Growing up, I wanted to be a professional athlete. Who didn't? That is the dream of pretty much every boy who plays sports. I actually thought I had a chance since my dad and grandpa both were division 1 athletes at the University of Nebraska. That is why I am still a Husker fan.
My dream obviously didn't work out.
A long time ago, a ship was bringing immigrants to the US. This was an attractive option for many people. A chance to start a new life. The problem was that the boat ride was very expensive. The passengers were mostly affluent. However, one poor family scraped together enough money for the ride. They bought tickets and bread for the journey; with that, they were down to their last penny.
Each meal on the boat ride was an extravagant feast. Multiple courses, drinks, and desserts, all of the highest quality. The poor family envied the affluent folks who ate to their hearts content while they rationed their bread to simply survive.
After two weeks, the boat arrived in the Americas and the journey was over. Compelled by curiosity, the mother of the poor family asked one of her fellow passengers, "how much did it cost to partake in those meals?" The fellow passenger answered, "you didn't know? The meals were included in your purchase of the ticket."
Can you imagine how this mother felt? Her and her family practically starved on bread when there was an extravagant feast available the entire time! How tragic!
The real tragedy is, though, that many of us live our lives in this way.
We survive on bread while a whole feast is available to us.
When I dreamt of being a pro athlete, I was aiming too low. Why? My dream was all about me. I wanted the fame, money, and status all for myself.
It wasn't until my dream died that I was able to experience true fulfillment: the fulfillment that comes when you look beyond yourself and begin to live your life to be a blessing to others.
We settle for bread when we don't know that there is a feast available to us. We settle for sexual promiscuity and pornography when we don't know the joy that comes from intimacy, love, and commitment in marriage. We settle for a temporary escape through substances instead of living a life that we don't need to escape from. We settle for greed when we don't know the beauty of generosity. We settle for anger and bitterness when we don't know the freedom of forgiveness.
I want people to fulfill their dreams. Become a pro athlete. Start a successful business. Be an actor. Be a head chef. Be an artist. Be a musician. There is no limit to what you can accomplish.
But dream bigger.
Dream bigger than yourself. The why behind the dream should be bigger than the actual dream itself.
My dream is to be a successful, full-time speaker and author. Why? I believe I can change lives. I believe my message could literally save lives.
What is your dream? More importantly, why is that your dream?
Dream big.
Keep on fighting.
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Acts 20:35
Stay warm and fight rare disease in style!
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