The Dare Dreamer Movement by Julene Fleurmond

Here’s an inspiring interview I did at my magazine for young adults DreaminSoul.com – I love what my friend Leslie Denman, a life coach, author and mentor, shares about discovering your purpose…

Society sometimes sets aside “teenhood” and the early twenties as those fun, carefree years – but what better opportunity to discover who you are and explore what you were made for when you don’t yet have all of the responsibilities that come later in life. Everyone has purpose and we as young people can serve God right where we are, impacting our friends, using our gifts and serving others in our corner of the world…

Leslie Denman is passionate about young people and helping them to find and pursue their purpose while they are young. She is a certified Life Purpose and Teen Empowerment Coach (in other words when it comes to purpose, she knows her stuff;) and the founder of the organization Girls Living Life On Purpose, Inc. based in Dallas, TX. In this Interview Coach Leslie gives pointers on pursuing God and purpose boldly right where you are…

Dream in Soul: Hi, can you tell us a little about you and what do you do?

Coach Leslie Denman: I am a believer passionate about empowering people for purpose. As a Christian Life Coach, I am a Missionary of Hope to the countless women and girls that God assigns to me. I partner with the Holy Spirit to bring about transformation to the lives of people through coaching, speaking and training. I have a wonderful husband of fourteen years and two beautiful daughters and my most recent accomplishment that brings me so much joy is answering the call to ministry as a licensed minister.

DS: What inspired you to work with teens, especially young women? What were your own teen years like and how did you get grounded in God into your own purpose?

Leslie Denman: My inspiration to work with teen girls and young women started with my own search for significance and purpose. The last thing I thought my calling was – was to work with teens especially girls. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29 and I asked God to reveal His purpose for my life. I declared to God that if He spared my life and revealed my purpose, I would spend the rest of my life fulfilling that purpose. I am happy to say that I am still here.

This journey has been remarkable. Looking back over my life and growing up in Omaha, TX, I remember standing in the mirror of my room hearing this small voice telling me that I was going to be great. I had no idea what I would be doing or how it was going to happen but I believed that voice. I carefully and secretly tucked that belief away in my heart. I had great parents and our life was pretty normal that is until I found myself pregnant at the tender age of fourteen and even then, I felt God’s hands of grace and mercy upon me. My parents made sure we were active in church and grew up hearing the word of God. God used that experience in my life to draw me closer to Him.

I remember going to church and watching people sing, shout and praise God and I would think “What is that all about.” I was a young girl with a heavy burden and I wanted to feel what those people were feeling. I wanted to be free. I would ask God in my own lil’ way to help me know Him like that. Soon I would find myself angry and frustrated for many years to come. At the time I did not know that God was answering my prayer.

DS: What is the first thing you would say to someone about pursuing their purpose? How does s/he discern what it is and move forward to pursuing it?

Leslie Denman: Great question. The first thing I would say is “WHY? Why are you pursuing your purpose?” May seem like a simple question, even strange to some but it is the answering of this question, you hear the heart and motive of the individual. Luke 6:45 says “for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Discovering your purpose is just the tip of the iceberg. Walking it out is like an award-winning drama complete with plots, schemes and twists. An individual clear about their WHY will not only discover their purpose but they will walk it out in a spirit of excellence. Discerning one’s purpose can be both exciting and yet frustrating. It’s exciting in that you will discover that you are gifted and passionate about so many things; frustrating in that you don’t know what to pursue…

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I happened to come across this movie on Netflix and it’s the cutest thing ever – a breath of fresh air and so sweet. It stars Nicole Beharie (from Sleepy Hollow) and Ken Duken (whose not hard on the eyes;), and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something uplifting, has elements of faith, romance and a story you can both laugh about and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The music is also amazing – Nicole can sang…Here’s a little story behind the movie from the filmmakers – I’m a screenwriter and love hearing how creatives bring their art to life:

We create & dream because our Father dreams – you are Love’s dream, part of His great story…When we create we are reflecting the Creator and who He uniquely, beautifully created us to be since the beginning…

Dare to be and dream differently – express who God created you to be through everything you do! He made you fearfully and wonderfully in Love💖, with ideas, quirks and a combination of talents no one else has! You weren’t made to be “normal,” for comparison or to fit in – it’s embracing your uniqueness and daring to break out of the box and break some rules that makes you stand out.

You are a gift💝 but you weren’t made to be boxed it🎁 – color outside the lines to pioneer a new path that no one has seen…People like Walt Disney🐭 and Oprah Winfrey🎬 inspire me (I might have been their wild child😜) because they paved new paths, defined their own success and innovated unique dreams that did not exist before and didn’t wait for anyone’s validation.

For the longest time I felt pressured to do what others expected me to or to fit a mold so others can like me but that’s no way to live! Dare to be you to the full and live your dreams differently the way God gives it to you, not how society says you have to – we don’t have to conform to that pattern but we’re made to bring a whole new way of living to Earth.

Sometimes your “weakness,” flaws and the things you don’t know can become your greatest strengths! Embrace your weird and be quirky, silly😼, funny, creative and most of all you because no one else can be beautifully YOU and live your dreams like only you can👈🏽, how He intended you to since the beginning…

Smile😀 to brighten someone's day! Dream a dream bigger than you, like Dr. King did, and together we can light up the word! 💖🔥🎆🌎 God put big dreams in your heart beyond what the world calls success because His biggest Dream is to see all of His kids come back to Him so we all can play and party together some day! ✌🏻️🎉👑😇💁🏽 Sometimes I think certain people and situations are in our lives to show us how He can empower us to love radically like Jesus did – the kind of love that don't make sense to most – that's unconditional, not condemning even if we feel hurt (remember our real enemy is invisible and loves to distract us with silly offenses) and is not about our feelings or self interests…the kind of love that the world will scratch it's head at like huh??

A photo posted by Julene 💖 #DareDreamer Network (@daredreamernet) on May 31, 2016 at 8:42pm PDT

I find myself dreaming like Dr. King – there’s the realization that comes that we were sent here to have a greater impact then just sharing our gifts and talents but to embrace a higher purpose. God put big dreams in our hearts beyond what the world calls success because His biggest Dream is to see all of His kids come back to Him. Together we can make the Dream God gave Dr. King an even greater reality by becoming love and peace to everyone we see – even those who wrong us. My big dream is to show kids, youth and former kids who haven’t realized that they were meant to live in joy, peace and love to find a greater purpose through Love. The little girl in me (not naive but full of wonder) still believes that people are good at heart and together we can change the world – I dream like Dr. King that we’ll see all people like God does, full of #purpose and to be loved back to life… #itbehardsometimes 😐 #butitsbeautiful 😀

Below is one of the devotions I wrote for CFNI on this topic of being love to people to change the world:

“…Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:36

Our culture often looks to crowds and numbers as a measure of influence, especially in our social media-driven world. Even us the Lovers could get distracted by being overly focused on status and boosting our numbers.

Jesus did teach crowds and feed multitudes but He also did significant ministry work on the personal level. There was the moment He looked tenderly into the face of the woman at the well and several times when He stopped to heal determined individuals who were in need.

Loving others is our call, but how often do we leave our comfort zones and the church building to love people one-on-one? Are we too distracted striving to be great to notice individuals God has placed in our path for a greater purpose? When we cultivate relationships with others and genuinely show compassion they’ll tangibly experience God’s love.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Love will truly change the world – unconditional, radical love, the type that Jesus demonstrated on the cross – will you be that love and light today? In the last few days this message has been heavy on my heart as we pray for lives that have been lost and the world is looking for light and truth. We see how one person can spread darkness and destruction – what if we all dared to intentionally show love and compassion through our actions and words of kindness? All I know is that Love always wins!

“[Love] does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails! Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!”

How do you treat those who are different from you? Have you ever been in heated conversation with someone with different beliefs? Throughout history, fear and pride have caused people to treat others unjustly and reject and attack those they do not understand. We see this demonstrated when even the people Jesus came to save rejected Him and nailed Him to a cross.
Because God has placed purpose in every person it’s important we learn to see others with eyes of love – how God sees them. Our culture often conditions us to judge people based on appearance, differences and assumption instead of seeing the gems of great value in them and treasuring their inner beauty and greater purpose.

The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

Who knows, you could be the one God sends to speak into the identity of those who are heartbroken, or sow seeds of love into the hearts of your friends who are looking for answers. Don’t avoid those who are different but make it your intention to engage with them and develop relationships based on who God says they are. Love will truly change the world – unconditional, radical love, the type that Jesus demonstrated on the cross – will you be that love today?

Let’s ask God to give us eyes to see those who feel invisible and forgotten, the downcast and weary. We can heal the broken-hearted and set captives free through love and service – if we dare to get uncomfortable and personal. -Julene Fleurmond #cfnidevotionals #relationships Find more inspiration and nourishment for your spirit on my magazine http://dreaminsoul.com.

Below is a video promo for Christ for the Nations that some of my friends are featured in and produced. CFNI is really an inspiring place – whatever your dream is it might be a place to learn to dream DEEPER with a greater mission:

When you have a God-dream 💖 it goes way beyond yourself, it has the good of other people in mind and takes you where you never thought you’d go…it’s like you’re a kid on an awesome adventure with your Dad a King👑🙌🏻🦁 better than any movie…🎬 (This pic was taken at Christ for the Nations – these people have truly impacted my life, thank you CFNI!) I used to dream so small, dreams that only included me and my desires and passions but God can teach us to dream with Him and have a passion for His plans, for the broken and the world…🌎

He has a dream of everyone discovering His love💞 and truth and being brought back to Him. Let’s dream and partner with our Father to help His dreams come true…give us the nations Daddy, give us a bigger dream and sense of purpose that we couldn’t come up with on our own, to rock this world with Love, Love, Love…💓 Dream BIG dreams, higher, deeper dreams that have a ripple effect on other people and that require intervention from the One greater than yourself! My mentor Cindy Thienard once wrote me an encouraging note that said: “You have a gift…I am excited and the word of God says! ‘Eyes have not seen👀, nor ears have heard👂🏼, nor has it entered into the minds of man the things I have for those who love ME!’ Love God and Dream! So BIG! that only God! can REPLY!” Now THAT’s how we should dream!

Make more time this year to laugh, dance & dream – life’s way more fun that way and we all get to experience the beauty of you coming fully alive! 😀

Thank you Sue Bryce Photographer for your gift of capturing the light within and for being an inspiration to me! I’ve been a fan of Sue’s work and have taken her photography courses on CreativeLive.com for years so it was a great surprise and joy to work with her this year. She has a beautiful heart and way of bringing out the love in people and she’s always inspired me to live my dreams bravely.

Check out these video of Sue on living out your dreams and overcoming fear:

Be sure to connect with Sue on Facebook where she shares more of her amazing photos.