Dream big and often...........................

I have enjoyed the last three days worth of the Word for today which has been focusing on courage.  The first instalment was about stepping out of our comfort zone in order to experience God's blessings.  It said that;

We all have a tendency to cling to the 'tried and true.' The trouble with that is, when you are no longer being stretched you begin to shrink, you become complacent, you think you can handle things on your own, and you stop growing. That's a dangerous place to be. If you feel restless at heart today and believe that God has more for you than you've been settling for, then it's time to confront your fears, walk through them and launch out into a new experience with Him.

The second instalment talked about the need to dream big and often and that great courage is required to sustain such dreams until they become a reality.  It goes on to remind us that hot on the heels of every dream there is a demon of doubt;

 No sooner is your dream conceived than your mind is suddenly filled with all the reasons why it may not work. And there will be folks around you who'll be quick to confirm those fears. In spite of that, you must forge ahead and dream; otherwise you'll spend the rest of your life fulfilling the dreams of others. 'Rise up; this matter is in your hands...take courage and do it.'

Today's instalment really is the icing on the cake because it tells us to keep the faith and stand firmly on scripture and not to worry about the what and how of making our dreams a reality;

If the pathway to success were well lit it would already be crowded. If how wasn't a problem, someone else would already have figured it out. All progress begins with one question: 'What needs to be done?' And somebody needs to be asking that question-why not you? The future belongs to those who have the courage to ask that question and the faith to hang in until they discover the answer. When the obstacles look too big and opposition seems too strong, stand on this Scripture: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged...for there is a greater power with us than with him.'

A dictionary definition of courage says that; 
Courage (also bravery, boldness, fearlessness, mettle, fortitude, or intrepidity) is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. "Physical courage" is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death, while "moral courage" is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement.

We often stay in our comfort zones because of a fear of the things mentioned in the definition above and equally lose sight of our dreams or do not dream big because of the things mentioned above.  Our faith too is put to the test because of the things mentioned above, but thanks be to God our Father that we have only to look into the Book of Life to find all that we need to keep us pressing forward.  Today (day 187) I pledge to continue to dream, bigger than before and more often than before........