May16

40 Things in 40 Days – Part Three

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40 Things in 40 Days – Part Three

This is a continuation of the posts from here and here.

Julie

21. If you decide you still want to eat all almonds all the time, here’s a helpful suggestion: get them at Sam’s Club.
They have the best deal on almonds and…unfortunately for me, the bag seems bottomless. It seriously lasts for forever. (see #12)

22. Eating healthy can be costly, but the cost of NOT eating healthy is much greater.
And someday, when you are desperate for health, you will not be able to buy it. So, invest now in health so that the quality of your life will be high throughout your life, not just when you are desperate for it.

23. Chia, Flaxseed, Coconut Oil, and Almond Milk seem to be all the rage these days when it comes to nutrition.
I’m not a dietician, but I’ve noticed that everyone I met who is serious about health and nutrition are talking about these foods. So I’m thinking it’s probably time to include these things in my diet.

24. Del Taco.
I had never been to this fast food taco joint prior to this trip. Frankly, I will be fine if I never went again. If there is any question about why this franchise isn’t sweeping the nation with new stores, let me just tell you: it may have something to do with their “2 tacos for 99 cent” deal that contains lower grade “meat” than Taco Bell. (I didn’t know that was possible.)

25. If you have to get stuck for seven days while you’re car is being fixed…Colorado’s not a bad place to do it! 

26. Never withhold forgiveness. Never.
Don’t withhold forgiveness because you think it will give you leverage. There is nothing good that comes out of this. In fact, it usually creates bitterness. You don’t forgive someone because they deserve to be forgiven. You forgive someone because you believe in grace.

27. Omaha has a 2% entertainment tax that is charged on any “entertainment” purchase within the city limits, which includes any meal ordered from a restaurant.
If you are like me, and find yourself immediately excited about the idea of this money being invested back into arts and entertainment industry within Omaha, don’t be. It has nothing to do with arts and entertainment being improved or invested in. It’s just a “bonus” tax.

28. True resting comes out of true trusting.
Resting is more than a nap. You may be getting enough sleep but still feel tired. This is because rest comes out of a place of trusting. When we believe the promises that God has promised us…and really TRUST this, our soul begins to find rest, physically and emotionally.

29. I think Heaven may look a lot like Santa Barbara, California.

30. The Lord, the giver of our kingdom dreams, loves it when we are willing to give our dreams back to Him as an act of surrender.
He loves when we take our dreams and put them back at His feet and in doing so, submitting to Him and acknowledging that He is the Giver of every good thing. That’s when we know that nothing, even our dreams, are as important as he is.

May14

Dreaming One Year Later

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Dreaming One Year Later

Thank you all for sharing your passions! If you haven’t had a chance to leave a comment, you can do so here.

Teri

It’s been one year this week that a few intrepid travelers set out on the first 40-day Dream Tour.

We’ve have some pretty incredible stories to tell. We’ve seen miracles. We’ve experienced how God orchestrates his divine plans in amazing ways. Over and over and over and over again, we’ve seen His hand of provision stretched out graciously to us.

God has wow’ed us with his “shock and awe” campaign to grow our faith.

This week, I’ve been spending some time going down memory lane; reading through my journals, emails and blog posts to remind myself of all God has done.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s happened in one year:

  • 4 Dream Tours
  • 21,000 miles
  • 60 different cities
  • Nearly 3,000 people reached for Kingdom Dreams
  • 350 people personally coached
  • 10 Dream Tour Team members with incredible new stories to tell
  • 150 people moved on to the next steps of their dream journey
  • Hundreds of dreamer-to-dreamer introductions made
  • 14 Kingdom Dreams launched
  • Thousands of really, really cool conversations
  • Many new friends made

I’m humbled, amazed, and have lived a lot of wonderful stories in just one year.

Here are some of my favorite stories of dreamers; Anthony, Adua, Van Go Girls,  Hannah, and Josh.

Here are some stories about how God is the best strategic planner – watch out – they might rock your word; Del Taco, Detour, Dreamer John, Eloi, and Randy.

One of the most surprising but powerful aspects of the Dream Tour is how God provides. We go out knowing we aren’t fully funded, knowing we don’t have all our stops planned, and realizing how much we need God to cover our backsides. And he does. And he does it with flair! Read some of these amazing stories:  Apples, The Ruby Saga here, here, and here,  He will, and the Eleventh Hour God.

I’m going to take a little time off the road this summer to let Ruby rest up for another incredible year.

I’m working on the plans for that right now! More on that soon…

Thank you to all of you who’ve supported this year emotionally, financially, and through prayer. 

These dreamers would have never been reached nor these stories told. It’s been good to dream with you.

Please continue to support me so that more dreamers can be be inspired, ignited, and connected and dreams to come alive. I need your help to keep reaching more and more. If you would like to financially support me, please click here. 

Looking forward to many more stories!

 

May11

Let’s Start Something

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Let’s Start Something

Teri

I believe God has a dream.

He dreams of salvation, redemption, healing, beauty, joy,
peace, and love filling the earth.
The Gospel penetrating every corner of every nation.
His glory being shown throughout all the world.
On earth as it is in Heaven.

That’s a good dream.

He could accomplish it on his own, but he wants to invite believers to take part. He wants us to be the hands and feet of Jesus. And he gave us his Holy Spirit to help us do it.

It’s like God painted this big, wondrous dream before the beginning of time, and then carved a little slice of that dream and placed it in each of our hearts. That little slice of Heaven is as unique to us as our fingerprints and it’s hard wired into us – right into our very DNA.

Our hearts long to discover that God-given “slice”.  In fact, our hearts ache for it come to life. I think the world aches too for your slice of Heaven to be actualized.

I use the term “passion” to describe the unique slice of God’s big dream that is wired into your heart.

Every good Kingdom dream starts with a passion.

Everyone’s passions are a bit different, but there are some common themes. Here are a few of the most common:

  • To love, protect, and care for children and families.
  • To love those who are brokenhearted and help them see the love of Christ.
  • To help others by serving their practical needs.
  • To finance and support Kingdom dreams.
  • To show others how to creatively worship God through music, dance, art, or writing.
  • To help, encourage, and challenge all believers to grow in their faith.
  • To shepherd others in long term relationships.
  • To create and build things.
  • To teach others more about their world and more about Jesus.
  • To see other believers come to understand their freedom in Christ.
  • To bring Jesus into everyday situations in the world around them. (Preach often and sometimes use words.)
  • To see the lost know the love of Jesus.
  • To care for the orphans and widows in tangible ways.
  • To bring physical healing to the world.

Chances are you are already living out your passion in some way.
It’s probably spilling out of you and you don’t even know it.

I challenge you to name your passion. Actually write it down in a sentence or two. Some people call this a personal mission statement.

I call it your “Slice of Heaven” statement.

Whatever you call it. Define it!

What is it, deep inside you, that brings you life when you do it?

What is it, deep inside you, that longs to be lived out?

What would you be doing if money and time and resources weren’t an issue?

What is your God-given passion?

It doesn’t have to be perfect. You have the rest of your life to refine it.

Your assignment this week: Define the first draft your “Slice of Heaven” statement.

Write it down.

Share it with others. SHARE IT IN THE COMMENTS!

Let’s start something!

Watch out though. Passion is contagious. You never know what your little drop of passion can start…

May9

40 Things in 40 Days – Part Two

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40 Things in 40 Days – Part Two

Julie

This is a continuation from the first post, 40 Things I Learned in 40 Days.

11. Freedom is something you have to fight for.
If you want freedom you have to choose it. It’s yours in Christ but you have to renew your minds to it every day. You have to intentionally fight for it. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. If you don’t know how to fight for it, ask someone who does. Have them walk with you, fight for you, and teach you. It is worth every effort you put forth.

12. Know this: just because almonds are good for you, does not mean that you can eat as many as you want.

13. Self-condemnation is not attractive. It really isn’t.
And being hard on yourself does not actually make you stronger. You may think that telling yourself, “I am not enough” is a great way to motivate yourself to do greater things, but that’s just warped thinking.

How do I know this? Because this was exactly how I thought before I came on the Dream Tour. Now I understand what it means to take every thought captive: repenting from self-condemning thoughts, rebuking the enemy in his lies, receiving forgiveness, and replacing the lies with truth. Is it helping me find my true identity in Christ.

14. Love IS the greatest motivator.
It trumps self condemnation, self hatred, guilt, and everything else. The Beatles were on to something when they said, “All you need is love.”

15. If you are stuck spiritually – start giving thanks.
Something changes in the spiritual realm when we give thanks. The enemy hates it when he hears us giving thanks. I think, in fact, it might just terrify him.

Now, I am not saying that if you give thanks then Jesus will give you exactly what you want. He’s not a genie in a bottle, and there is no magic formula. I am saying I’ve noticed when people who are desperate for Jesus start giving thanks, things start to move. Something shifts. A spirit of gratefulness changes things.

16. If you want to exfoliate your skin, consider standing in a windstorm of 50-60mph.
Your skin won’t regret it. However, the rest of your body might. If you don’t know where to find one, check out Moab, Utah.

17. Confession creates a way for healing to be ushered in.

18. If you have been searching your whole life for some fried pie, just get off exit 123 on Highway I-40 near Oklahoma City.
You can’t miss the 37 signs leading up to the exit.

19. Anything seems possible when you have a great group of prayer warriors on your side.
Every joy and every sorrow seems to have greater depth when you surround yourself with a community that prays together.

20. Adrenal glands help regulate the hormones that are sent out in your body to help regulate stress.
Before the tour, I knew nothing about them. Also, did you know that if you are under constant stress, you can wear out your adrenal glands? Did you know that very organ that is created to regulate stress in your body can actually become too stressed out to function if you don’t manage external stress well in your life?

So, if you aren’t managing stress well, now is a good time to start!

More of the list to come…stay tuned….

May8

Health, Hollywood and Jesus

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Health, Hollywood and Jesus

Molly

On the Dream Tour I’m not sure I learned anything brand new in terms of my dream, but things that I already knew were confirmed and solidified.

I’d like to share with you my passion and the next steps of my journey. Please pray with me as I move forward in faith.

MY PASSION
My main passion apart from loving the Lord full-time is to see the entertainment industry/ Hollywood rocked with the realization of the love of Jesus. God has put a burning within my heart to, first of all, PRAY for Hollywood, and second of all, work IN Hollywood (or the entertainment industry in general).

My dream is to create media that is thought provoking, pure in heart, and does a great job pointing to Jesus in a way that those who don’t follow Him can relate. Another dream is to be a part of relational ministry in Hollywood offering support to those caught in the trappings of the industry.

MY WHEREABOUTS
I just completed my Master’s of Science in Entertainment Business through Full Sail University in Orlando, FL. I learned some excellent, practical business principles that will propel me forward in the building of the dream. I constructed a business plan for a reality television production company that maybe will see the light of day one day. Time will tell.

In the fall, I will pursue additional media and ministry training through the International House of Prayer (IHOP) and their media school, the Forerunner Media Institute (FMI). I just applied for the school and should know in the next month if I’m accepted. I see this school as a foundational opportunity to be grounded in the Word, prayer, and also learn from some incredibly savvy media professionals.

GET HEALTHY!!!
Another way that I’m pursuing my dreams and passion is building a business that helps others reach their health and fitness goals.

I’m helping promote a health challenge that is absolutely ROCKING North America. It’s called the Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge, through an amazing company, ViSalus Sciences. Teri, Julie and I started the challenge while on tour together, and are continuing it over the next three months. It’s a great way to stay accountable and also have fun!

In helping others with their goals, I am able to build some income that will go directly towards my media ventures, including school in the fall. Take a look at my website (mollyptaszek.bodybyvi.com) and see if this might be something you’d enjoy as well! A bonus, you very easily get your products for free. Can’t beat free!

LESSONS LEARNED
Easily (or, not so easily) the biggest lesson I have learned so far in this journey is that I’m on the Lord’s timetable.

I began my pursuit of the industry back in 2002 and it’s been quite a road thus far. I have had to learn over and over to surrender the dreams and passions to Him, and trust that He is far more interested in me reaching them than I ever could.

It just looks a lot different that I would have imagined.

This past decade has been a training ground for the Lord to test, refine and mold into the woman and daughter HE desires. I can try to run ahead of Him, but it ain’t gonna work, sister! I’ve learned it’s best to go on His clock.

Also, I’ve learned that enemy does indeed like to steal, kill, and destroy.

I have to be on guard with my passion and dreams realizing that the enemy would do all that he could to get me off course. It’s critical that I stay so utterly connected to the Father so I can walk out HIS orders and HIS timing, rather than getting perpetually slimmed by the enemy.

It’s so true that the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, while the Lord comes to bring life and life ABUNDANT!

PLEASE PRAY ME AND SUPPORT MY JOURNEY!
To keep up with my journey in the coming months I’ll periodically blog about a couple things – my journey of pursuing media and Hollywood; and health and wellness. I promise it will be exciting! Here’s the bare bones site if you’d like to add it to your RSS/Google reader/etc. – Health, Hollywood, and Jesus.

  • Please pray for me that I walk with tunnel vision on the Lord and His plans, not mine.
  • Pray that I will walk in full confidence and authority of my identity as the royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) and daughter of Most High King.
  • Pray that I hear clearly and do only what the Father asks of me.
  • Pray for divine connections within the industry who also have the same heart for the Kingdom.
  • Pray for my health business to launch well so that people can be free and healthy to walk out their kingdom assignments, and so that I can fund my kingdom dreams as well as others! I want to GIVE, GIVE, GIVE!!! Remember that for future reference, all you missionaries out there…with the fruits of the wellness business, I will sow right back into the Kingdom!
  • Lastly, Pray for Hollywood!!! If you’re interested in receiving occasional updates from one of my favorite Hollywood ministries, check out Hollywood Prayer Network.

Thank you and many blessings to all who read this!
Feel free to contact me if you have questions, encouragements, suggestions-
E-mail: mollyptaszek@hotmail.com
Twitter: @mollyptaszek
Facebook: mollyptaszek
And, just for the fun of it, Instagram: mollyptaszek

May7

40 Things I Learned in 40 Days

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40 Things I Learned in 40 Days

Julie

Here is a list of random things Julie journaled about during our 40 day College Tour.  We’ll split them up in a few posts so they are more easily pondered. Some real gems of truth here. They are listed in no particular order.

On the College Tour, I learned…

1. Clean rest stops are good for the soul of a weary traveler.

2. A good night’s sleep is more precious than gold.
Everything is better when you are well rested; your attitude, your outlook, the way you treat others is better. You can offer the best version of yourself to the world.

3. A lack of sleep is a ministry killer.
When don’t get the sleep your body needs, it not only affects you. You can miss opportunities to bring Kingdom to your community and those around you.

4. Mountain regions that are flat on top and look like a table top are called “mesas” because the Spanish word for table is mesa.

5. Everyone in life needs space.
Introvert or extravert, we all need space. We need space to decompress, to reflect, to create, and to just be. There is something incredibly freeing about having a sanctuary of space.

6. AAA is worth the money.
If being broken down on the side of the road for 3 hours while having to go to the bathroom is exciting for you, then….don’t spend the money. But, if you want assistance in a timely manner, then I recommend purchasing the coverage. After being on this trip, I will be investing in AAA.

7. Starbucks is a playground for ministry.
Be open and prepared to minister, whenever, wherever…you may just be surprised by how the Lord brings a kingdom connection. It could be at the Starbucks near you.

8. Hospitality is an attitude.
It has little to do with how large your home is, how luxurious your guest bedroom is, or whether you can cook a gourmet meal. Instead it has everything to do with how you offer what you have. Hospitality is not limited to how you treat people in your home: it’s an attitude you bring with you everywhere you go.

Hospitality is an attitude of grace that chooses to radically bless and radically love because you know what it means to be radically blessed and radically loved. Hospitality creates a space, wherever you are, for a person to feel loved and cared for, whether that is a complete stranger or a life long friend.

9. Your trip to the west coast is incomplete until you have been to In-N-Out Burger. 

10. College students are in a perfect place in their life to dream big.
I’ve noticed that college students, more than anyone else, have a strong faith in their dreams. They are not jaded by failure yet. They don’t feel limited. The sky is the limit. They are in a setting where they are told, “you absolutely can” more times than not.

I believe, that if this generation starts believing in their dream, working towards it and doesn’t stop until it comes to fruition, we will have a whole new generation of bold dreamers who will advocate for the next generation of dreamers.

College students really will change the world.

Stay tuned for more nuggets to ponder coming soon….

May4

Fear is Stealing Our Dreams

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Fear is Stealing Our Dreams

I’ve met with over a couple thousand dreamers in the last year.

Know what?

The biggest obstacle to living out our God-given passions and dreams is not money, time, or talent…it’s fear.

Fear of the “what if’s?”

Our fear holds us back more often than actual, tangible barriers.

Our fear is stealing abundant life from us. And we let it happen.

I want to see a world in which Christ-followers move past their fear and take a hold of the promises Jesus gave us.

Here is just one…

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:12-13

Do you dream as though this were true?

Here is an excellent article by Jeff Goins who is guest posting on Michael Hyatt’s blog today. Please take the time to read it. It could change your life.

How to Live Your Dream When You’re Scared to Death

There is a tragedy in our world today. Most people aren’t living their dreams, and the reason is simple: fear. They’re scared to be who they are.

When you endeavor to find your life’s work, there is a lot at risk:

  • You could fail.
  • You could lose the respect of your friends.
  • You could go broke.

You could mess up in a hundred different ways. But—and this is important—you could also succeed. And until you start living into your calling, you’re robbing the world of a gift.
Read the rest of the post here…

May1

Catch Up with Caleb

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Catch Up with Caleb

This post if from my friend Caleb who I met for breakfast one morning on the Dream Tour in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a passionate and talented man of God. Thought it would be good to catch up with him several months later. 

He’s gearing up for a major trip this summer and then will head out on the World Race later this year.  Please pray for him and his dreams.

Last time I saw Teri, she asked me what my dream is. It was refreshing to be asked that, to be given the chance to flourish instead of to be told how to effectively funnel my passion into something practical.

I thought about it and told you that “my dream is to take the Kingdom to the places it’s never invaded before; I want to help plant churches, connect believers, and be a part of the ministry of reconciliation…”

Since then, I’ve thought, prayed and wrestled with this a lot more. The Lord gave me a motto, a sort of life mission statement: Taking the glorious Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven to people who have never heard the name of Jesus. I now find myself at the edge of launching into this.

God has opened the door for me to organize and lead a mission trip to South America, independently of a cover organization, building on the foundations of relationships that He’s grown in my life. My team will partner with an Argentine pastor to build a church in a rural area called Pila, and partner with a Peruvian church in their first outreach to an area of the north Peruvian Amazon called Laguna Pomacoches.

From there, I’ll get home and have a few days to rest before beginning the World Race. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am about the Race (AIM’s 11 countries in 11 months missions trip.)

Looking back, I see how God has used my relational personality to open the doors that have lead to this upcoming trip to South America. I’m excited to spread those roots across the globe. I know God has new things to teach me on the Race, and I’m excited to follow Him into the next step in His plan for my life.

A really important aspect of my Kingdom Dream is media and design. I majored in Film/Media Production, and am currently a professional web designer. I love the media arts. I have a deep desire to see the Lord glorified in these mediums. I’m burnt out though. I have literally only seen 3 films since I graduated last December. Watching movies has become a chore.

I’ve decided not to take any of my design or production equipment on the Race. That may be a part of my Kingdom Dream, but it’s not for the this leg. I’m excited to go without these stimuli for a year and see how it changes my heart towards them. I want fresh creative inspiration, and a year away seems like the perfect chance for the Lord to pour that out.

If you are interested in partnering with me in prayer or financial support, or would like to hear more about my Kingdom Dreams, you can message me on Facebook and follow my World Race blog. If you specifically want to support or find out more about my trip to South America, you can check out our website.
God bless you!

 

Apr29

College Tour: Complete

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College Tour: Complete

We’re back! We made it!

Nearly 7,000 miles later, we’ve completed our little experimental tour to see what’s happening at the college campuses.

The answer?  A lot.

God is stirring up revival on college campuses.

We saw the seeds being planted each place we went. Some had already sprouted and were starting to grow. Others were still being watered. But, God is definitely stirring up hearts for His Kingdom.

Here’s a quick recap:

  • Traveled through 12 states
  • Slept in 16 different places
  • Visited 10 different colleges
  • Met with few people but had many more significant interactions (see here and here and here)
  • Saw several people take meaningful steps toward the next phase of their Kingdom dream
  • Had nearly 30 different donors sponsoring the Dream Tour!  THANK YOU!
  • Tripled the number of regular viewers to the blog
  • Ruby became an icon of Dream Tour folk lore (see her story here and here)
  • Broke our new GPS
  • Met some incredible dreamers whose lives are filled with fruit (see here and here)
  • Learned even more about how faithful God is

We are so grateful for all the prayers, well wishes, emotional and financial support we’ve received. We couldn’t keep going without it.

We thank you and Ruby thanks you!

Apr27

Tired of Almost

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Tired of Almost

Teri

I turned 45 today.

I’m officially on the down side of the hill. Statistically more than half of my life lived.

That’s cause for a little reflection…

I like the direction my life is flowing right now.

At age 32, I did a little reflection too and took stock of my life. I had lived enough to be able to forecast what my life would look like 5, 10, 15 years out. I decided I wasn’t satisfied with what I saw for myself at age 45.

It wasn’t that I was thinking the future was bad. No, my future looked bright back then. It just didn’t make my heart beat any faster. There was a stirring in my heart…a passion I knew was from God that I couldn’t ignore any longer.

I was reading in Ephesians about immeasurably, abundantly more. And I just knew I needed to find out what that was.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

I described it to my friends as, “a beating in my heart, like a tribal drum beat, a rhythm that calls to me, it’s ancient, and it’s calling to me. I have to go and find it.”

Some of them probably thought I need medication instead.

Yet, I was compelled to discover more about this passion in my heart that I knew God had designed just for me before time was time. I just had to go find the origin of those drums.

On this tour, I meet dreamers all over the U.S. who are hearing their own set of tribal drums. Something is stirring in their hearts that they can’t ignore.

We sat at breakfast with three of them this morning.

I asked how we could pray for them and Kim said this, “I’m tired of the ‘almost’ life. I’m not longer satisfied with ‘almost’. I want more.”

He sat and thought for a few more minutes and then got up from the table and showed us what he meant. He stepped on the edge of a carpet on the floor. He said, “I’m just always on the edge of ‘almost’. Then he took a big jump off the carpet, “I want to be here. I want to push through the barriers that have been holding me back from everything Jesus wants for me. I’m just tired of always being okay with ‘almost enough’.”

He was talking about faith and his obedience. God is stirring up something within him; courage, commitment, and confidence. The drum is beating loudly in his heart.

Are you experiencing abundantly more in your heart of hearts? Jesus promises it to us. It’s better than comfortable. It’s better than affluence. It’s better than safe. It’s better and it’s beating in your heart of hearts.

If you are ready for more than ‘almost’ and want a little help, let me know. I can help you discover what it looks like for you in your season of life. Email me and tell me about what’s beating in your heart.