It is not the years in your life, but the life in your years that counts. -Adalai Stevenson

This one is always a conversation stopper. Not in a bad way, however. More like a “hmm…just asked me a question that I haven’t been asked in a long time.” kind of thing.

Tossing this question around has been the joy of my life lately. It’s been exhilarating to watch people smile, squirm, fidget, ramble and sometimes just downright go silent. And I’ve decided to keep asking the same question to more and more people.

So, what’s the question?

What dreams are you cultivating?

This is a fun question, because dreams are God things. And when you ask people to begin thinking about dreams, they must begin to think about God. Even if they don’t know it.

God created people in His image. And with that creation comes a distinct “wiring” for each of us. Each of us has particular passions, talents, hopes, abilities, and dreams. Each of these was put there by God, so that we could put them to work. When we put them to work, we bring glory to Him, we bring joy to ourselves, and we make the world a healthier place.

If you’re not dreaming, you’re not living. At least you’re not living any kind of life you want to live.

So…what dreams are you cultivating?

What is the BIG thing that God has placed in your heart? What’s the thing that makes you think “If I don’t do this, my life will not count the way I want it to.”? If you haven’t yet thought much about that question, now is a great time to do just that.

And while you’re thinking, be prepared to be afraid. I mean good and scared. Don’t think for a minute that a life of dreaming is a life of leisure. Or ease. Or comfort. It’s not. A life of dreaming God sized dreams is harrowing, tough, challenging, frustrating, and quite simply hard.

But that’s where God lives. He loves the givers who give, even when they have no business giving anymore away. He loves the risk takers, who stumble, and fall, and get back up and try again. He loves the people who say “yes” when everything (and everyone) around them screams “no!”

And He loves those who are willing to be afraid. Those who will step so far outside themselves that their only chance of survival is for God Himself to show up. He looks at them and says “Give me your fears. I can handle them. I’m big enough.”

So, what do you want? Do you want to play it safe? Or do you want to follow God?

Go ahead…jump!