized Dream = A desire in your heart for more of what God has for you.

photo by Walt Stoneburner

We’re opening the door to God-sized dreams in 2013. So every week we get together to encourage each other {because don’t we all need it? yes, ma’am.}. This week Tricia Goyer is here to share about God-sized dreams with you…

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I wouldn’t change one moment of the journey. I’m thankful God didn’t listen to my whining and complaints for more … sooner. My wise Father told me “no” at times (many times) to prepare me for all the “yes’s” He had in store. — Tricia Goyer, Today’s Guest Post

I attended my first writer’s conference in 1994. I was a stay-at-home mom of three little ones ages 5, 2 and newborn. The only writing instruction I had was high school, one college course, and one writer’s conference. Yet I had vision and passion. I dared to believe in a God-dream to write novels. I could *almost* see my name on a book.

I tried to write a novel, but I didn’t understand story structure, plotting, characterization or theme. Hmmm…this was a hindrance for sure. I read books on writing. I dabbled with children’s stories. I attended another conference, but I wasn’t getting far. (Plus, I had three Littles at home to care for.)

My third writer’s conference, instead of focusing on fiction, I took a class on article writing. I followed the teacher’s step-by-step instructions and it worked! I had 30 articles accepted for publication that first year.

But what about a novel? I started lots of projects. Book proposals went to committee, but more rejections came. God, when will I see this God-dream fulfilled?

Then God called me to other ventures. My grandparents moved into our house when my grandfather was dying, and I helped transition Grandpa to his heavenly home. Soon after God made it very clear that I was supposed to start a Crisis Pregnancy Center. I obeyed Him, but I worried I was burying my dream.

As the center grew and volunteers joined, novel writing was still in the back of my mind, but inside my heart was full. Lives were saved. Hearts were changed. Mostly mine.

Then, like a whisper of acceptance that I’d obey Him well, the God-dreams I’d tucked away bloomed. My first two books came out in 2003: Life Interrupted, a book for teen moms and From Dust and Ashes, my first novel. Yes, God gave me that novel I’d been wanting so bad! And He’s given me many more.

During my long writing journey, I’ve seen other novelists go from “start” to “published book” in a few years time…while it took me ten years. But there were unexpected gifts the long journey offered.

The relationships I’ve built over the years are the cherries on top of my Publication Sundae. I love these folks. My long journey has gifted me with many traveling companions.Mostly, I changed over the years. When I started writing I was only five years beyond a teen pregnancy. I had pain, heartache, and character issues that plagued me. I was a young Christian still trying to do everything right, instead of living by the breath of God’s grace and depending on His strength.

I wouldn’t change one moment of the journey. I’m thankful God didn’t listen to my whining and complaints for more … sooner. My wise Father told me “no” at times (many times) to prepare me for all the “yes’s” He had in store. God’s dreams weren’t about a book. His dreams were about life transformations, the training I needed to do His kingdom work, and godly people to work alongside. Unexpected (amazing!) gifts to be sure.

{Tricia Goyer is the best-selling author of thirty-three books, including two novels that have won ACFW’s Book of the Year award. Her co-authored novel The Swiss Courier was also a Christy Award nominee. Tricia loves to travel and research for her fiction, and believes real life inspires great fiction. Tricia and her husband, John, live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have four children ages two to twenty-three years old. Tricia’s my recent release is Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska that she co-wrote with her friend, Ocieanna Fleiss.}

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Now it’s your turn!

What I love most about Tricia’s story is that she accepted God’s “no” along the way but she also kept taking proactive steps so she’d be ready when that answer turned to a “yes.” Link-up your blog post sharing what you’re going to stop delaying and start doing so you can be ready for whatever is ahead for you too.

So we can find each other, please include this button in your post. Also, love on your fellow God-sized dreamin’ sisters by leaving a comment on the post before yours.

For next week take this “do what you can” step for your God-sized dream: Find a God-sized dream story that inspires you and share it with us. It could be the story of someone in Scripture, your family, your community or the great, big world out there online. Then write a post about how that story inspires you and link up here next week. {If you don’t have a blog, you can share what you did in the comments.}

Not sure what to do next? Start with The “Do What You Can” Plan: 21 Days to Making Any Area of Your Life Better

Want more encouragement? You’ll find it in You’re Made for a God-sized Dream: Opening the Door to All God Has for You