I am terrified as I type this. My fingers press letters to make words, words that tell stories, stories that will expose vulnerability, and I tremble. I have been picturing this moment in my head for a very long time. When I was a kid I got a hold of a Harlequin Romance novel. Yea, I know, a little kid doesn’t have any business reading a romance novel but I did. I can’t tell you anything about the romance part. What I distinctly remember was the main character. She was a strong, successful woman. A psychologist, one who shared her life and professional experience through speaking at seminars, and writing books. She stood in front of her audience under the heat of the bright lights, in a room full of unique individuals who were all at different places in their lives. She would teach them corporately and lead them toward a new personal challenge. A part of me knew this is what I was called to do at a young age. I would lie in bed at night and imagine standing on top of a lunch table at school. I would be speaking to my class, and hosting book signings. Where I had the chance to encourage people through a personal note left in their book. If you knew me as a kid you would think that was impossible! I was a very shy kid, not exactly the type that would join the drama team. Still, to this day I am a total introvert and a very private person. It is terrifying for me to think of speaking, writing and sharing my deepest thoughts. Have you ever had a dream or a passion to follow through on something that seemed impossible or absolutely terrifying to fulfill? Maybe you have an idea that would contribute something beautiful to the world. Perhaps it’s mending the relationship that would take courage to pursue. Or, it’s that business that you have always wanted to start. The thought of doing it may be compelling and exciting but then something happens in your mind. You begin to count the cost. What if…

• I fail?
• I am rejected?
• I am not qualified?
• It costs me something that I am not willing to give up?

Let’s ask a different question…

What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

Think about that for a moment.

A while back, I asked my friends that same question on Facebook. Their responses took my breath away. Their dreams were huge, awesome and bigger than themselves. It was encouraging to me to know that I wasn’t alone. Those dreams that linger within our hearts usually call for us to step out of our comfort zone. I think about when Jesus called Peter to be His disciple. Peter and his brother were fishermen, Jesus shows up on the scene and says, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Without hesitation, they left everything and followed him. It couldn’t have been easy leaving the comfort of everything they knew, but they displayed unwavering faith at that moment and followed Jesus. They made it look easy. Later, Jesus refers to Peter as the “rock” that He will build his church on. Can you imagine how exciting & scary that moment had to be for Peter? Jesus was telling him that he would be the founder of what we know today as the church. He was called by Jesus to do something that only he could do. Soon after, Jesus gets arrested and is about to be crucified. Peter was asked three times if he knew Jesus and all three times Peter denied knowing Him. What if they killed Peter like they were about to kill Jesus? Why did Peter deny Jesus? Peter began to count the cost. Only days later Jesus would die on the cross. The death of Jesus could have looked like the death of Peter’s dream. You see, it is never too late, what looked like the end was only the beginning of the call that Jesus spoke over Peter’s life. It is time to reclaim that dream of yours and do something about it. One of the definitions of the word “RECLAIM” is to retrieve or recover something previously lost… to demand or obtain the return of, to regain possession of. My hope for you today is that God will help you retrieve, recover and regain possession of the dreams that He has placed in your heart. Remember that shy, introverted little girl who in the quietness of her mind would dream of speaking and writing? Well, here I am, about to hit “PUBLISH” on my own blog-site, about to share my story with the world. I have ignored this desire within me for years, and have sobbed over the thought of never being brave enough to do something about it. Today, I am reclaiming those dreams and jumping in with arms spread wide. What would your life be like if you paid attention to the dreams that linger within you?

What if you…

• started that business?
• picked up the phone first to say, “I’m sorry”?
• were called to do something that only you could do?
• booked tickets to that place you have always wanted to visit?
• made those healthy decisions and had the energy to fully experience life?
• pursued adopting the child that you always thought was meant to be in your family?

It is never too late to RECLAIM the dreams that are a part of your story. Sometimes, the cost of NEVER following your dreams is actually more than the cost of pursuing them! 

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