Thirty Days

At the end of last month, I was talking about dreams. It was rather ironic, actually.

You see, four years ago, in the middle of my senior year at college as a Creative Writing major, God asked me to put my writing--fiction writing--on the back burner. I knew He hadn't completely taken it away, but even the indefinite setting aside was painful.

I've tampered with writing a few short stories over the last few Christmas breaks, but always heard the whisper, "not yet."

When I found out I would not be taking any classes this fall, I wondered what on earth to do with my time. It did not take me long to think of National Novel Writing Month--where a bunch of crazy people sign up to write a novel in one month with the only prize being a congratulations. That would be my sister's definition, anyway. For me, it was a challenge and a goal and accountability and just the chance to write.

And the most important thing--God said "yes, now."

NaNoWriMo is completely customizable, but in general the goal is 50,000 words in one busy month of November. (On the 20th, when I should have been well over halfway to 50,000, I think I had just 15,000.) This past week and a half was crunch time, and thankfully my schedule cleared. As often as possible, I tucked myself away in a booth at some coffee shop and wrote like crazy. I am thankful that the twins I nanny decided to have nice long naps for the whole month! Although, at my other nanny family, I more often than not typed with a sleeping baby in my arms during Big Brother's nap, afraid that if I put Little Sister down, she would wake up again and then I would get no writing done at all.

I wrote over half of my words in the last 10 days, but I did it. My file stands at 51,071 words. I've sent it in and been declared a NaNo "winner" (everyone's a winner above 50,000 words :)).

For the past few years, I've lived through November and thought "someday."

My someday came, and I praise God for that.

Sometimes God gives dreams back, and in His impeccable timing, makes them come true.



I stayed up past midnight to begin writing right away on November 1st.
(Somehow, staying up until 2am writing a novel is much more fun
than staying up until 2am doing homework. Go figure.)
After decorating for Christmas most of the morning, I set out to finish
a few thousand words. It was official at 5:11pm today!



1) November 1st ~ Ready to get started!!
2) top left and bottom right=Coffee shop views
3) Formerly mentioned sleeping baby...
4) November 30th ~ Heading home, feeling accomplished and grateful



Dreams

"When dreams that are good

seem shoved aside, I must die."

 

When I first copied this over, I originally put "are shoved aside." Correction: seem shoved aside. I love that. We don't know the end of the story, but as for me, I serve the One who does know.

 

In thinking of dreams, I thought of Abraham, and how God gave Him a vision--a promise--of great blessing of family and land and ultimately a Savior. Abraham surely had dreamed of a son and probably even greatness, and God blew his mind away with His answer.

 

I thought of Sarah, whose pursuit of her dream caused unimaginable tension. Hannah's dream was a baby. Do you think Esther ever dreamed of saving her people? What do you think David's dreams were? Or Daniel's? Or Mary's? Or Peter's?

 

And what about the unnamed others--the little Israelite boy who dreamed over helping to conquer the Promised Land? Or the priest in Babylon who dreamed of returning to Jerusalem? Or the little girl who witnessed one or two of Jesus' miracles? God knew their dreams, too.

 

Do you have dreams? Sometimes it's scary to dream. Sometimes it seems foolish. Sometimes I don't know what to think--but God knows. He knows that the best place for my dreams is in His capable hands.

 

He also knows--and teaches us to know as well--that only as we hope in Him, rather than in the fulfillment of our dreams, will we be satisfied.

 

Sometimes our dreams come true...sometimes they don't. And so we must die to our dreams, say "Your will be done," and allow God to resurrect them as He chooses.

 

What are your dreams...what are you doing with them?