by Donna Gibbs
Do you remember playing dress-up as a little kid? What did you dress-up to be? Did you dream of being a football player? A teacher? A mother? A politician? A doctor? A law enforcement officer?
As a very young girl, I wanted to grow up to become a veterinarian. I loved the many cats in our home, and I also loved NCSU (which has a great Vet school, by the way!), so that’s what I dreamed of doing. It was that simple, until I realized that being a vet had a whole lot more to do with medicine than it did cuddling cute, furry cats.
My son, Jacob, used to keep me laughing about this topic when he was a little guy. If you asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he’d enthusiastically tell you, “A firetruck!” If anyone questioned him, “Do you mean you want to be a fireman?” he’d quickly clarify and reiterate once more, “No, I mean I want to be the truck”. He thought that the truck itself was so cool that he couldn’t imagine being anything else, and as a young toddler that’s exactly what he aspired to become in life.
The dreams of a young, healthy child know no limits. They fully expect to become the next great NBA player, the president of the US, an historic inventor…or even a firetruck. In an ideal situation, as we develop in life, we discover some of our strengths, and some of our weaknesses, and we allow God access to direct our ambitions.
But a child who has experienced significant trauma and pain doesn’t dream the same way. They don’t see themselves as worthy of anything great, so they stuff their ambitions. People and circumstances have told them that they won’t amount to anything. That they are trash. Useless, and without purpose. Without anything to contribute to others. Their life has been so challenging that they find it difficult to look into the future. Dreaming about the future seems risky, or even futile. Sometimes, dreaming has caused them to hurt even more, so stuffing aspirations often becomes a tragic coping skill.
Healing involves learning to dream again. Not in a naïve manner, like a young boy who aspires to be a firetruck, but as one who fully accepts their weaknesses, wounds…and strengths, and embraces God’s desire for a holy and purposeful ambition. If you’ve been hurt, it’s time to begin healing. You are worthy, and with purpose. Not because of anything that you’ve done, or anything that has happened to you, but simply because of Who God is! He indeed has plans and purposes, and it is time to align your dreams with His desires. Pray that God would get you started, and reach out for help if needed. Allow God to rescue you from your wounds, and reignite your aspirations, your dreams, and your ambitions.
My favorite scripture is Isaiah 43:18-19. If you are learning to dream again, this verse will speak truth and encouragement to you!
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.”
Yes, God can do the impossible, even with a wounded life. Even with a life scarred by self-inflicted wounds, or friendly-fire. God is the maker of the impossible!
Donna Gibbs, co-owner of Summit Wellness Centers, PLLC, is author of the recent releases, Silencing Insecurity and Becoming Resilient. Donna has authored numerous other books, her blogs are frequently shared in various media outlets, and she is commonly featured on radio broadcasts across America, and occasionally internationally as well. Donna has been providing individuals and families the hope and help they need for more than twenty years as a national certified counselor, board-certified professional Christian counselor, and licensed professional counselor supervisor. A member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), she is a leading professional provider for Focus on the Family, Christian Care Network, r3Continuum, FINDINGbalance, and Samaritan’s Purse.
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