Turn Dreams into Plans, Not Wishes

Tomorrow I fly to Europe.

For months, I haven’t felt worried or nervous, but tonight as I stuff shirts and shoes into my suitcases, my stomach feels just like it used to the night before youth camp.

I’m starting to feel a combo of 90% excitement and 10% nervous-ish. I’ve dreamed about going to Europe since I was 11 or 12. I’ve planned, wished, pinterested, and read and written books about the different countries I wanted to visit.

This obsession started with a painting.   About ten years ago, I first noticed Café Terrace at Night, a beautiful painting by Vincent van Gogh which depicts an outdoor cafe in France.

I was enamored by the brightly lit cafe, the cobblestone sidewalk, and above it all—a brilliant starlit sky.

And I promised myself that one day I’d go there, to France, to Italy, to England. I’d go everywhere.

This is how a dream starts: an idea, a picture, a story, a person, a thought. Something inspiring.

Everyone has a dream (that sounded like a Disney line). But so few people actually go out and turn their dreams into plans. It’s easy to wish and let the wish stay there. Sometimes our dreams seem better as just dreams. We can’t risk allowing reality destroy them.

Half a year ago, I pushed away my fear of uncertainty and decided that I’d let God figure out the details. I said yes and He did the rest. He literally made one of my biggest dreams come true.

And I can’t be nervous because I am too excited. I can’t be worried because God has stolen fear from my heart. I am a writer and the world is my notebook. What my 11-year-old self only dreamed of, I’m living out.

As I packed and repacked, I listened to one of my old playlists. “This Is The Time” started playing. The following lyrics stood out to me:

You can find a million words

To build a wall of fear

Safe behind that wall imprisoned here

Take that someday step today

To who you’re meant to be

And turn your dreams to plans

So you can breathe

Turn your dreams to plans. I’m a dreamer and not much of a planner. But I completely agree with this. What’s your dream? Not in a vague disney-ish way, but seriously, what is that one thing that you’ve always wanted to do but just never did?

Stop wishing. Turn your dreams into plans. Don’t let fear interfere. According to Bob Goff, “Want more faith? Do more stuff.” God’s our ally and there is no limit to the dreams we can plan and then do.

I’ll leave you with the reason why this matters. Here’s two more lines from the song I mentioned earlier:

And don’t stop till you live your life

Like someone died for you

That’s the reason why. That should define our attitude toward life. That should reason enough for us to turn our God-given dreams into plans.