the dreaming

The first thing that hit me was the smell. A fresh wave of salt filled my senses so strong that I could just about taste it. As if by habit or instinct, I closed my eyes and let the presence of the sea wash over me. If there’s one thing that God had fun creating, I think it was the ocean. You can feel His presence in all of it. The unceasing rise and crash of the waves, the billions and trillions of grains of sand, the steadfast rocks, the elaborate shells that adorn the shores and the vastness of the horizon where the sea meets the sky. All of it echoes the glory of the Creator.

I turned my eyes from the ocean to the green bushes stretching onto the sand. Tucked behind the dunes sat a house, gazing out upon the sea. It had a green tin roof with white walls and big windows. There was a hollow look about it, the look all holiday houses have in the off season.

I found myself imagining what it would be like to go on holiday there in the winter months. Waking up each day and listening to worship song after worship song, staring out at the ocean for hours on end until you could almost predict the pattern of the waves.

I would occupy myself through my passion for creativity, using each day as a new opportunity to create something in partnership with the Creator. In my mind, I pictured writing a book. Sitting in front of a laptop with a warm cup of tea (yes I drink tea now ;), the sound of the ocean an inspiration for creating a world with words and imagination. Don’t ask me what the book would be about: that I don’t quite know yet. What I do know is that I dream to write it in a place exactly like this green-roofed house in Stilbaai.

This dream to write a book has been a whisper in my heart since I learned how to read. I can think of very few books that I have left me unchanged between the first and last page. God always uses the characters and themes to touch my heart in different ways, especially when it comes to Christian fiction. I dream and hope He’ll use me to write something that will do that for others one day.

The exciting image and dream of writing a book in a beautiful quiet house overlooking the sea sparked an idea in me. Writing a book isn’t the only dream that I have. There are a whole bunch of things that God has placed on my heart that I want to do some day. Each one is uniquely placed there for His purpose and plan.

There are quiet dreams that are sitting in your heart. They were placed there by the Creator of dreams. It’s those desires that consume you when you let yourself think of all the possibilities that this abundant life can hold.

The more I pondered on the idea of dreams, the more God spoke to me about His design for them. God’s heart in placing those desires within you is to explore and discover them with you. He wants to be a part of every single moment. His purpose in placing it there is to do something with you. To create something with you.

Maybe it’s a dream to write songs. Or poems. Or maybe it is to speak in front of hundreds of people. Maybe it’s to build something from the ground up. Maybe it’s a dream to help others grow into who they have been created to be, or maybe it’s a dream simply to make people smile.

Whatever your dreams are. It’s unique to you and who you have been created to be.

I came across this profound quote from a book I recently started reading called The Dream of You by Jo Saxton:

There is something special and important about our unfiltered, innocent dreams. Even though they’re also imperfect and naive in places, they can be signposts to our aspirations and hopes, our longings and ideals. They express something of who we are, they speak of our identity, maybe even hint at the kind of life we were made for.

These dreams are yours, and the Creator wants to pursue them with you, both now and into eternity.

But I’ve learned that there is a tragedy to some of these dreams. It lies within the dust that dreams gather in our hearts or the thrones we make for them.

Dreams were never meant to gather dust. They were made to be chased after while holding hands with our Creator just as a father and child run after the sunset hand in hand. I know how the fear of man and man’s opinions has left me frozen many a time, stealing from something wonderful that God wants to do. But this fear is not greater than our God who created the heavens and all the earth. Fear in general is nothing compared to our King.

Dreams were also never meant to take the place of our Creator. When we find ourselves living for and giving everything to the dream, we are after the promise more than we are the Promise-maker. Believe me I know there is no abundant life in placing something above God that was meant to be pursued with God. No dream is worth the cost of knowing Him and placing Him first.

He gets so excited at the thought of creating something with us. He placed those dreams there with so much intention and purpose. It’s a way for us to know Him in a different light, to dive deeper into who He is as a Creator and to build something that echoes the glory of our Maker.

Like I said, this dream could be absolutely anything. Just know that your Maker has given it to you as a gift and He’s waiting, bursting with joy to explore where it goes with you.

Just as Colossians 1:17 says: “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Everything was created by Him and for Him, just as you have been created with dreams by Him and for Him, to pursue it in Him.

Chasing after this with Him, hand in hand, for Him and His Kingdom, can only bring you closer to Him. And anything that brings you closer to Him is so worth doing.

This house that I happened to stumble upon in Stilbaai was on a trip to Riversdal with a dear friend (baie liefde Mielies! <3) at the start of May. That trip was such a blessing to explore a totally different part of His creation and meet some wonderful people. I even got to stay on an actual farm! His gifts are so wonderfully personal. The moment I saw the beautiful green-roofed house the whisper of the dream stirred within me and I knew I had to write about it, to encourage each person reading this to relentlessly pursue the dream that is in your heart hand in hand with the Creator. He wants to use this dream to do something through you and within you, to reveal more of who He is not only to those around you but to you personally as well.

Just a bit of a life update: I AM HOME. After what has felt like the longest time I am finally home and done with the first semester. Also, I AM HOME FOR MORE THAN A MONTH, which makes me so so happy. I can’t wait to spend time with my family and friends again and also to share quiet moments with Him, thanking Him for all that He has brought me through in the last few months. I’m really excited to use this time to create and pursue some dreams with Him that He has placed on my heart for a while… But I’ll write all about that in my next post!

For now I’m just so excited and beyond grateful. He is always doing something!

Here is a usual collage of some highlights from the second half of the first semester:

Eeeeek I have so much creativity planned for the next few weeks I can feel the excitement like a bubble in my chest! I can’t wait to embark on a journey of dreams with my Creator.

Sending loads of love and prayers!

gené xx