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Following Your Dreams
By Alexis A. Goring "You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." - Proverbs 19:21 NLT We all have dreams and high aspirations for our lives. Some may dream of being a ballerina, a singer, an actress, a teacher, or a doctor. The possibilities are endless. They say you can do anything when you put your mind to something. College students are often encouraged to have a five-year or ten-year plan for their life and a backup plan if their first career goal doesn't happen. Ultimately, we are encouraged to go for our dreams and not to be distracted. But what happens when our dreams don't come true? Is all hope lost? Should we just give up and throw in the towel? Should we settle for a life less than we imagined?I believe that depends on your perspective. Are you making your own plans without consulting God first? Or are you praying to the Lord, asking Him to align your will with His plan? The Bible says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33 NIV). I believe those things include the dreams of our hearts. However, pursuing your dreams can be a great adventure that will only work if you put God first. A few years ago, I heard a sermon from Pastor Steven Furtick. In it, he said something that still resonates with me today. In so many words, he explained, "The Bible doesn't tell us to follow our dreams. It tells us to follow Jesus!" I found that to be true. Raised in the USA, I've always heard phrases like, "Follow your heart" and "Take your passion and make it happen!" But the older I get, the more I remember how the Bible says the heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). So, why are we so focused on what our heart desires? What if those desires are not part of our destiny? We can be led astray if we let our hearts lead us instead of Jesus. | 
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