The Dare Dreamer Movement by Julene Fleurmond

Creativity That Lifts the Spirit – Visit Dreamfleur’s site Dream in Soul for more soul inspiration: http://dreaminsoul.com/blog.

Recently I was asked to share part of my story of overcoming obstacles and hardships as a teen with a website for teen girls called Girls 4 God. The editor of the site, Annika, has an inspiring ministry and features the stories of various women to encourage girls to grow in Christ. I was glad to be able to contribute part of my experience:

He Touched Me & Made Me Whole

Despite of the pain God has renewed me and I want to share my journey with other girls so that they know there is hope beyond the hurt…

It is amazing how God has taken me from being moss under a rock to being planted as a blooming flower in His fertile ground. Our teen years can be really difficult at times when we’re going through changes, pressures and frustrations, and mine were no different. Despite of the pain God has renewed me and I want to share my journey with other girls so that they know there is hope beyond the hurt…

Growing up I as a child was extremely shy but entering my teen years my self-esteem plummeted. I became increasingly self-conscious and would not ever step out or let my voice be heard aloud except when needed. I disliked the way I looked, felt as if I didn’t really matter and would cower at the sight of people, only speaking freely to my closest family and friends.

Coupled with that I felt abandoned after my father left the family when I was a child. I was also struggling with an illness at the time that made it difficult to go to school regularly, and so in high school I missed many days because of trips to the doctor’s office. It was a dark and lonely road.

Everything seemed bleak and I was merely going through the motions, not embracing life to its fullest potential. At 15-years-old I became depressed and only half aware of being alive and I was hardly taking care of myself.

My body and spirit were shriveling into a tense, broken, guarded existence.

I only felt good about myself when I could please and have the approval of others through my abilities. My life revolved around serving and pleasing people but not only in a godly way; rather I felt that my only worth was in doing what people wanted me to, that they would be angry with me if I didn’t, and that there was nothing else about me left to offer. I had lost all joy I had as a child and even forgot the hobbies and pastimes I had enjoyed; nothing seemed worth it anymore.

I grew up going to church and still went with my mother, but the truth of God’s love didn’t quite become real to me until I was in college. After dealing with loneliness and isolation I began seeking after God like I never had before, asking Him to reveal Himself to me so I knew He was real.

In 2009 I had an experience when God showered me with His love in a real way. It began when I was very ill and had to be rushed to the hospital as a result of a complication. At the time I could remember being only half aware of what was going on around me. My chest was tight and I was scared that I might die there in the hospital. The fear didn’t last long because an intense feeling of peace and calm that I’d never felt before embraced me.

In those moments it seemed as if God was comforting me, telling me to let go and stop holding back.

In those moments it seemed as if God was comforting me, telling me to let go and stop holding back. The thought of, “Who told you that you were worthless? Who said you weren’t allowed live? Who said you can’t?” kept repeating in my mind. I felt as if He was telling me to stop trying to make sense of my circumstances, stop belittling myself and to trust Him with my heart. He controls every beat, created me wonderfully and He is always there with me – just let go. Obeying that command has been a day-by-day release, but I can feel Him enveloping me in His freedom more all the time. Not only has He taught me to let go of anxiety and trying to live in my own strength, I know that because Jesus is the antidote to my sinful nature I can have a deep, intimate relationship with God that is beyond anything on Earth.

Before I was afraid to speak, to share, and to live freely. Now I am speaking, sharing and living to show and tell others about the love that saved me. He’s given me visions of my destiny and my passion now is to wake others up from sleepwalking through life to realize that they too have significance in Christ. From speaking engagements to sharing my story with youth that I teach, God has been amazing in revealing my purpose and launching me into hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

My pain has become a conduit to reach others going though the same.

I know He loves me, and I know He loves you – will you let Him into your heart?

You don’t have to wait until a major event like an illness to happen to realize that you and your life are worth it in God’s eyes. Let Him takeover today – let loose your fears, hurts and troubles to Him. Jesus says:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29).

You will be amazed at how trusting in the Lord as your Savior and strength in life, and deciding to live your life by only His opinions of you will liberate your heart, mind and spirit.

He freed me from darkness and nurtures me to grow beautifully into His light; for that I am ever grateful.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord…
Jeremiah 29:11-14

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Inspiration

Update in 2012: When I first heard the song “All This Time” from one of my favorite singers Britt Nicole, her words resonated with my heart I related to her story. The song became an encouragement to me that God was there walking with me every step of my journey, be inspired:

All This Time lyrics

I remember the moment
I remember the pain
I was only a girl
But I grew up that day
Tears were falling
I know You saw me

Hiding there in my bedroom
So alone
I was doing my best
Trying to be strong
No one to turn to
That’s when I met You

Chorus
All this time
From the first tear cried
‘Til today’s sunrise
And every single moment between
You were there
You were always there
It was You and I
You’ve been walking with me all this time
You’ve been walking with me all this time

Ever since that day
It’s been clear to me
That no matter what comes
You will never leave
I know You’re for me
And You’re restoring

Every heartache and failure
Every broken dream
You’re the God who sees
The God who rescued me
This is my story
This is my story…

Chorus

I hear these people asking me
How do I know what I believe?
Well I’m not the same me
And that’s all the proof I need
I felt love, I felt Your grace
You stole my heart that day

All this time
From the first tear cry
Till today’s sunrise
And every single moment between
You were there
You were always there
It was You and I
You’ve been walking with me all this time

Ever since the first tear cry
It was You, You and I
You’ve been walking with me all this time

On Dream in Soul I interviewed Gospel artist Kirk Franklin about his new book The Blueprint. He dropped much knowledge about how to regard our gifts and talents and living above the storms in life. Read and listen to the interview below:

Pursuing A Life Mapped By the Maker

His music and ministry spans generations. From producer, to musician, speaker and host, Kirk Franklin’s ability to be both light-hearted with humor and raw with realness and honesty draws in people of all ages and backgrounds. Adding a new level of transparency and spiritual insight, Kirk Franklin launches his first book The Blueprint: A Plan for Living Above Life’s Storms on May 18. In the book he charts a guide of personable wisdom speaking on everything from faith and marriage to race and life in the black community. “The Blueprint” aims to inspire anyone to view and plan his or her life from an unearthly perspective.

Kirk Franklin spoke to Dream in Soul about the vision of the book, his ministry expanding into the Twitterverse, his definition of success, and creating a bridge between contemporary Christian and gospel music. Tune into the conversation below:

Dream in Soul: Hi, thank you so much for talking to me today, it’s such an honor. I wanted to start out by asking you what inspired you to write this book at this point in your life and what was your vision in writing it?

KF: The book came about because I’ve been doing a lot of public speaking, and speaking at colleges, churches, and conferences, and so people thought that it would be good that I did a book. So a couple of publishers became interested in the idea, and now here we are with “The Blueprint.”

DS: What was your vision, did you have a specific age group in mind when writing the book or is it for everyone?

Have you ever felt the pressure of molding your actions – yourself – to the expectations of others?

When you’re not in your purpose, you might feel that squeezing, gnawing discomfort inside. The wrangling tension in you may be a signal that you’re not doing what you are meant to.

I’ve been feeling that way lately – the effects of kneading some of my actions to please others, or acting the way I think they expect me to. I’ve reasoned to myself that helping others is the right thing to do, but at the same time am abandoning the tasks God has given me.

One of the things I’ve been learning to do is live above the expectations of others, or the temptation to please and impress. When my actions are motivated by service in love and a desire to please God, not simply catering to man, then living becomes more purposeful:

“…do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:22-24 (New International Version)

There are times when we have to leave our comfort zones to reach higher heights, or months of painful pruning, and these may cause feelings of helplessness or ill feeling that are good and inevitable for our growth. There will be periods when we must become servants to others before our own dreams come to fruition, (as Joseph experienced). Other times when we check with others for approval in our every move, feel down when our work isn’t acknowledged, or measure our efforts against those of others, we are doing nothing but suffocating our own purpose.

There is a reason you and I were made the way we were, and have dreams that may not exactly “fit in.” When God created you, you were made to bring something unique to this world, to live out your purpose. As long as we stay within the realm of His standards, we are worshipping Him when we exercise our unique talents the way He meant for us to.

When we surrender our hearts to God, His dreams for us become the ones we begin to feel passionately about. Follow the God-given beat of your heart, the natural rhythm of personality, ideas, passions and quirks that flowed from within, the rhythm only God could orchestrate. Dream not in self-ambition but for His way which is good and pure. Imagine if your actions only flowed from what God is conducting, the unique purposes and hopes that He shares with us in love, undefiled by expectations and stereotypes – it will be music to His ears.

Don’t to worry about being “normal” or fitting in. Don’t snuff out the nuances that make you unique, but embrace them; the world is waiting for your gift. They may not understand it at first but He does; trust His opinion – it’s the only one that matters. It might be a lonely road, but the times when we’re playing out our purpose only for Him might be the most special of all.

Let’s strive today to start living our lives for an audience of One. There’s a joy in being “different” if you are being you, the way God intended.

I wouldn’t be able to describe the sacrifice that took my debts and gave me life undeservedly any better then in Isaiah 53:

1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

– Isaiah 53 (NIV) From BibleGateway.com

Have a blessed and Happy Easter!

Almost three months after the earthquake in Haiti the men women and children are still in great danger and need of help. The many who survived the devastation are still without homes and in harsh conditions with pouring rains and the upcoming hurricane season.

A Home in Haiti is an organization that is raising funds to buy waterproof tents to distribute on the ground in Haiti. Read about some of the efforts on the founder Shaun King’s blog and visit http://ahomeinhaiti.org help provide shelter and hope for the people by donating funds or sending tents today. You can watch the video below to learn more about this great project.