@LisaCarter27

Ten years ago, God put it on my heart to get serious about this secret dream of writing I’d had since I was a child.

In fact, He compelled me to take the stories swirling in my imagination and write them down. Thus far, God has blessed me with the publication of twenty-plus novels. One of those, Olivia’s story— from Beneath a Navajo Moon—came to me in a dream.

God often reaches the Navajo through the kind of dreams with which He once visited upon Abraham. But we’ve grown too sophisticated or busy to hear His voice in either nighttime or waking dreams.

Sometimes people stop themselves for reaching for their dreams because of fear of failure. Whatever your dream, I’m the living proof that there is no expiration date on dreams. And the first step in my journey toward realizing those writing dreams began at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference.

The desire for the God-planted dream overcame my fear of taking a risk. At the BRMCWC, I learned to risk a maybe failure versus the certain regret of never having dared to reach.

Whatever dream God has given you, my advice would be twofold: obedience is yours to choose; the outcome belongs to the Lord.

Second Corinthians 4:7-12 reminds me when I give back to God my plans, goals, and dreams—on the altar of service to Him—He shines the brighter through my cracked, broken jar of clay. Are you willing to allow God to billboard your difficulties so the light of His glory shines? How transparent are you with your weaknesses, cracks, and wounds?

This dream-consecration demands total abdication of self to His purposes—all you are, all you have, all you dream.

We must learn to trust God more than we trust ourselves. To trust God, even more than we want the dream. God blesses us with dreams so we may use what He’s given us for His purposes, not our own. And we should prepare ourselves for the probability His purposes will take us places— on wonderful, scary, exhilarating adventures—we couldn’t have begun to imagine.

Therefore, I write.

So others might see their great need of Him. To find healing and the truest of all loves in Jesus Christ. The ultimate paradox is that, although I proclaim His worthiness, each story I write brings me to my own unworthiness. But perhaps this is indeed the moment we become of use to Him—when we’ve reached the end of our confidence, the end of ourselves, and our own sufficiency. When we embrace Who He really is and accept who we really are.

I don’t know about you, but for me, I think this will be a lifelong journey. It is as my character, Erin, remarks in Beneath a Navajo Moon often “a long, slow obedience.”

What about you? Are you willing to embrace the hard life of great significance for His kingdom?Will you choose obedience so that you might make a difference?

What dream is He calling you to in 2019?

Multi-published author Lisa Carter likes to describe her romantic suspense novels as “Sweet Tea with a Slice of Murder.” A Vast and Gracious Tide released in June 2018. The Stronghold won a 2017 Daphne du Maurier. Under a Turquoise Sky  won the 2015 Carol Award. Beyond the Cherokee Trail  was a 4½ star Romantic Times Top Pick. She also has two contemporary romance series with Love Inspired. Lisa enjoys traveling and researching her next fictional adventure. When not writing, she loves spending time with family and teaching writing workshops. A native North Carolinian, she has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball.

Join the adventure at http://www.lisacarterauthor.com.

Follow Lisa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and BookBub.