Fueled By A Dream

I had one dream during my early childhood. A dream so deep and compelling it drove me to extreme measures. My dream was to play football. Not just to play, but to excel. As a child, I often played football all by myself. I set up obstacle courses in the backyard avoiding giant Pine Tree would be tacklers. I hurdled upside down wheel barrels as if they were in the way of my scoring a long run. I did this over and over again. For hours I contented myself to put on my pads and jersey and play my fantasy game for hours.

When my friends and I got older, they got into motorcycles. I got into weights. I remember my first weight set. A vinyl grey covered 110 pounds cement weight set. I got up early to lift in my bedroom. I watched everyday for any sign of muscle growth. Sadly it did not come.

The Rocky movies were huge in my childhood. They inspired me to work harder. When anyone of those movies would come on tv late at night I had them timed down to the point where I knew exactly when Sylvester Stallone started his epic training in those movies, I had my alarm set so I could get up watch and train. This happened multiple times.

Eventually my weight training equipment grew. I moved it all to an unheated and unairconditioned storage building out back. I worked out in 100 plus degree summer temperatures and frigid winter digits where I had to generate my own heat. I dropped gallons of sweat in there alone while my friends gave themselves to partying. That love affair with weights continues to this day. I had some time in the garage just a few hours ago.

The burning drive to get better compelled me to run in the hottest parts of the summer. During the school year, many times I woke up early to run before showering and going to school. At times, I even skipped lunch to go lift during school to get an extra edge.

It all started paying off during my sophomore year in high school. I started gaining a little strength. The next year it increased more and going into my senior year I was among the three strongest guys on the team. By this time, I no longer held to an NFL dream, but I clung ferociously to the dram to play in college. So much so I told my youth minister I would not go to youth camp unless he could find a way for me to take all my weights to camp with me. Incredibly he found a way.

And at that camp God reshaped my future. He called me to preach. He used the avenue of football in college to get me in a school where I could train to preach. With an incredible added bonus I met Brenda there.

Slowly over the next several years the dream changed. I enjoyed football, but my new dream was to preach and eventually to pastor. I started reading books about preachers. I read about prayer. I sat alone daydreaming about being a part of a great church. I got interested in revivals of the past.

Dutifully I endured my classes. Anytime I had a chance to steal away to a secluded spot to read one my treasured books I did so. The dream grew in me fueled by a passion just as strong as ever existed to play football. It fueled me. Drove me. Pushed me to learn to pray. Compelled me to read and study my Bible. It fueled me to graduate.

Ministry assignments came very slowly. When they did come they were far from glamorous. My first call to a church as youth minister brought a whopping $25 a week salary in small town with dirt roads. I drove 48 miles one way to that little church in Rochelle, TX and I loved it. God let me begin living my new dream.

Fast forward 30 years later. The dream has not faded. It burns hotter than ever. It gets me up early in the morning to pray, to seek God and to dream God's dreams. It;s the reason I merged another early childhood dream to write with ministry. It is the reason I go to the office, visit, shepherd. I don't just want to  be a preacher. I want to be a pastor. I try to work hard at both.

And in the infinite wisdom and sovereign plan of God, He lets me pursue that dream with a flock I love to the depth of my soul and in a town that is as dear to me as my hometown. It is the dream that still fuels me to this day. I am grateful that God is letting me live it. I am living in the sweet spot. All praise and glory to God.