Reality of the Dream

I never thought that what I knew was a God dream, would become something so much greater than I could have ever hoped or imagined.

I know God does ‘greater than’. I believe that promise and have seen His favor countless times in my life. I just didn’t see this!

A little over three years ago, I began the process of becoming a foster mom. Because of so many God confirmations, I knew that He had put in me a plan to be a mom figure to a teenage girl who just needed LOVE to show up in her life. For her. I was so pumped!

As the end of all the many, many months of training, prepping, classes, and home visits was finally, clearly seen on the horizon, and placement was only weeks away, God pushed a big pause button. I became engaged.

While I was met with great joy of my announcement, I was told placement would have to wait due to a new person now in the mix that would have to go through the vetting process.

Of course. That made sense. Easy peasy.

But when I heard the words that ‘we could reapply as a couple and go back through the process after we were married at least 6 months’, which meant I had to wait no less than at least 18 more months for placement… I was devastated.

I didn’t get why God would put this overwhelming desire in me to impact the life of a teenage girl, all to just take the reality of that dream away. She was out there, and she was alone. I was so ready… And I was so devastated.

Time passed and my husband and I had the conversation a few times, but for whatever reason, God had not pressed the unpause button on my dream.

Until a few months ago… when I met a man about some admin work that was needed for a local ministry.

While giving me a synopsis of their ministry, he passed quickly by a statement that they have been wanting to restart a ministry for teen moms in the area. I honestly don’t remember anything he said for many minutes following.

Because what was just a comment to him, shook me to my very soul. In that moment, time stood still while my heart raced.

It was as if my entire life played on fast forward in my mind. I saw myself again as the young girl who longed to belong. I saw the lonely teen mom that craved love and just wanted someone to show up for her. I saw all the counseling courses, the many years of ministry work, the fostering classes… I saw every word I’d ever written about my dreams. I heard every prayer I had prayed for a teenage girl I had never met. It was all there, laid out before me…

I had been focusing on a 8×10 snapshot of a vision of my dream… A vision surrounded by a huge, gorgeous mat that fit into a glorious gallery-wall sized frame. The dream was the focal point, and it was beautiful!

Then, in a single sentence, God ripped off the mat!

And there it was… My little dream in relation to His much grander plan. While I had only envisioned this one teenage girl entering my life, He had been painting a much more glorious dream. And He had filled it with so many more than my mind could have imagined. More than my heart had ever even dared to dream. His plan. His purpose. His dream.

I told the man I am all in to help lead this new adventure just a few days later…

Over the last several months, we have worked together to build a team of local women who feel my same desire regarding the teenage mom. The desire to mentor and love her. To BE there. To be LOVE. For her, the teenage girl… The teenage girl who got caught up and feels condemned. The teenage girl who will now always be a mom, but is still a kid herself. The teenage girl who deserves to know and feel that she is not alone in life. And all this while getting to throw Jesus into the mix!

And with the support of so many other brothers and sisters in Christ, I am very, very honored to announce that we are launching YoungLives, a ministry for pregnant and parenting teen moms!

I see the ‘why’ of the life I have lived. The dreams He has placed in me that have spurred me forward have led me to this. I am living in His promise that He truly does work everything together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose and will.

His plan, while sometimes devastating in the moment, is so perfect. His purpose, so much greater. His dream… inexpressible!

There will be much more to come!

In the meantime, I dare you to keep dreaming. And remember that in your working and waiting, and your waiting and working… God is, too.

For I am proof that exceedingly, abundantly, beyond all we could ask or imagine is His dream for you!