Category Archives: Sticking To It

May22

Or You Could Let It Die

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Or You Could Let It Die

Teri

I have a lot of dreams.

I want to see the Body of Believers coming alive to their passions and dreams. I want to abundant life spilling out all over the place. I want to see all Christ-followers taking their role in God’s Kingdom work.

And, I want to write compelling stories that inspire people to dream bigger.

About 7 years ago, I wrote a non-fiction book called, Passionate Peace – The Art of Surrender. (You can still get a copy if you want!) I wrote a blog for 3 years called, Restless Peace – The Art of Trusting God in the Waiting. And I’ve written several workbooks and devotionals.

Non-fiction doesn’t scare me. It’s just like teaching without the whiteboard and Powerpoint.

I’ve never even considered writing fiction. I thought I’d leave that up to the really creative people.

About 4 years ago I had a “while you are sleeping” dream. It was a very intricate, interesting, and involved story. I woke up and realized I had almost all the details of a really cool fantasy/sci-fi novel. So, I wrote them down and then kept writing and writing and writing and writing and writing…

Then I had another dream of a story. I woke up and started writing that one down and kept writing.

Since that first dream, I’ve written about 1,000 pages of material; back history, character sketches, outlines, and copy. There are at least 7 different books in there somewhere. I have the first draft of one book done and am working on draft three of another.

I guess it was a few months ago when I realized God wanted me to finish these books .

Once again I have no idea how to do what God is asking me to do. I just know I have to do it.

When I started writing fiction I was absolutely terrible at it.

Nearly 1,000 pages and thousands of hours later, I’m now only fairly terrible at it. I’m improving!

I write from 5-6:30 am and from 9-10pm most days – squeezing it into my otherwise busy schedule. (I didn’t say it was easy.

I’ve been tempted and tempted often to let this dream die and chalk it up to the “tried and failed” category.

I have a feeling that most dreams die like this.

The gap between where I currently am (fairly terrible, unskilled, and about about 50,000 words of rewrites away from having anything I can publish), and where I want to be (published and an awesomely skilled writer) is quite large and very daunting.

If there is one thing I’ve learned about dreaming though, is that you don’t give up. If God is truly in this, and I believer he is, then I will get what I need just when I need it. Even if it isn’t what I think I need when I think I need it.

I’ve learned to trust him with my dream. He cares about it more than I do.

And I’ve also learned that God rarely uses money or time to motivate you to give up on the dream.

The biggest difference between people who see their dreams actualized and the rest of us is perseverance NOT talent.

If you are in the midst of a dream and it looks like you’ve hit a dead end, chances are it’s only meant to help you wait while another path is being opened up. Don’t give up.

For most people, that journey looks something like this:

tried…
failed…
learned…
adjusted…
realigned…
tried again…
failed again…
waited…
struggled…
learned…
grew more trusting…
adjusted again…
waiting again….
grew more patient…
realigned…
experienced peace…
struggled some more…
experienced joy…
and finally broke through…

This is the dream journey most people have to go through. You could embrace it.

Or you could just let it die…like millions of other dreams before yours.

What if we pushed through and kept working at it?

What if most dreams didn’t die before they became fully alive?

What does your dream journey look like?

May18

Let’s Get Moving

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Let’s Get Moving

Teri

Exactly one year ago today, a small band of intrepid travelers set out on the first Dream Tour.

I was totally and completely FREAKED OUT…scared to death…

I had no clue what I was doing or why I was doing such a crazy thing. 
***LOONEY TUNES****

There was just that nagging….thing…inside me that said, “Go.” And I knew I had to go or else I would regret it the rest of my life.

There were misunderstandings, misconceptions, miscues, misdirection, and several screw-ups – most of which I caused.

From the inside looking out, it was a total disaster…failure…abysmal bomb.

From the outside looking in, people were encouraged, inspired, challenged, and touched.

It was like God was somehow turning the inabilities into something better.  huh.

I think I read that somewhere…

It was so compelling that I needed to keep going. Despite my failing. Despite my weakness. Despite my insecurities.

Now, I’m not so inept. I’m growing and learning and getting better at doing this crazy thing. I still have a long way to go, but it’s better than it was a year ago.

Here are the biggest lessons learned in the last year:

1. It’s not easy.
I think I expected it to be much easier, fewer obstacles, more things I did well, fewer mistakes. Nope. My American tendency to try to find the most comfortable route does not serve me in this Kingdom dream journey.

2. But, it’s much, much better.
Okay. So it sounds cliche I know. But, it’s true. Truer than I can describe in words. Living out your God-give Kingdom purposes, however inept I am at it, is much more fulfilling and satisfying than not doing it. No matter how scary it is.

3. Don’t give up.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to give up during this last year. Probably once a week or so I’d break down into an emotional tirade, “I CAN’T DO THIS!”  After I smacked the wall of my insecurity at full speed and went **SPLAT**, somehow God would give me just enough to get me back on my feet and moving again.

I’ve seen that most dreams don’t come fully alive because most people give up on them.

4. You won’t have everything you need before you begin.
I’ve learned that you won’t be ready when God calls you to do something. You will have lots of gaps between what you need to do it and what you have at your disposal. He does that on purpose. So that you have to learn to rely on him.

5. God works on your fear **AS YOU MOVE DESPITE YOUR FEAR**.
Your fear won’t be gone before you launch out. You won’t be ready. You’ll probably be scared to death. God works on breaking down your fear step-by-step, as you move, as you trust, as you go along the journey. It’s as you take action that God does his best work in you.

6. I still don’t know what I’m doing exactly. I don’t have to.
I’m still making mistakes and learning from them. I still occasionally want to quit. It’s still not easy. And I’m still a bit afraid. But, I am learning just how much I can trust a very big God who cares more about His Kingdom coming alive in and through me than I do.

When it’s all said and done, it’s God’s dream.

He is simply inviting us into the journey with him.

I’d suggest you take him up on it.

Is there a passion to do something you aren’t sure you can do? A dream stirring in your heart that doesn’t seem to go away?

Don’t waste anymore time. Let’s get moving.

If you would like some help, encouragement, or coaching, just email me. I’ll be happy to help you explore the possibilities.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

Apr17

A Resounding YES

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A Resounding YES

Teri

Cal and Jan drove an hour to rescue us after Ruby croaked.

The first thing they did was to grab Molly into a huge bear hug as they hadn’t seen her in 20 years. The next thing they did was say, “You can stay with us as long as you need.” Then they said, “Come on, we’re taking you to dinner.”

Ahhhhhh…Those are mighty soothing words for weary travelers who’ve been sitting at the side of the road for over two hours in a broken down minivan.

They graciously welcomed us into their home. We got a quick tour of all the important things like, here’s the kitchen, you’re welcome to any of the food, just help yourself. Here’s the bathroom, if you need anything just let us know. Here’s the laundry room, if you need to wash your clothes. Here’s your bedroom, here are your towels and again, you are welcome to stay as long as you need.

I crawled into a bed and slept like it was my home.

Cal and Jan have been married for nearly 50 years. They’ve been in ministry nearly that long too. Cal’s a pastor and a Director of a Bible Camp for about 35 years and Jan has been at his side every step of the way.
We got a chance to visit Twin Peaks Bible camp and hear some of the stories that have happened over the last 30 years there. Cal and Jan came right before they were about to shut it all down. The owners said, “Well, if you can do something with it, then it will stay open.”

Almost 30 years later and tons of blood, sweat, and tears, the camp is thriving.

Cal said, “It’s hard work and the grace of God.” That’s Cal, short, sweet, and cut to the chase. He’s got work to do.

They’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of kids (as well as parents) come to know the love and grace and goodness of Jesus Christ. They’ve seen dozens of children they poured into grow up and step into ministry or missions. They’ve helped dozens and dozens of families be better together.

They’ve seen their own family grow better and better together.

“I made a commitment I was going to be involved. I wanted my kids to know beyond any doubt that I loved them.” Cal stuck to his commitment and you can tell. With five grown children and many grandchildren, the Sheppard family is a tight knit group.

Jan had us laughing till our sides hurt. She is a spunky. Her love spills out everywhere. She’s the kind of person you just want to be around.

They shared stories of a life of service and missions work. When you depend on support raising as your main source of income, it’s usually pretty slim. But, Cal and Jan are able to show a lifetime of fruit from their labor. The money may have been thin, but the love was full.

I personally needed to spend time with these two. As a missionary raising a family, you often wonder if you’re doing the right thing. You often wonder if all the sacrifices you have to make will be worth it. If all the hard work for very little pay will pay off.

The Sheppards life speaks loudly with a resounding YES.
I thank God for the Sheppards. Please join me in praying for many, many continued blessings for this wonderful family.

Mar18

Hope in Uncomfortable Places

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Hope in Uncomfortable Places

Teri

I’ll be honest…

Running after my God-given purpose is hard. I thought it would be easier.

I was wrong.

Dreaming big is stretching me in ways I never even knew could be stretched. It makes me vulnerable. It often asks me to risk failure. Dreaming big pushes me into very uncomfortable places.

Sometimes I want to give up. Sometimes I want to run in the opposite direction and do something safer.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:6

I think that most of us would agree with this verse. “Why of course! God’s strength always sees us through.”

Being utterly dependent on God’s strength has made this verse very real to me.

No cliché. No gimmick. No Pollyannaish glazing over of the truth.

It’s true…

However, I struggle to explain it in a way that doesn’t come off as cliché or Pollyannaish. But, here it goes…

It’s difficult to “drop your nets” (see Matthew 4:19-20) and follow Jesus. It doesn’t matter what the Kingdom dream is whether it’s marriage, family, community, justice, medical, education, business, ministry, corporate, or missions.

I won’t sugar coat it. Just about everything within me wars against the level of dependence God asks of me. Sometimes it feels like my humanness is screaming at the cellular level, “Impossible!”

Yet, there is still something deep down…something I can’t explain…that knows God’s call and is compelled to follow.

“…God is the strength of my heart…”

It’s when I get to the end of my own strength that I really know it.

There you have it:

  • When I’m afraid – there’s love.
  • When I’m vulnerable – there’s peace.
  • When I’m uncomfortable – there’s joy.
  • When I’m failing – there’s power.
  • When I want to give up – there’s hope.

Don’t give up on your Kingdom dream. Don’t do it. Keep going. Keep believing. And when you don’t have the strength to believe – know that the God of hope will carry you.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Mar17

Dreams and Distractions

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Dreams and Distractions

Teri

I had an unproductive week.

It was one thing after another and “poof” – I was distracted.

I get distracted much easier than I used to. It’s to be expected when you live out of a suitcase and move locations a couple times a week. (I had no idea how much I would miss having my own dresser drawers and refrigerator!)

Being distracted sucks.

I’m learning a few things though.

Here are three things that often get you sidetracked:

  • Being tired – We are much more likely to get off track when we’re exhausted.
  • Being over-committed – Too many balls up in the air at the same time means we can’t focus on any of them well.
  • Being insecure – If we aren’t sure we can succeed at doing something, we’re ten times more likely to pull away and make excuses for not doing it.

I know it’s not astrophysics here. But, all three of these things got me this week (along with a bad bout of the stomach flu.) I have a feeling that these are what trip you up too.

There are some powerful antidotes to distraction. Doing these things faithfully will just about eliminate distraction from your life. Again it’s not brain surgery, but a good reminder.

  • Get enough sleep – I know, right? But, how many of us really get enough rest? The average person needs 7-8 hours a sleep a night and one day of rest a week regularly.
  • Stay focused on priorities – Regardless of what you’re thinking right now; you can manage how committed you are. You can say no to adding more stuff to your schedule.

Tyler Perry makes a good point in the video below, focus on the one seed (dream) God has given you to water. It’s much easier to water, nurture, and care for one seed than ten.

I challenge you to seriously inspect your priority list. I find that too often are filled with things we feel obligated to do rather than only what God has asked of us.

For me, there are three main priorities (seeds) I believe God has given me to steward. My job is to aggressively fight against anything else that gets in the way of those three things. If something else comes into the mix that I must take on, then my job is to skillfully manage the balance.

This is much easier said than done. That’s why this next antidote is so important.

  • Keep going – Don’t stop. Keep pressing on. Keep picking yourself up when you fail. Keep moving. Keep believing. Keep growing. Keep learning. A “never-give-up” attitude goes a long way toward destroying insecurity.

I’m convinced that the dreamers who see the most fruit are the ones who focus on what God has given to them and who keep going regardless of set-backs.

I’m convinced that the only true failure is giving up. God may redirect us and change our focus, but he will never ask up to give up hope.

What is distracting you for your dream?

What are you going to do to get focused again?

Feb9

Doubt

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Doubt

Teri

All my life I’ve been a “Doubting Thomas” type personality.  Most of it stems from a fear of doing it wrong or having wrong done to me.  Some of it is the way I’m wired.   I’m a contemplater…a thinker…a ponderer.

I’ve been doubting again lately.  SO it got me thinking…

Being out here, risking just about everything, being outside of my comfort zone – doubts are inevitable.

The good news is the doubts don’t overwhelm me as they once did.  They don’t cause me to become paralyzed by my insecurities anymore.

Instead, I’m hoping they will help me fail forward.   (John C. Maxwell wrote a book of that title and I would recommend it to every dreamer out there.)

The concept is easy, “‘Failing forward’ is the ability to get back up after you’ve been knocked down, learn from your mistake, and move forward in a better direction.”  John C. Maxwell

The farther outside of your comfort zone you are, the more you are going to fail. 

The bigger the gap between what you have and what you need, the more likely you are to fall short.

However, I’m learning three things while I peer over a pretty large chasm between what I need and what I have:

  • Failing as part of the journey:  I’m failing now on a very regular basis.  Where I used to spend soooooo much time trying to avoid failure, now I see it as part of the journey.  Now,  I spend more time on learning from the failure.
  • Growing:  I’m learning much more about life and relationships and myself and God.  I’m growing more equipped to handle what is before me.
  • More of Jesus:  Jesus is becoming my greatest source of comfort.  He is becoming my God who fills the gap.  I’m relying more and more on Him and less and less on my ability, insight, or strength.  I’m pretty sure that’s called faith not foolishness.

I can choose to use my failure and inadequacy as a springboard into MORE.  I choose how I respond to the ups and downs of life.  I can choose more faith over more comfort and security.  I can choose to follow God’s dream and calling for my life.

My choice is a powerful weapon against getting stuck or giving up along the way.

I choose more…more life, more dreams, more courage, and more and more and more and more of Jesus.

What are you choosing today?

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”  Winston Churchill

“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”  Theodore Roosevelt

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.”  Steve Jobs

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Jan2

2012 – The Year of Courage to Do Big Things

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2012 – The Year of Courage to Do Big Things

Teri

I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions.  Instead over the years, I’ve spent time in prayer asking God:

“Lord, what do you want to do in me and through my life this year? Is there something specific you want me to focus on?”

Over the years it’s been things like peace, contentment, battling against fear, leaving my comfort zone, and such.

For 2011, the message I heard was broader and wasn’t directed just at me.  Last year I felt God saying that 2011 was “THE YEAR FOR DREAMS.”

It certainly turned out to be the year for dreams!

The message I’m hearing for 2012 is, “THIS IS THE YEAR OF COURAGE TO DO BIG THINGS!”

Courage to do big things…

I have no problem dreaming about big things.  I’m a dreamer.  I’ve been called a pathological optimist.

Big things?  Yeah!  I can dream really, really big.

It’s in the courage part where I tend to struggle.

I confess that I love to dream big, but when I’m actually faced with making that dream happen my knees begin to quiver.

I used to think of courage as strapping on my armor, mounting my horse, giving myself a inspirational pep talk, and then riding on to fight that one big battle which would lead to victory and that big dream.

But, I see courage a little differently now after being in the war for a couple of years.  Courage looks more to me like rolling up those sleeves, strapping on those boots, and trudging through all of the obstacles and resistance that each days brings.  Persisting…Never quitting…Keep on trudging despite the setbacks and the failures.

It takes a lot of trudging to do big things.  And that takes a lot of courage.

Frankly, this is where I see most dreamers (including myself) fail.  We want our dreams of big things to come to us through a couple of big battles.  That usually never happens.  When a couple of big battles don’t gain us our big dreams, we tend to give up.  We think our dreams were too big and that we are too small to make them happen.

I’m finding that big things come through dozens and dozens of small steps taken with great courage.

“We cannot do great things on this Earth, only small things with great love.”  Mother Teresa

The most courageous people I know pull up their boot straps each and every day and keep going.  They are compelled by love and hope and faith that God can do big things.  They focus on the possibilities and count the blessings.  And keep going.

What big things can you dream for 2012? 

What is one courageous thing you can do today to step toward that big thing?  Then wake up tomorrow and do one more courageous thing.  That’s what it’s going to take.  And you are not alone.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Deuteronomy 31:6

Jun28

This Vagabond Lifestyle & Perseverance

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This Vagabond Lifestyle & Perseverance

Ashley

I have learned so much in these past weeks with a backpack of clothes, my computer bag, and a borrowed car. I’m crashing on the basement floor of a family that I met a few nights ago, and I think that this feeling is happiness.

I think the most important thing that I have learned while on this trip is perseverance. I have been in several situations where walking away would be the easiest option, and instead sat there and asked the hard questions and took the time to talk through the turbulence and resolve the situation. It is incredible how difficult it can be to work through the crap and figure things out.

A few weeks ago I felt that I wasn’t being listened to and that I was wasting my time. I walked into a team debrief with several loaded questions.

  • Is this performance or growth based?
  • Is this a ministry or is this a lifestyle?

If  you are concerned with performance you cannot grow steadily, but if you are growth based you will deliver a more steady performance. If this is ministry our lifestyle will interfere, however this is a lifestyle then our lifestyle becomes a ministry.

I ended up stepping on some toes, and doing quite a bit of crying, but that was when God made things happen. I know I could have handled things better.

I know I will miss this vagabond lifestyle, and I will miss these families and communities who have invited us into their homes and their lives. They have taught us so much about being the body of Christ.

Jun14

The Underbelly of a Dream

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The Underbelly of a Dream

Teri
(Sorry for the delay between posts – we’ve been without a solid internet connection for several days.  We’re back on now!) 

Lately, I’ve run smack into all the reasons why most people don’t pursue dreams or stop short of reaching them.  I keep slamming into the wall of my insecurities, inabilities, and inexperience.

I’m staring at the ugly underbelly of my dream.

When you launch into your dream – you experience miraculous things (see other posts) – but you also will experience things which really stretch you.  Here’s how I’m being stretched:

  • I am facing my worst fears.
  • I realize God still has more breaking down of the “self” in me.
  • I feel the pain of the large gap between what I can accomplish with human strength and what needs to be accomplished.
  • My expectations of what living the dream are different than what I dreamed.

We’ve been lost several times, lost keys, locked keys in cars, had a major section of bumper fall off a car, experienced equipment failure and then back-up equipment failure, made a litany of logistical errors, and realized that we really need 28 hours in the day.

I’ve seen the underbelly of this dream, but I’ve also been in the crow’s nest and gazed upon the possibilities and the potential of what could be.  It seems as though God knows just how much crow’s nest experiences I need in order to keep persisting through the ugly underbelly realities.

Here is the hope to cling to when staring at the ugly underbelly:

  • You will learn how to do the practical aspects of bringing the dream to life.
  • You will get better at doing what you don’t do well.
  • Your faith will grow as your trust God in the uncomfortable and difficult places.
  • The crow’s nest views are worth every difficulty you may face.
  • God enjoys filling in the gaps and loves when His children join in His dream.
  • God will redeem the sweat, tears, and blood being poured into the dream in beautiful ways.

“But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.”  Psalm 74:14

Jun6

Let the Suspense Drive You

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Let the Suspense Drive You

Preston

I have spent the last four nights in a hammock. Before this week I was having trouble sleeping, overwhelmed by a feeling of restless, uneasy imbalance. It began to set in the night of graduation and I believe it had a lot to do with the frontier of life before me. Sleeping in a bed with clean sheets and five or six down-pillows just seemed inappropriate.

I had just completed the final leg of my academic race, which seemed to have no end in sight, yet I had completed it. And being honorably discharged from the ranks of scholarship I had been left suspended in space like a marionette, my legs dangling over possibilities with no hands controlling my strings from above.

It is this suspension that has brought about the restlessness, the exhaustion from academia causing the imbalance, and all the possibilities making me so uneasy. Wrapped in a hammock in Alabama seems to bring some balance back to my sleep. The gentle swaying and the intermittent breeze alleviates the feeling of restlessness, keeping me constantly in motion. The rain last night brought me a fresh perspective of love and spoke easy on the tarp stretched over me.

My last thought before drifting off to dreams was peaceful and animated by the roll of thunder and the clouds blushing with electricity. I heard a voice say Preston, you’re still suspended. Let the suspense drive you into Me. Six hours of sleep and I awoke in the Wood Between the Worlds surrounded by shimmering pools of adventure. I don’t have the rings to return home, but I will dive into this frontier without reservations. I will let the Water take me.