Is There Harm In Dreaming Too Much?

I’ve always been a little ambitious, as mentioned in last week’s post. Recently I I found a notebook I kept from when I was eight that’s in the shape of a star, with the word “Star” on the cover. Inside, I wrote about my dreams of one day becoming an author, as well as an actress. I also described all of the reasons why these were my dreams.

Not only have those desires remained, but I’ve added some more dreams over the years. These include: work/own a coffee shop, write Christian screenplays for teens, possibly be a literary agent, and work at/own a Christian magazine for teens one day. 

I didn’t want to wait until after I was a teenager to pursue my dreams, which is why I decided to homeschool the first three years of high school. If I hadn't of done this, I wouldn’t have my first book coming out this fall. God has shown me that it’s never too early to start pursuing your dreams. It’s better too early than too late, right?

Of course, God’s timing may be different than your timing. There has to be a season of waiting and preparation. But no, there isn’t any harm in dreaming. And there’s certainly no harm in going ahead and chasing your dreams as a teenager, as long as you’re keeping God first (Ecclesiastes 11:9).

The only time that dreaming does become a problem is when you refuse to wake up. What I mean is: God places the desires on your heart for a reason. You shouldn’t see them only as dreams, but instead as the future that God has for you. If it is, in fact, the desires that he’s given you. Refuse to allow your dreams to remain only dreams.

I know many people who think it's almost impossible to become an author. Sure, it may be true that being published is unlikely--and it might also be true that being published as a teenager is unlikely. But if that had been my mind-set a few years ago when I started pursuing writing, I wouldn’t have been offered a contract at sixteen-years-old. Only God could have arranged the meeting with my publisher. (Read the story here.)

And only God could’ve arranged the most recent things to happen with two other dreams of mine.

Recently a Christian film producer has shown interest in wanting me to help out with some of their upcoming teen films. But not just that.

A couple weeks ago, I had contacted Temperance Magazine—a Christian teen print mag—asking if I could write an article for their upcoming issue. They responded, telling me that they had already come across my blog and was going to contact me for reprint permission. Not only are they happy to have one of my articles published in their fall issue, but they want me to be their new editor for their faith department starting next spring, as well as a regular columnist!

I was completely ecstatic. It may not be a big deal to some people, but it was a huge deal for me, considering I’ve dreamed of either writing or being an editor of a Christian teen magazine ever since I was twelve. (No joke. I ran my own Christian pre-teen e-zine for two years and fell in love with the process.)

I’ve never been one to judge the probability of my dreams. I’m sure the way I’ve been raised has a lot to do with this. My parents have always taught me and my sisters to go after our dreams, despite the fact that they may seem far-fetched.

So no, I don’t think there’s a problem with dreaming too much. In fact, I think there’s a problem with dreaming too little. We need to look at our ambitions—as well as our circumstances—through the eyes of faith. Remember that with God, absolutely nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37).

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Do you have many ambitions as well? Has the probability of achieving your dreams ever held you back from trying to pursue them? In what ways has God given you the desires of your heart?

(PS: I'm holding a poll on my blog soon so you can help choose the cover for Purple Moon. Please don't miss that! Also,  my first newsletter will be sent out October 10^th. Enter your email address under the section on my right sidebar titled “subscribe to my monthly newsletter” to subscribe.)