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September 23rd.
2009
I HAVE A DREAM
Leadership expert John Maxwell’s most recent book is Put Your Dream to
the Test. As many of you know, and as some of you share, I am a big fan
of John Maxwell. His passion for leadership development is unparalleled.
At the core of his teaching is his desire to help folks discover their
passion and to live their dream (trust me - for those who do not know
Dr. Maxwell he is not of the channel “597 info-mercial” variety).
After I had read Put Your Dreams to the Test I offered it to a friend of
mine to see if he might be interested in reading Maxwell’s perspective
on dreams. A couple of weeks later I checked back in with my friend to
see what he thought of the book. “You know…I don’t really have a dream
so it was a little challenging initially to become engaged in the book.
But then on further reflection I began to think maybe that’s “my
problem”, I don’t’ have a dream!”
This conversation reminded me of another one I had with a good friend
who fits in to the “senior citizen” demographic. “Brian, as I have
gotten older one of things I have noticed is that you are the only
person whoever asks me, ‘What are you going to do next with your life?’
You know when you are young everybody asks you, ‘What are you going to
do when you grow up.’ But as you get older, particularly after they are
finished asking you what you’re going to do when you retire, they stop
asking.”
That, in my opinion, is incredibly disappointing. When we quit dreaming
we quit living with passion. And when we quit living with passion we
quit living the “life abundant” (John 10:10) that our Lord has blessed
us with. When Jesus proclaimed that he came not just to give us life but
life abundant, it was a gift for us all – young or older, male or
female, superstar or differently able.
Regardless of where we find ourselves we are called to be dreamers.
God’s people exercising our imagination and creativity about all the
possibilities that God may have in store for us. Passionately pursuing
our dreams we will find not only life, but life abundant.
Blessings,
The Rev. Brian N. Prior, Rector
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