Redirected Dreams

Dear Friend,       

As a young girl I would have dreams of being a beautiful princess with a handsome prince rescuing me and whisking me off my feet to live happily ever after. As I got older, my dreams would change, but the focus remained the same… a desire for a trouble free, happy life where I was in control of everything! As you and I know all too well, life doesn’t work that way. In fact, as we get older, we realize that there is very little that we are actually in control of! And our self-centered dreams get redirected. 

The author of Ecclesiastes understood this when he said in chapter 5 verse 7:

For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; 

but God is the one you must fear.

The Living Bible translates it this way:

Dreaming instead of doing is foolishness, and there is ruin in a flood of empty words; 

fear God instead. 

When we take the focus off of ourselves and accept the fact that God is the one in control and that His plan is better than our plan, then the redirection of our dreams makes sense.

And that’s the theme of this month’s Box of Blessings…Redirected Dreams. Let’s see what’s in this month’s Box:

You are going to love the book, Beautifully Interrupted, When God Holds the Pen that Writes your Story. The author, Teresa Swanstrom Anderson, views her life as a series of redirected dreams, stumbling, falling, getting up, and wondering if she is investing her time where it matters most.  She includes insightful reflection questions and Bible study prompts to help you go from dreaming about your life to living it fully with God in control.  "All through the Bible God gives us examples of His goodness and perfect timing. He doesn't step away for a moment, nor is He too busy helping someone else.  His omnipresence ensures that He is with us during every moment of every day; in fact, He even promises it in Matthew 28:20, saying 'I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"  So, pick up this book, curl up on the couch, and open your heart to the potential of allowing your life to become beautifully interrupted.

Oh, I forgot to mention…now that you’ve opened your heart to the potential of allowing your life to be beautifully interrupted, you need to start writing down what God is doing in your life. That’s why I’ve included the lovely journal, I Am With You Always. It’s the perfect companion to Beautifully Interrupted (the colors even match!). Not only is there plenty of room to write, it also has an encouraging Bible verse on every page. (By the way, these two together would make a great gift!)

It seems like not only our dreams, but everyone’s life has been redirected during this strange season that we’re in. People are longing to connect with each other, so here’s your opportunity to brighten someone's day with the sweet reminder of God's grace, using the Prayers to Share 100 Pass-Along Notes for Grace.  The pages make it easy - just tear and share a prayer.

Another way to connect with people is to send them one of the beautiful Christian greeting cards. Think about it…when was the last time you received a card? Whenever it was, I’m sure it made an impression! This is a great way to show someone that you care and are thinking of them.

There's no better place to find refreshment than the Bible.  And there's no better time to find it than now.  Everyday Spiritual Refreshment for Women breaks down scripture into 365 readings to help you or someone you love read the Bible in a year.  If you’re willing to give it up, this adorable devotional and Bible reading plan would make a very meaningful and thoughtful gift. It even has a ribbon bookmark!

Have you ever seen Bible Word Sudoku? Neither had I, until I found this book put out by our Christian friends in the UK. These 80 Bible-based Sudoku puzzles are designed at a relatively mild level and come complete with a helpful introduction on how to do Sudoku. Not only is it challenging, but it’s a fun way to expand your knowledge of the Bible, its characters and its teachings.

Here’s the interesting thing about how God works. Remember the dreams I told you I had as a little girl? Well, it turns out that I did get whisked off my feet by a handsome prince. A handsome prince named Jesus Christ, and He has promised that I will get to spend eternity (happily ever after!) with Him and our heavenly Father.

But in the meantime, He has worked on my heart and has redirected my dreams. Never did I dream that I would have the opportunity to share wonderful Christian resources with so many new found friends! To God be the glory!

And may the God of the universe redirect your dreams in a powerful way,

Bette

P.S. This month’s Box of Blessings has a retail value of $99.94! With that much value all in one Box, how can you not share?! So as my Mom would remind me, don’t forget to share!