I’ve got dreams—trust me, this maze-like brain is positively full of them. Some are silly, but some are really serious. Maybe, like me, you don’t know what you would do with yourself or your life if those dreams didn’t come true.

A few weeks ago, I was thinking about my senior year of high school, which is next year. And as I was contemplating this big year, I realized: for a career, I have no idea what I want to do.

Do I want to work at Chick-fil-A for the rest of my life? Heck to the nah. But I really really don’t want to be a full-time author. As a hobby and I happen to get money out of it, sure, but I don’t want to rely on that for my income.

And all of a sudden, I just felt so…lost. Like I said, I don’t want to be a full-time author, but I know that if I don’t publish my own book by the time I die, I will be crushed. And just the idea of not having my words out there, possibly changing the world, really hurt. That’s my dream. That’s my passion. That’s what brings me joy. (Lucky for me, my words are out there thanks to you guys, so I guess that dream has come true.)

Then I was confused: if God is giving me all these dreams—becoming an author, founding a nonprofit, getting married, speaking publicly about my faith, finding a community to share the love of God with—then why do they all feel so impossible?

Is He just setting me up for disappointment and lifelong self-hatred? Or is He reminding me that the human eyes cannot even fathom what good plans He has in store for us?

I recently saw a post that said, “If God gave you the idea, He’s already planned the resources.”

I know that if any of these dreams are from God, then He will make them happen. And while some of them might not be from Him but rather from a selfish heart, then I know that He will eventually give me the peace that I need.

Dreams and goals do not equal your worth—I found myself putting my worth in these goals and telling myself, “If I don’t make each and every one of these things happen, then I am worthless.”

Sometimes, God lets us have these dreams to tell us, “Hey, kid, your worth is found not in these achievements, but in my strength.”

It doesn’t mean that your life will end in failure or be lesser, but rather that you just simply had a different journey.

As you go into this week, I encourage you (and myself honestly) to look at the end goal rather than the next few weeks: God’s going to work out those dreams over time, and in the end you’ll be alright. Whether working them out means He teaches you the word ‘No‘ (because let’s face it—we all need to learn that word at some point) or it means that He’s going to make those dreams wildly successful, He will work things out.

Thanks for reading friends, I hope this encouraged you!
~Willow

‘However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.‘
Matthew 6:33-34 NIV