Dreamers

My wife and I received a package in the mail from our youngest daughter and her husband on Christmas Eve.  Enclosed was a tin of homemade chocolate and peanut butter cups.  Also included was a letter updating their family and friends on all the various adventures of their first full year as husband and wife.  At the bottom of the letter our daughter had hand written a note to Piper and I.  In it she shared with us a few different things that were special to her about her mother and I.  The one item that really stood out for me was when she thanked me most of all for being a “dreamer!”

Dictionary.com defines a “dreamer” as:

1.             A person who dreams

2.             A person who lives in a world of fantasy; one who is impractical and unrealistic

3.             A person whose ideas or projects are considered audacious or highly speculative; visionary.

As is consistent with the first two definitions of the term, most people tend to think of a “dreamer” with negative connotations.  On the other hand, I and a handful of others like me, tend to lean toward the thought of “visionary” when called a “dreamer!”  The power behind how one considers another individual that they think to be a “dreamer” has scored a direct hit on me personally over the last three years in connection to the way some have responded to my wife’s battle with dementia.

As one who has always dreamed of taking a different path than those traveled by the majority, stepping out in faith and depending on the hand of the Lord, some of my life’s choices for my family and I were brought under fire and by some close to us, blamed to be the major cause of Piper’s difficulties.  And while these accusations brought great emotional stress and pain to me, they were all but laughed at and put to rest by the medical professionals who have lovingly cared for my wife and I.

What my experiences have taught me though, is the strength of the fear that is stirred up in the hearts and minds of those who have difficulties placing their trust in the Lord our God.  In my situation, most of the accusations were driven by fear of a lack of financial security.  For others it can be the fear of broken relationships, sickness, not being accepted by others, pride and a whole host of other natural stresses.  Now don’t get me wrong here!  Most of these concerns are legitimate issues, but stand low in degree of risk when one compares them to the faithfulness of God’s Word when it states that: “My God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:19 ASV)

Did I make any mistakes in following some of my dreams?  Was everything always easy and profitable?  To be perfectly honest… NO!  Most times things went well, but there were also some very hard times that we had to endure.  We dug our trenches around the promises in God’s Word and held our ground until we saw His victory.  And you know what?  His victory always came!

As I began to study around the subject of “dreamers” in the Word over the last few days, I began to see that many of the forefathers of our faith as recorded in the Bible were also dreamers!  They were men and women who saw things that most people couldn’t fathom.  They were followers of God who dreamed of things beyond the realm of the common thought in their time.  They were strong individuals who stepped out with nothing but their confidence in their dream and an unyielding trust in their God.  If it wasn’t for the forbearance of these “dreamers” we would not be where we are today!

What is your personal comprehension of a “dreamer?”  Is it of one who is impracticle and unrealistic or is it of one whose ideas and projects are audacious and visionary?  I’d like to explore some of these thoughts in the week to come.  But in the meantime, take a look deep inside and discover if the thoughts of taking a different path, of living a life that breaks away from the norm surrounding you, of following those God given “dreams” that captivated you when you were young, still arouse a note of adventure to you.  If so… you might just be more of a “dreamer” than you thought!

Stick with us this week!  Stay in tune to God’s Word, and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”