Build Your Dreams

“A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.”

Proverbs 14:1

When I feel like I’m being more destructive than constructive, I take notes from the Proverbs 31 woman. She gets up before dawn to prepare for the day, because she knows that the snooze button wastes valuable quiet time. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; she knows what she’s worth and she only says yes to the best. She helps the poor and embraces the needy, out of an overflowing heart. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness; she knows that God has entrusted everyone in her home to her care. A woman who fears the Lord is to be greatly praised, and she will be rewarded for all she has done, on Earth and in Heaven.

I’m guilty of falling short of these virtues more times than I can count. The Proverbs 31 woman is a hustler, a force of nature. I’m exhausted, doggy-paddling through life. The only person I can blame for this is myself. When I know what I should do, I usually do the opposite. When I know I’m full, I keep eating. When I know I’m wrong, I keep arguing. When I know I’m worn out, I keep people-pleasing. I’m the queen of self-sabotage.

“It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.”

Proverbs 13:19

Last week, I blogged about owning your dreams and trusting in God’s provision. That post was the kick off to Sustained By the King’s first-ever series: Dreams. For the next few weeks, we’ll be stepping into a new season together: a season where our dreams are within reach. You are the only thing that gets in the way of achieving your dreams. Life may throw setbacks and obstacles in your way, but you’re the one who has to choose to move forward and keep fighting. Personally, I tend to run myself ragged on things that don’t contribute to the future God has called me to build. A wall crumbles when I say yes to a task that sucks time away from my marriage. Part of my foundation cracks when I snooze through my quiet time. My front porch crashes to the ground when I downplay my gifts in the name of false humility.

Our dreams are like fixer-uppers. If they’re neglected too long, decay sets in. Dreams, like homes, require work and vigilance. A wise woman builds her home because she shows up daily. She says yes to the things that matter in the long-term, she’s unafraid to ask for help, and most of all, she trusts in the One who built the universe.

Building a dream takes a lot of devotion and a lot of grace. When you let things fall between the cracks, you have to pick them up and keep moving. There’s no room for guilt or shame when you’re building a dream in God’s kingdom. You may doubt that your dream will ever come true, but remind your heart of Ephesians 2:10:

You are God’s masterpiece. You were created with care. You’ve been renewed by Christ Jesus to do the good things He planned for you long ago. Highlight, underline, and bookmark this verse in your Bible. Now turn to the next page and read Ephesians 3:20. This verse ensures that God can accomplish infinitely more than we could ask or imagine. How? Through His mighty power at work within us. He wants to bring your biggest dreams and craziest prayers to life, and He’s going to use you to do it. He’s made you for unbelievable things, but you have to keep showing up to the challenge. Are you ready to pursue what you were made for?