Since we're all friends here, I'll just tell it to you straight: Read this book.
Even if you don't think you have a God-sized dream (you do), even if you're not sure what it is (God'll help you figure it out) and ESPECIALLY if you know what your God-sized dream is, but you're just not sure how/if/when to pursue it.
Even if you don't think you have a God-sized dream (you do), even if you're not sure what it is (God'll help you figure it out) and ESPECIALLY if you know what your God-sized dream is, but you're just not sure how/if/when to pursue it.
Do I have a God-sized dream? To be honest, when I started reading Holley's book I wasn't sure. But as I turned the pages, I realized I had two or three dreams I hadn't even realized were there! Now are they all God-sized? Maybe not, but this book has given me the tools I need to pray about and pursue those dreams that are God-sized. The term God-sized doesn't mean you have a gargantuan dream. A God-sized dream can actually be very tiny. As Holley says, "The size of the dream isn't what matters.[...]It's not about how big or small they are, because he creates each one to perfectly fit the size of your heart."
Many of us, upon discovering we do in fact have a God-sized dream(s), start to tell ourselves lies about why we could never (ever) pursue that dream, embark on that adventure or clear that hurdle. Holley focuses on five lies that keep us from even dreaming in the first place!
- Dreaming is selfish
- I don't have what it takes
- It's too late
- I don't deserve to dream
- I don't have time
And even when we do allow ourselves to dream, fears start to creep in about all the reasons it's not going to work. Chapter 5 is your guide to overcoming those fears (and also one of my favorite chapters in the book). Most of us like to feel safe. So we pursue safe dreams (or don't dream at all). We don't take risks because doing so takes us out of our comfort zone and (gasp!) puts our safety in jeopardy. Holley encourages you to look fear in the face and take that risk. You know the one.
Her chapter on Disclaimers (Chapter 6) covers other reasons we don't jump in head first, and even when we do things might look differently than we imagined. My favorite quote in the book comes from Disclaimer #4: Success Will Look Different Than You Think. Holley states, "Success is simply this: obedience." Those five words nearly knocked me off my chair. Yes. Yes. Yes. Obedience to our Father. Not just listening, but doing what He asks of us. That is what makes us successful.
As if she knows exactly where our thoughts will go next, Holley covers what happens when God-sized dreams go wrong, how to stop sabotaging yourself and why your dream is worth it. Because it is worth it.
I love how loved I felt while reading this book both by Holley and our dear Savior. Holley gets it, and she's your cheerleader every step of the way, standing on the sidelines yelling, "You can do it!" Because sometimes, that's really all we need to get started...someone to tell us that our dream matters and that yes, you can do it.
Holley Gerth, best-selling author, life coach and co-founder of (in)courage, writes in a tone that makes you feel like you're just hanging out together drinking coffee. Her first book, You're Already Amazing, reminds us that we don't need to be more, do more or have more because we're already amazing just the way God made us. Hang out with Holley at www.holleygerth.com.
**Available now at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.**
FTC Disclosure: I received this book from Baker Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. I received no other compensation for this post.
