Last year I was the keynote speaker at a Valentine’s Day luncheon for single mothers with the theme of Dream Again. It was a magical event that left most of us in the room with tears silently streaming down our faces. To top it off, at the end of our time together, Michele Lang, an amazing singer came to the stage and sang her song, “From Here to There.” Her song captured the challenge of deeply desiring to experience God in every area of your life, but feeling tethered by your current obligations and responsibilities. Even I felt the knot at the bottom of my throat break into crying. How do you get from the life you are living today to the one God has shown you is possible?
There is an answer to this question. You begin by committing to no longer water down the vision. You know the vision, the one that you dreamed of as a child and the one you long for as an adult. As a child I used to play Wonder Woman for hours on end. I saw myself as someone who could do anything, fly anywhere, and handle any challenge the world threw my way with my bullet-proof wrist bands. I never imagined cash flow issues, challenged relationships, or getting off track. As children, we imagined being the strongest, smartest, richest and the most beautiful or handsome. Yet, as an adult, you may be looking at your life and seeing only remnants of your vision. It is time to move beyond remnants into the fullness of the texture and fabric God had in “mind” when He created you.
While I was in elementary school at Lydia Hawk Elementary in Lacey, Washington, my Girl Scout troop met weekly after school. During snack time our troop leaders would always serve fruit punch that was watered down. Instead of it being red in color and sweet tasting, it was pink and slightly tart. Watering down God’s vision is like having someone water down your fruit punch. While it might satisfy you for a short while, it is not as good as the real thing and leaves you thirsting for more.
While it takes time and action to get to the full fruit of your vision, you know you are watering down God’s vision because you are living beneath the life you truly desire. Perhaps you have always had visions of owning a chain of restaurants that cater to the affluent, yet you are a line chef at an average local restaurant. Maybe you really want to start a nonprofit that helps teenage girls with their self-esteem and leadership skills, yet you are an accountant for a large Fortune 500 company that leaves you no time and energy to even volunteer your time. Whatever your situation may be, God has given you a vision and yet you may find yourself expressing only a small portion of what you would love to do. You are watering down God’s vision.
You may be stuck in doubt, lack of time, fear, and feel like you just don’t know how to get from “here to there.” The key lies in succession. Remember that success and succession are closely related because success is nothing more than a succession of small actions that lead you to your destination.
How do you move from where you are today to where you desire to be? Here are seven steps to help you get from “here to there.”
1. Remember your Promised Land – the life God has shown you is possible for your life. If you don’t know what He has promised you, it is time to spend some time in silence asking God to reveal what He would have you do.
2. Identify the habits you currently have that are not getting you what you really choose. Block out some time to work on changing each habit that is keeping you from moving your vision forward.
3. Complete one action that will move you closer to what you desire. Be careful not to think too far ahead, just focus on this one task until it is complete. Then, and only then, begin working on the next thing.
4. Stop speaking – even jokingly – those things that you do not want.
5. Check in with God frequently. Pray, read The Word, listen and praise Him for what He has done for you.
6. Make a list of what you want your life to look like. Financially, physically, socially, romantically, intellectually, materially, etc. Be specific down to the color.
7. Begin working bit-by-bit with each area of your life that is not aligned with what you really desire. Get order in each area of your life to get it ready for the life God created you to live.
God has created a plan for you and with a little digging, I am certain you know what it is. It is pre-programmed into your DNA. If you would step out on faith and walk in the direction of your vision, God will meet you and provide the resources, time, energy, and skill you need to flourish. While He will not give you the full plan, He will guide you step-by-step along the way to living His vision for your life. Trust me, it is worth every second of the process.
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