“If you can dream it, you can do it”- Walt Disney
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”- Proverbs 16:3

Have you ever had a dream that you kept hidden? I know some of us have big dreams and some of us have little dreams. But they are all important to us. But also, for many of us, we never act on them. We tell ourselves we are too busy with “life”, the timing isn’t right, we don’t have the funds to invest, we doubt ourselves and our dreams. Have you ever stopped to think that God placed those dreams in your heart?

I have been in all of those places. And I have pushed several dreams aside. But during the last year, I have prayed a renewed prayer for God to direct my paths. For Him to show me how He wants me to use the gifts He has given me.

And over time He began to reveal those answers. At the beginning of 2020, He laid a list of things on my heart. A list of pretty big things I thought. You know what I did?

I pushed them aside. I told God that I was sure He didn’t mean those things for me. I was sure that I wasn’t the person to step into those plans. I told Him I would just wait until the plans “fit” a little better. But He wouldn’t let me get away that easy.

Through sermons (some from churches I don’t attend but stumbled across online), from scriptures that kept “popping” up. From comments by both friends and strangers, He kept prodding me with that list. So I wrote them down.

That should do it for a while. That should stop the prodding right? Well of course it did not. You know that saying “Be careful what you ask for.” The same goes for be careful what you pray for.

And so I began to pray over each item on the list.  And I never told a soul. For months I kept that list to myself. Until I was about to bust and just couldn’t hold them any longer. I couldn’t hold them because I was so amazed at the signs that God was giving me.

So I began to reveal them to family and a few close friends.  I nervously met with a local pastor and his wife (not my pastor) because I had such a strong feeling that God wanted me to talk with them.  I also met with my pastor. And each time I nervously told my story and my list of dreams…you know what happened? God confirmed them in big ways. God ways. Crazy ways. So much that I finally said…”Ok God. I’m in. But I can’t do any of this without You.”

And so I am prayerfully working on that list.

One item on the list is a big one. You will hear more about this as the year goes on, but we are working on a new women’s conference for our area for 2021.  It’s going to be amazing and wonderful and I can’t wait to share all of the news with you! Until then, please be in prayer that God will use this event to encourage, connect, restore and bring women closer to Him and equip them to make a difference in this crazy world we are living in.

And then there’s today’s Big Dream Reveal. I have had the Grateful Girl blog for some time now and continue to be inspired and humbled by those of you who say you love it and that you enjoy reading and following along with the posts, recipes and DIYs. It’s been so nice to share  the journey with so many from across country. But one portion of the blog (a dream) had never been added. Until now.

I am excited to finally launch the Grateful Girl Shop! I have been patient in launching this dream and have spent many hours searching for just the right products to carry for you. I wanted a shop that my daughters and I could have together, and that would provide a fun place for you to find products for yourself and gifts for your loved ones that you would be excited to receive. I hope that we have found a way to create a marketplace that allows you to find that perfect item that is a joy to give and receive and expresses our faith.

The shop is live now on the Grateful Girl blog and new products will continue to be added! ( I can’t believe I just said that!) I hope that you will visit the online shop and give us your feedback! We want to make this a space that you will want to come back to time again when you are looking to treat yourself and give the perfect gift!

There are still some things on the God dream list…and I am working on them. Prayerfully. Sometimes it’s hard to have the confidence in ourselves that God has in us. But He never leads us where He doesn’t meet us and provide all that we need. I need to always remember that! I need to remember that God wants to use us right now…imperfections, doubts, weaknesses..all of it. What if all of the things that make me human…my downfalls and doubts…are exactly what He wants to use for His glory? I want to inspire you to follow your dreams, your God nudgings…All He wants is your heart and your first step.

“Let all that I am praise the Lord.” Psalm 103:1

Click to Visit the Grateful Girl Shop