I will forever be grateful for the dream God fulfilled- even if it was just for a season
There's a saying that goes, "God gave you that dream for a reason."
About four years ago, God put a dream in my heart to work for Our Daily Bread. I was familiar with the devotional, as I'm sure most people are, since middle school.
I remember the church I grew up in always having them on the window ledge and my dad grabbing one whenever a new one came out. In high school I started reading them too and tearing out the ones that spoke to me and taping them into mu journal.
When I went away to college, my parents generously sent me care packages with the latest Our Daily Bread booklet. It's crazy how one short devotional passage with correlating Scripture can do so much- but that's the power of our God and His Word (Hebrews 4:12).
Reading from that devotional everyday grew my faith and longing to know Jesus so much. I always wanted more; to read more, know Him more- and I learned this was not just my experience.
When I graduated in 2020, I heard through a friend that Our Daily Bread's office was in the city we went to college in (for four years, I had no idea). She was an intern there and forwarded me her contact. I was looking for a writing job and thought,, "Wouldn't it be neat to work for the company that produces the devotional that grew my faith when, at a time, many of the other "faith structures" were failing.
I remember reaching out to the woman my friend connected me with and shortly after, God provided me a writing job- but not there. I worked about a couple blocks away for a substitute teacher staffing agency while staying in touch with my contact on about a quarterly basis.
After a year, the women I stayed in touch with said there was a copywriting position open on her team. I applied, and a couple interviews later, God closed the door behind me and my year-long contact became my boss. I think we get so used to our "microwave society" that when we feel God put a dream in our heart, we get confused when it doesn't happen immediately.
But I think it's true that faith is made in the waiting. Trust is built when you're forced to depend on God, and then you experience the truth that His timing is unexpectedly perfect. God didn't just deliver a dream, I felt like I witnessed first-hand what Ephesians 3:20 says, "He is able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine."
In just under three years, I was able to receive a masters degree in creative writing, be featured on the Proverbs 31 Ministries blog, Ann Voskamp's blog, meet and write a feature story on my childhood hero Joni Eareckson Tada, write thousands of words for marketing copy that helped point people to Jesus, hear from and write stories about international ministry work, be apart of a really exciting rebrand, strengthen my organization skills by managing newsletter and style guide, be the ghostwriter for the CEO, and somehow even more.
I met people who became friends outside of the office, and was given a godly, supportive Christian community when I did not have one and needed it most. Growth is funny in the way that you don't see the microscopic growth that happens everyday, but when you look back you're blown away at the progress that felt invisible.
God grew me in so many ways over the past three years: Spiritually, emotionally and mentally, and He enhanced the gift and passion He initially gave me-- the love of writing.
So... It was confusing when I started to feel a while back that this "all there is." I remember praying "but God, this was my dream and You fulfilled it. How could there be something else?" Over time the clarity grew stronger and some days it took all of the faith I had to trust God knew where He was leading me.
Psalm 119:105 says, "Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." I think it's rare for God to show us where He is taking us, because again that's not exercising faith, but instead He asks us to trust each next step He lights up.
It reminds me of what Jesus told Peter in John 13:7, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but someday you will." A few weeks ago, God lifted my head from staring down at the path- looking for the next step- and revealed where He was leading me.
God opened the door to a new opportunity that fulfills developed needs and dreams I convinced myself were impossible. He is so good and so faithful, and He showed me that even when we're not audibly speaking, He hears us. He promises to provide for all of your needs (Philippians 4:19) and even if it doesn't look the way you assumed, He never breaks a promise.
Today was my last day at Our Daily Bread Ministries, and I will forever be grateful to the dream God more than fulfilled- even if it was a dream only designed for a season. I'm so excited for what's next because I know I can trust the Author of my story, and I hope this encourages you that you can trust Him too.
"To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Philippians 4:20)
Thank you for reading :)
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