Dream

Dream

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

ONE OF THE THINGS I remember most about my wedding day is a cheeseburger. Much of the day is a blur—the last-minute preparations, endless posed photos, the two of us smiling through tears as we said our vows, hugging family and friends, the laughing at the reception—all of those memories are broad, sweeping strokes in my mind. By the time we left our late-morning wedding, we were exhausted but exhilarated. After checking in to our hotel in preparation for an early flight the following day, we collapsed on the bed, unmoving, for a while.

Then we ordered the best cheeseburger I’ve ever eaten. As we sat cross-legged on the bed, inhaling room service fries, we opened cards from our wedding guests. We smiled at the messages and notes written by loved ones. And on the cusp of our new life together, we dreamed. We dreamed of our home together, of lazy days watching movies and eating takeout, of babies we’d welcome into our home (sleepless nights and snuggles and all), of vacations, of career goals, of growing old together. Life stretched before us, full of promise.

We didn’t think of the hardships: career difficulties, conflict with one another, parenting woes, despair over hurt feelings, and worry over finances. We didn’t stop to reflect on the challenges we might face or the way they’d fray the edges of our relationship. No, as we dreamed of our life together, we thought only of the good things.

And while that might not be the most practical, it demonstrates the power of our dreams. The Bible describes the fulfillment of a dream as a tree of life, yet it’s not just the attainment but the process that’s a promise: “But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12, NKJV). It’s not just the dream itself—it’s the hope of the dream. That’s what sustains us, putting roots in the ground, growing with us through the challenges and hardships we face. Much like the way we abide in Christ—he is the vine, we are the branches—choosing to dwell within a dream can provide life-giving hope and joy.

Lord, thank you for the dreams you’ve given us. Give us the courage to pursue them even when hardships arise. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: List your dreams. How does seeing them as fulfilled —even if they have yet to be achieved—change your perspective?