Rich Dixon and dreams and more:

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Last time we talked about God-sized dreams and Jesus’ encouragement:

“Take courage! I am. Don’t be afraid.”

It’s an invitation to face fear and move forward, toliterally step out of the boat. Don’t know about you, but I prefer the safety and comfort inside the boat.

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God planted the dream that became the FREEDOM TOUR during a decade of handcycling. I thought it was about completing a 1500-mile ride, which was frightening enough.

Then my friend Dick Foth helped me understand the value of sharing my story. Public speaking, pretending in front of strangers that we knew what we were doing, added a whole new level of terror.

A dream is the God-inspired desire to share your unique gifts and passions, to serve and make a difference in the world.

Becky and I followed this dream with no clue where it would take us. We were scared.

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There’s a risk in telling this sort of story. God-inspired dreams don’t always involve major projects or drastic measures. In fact, I think most dreams might be simpler and a lot closer to home.

How often do we turn away when we feel a nudge to step beyond what’s comfortable? Something like reaching out to one marginalized, perhaps uncomfortable, person, or volunteering when it’s inconvenient.

Following a dream isn’t about what we accomplish. It’s an opportunity to trust, to operate on faith. Faith doesn’t mean the absence of fear. Fear doesn’t mean we’re on the wrong path.

Jesus didn’t seclude His closest friends within a protective bubble. “Follow me” involves risk and sacrifice.

“Take courage! I am. Don’t be afraid.”

If there’s no risk of a skinned knee or a wounded heart, perhaps we’re limiting God and His inspiration to our safe little comfort zone.

We can’t follow Jesus while insisting on a safety net.