Don't Give Up!

Three powerful words: never give up. I've begged you, "please don't give up!"

• You who is separating from your husband…don't give up!
• You who is fighting uncontrollable stress…don't give up!
• You who is struggling from anxiety…don't give up!
• You who is doubting the possibility of healing…don't give up!
• You who is running from obedience…don't give up!
• You who is seeking mere honesty….don't give up!
• You who is attempting to dream big…don't give up!

Did you hear me?

You. Yes, you!

I am asking that you don't give up!

Why?

Because I almost gave up. Since, "being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permeant (unknown)."  God doesn't call you to give up. Instead, He asks that you be dependent on Him.  For He will grant strength and inspire you to persevere. Truthfully, "if you keep going [persevering] you won't regret it. If you give up you will (unknown)." 

At the time, he glanced deep into my eyes and said, "Charlene, you will fail in all your relationships and everything that you do until you learn to receive and be dependant...you need to ask." Those words stung. I didn't want to fail; consequently, I had.  One rather simple concept that I lacked, which was my need to receive and be dependant.

I can acknowledge that it is humbling to learn how to receive and be dependant. It required that I stop.

• I stopped writing
• I stopped giving gifts
• I stopped offering advice
• I stopped laughing 
• I stopped affirming or encouraging
• I stopped caring what people thought
• I stopped being creative
• I stopped baking
• I stopped everything that once defined who "Charlene" was
• Furthermore, I stopped hiding that I was fine or simply ok

In all honestly, I stripped myself of who I was and became rather raw. I isolated myself for a period of time and stopped. I despertly wanted to give up, since I felt scared, confused, and rather empty. 

And than I started one specific thing: asking God. 

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and the one who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8 NIV). Furthermore, "I sought [asked for] your favour with all my heart" (Psalm 119:58 NIV). 

• I asked God for truth
• I asked God for help
• I asked God how to respond
• I asked God for discernment
• I asked God how to love when it seemed impossible
• I asked God for grace
• I asked God how to respect someone who'd been dishonest
• I asked God for forgiveness
• I asked God for blessing
• Furthermore, I boldly asked God for favour

Almost a year later, my brother said, "Charlene, I thought I lost you. I feared I'd never get my sister back.  The sister who was known to always be joyous, creative, quick to encourage or affirm, gracious, energetic, adventurous, generous, comical, and passionate. And what about your famous banana chocolate chip muffins?" 

I recall smiling and softly stating, "Oh don't worry...she is back, yet it's the healthier version of Charlene!" 

To be healthy required that I ask and learn to be dependant on others, yet especially on God. I can't think of living life now without asking Him about each and every moment. Hence, I believe it is healthy to stop and ask before responding; to stop and ask before reacting; and to stop and ask before judging or criticizing. 

You…

It isn't time to give up, rather it's time to ask God.

As your friend, I haven't given up on you.

Your heavenly father, He hasn't given up on you.

So today, what are you asking God about?

Charlene

#100 Dreams.

 #1: Travel the world

#2: Build a cabin or retreat centre

#13: Establish a scholarship fund

#32: Witness healing (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual)

#47: Write a song

#50: Own my own business (photography)

#58: Be the author at my own book-signing event!

#76: Ride in a helium balloon and helicopter

#89: Seizure free forever!

I’ve always loved to dream; yet I didn’t always believe.

For example, I’ve always had a dream to write.  Hence, I’d spend hours crafting my essays because countless teachers pleasantly informed me, “you’re an awful writer.” I don’t know what was worse: those words or the low score in red ink? I’d return home and my mom would gently remind me, “Charlene, see beauty in broken dreams…” Not necessarily what you want to hear post your dream to write is verbally and visually shattered. Ironically, a college professor approached me with tears in his eyes post reading an essay I wrote and boldly blurted, “Charlene you NEED to write…”

Have you ever considered your NEED to dream?  Truthfully, my favorite question to ask is: what’s your dream(s)? Because I believe that dreams are those deep, really deep, unspoken desires that you sadly keep hidden.

I put my dream of writing on hold for a specific season. In that period of time, God softened me and I came to accept that specific dreams would come true in his perfect timing. I had to stop orchestrating or even dictating my time on earth, which broke off my desire to control or perfect the outcome of my dreams. Instead, God reminded me that fear was standing in the way of me walking into the fullness of my dreams. He told me time and time again, “Oh Charlene, don’t be afraid! Dream big!”

A friend once told me, “Charlene, write a list of one hundred dreams!” I quickly interupted in a sarcastic tone, “I don’t write lists, anymore.” He continued, “Write a list of twenty-five dreams, another twenty-five dreams, and than another twenty-five dreams. Finally, write twenty-five dreams that are only possible with God. ” I drove home and attempted to generate such a list. Honestly, I mumbled, “this is silly…I can’t do this…its impossible!” Ironically, wasn’t that the point?

To dream the impossible…

A few days later he reminded me with such wisdom, “Charlene, writing things down gives words power. There is power in your dreams!” Those specific words granted me the ability to believe again.

Surprise, I jotted down over one hundred dreams!

Could you write such a list of dreams?

I want to challenge you to repeat this exercise of listing your dreams. May your dreams hold power and believe that God will make even the impossible dreams truly possible!

So, dream big…

Charlene

#100: Dream the impossible is possible with God!