My Story And My Passions #4: Dreams

• ILLUSTRATION: Tori’s getting ready to go to University in Brandon. She wants to play music in an orchestra pit. I support and encourage that dream and want to see it happen!

3. EVERY DREAM WILL HAVE OPPOSITION – EVEN IF IT IS FROM GOD.

“6 "Listen to this dream," he announced. 7 "We were out in the field tying up bundles of grain. My bundle stood up, and then your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before it!" 8 "So you are going to be our king, are you?" his brothers taunted. And they hated him all the more for his dream and what he had said. 9 Then Joseph had another dream and told his brothers about it. "Listen to this dream," he said. "The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!" 10 This time he told his father as well as his brothers, and his father rebuked him. "What do you mean?" his father asked. "Will your mother, your brothers, and I actually come and bow before you?" 11 But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father gave it some thought and wondered what it all meant.” (Genesis 37:6-11).

• Joseph was hated and taunted by his brothers, and rebuked by his father for his dreams.

• Don’t let someone else’s disapproval or jealousy hinder you from dreaming!

• DREAMERS: Be like Michael Jordan who said, “I play to win. The day I stop improving is the day I walk away from the game.” He shot 300 baskets a day every day!

THE REST OF JOSEPH’S STORY:

• Joseph was thrown into a pit and sold into slavery by his brothers.

• He ended up working for Potiphar, and was falsely accused of raping his wife.

• He ended up in prison… but the Lord was with Joseph.

• Finally, he ended up working for the Pharaoh in the palace… and his dream came true.

THE DREAM TEST: From John Maxwell, Put Your Dream to the Test. – IF THERE IS TIME.

"I believe God wants us to dream, and to dream big, because He's a big God who wants to do big things and He wants to do them through us."

1. The Ownership Question: Is my dream really my dream?

"Ordinary people can live extraordinary lives when they follow their dreams... Successful people - those who see and seize their dream - love what they do and do what they love."

2. The Clarity Question: Do I clearly see my dream?

"Begin by writing a detailed description of your dream. Let your imagination go wild."

3. The Reality Question: Am I depending on factors in my control to achieve my dream?

"You need to reach far beyond what you're capable of, but at the same time base what you do on your strength and other factors within your control."

4. The Passion Question: Does my dream compel me to follow it?

"What is passion? It's an enthusiasm that not only gives you energy and focus on the present, but also gives you power to keep moving toward the future."

5. The Pathway Question: Do I have a strategy to reach my dream?

"The real difference between a dream and wishful thinking is what you do day to day. To reach your dream, you must do something every day that relates to your dream."