Each year my brother Joe who lives in New Zealand delights our extended family with a "Merry Christmas (or whatever occasion) from THE FUTURE!
Other than from Joe, I don't get messages from the future. Seeing into the future is not part of the standard operating equipment God has provided to us. And yet... we can imagine.
Years ago I purchased a graphic t-shirt, with four big words on the front:
BEST | PREDICT | FUTURE | CREATE
I thought it looked cool but didn’t notice until later that in small print at the nape of the neck, it read, "The best way to predict the future is to create it~anonymous.”
I find that idea challenging. Do I agree? Do I disagree? It seems to take God out of the picture, and yet I believe we have an invitation, even a responsibility, to co-create with God as Kingdom-bearers into this world. One way we co-create that future with God is to engage the practice of imagination.
In studying Spiritual Direction, I learned that many of us never take the time to think about what we desire. Is that you today? Might you be nervous to name your desires? Would that seem selfish? What if it wasn’t selfish and was actually important?
Today, I want to invite you to dream with God about the future.
There are many worthy questions to ask yourself (see below!)… my biggest question for you today is: will you take time to write your ideas on a blank sheet of paper? Do not fear being presumptuous; God can absolutely handle re-directing both your heart and your desires as needed. Engaging in the practice of imagination starts with you honestly exploring what your desires truly are.
I have enjoyed having the headspace and heart space to imagine a future where our team and partners would together be serving millions of people globally with ideas, relationships, practices, and experiences that will yield soul health. A future where tired leaders find a new way of life, where weary sojourners find places of rest and healing and community, where Jesus-centered communities experience and bring healing.
Those are the dreams we are dreaming of… how about you?
Alongside,
Mindy
A few questions to get you going...
-
What dreams has God given you to dream? Have some of them died? What new dreams are surfacing, if any?
-
What do you want your life to look like? Feel like? Sound like? What do you want your pace to be? Who do you want to do life with? What kinds of projects do you want to contribute to? What are two or three alternative paths that might yield that future? Which of those is most interesting? Which do you resist?
-
For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.
Scripture:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV
And now it's your turn: We'd love to hear from you!