Gail Devers, a female American athlete once remarked: “Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” Hebrews 13:7 reminds us: “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”
Some dreams are considered a powerful source of personal motivation, providing purpose, direction, and the emotional fuel to work hard, overcome obstacles, and chase long-term goals by creating an inspiring vision of a desired future, even making success feel attainable. They can act as a roadmap, driving passion and energy, making mundane tasks meaningful, and fostering resilience to keep going when things get tough. They often follow the open roads of life that avoid the common pitfalls of unforeseen obstacles that can hinder progression. They are generally described as a series of vivid images, thoughts, and sensations occurring in the mind primarily during sleep, during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, acting as the brain's way to process emotions, consolidate memories, and rehearse experiences in a low-stress environment, though their exact purpose can remain mystical. They can be story-like and random, or engage with and reflect real life. It is said that action turns dreams into reality, so break them into daily tasks and execute. To keep dreams alive, one needs a mix of mental focus, consistent action, and supportive surroundings: Visualize success, write down specific goals, talk about them, and surround yourself with positive, motivating people who inspire one to keep taking small, consistent steps and view challenges as learning opportunities.
Dreams can often provide the power of hope by creating a target to strive for, a sense of purpose, and a way for brains to process challenges in a less stressful environment, acting as a beacon for a better future and fuelling perseverance through tough times. They offer a vision of possibility, encouraging action and belief that things can improve, making them a powerful source of motivation and a vital part of well-being. Dreams offer significant benefits, primarily by helping the brain process emotions, consolidate memories, and enhance problem-solving skills, acting as a safe space to work through daily stress, trauma, and complex feelings, while also boosting creativity and preparing one for future challenges. They help strip the emotional charge from tough memories, make new information stick, and can even provide novel solutions to problems by connecting disparate ideas.
Dreams can also have prophetic meaning. The Bible is full of dream stories. In one particular story of Joseph, the cup-bearer (chief cupbearer of Pharaoh) dreamed of a vine with three branches that budded, blossomed, and produced ripe grapes, which he then squeezed into Pharaoh's cup and served. Joseph interpreted this dream to mean that within three days, Pharaoh would restore the cupbearer to his position, a prediction that came true, but the cupbearer then forgot Joseph, who had asked to be remembered. Genesis 40:1-15 reminds us: “Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.
And one night they both dreamed - the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison - each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.” Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
Maps, when interpreted correctly, can aid the true routes to follow in life to avoid possible loss of direction or disasters. All roads lead somewhere, even if its only to a parking lot or dead end. Finding a space in a parking lot can be a tedious task and could equate to keeping a dream alive. However, these no-through roads have individual benefits of their own. A parking lot provides rest and recuperation from the stresses of driving. A dead-end in a road can increase safety for its residents by decreasing the volume of traffic using it. Personal privacy is enhanced and its quietness can become deafening by the absence of the usual noise from busier roads. Quieter locations help individuals connect with God by eliminating distractions, allowing for focused prayer and reflection, and creating space to listen for divine guidance. Jesus Himself often retreated to solitary, quiet places to pray and connect with His Father, setting a good example for believers.
Dreams have a multitude of possibilities. Dream-like experiences and imagery can occur when one is not fully asleep, particularly during the transitional phases between wakefulness and sleep. They can warn, divert, they can be a beautiful vivid imagery, offering fantastical experiences, emotional fulfillment, and a sense of wonder, often feeling more magical or meaningful than waking life, and inspiring creativity and hope, though beauty in dreams is subjective, ranging from serene moments with loved ones to breathtaking surreal landscapes. Keeping dreams alive is crucial because they provide motivation, purpose, and meaning, driving personal growth, resilience, and creativity; they give something to strive for, helping one navigate challenges, learn from experiences, and build a more fulfilling life, preventing stagnation and turning potential into reality. Without dreams, life can feel directionless, but with them, one may have a vision to work toward, fostering self-belief and making a more productive individual.
Dave Barry, an American author once remarked: “Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space.” The Magi (wise men) were warned in a dream by God not to return to King Herod after they visited the baby Jesus; they were instructed to go back to their own country by a different route to keep Jesus safe from Herod's murderous intentions, a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative recorded in Matthew 2:12: ”And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”
Amen.
