When you dream alone, you dream too small

You guys! I am two months away from my book being re-released. TWO MONTHS! I remember when there were 14 months left and I thought the day would never come, it took less time to make a HUMAN then it has taken to publish a book!

I remember when God began to develop the idea of this book. He slowly dropped the content, and stories He wanted me to share; the scriptures, reflection questions, and format of the entries, and even cover art into my heart. I wish I could say I had a divine encounter or even a word of prophecy spoken over me, but that’s not how it happened. I began jotting ideas down in a journal, casually ran a few of these ideas by some people and decided, “sure, I can kind of write so why not.” If you were to ask most people who have done scary things how they did it, they would probably tell you, “I just said yes and went for it.”

I keep a copy of my book on my desk, so that when I see it I will thank God for this opportunity, pray for the moms who will read it, and ask for crazy favor. One day I picked up the book, held it in my hands and I heard God say, “write down MY dreams for this book.”  I quickly reminded God that I already did that two years ago when I first wrote it, but He instructed me to write them again.

I rolled my eyes, got my journal and blankly stared at the page. Everything in me wanted to write down the dreams I had for it but I paused and asked God to share with me what His dreams were, and like a river the words began to flow. I cringed at some of them because there was NO way I could make any of these things happen. I don’t have the resources, connections, eloquence or knowledge. When He stopped speaking I looked back over the list and jokingly said, “ok God, you’re a funny guy” and He replied,

 “when you dream alone, you dream too small.”

I sat there like I just got schooled by some God wisdom, because I did. He taught me that He doesn’t need me to do anything other than come into agreement with HIS dreams. With a renewed fire I stood up, picked that book back up and I asked God for every dream that was written on that list to come to pass in Jesus’ name.

These God dreams are…well…God-sized dreams. I’m actually afraid to show them to other people because they will think I need to be medicated. When God dreams He does NOT play around.

Two years ago I bought a bracelet that says, “dream bigger” on it. I would wear it around as a reminder to keep trying and to never quit. Somewhere along the way I wore it as nothing more than a bracelet and I forgot to read the words written on it. I became comfortable with coasting on my gifts and talents, I would “dream,” but they would only be the dreams I knew I could accomplish in my own strength and in my own time. I stopped looking to God to set the bar for me.

When we dream independent from God, I think He laughs- because He knows what He placed inside of us, what we are capable of, and what He put us here to do. When we try to set up our life, goals and dreams without Him, we are living less than the world changing life God designed us to live.

I LOVE 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NIV), which says, “Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.”

Coming into agreement with God’s dreams is perceived as foolish by the world, because from their perspective accomplishing those things is impossible. But my Bible says, “with man this is impossible but with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE” (Matthew 19:26). He chooses the powerless to display His mighty work, power, and authority as a reminder to the world that He is in fact the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the creator of the heavens AND the earth, He formed and fashioned each of us, and HE runs the world. When we allow Him to dream through us, there is no limit to what we can accomplish for His glory, because we are coming into agreement with His plans and purposes for our lives.

Maybe you have something God has been asking you to step out in faith and do.

Maybe you have tried once in the past and feel like you failed.

Maybe you are unaware of what God says about you, so you don’t believe this applies to you.

When we withhold our God-given potential, we are robbing the world of what only we have been placed here to accomplish. When we are gripped by fear, we are allowing the enemy to dictate what we can do and be. When we remove God’s word from our lives, we stop believing we were placed here for such a time as this; that God doesn’t make mistakes, that He equips the called, that He has greater things in store for our lives, that He makes a way where there seems to be no way, and that He uses our shortcomings to display His power.

The women who are a part of this amazing team have God size dreams in their heart. Heather wrote and amazing blog about what’s coming up for Created Woman (Read it here). Some are writing books, some are launching out and starting businesses, some are writing songs that will rend the heavens, and so much more!

We were not created to live small lives. We are created in the very image and likeness of God, and the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of us... and no-one puts baby in a corner (I had to reference Dirty Dancing)! If fear has kept you at bay, put your big girl panties on and kick the crap out of that dream! When you are done reading this, close your eyes and ask, “God what are YOUR dreams,” then write them down then ask God, OUT LOUD, for what you wrote down in Jesus’ name.

Let loose, boldly step out and dream bigger! 

Raema Mauriello

Start Dreaming Today!

Order your copy of Created Woman's study Guide, Becoming: The dreamer's study guide to launching God-sized dreams. Click Here