What happens when it seems like the dreams you are chasing in life seem to hit a brick wall? At this junction you are challenged to your core to believe whether these dreams are worth fighting for.
For me this has been the case recently with my dream to become a professional artist and to raise up a generation of creatives to follow their art dreams too. For me that is the dream to create a creative space where many of those creatives can see that their art is way more than just a hobby. That in fact it is an opportunity to release the creative God that is within them and realise their art that will change the world.
This dream for me seemed to be moving closer and closer to becoming a reality. I had properties, people and opportunities that seemed to be presenting themselves all at a rate of knots. I certainly was riding that wave as far as I could.
But just as I saw the wave coming to a finish I suddenly was bucked off and found myself feeling pretty disappointed. For me it was the closing of a property door which seemed so promising, a setback for my industrial printer that was going to provide an avenue of income and opportunity for artists to get their artworks out there with high quality prints and a stagnation to my artistic flow in the studio.
Just got to keep moving
In the past I have really just dropped the ball completely and stopped any momentum. But this time with conviction in my heart and holding onto the dream I have had I continued to keep moving forward, even if it was little steps. The key was to keep moving.
So what did it mean for me to keep moving on my dreams? For my wife and I it was to believe that we could begin the dream of a creative space right now. So that’s what we did. We began our creative worship nights and created a space where artists of all creative pursuits could come and be encouraged, nourished and given opportunity to see how God was doing something in their artistic pursuits.
It’s amazing what has happened in our home in the short time we have been opening our doors to see what God can do through his creative army. We have had writers, artists, entrepreneurs, singers, visual artists come through our door. It has certainly been humble beginnings, but after all God does say don’t despise humble beginnings.
I have been so encouraged by how God has moved in our space and has shown us that despite the dream not unfolding as we thought, he was still in the midst and moving us closer and closer to the dream that he has for our life.
So what have been the lessons learned along the way?
The first one is that you may have setbacks, thresholds and obstacles, but what dream doesn’t? If the dream is worth it you will overcome and this will actually make the destination so much more worth it. This is where your real character is formed.
Second be really aware of the enemy’s plans to steal, kill and destroy. If God has a dream on your heart there will always be opposition. Especially if that dream is about seeing God’s creation live into their fullest potential and Christ like-ness. So don’t buy into the enemy’s mind games and the lies that he will try tell you.
In the book of James we read if we resist the devil he will flee (James chapter 4 verse 7). So for me that has just been to speak out God’s word and his promises. And his promises are Yes and Amen. Holding on to God and his word is the ultimate weapon against the enemy’s plans to steal your dreams.
Finally to hold onto hope and know that God is for you and not against you. He is calling us to live our greatest life and to live out the dreams and visions he had branded on our hearts. What I have learnt in this process of never giving up on your dreams is there is a deepening level of intimacy that forms between us and God and that is the greatest treasure of all.
Justin Monaghan is currently launching as a professional prophetic artist under the label JR Faith Creations. He is married to Liana and lives at the beautiful beach of Port Willunga. They run a creative home fellowship to see the creatives rise up to their full potential for the Kingdom of God.
Check out JR Faith Creations to see some of his art at www.jrfaithcreations.com