I was looking through notes from Primal by Mark Batterson, and I came across these quotes about our dreams, our influence, and the impact we want to make from Phil Vischer, the creator of Veggie Tales. Just something I thought would be good for all of us to chew on today.

“If God gives you a dream, and the dream comes to life and God shows up in it, and then the dream dies, it may be that God wants to see what is more important to you – the dream or him.” -Phil Vischer

“The impact God’s planned for us doesn’t occur when we’re pursuing impact. It occurs when we’re pursuing God. At last, after a long lifetime of striving, God was enough. Not God and impact or God and ministry. Just God.”-Phil Vischer

“Everything minus God = Nothing” ~Mark Batterson

I don’t know about you, but often I find myself pursuing my dream instead of pursuing God. Maybe we’re not succeeding because we’re too focused on ourselves…

Thoughts?

John Maxwell was speaking at a conference and a young man came up to him and said, “John, I would like to do what you do.” ” You get to come here, speak to all these people who paid to hear you, inspire them, and then take off! I would really like to do what you do.”

John responded by asking, “I understand you’d like to do what I do, but do you want to do what I did, so you can do what I do.”

Often, we see people that are successful and we envy them and want to be where they are, but we don’t have any idea what it took for them to get there.

Then the question becomes: Are you willing to pay the price that they paid so you can do what they do?

Want to get in shape? Want to make a lot of money? Want to be successful in sales or business? Want to be successful in ministry?

Get around people who are where you want to be in those areas, find out the price they paid to get there, and determine whether or not you’re willing to pay that price.

The choice is yours as to whether or not you will pay it, but at least you’ll know what it takes.

What are your thoughts on this?

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. -Proverbs 29:25

Do you ever let other people’s opinions paralyze you? I know I do. I have some huge dreams in my heart. Some of which I’m working on right now, behind the scenes, but can I be honest? It’s scary.

People tell me, “It can’t be done.” “You’re too young” “You’re too inexperienced.” The thoughts fill my head, “This is stupid. Nobody is going to care. People are going to laugh at me. People will be annoyed with me. People will criticize me. I’ll never be a success. I can’t do this.” I could go on and on.

When these thoughts come we have a choice to make: Become paralyzed, give up, and go back to living a mediocre life. Or press through, stand up, be bold, trust God, and go after the dreams in our hearts, no matter what!

Keith Moore often says  this and it encourages me, “I’m convinced that Keith is going to make it. I’m going  to run my race, I’m going to finish my course, I’m going to do what God called me to do.”We need to have that mentality. That no matter what, we’re going to make it!

He said, “When I was young and moved my family to Oklahoma to obey God, everybody told me why I shouldn’t go and that I was making a mistake. But 20 years later, I’m in a position to help them, and now they all come to me and pat me on the back and say, “You’ve done well Keith, you made the right decision, good job!.”

When you make bold decisions to go after the dreams God’s put in your heart, you’re going to make irrational decisions. You’re going to do things that people will say are a mistake. You’ll be afraid. You second guess yourself. My advice: Do it anyway.

Don’t let any-one’s opinion paralyze you from going after your dream. Get around people who believe in you. People that encourage you. Make the decision to everyday take one step toward your dream. Publish your blog post. Start writing your book. Plant a church. Start a business. Run a marathon. Dream big and go for it.

You won’t regret it and in the end, the people that criticized you, will pat you on the back and say, “Great Job! I knew you would be successful!”

Thoughts?