“I came that they may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10
Laura Ingalls Wilder had a rough early life, moving from place to place. She became a teacher before she married. Later, she helped her husband on the farm. She lost a child and took care of her husband when he became partially paralyzed. While in her 40’s, her daughter encouraged her to write her life story. Wilder did that, but she faced many years of rejection. She spent several years working on this dream until, finally, at the age of 65, her first book, Little House in the Big Woods was published. She was 76 years old when the last book in the series was published.
Peter Mark Roget dedicated a large portion of his life to being a doctor. After retiring at the age of 61 to help himself cope with some depression, he started making catalogues of words. Roget’s Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases was published when he was 73. He worked on revisions until his death at the age of 90.
Anna Mary Robertson loved art but focused most of her life on being a wife and mother. At the age of 67, her husband died. She turned to painting, teaching herself what she needed to do. Her first big break came when she was 78. And Grandma Moses found her place in art history.
After World War I, Ray Kroc sold milkshake machines to restaurant owners. At the age of 53, he purchased his own restaurant, developing the guidelines and procedures that would streamline its efficiency. By the time of his death, McDonald’s was the world’s largest franchise.
God wants us all to have an abundant life. He has gifted us with the ability to dream. Each of these people could have easily been convinced that their lives were adequate enough, that perhaps their dreams were silly or pointless. It is much easier to give up on a dream rather than trying to pursue it. But these dreamers became doers by not giving up. They kept dreaming and working toward their goals. And their later-in-life success was most likely made even sweeter because they waited and worked for it for so long.
This is further proof that there is no expiration date on dreams.
Watering the Seeds
What can you do today to get yourself closer to your dream?
How can your faith help you follow your dream?
