I’m scared.

There we go. I said it.

It’s out there.

That paralysing fear. As if on the edge of a mighty cliff face. Just one breath of violent wind would see me toppled. Collapsing, descending into the unknown.

And yet that same gentle nudge could also launch a new world of beautiful possibilities.

Which way to go?

So do I choose to embrace the fear? To entertain the rising anxiety.

The honest answer is that sometimes I do. And much of this last year has been about gritting my teeth, plodding through in survival mode.

But I now find myself staring down the barrel of a similar looking year ahead too. And I just won’t have it.

Stirring deep down

What happened to the girl (well, maybe I’m now officially old enough to be a woman!) who was full of hope. Buzzing with anticipation of what lay ahead. The oyster I was promised was mine for the taking.

Those dreams don’t disappear. They don’t die. Perhaps they change, like shifting sands, yes. But they can’t be made null and void. That sense of wide eyed wonder and bubbling excitement of what’s to come is still there… somewhere.

The years have seen it chipped away. The disappointments have built up. The discouragements have been real. The drudgery has taken its toll.

But underneath it all, the revelation that it’s not the dream itself we should be chasing. But the dream giver.

Those dreams don’t disappear

Time to refocus

Yes, there will be disappointment to process when hopes are dashed. Of course there will be those opposed to what you long for. And the dreary duty of the mundane can also strangle like hands wrapping tightly round the neck.

And yet, even under all of that. Even after having battled, emerging bruised and beaten, we can still know that hope.

One of a bright, beautiful future. Where the longings of your heart are met and satisfied. It’s when we realign our focus. A shift from me to Thee. An acknowledgment that without Him we are but dust. The reason for it all. Through Him all things begin and in Him all things are fulfilled. Jesus, Hope. Not just for the world but for the one. You, one. And me, one.

I am all for having dreams and goals. But what happens when we actually don’t? Life is still there to be lived. To be embraced. And to be experienced in all its fullness.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that knowing your dreams is more important than knowing the dream-giver. Don’t be tempted to prioritise the pursuit of a goal instead of pursuing the God who gave the goal to you.

"I have come that you may have life in all its fullness" - John 10:10

Time with Him is the dream. Getting into His presence is the goal.

Nothing else will ever satisfy. No completed to-do list. No extraordinary side hustle. Not even those long awaited girl-boss victories.

The secret place satisfies most deeply. Completely undone before Him. Get yourself there as a priority. Make it your daily pursuit.

Faith will build as you build time in with Jesus. The fear that was crippling will begin to fade. Like wisps of cloud blown by the gentle breeze, His presence will calm the storm that’s been raging within. Faith over fear will lead you through.

I know the promise of His presence will set everything in place. And the pace will be just right from that place too. Not too rushed, not too slow. All in His perfect timing.

The ducks will start to align. Next steps will emerge. And hope will begin to rise as your gaze rises to Him.

What are you waiting for? There’s no time to waste. It’s time to wait on Him! Time to choose faith over fear.

Are you finding time in the secret place?

Your Turn

Time to shut that door. Unplug from the distractions. Close the calendar and get before Jesus. That’s where the dreams come alive. It’s Him who will breathe fresh faith onto those dreams. No room for fear any longer. You were called to walk by faith. And if you haven’t seen those dreams yet that’s ok - the faith is NOT by sight ;-)