Is it possible to miss God’s plan? As the years went by raising children and working odd jobs, Tracey Gates felt there was more she could do with her skills and gifts. She thought maybe she would write a book one day, but she had no idea how to begin or what her topic would be. So she set aside that dream for another time. Occasionally it would come up in conversation with a friend or her spouse but there was never enough clarity to move forward. By age 50, though, she began to wonder if she’d totally missed what God had planned for her.
227 || [Solo] How to Know if This is the Dream God Has for You || Merritt Onsa
Do you tend to question your dream or wonder if you heard God right the first time? Nearly every day I encounter someone talking about the fear of missing out on the purpose God has planned for her life. Some describe it as a deep worry that everyone else has beaten her to the finish line, and she’s somehow gotten it wrong but doesn’t know how to find her way back into God’s ordained path that was chosen for her before the beginning of time. But you weren’t meant to live under that pressure!
192 || Feeling Too Broken to Dream? Embrace Your Story & Trust God's Plan || Yolanda King
Do wounds from your past threaten your confidence or progress toward your God-shaped dream? Do you have trouble believing that God sees you and knows your needs? Yolanda King shares her story of childhood abuse and neglect that could have kept her stuck in fear and seeking approval from others. But God had a different plan. Today she’s helping other women overcome obstacles and trauma to create a life and career they love.
191 || Are You Tired of Feeling Like Your Work Doesn't Matter? || Michaela O’Donnell
What does it look like to pursue meaningful work in a changing world? Michaela O’Donnell helps people do just that through her programs, writing, and teaching on issues of vocation, work, and leadership. In this episode we talk about recalibrating expectations regarding the pace of change, what to do when your dreams don’t happen right away, and how to look for breadcrumbs of God's providence along the way.
180 || [Solo] Planning Your Dream While Doing Your Dream || Merritt Onsa
If you have allowed your need to plan keep you from taking steps toward your dream, this episode offers a bit of perspective on how to get started right now, even if you don’t have it all figured out. Because God designed you with a purpose that is certain and known to him, you don’t need to have it all planned out before you begin. He already knows! So take the leap and try new things, even if it means opening yourself up to mistakes, and then, take time to reflect and innovate.
113 || You Were Created for a Reason || Merritt Onsa
There is purpose for your life; you are not here by accident. I believe this to be true, and today I’m talking about the two perspectives I’ve been wrestling with related to this topic and how we decipher our God-shaped dreams. The first is that He uses our gifts and talents for our good, for the good of others, and for His Kingdom. The second is that He uses us in spite of our weakness, failure, or even our blatant rejection of His calling upon our lives. So, which is it, strengths or weaknesses?
Every Baby Step Moves You Closer to Your Dream || Bonus Mini-sode
God created you with a purpose. I’m not just saying that. He says it in His word. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10) I’m sharing this short “mini-sode” to tell the story about the baby steps that led me to step into my God-shaped dream of podcasting. My hope in these 15 minutes is to encourage you in taking your own baby steps toward your dream. Listen for a list of baby step suggestions at the end for your consideration.