Hopes and Dreams

In an earlier post I talked about a marital mission being a great way to connect a couple though a shared purpose. How exactly do you find a mission? I think one way is by sharing your dreams; the kind you have when you are awake.

Our imagination is a powerful tool. It may be heavy on the fantasy side most of the time, but it also includes possibilities. I think as we enter this New Year it is a wonderful time to talk about our hopes and dreams.

Nan and I love to talk about life options. We spend time dreaming together about all sorts of ways we could direct our life energy. We talk about places we could go, what our next counseling project should be, where we would like to spend our retirement years and what we would be doing to stay connected and productive.

Will we accomplish all the things we dream about? I sure hope not. We’d be exhausted. But I have no doubt that we will see some of our dreams come to fruition. But there is something else wonderful that happens – we build intimacy as a couple. There are things that we only share with each other during these times. It is a significant way that I get to know Nan deeper and become known by her in return.

The Bible says in Proverbs 13:12 (NLT)

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life."

In the midst of tough times we have to have hope. One way of having hope is imagining a better future and then talking about it – and then being active in pursuing anything that would contribute to that better tomorrow.

What if your circumstances are not going to get better? Where is the hope?

Our hope then is to change our attitude towards the things we cannot control and to look for any positive moments along the way. We begin to take joy in the simple things that under different circumstances we might have missed or ignored.  

Ultimately, for those who are followers of Christ, there is hope in the certainty of heaven that awaits, and a release from all earthly pain and suffering.

Do you have a hard time dreaming? Are you afraid to have hope? Do you believe that God is trustworthy?

Psalm 39:7 (NLT) And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

Psalm 119:114 (NLT) You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.

On A Mission From God

When the word ‘mission’ comes up, what do you normally see in your mind’s eye? Is it a long journey somewhere halfway around the world to work with the indigenous people? Or do you imagine a short journey to a desperately needy part of your city? Or do you think of the Blues Brothers or an adobe building somewhere in California? (just kidding)

The truth is there are many different ways in which the concept of missions can be envisioned in our lives. The above are just two very concrete types of missions.

When I think of mission, I also think of the specific mandates that I believe God would want me to embrace in my personal life – things like being aware of hurting people around me and being willing to share the love of Christ.

For parents I think of the mission of raising up an emotionally healthy, securely attached child – one that can accept and give love and forgiveness freely.

And then there is the often-ignored subject of a marital mission apart from parenting. This is a shared spiritual assignment that respects the interests and gifts of both people. Obviously for Nan & me this is the counseling and teaching work that we do together at The Relationship Center at Christian Assembly Church. It has been one of the most beneficial things we have done for our marriage. This shared purpose allows us to connect at a much deeper level than we normally would if our lives were largely separate, except for the routine tasks of life.

I know that most couples cannot work together on a daily basis like we do. But I know couples that have a food distribution ministry, or a seasonal volunteer activity, or a babysitting for single parents ministry. There are all kinds of ways that couples (married or not) can connect in meaningful ways.

The key is intentionality -- a wonderful word that connotes active willingness to pursue something. It will require some real intentionality to put aside time to explore and find a mutually meaningful mission pursuit. But I can assure you that life will take on a new excitement that will replace the mundane distractions that are lurking at every turn (endless hours of television, computer games, etc.)

For some of you this is not new – you are already in hot pursuit. But hopefully, for some of you, it will stimulate you to consider some new opportunities to ‘kick it up a notch’.