6/13/16

The Dreams I Let Go


As many of you know, my favorite movie EVER is Tangled. The heart-burning story (because it does more than warm my heart), the fantastic songs, and the adorable characters all make it one of the only movies that I can watch again and again. (And if you follow me on Twitter, you will know that I recently watched it yet again. Because I tweeted about it. Seven times. Not even a little bit sorry.)



In Tangled, Rapunzel chases after her dream about the lanterns. It's a tangible, whimsical dream, one that she spent years cultivating. She drew paintings about it, sung songs about it, daydreamed about it, and made plans upon plans about this dream. It was a part of her. 

We too have dreams. Lots of them. Big ones. Little ones. But dreams nonetheless. We have dreams of a perfect summer, a creative career, a godly man, a book to write, and a graceful life. We hold these dreams dear and cultivate them carefully.



Then we discover something.

We can't carry these dreams on our own. 

It was last Monday. I drove to practice ballet on my own after a long day at VBS and some work-related reading. The things that I still needed to do piled on in my head. I needed to read, write, blog, edit, turn, bake, laugh, watch. I needed to live out my dream of the perfect summer, and I needed to do it all now.

Why is life so hard? Why can't I just do it all? The little ways the summer hasn't lived up to my dream pushed themselves into my heart, and I cracked under the weight of my own dream.

I realized what I sensible person would have realized ages ago: I can't live my dream by myself. And I can't live it all out now. 



Rapunzel understood this. She knew that she needed Flynn's help to see the lanterns. She knew that it would take a journey to reach her dream. What she didn't know is that the journey to her dream would become her New Dream. The man helping her reach her dream would end up shining brighter than any lantern.

God has given us dreams. He has made our inner being (Psalm 139:13) to desire certain things. In fact, I say that our dreams are good. I dream to teach ballet, and that is good because it can give glory to God. I dream of marrying a godly, loving man. That too is a good dream that God gave me.



But God also made it to where we can't pursue these dreams on our own. That's just not the way He created things to be. He created our story to be a journey. A journey full of good and beautiful dreams, but a journey where we discover the the brightest dream we could ever have is centered on the One helping us chase the lanterns. 

He is our new dream.

And we are His.



So whatever your dreams are, be they to make friends, write a book, or travel, I do not ask that you stop dreaming them entirely (if they are indeed dreams that glorify God). I simply ask that you realize that the brightest dream isn't the lanterns, it's the One who brings you to see them. I ask that you stop pursuing an inferior dream, just like Eugene stopped pursuing the crown when he found the princess. The crown didn't lose its luster, it just could never match the beauty he found in his New Dream.

That doesn't mean that the Old Dreams won't also come true, for the One helping us is a good Father. Those dreams that He placed on our hearts may still yet come true. But not on our own. Even if they do come to pass and we gaze at the beauty of the floating lanterns, this will only increase our love for the New Dream and make it shine brighter. The journey will no longer center on the Old Dream but will serve the New Dream.



"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

And so I let my dreams fall into the hands of an able God. The dreams of the perfect summer, perfect college experience, perfect husband, and perfect career are safe in His hands. Not because I no longer want them, but because I have found a dream much bigger, much brighter, much more than any of these dreams can achieve. And in this New Dream, the old ones don't seem so important.

This is hard. Those dreams were, like they were to Rapunzel, part of me. They are something that I treasure, but I have found a greater treasure (Matthew 13:44). And so right now, as I'm tempted to chase after the dream of a perfect summer, I have to choose to look around me on this journey and instead rest in my New Dream.



For I have found the love and glory of Christ. 

And He has become my New Dream. 



Do you have dreams that you try to chase on your own? How has the journey impacted you? Do you relate to this gush of emotions at all???

ALSO, DO YOU LOVE TANGLED AS MUCH AS I DO??? (What am I saying, how could you love Tangled as much as I do???)

Comment all of the feels, hopes, and dreams! :)

Princess Hannah
Hannah
11 Comments

11 comments:

  1. Wonderfully true post, Hannah! Thank you! :) And I like that you related it to Tangled in so lovely a way... (Because, YES. Tangled is so fun! I love Flynn.) I like your comparisons to the movie and the thoughts you shared in this post! It touched me and it makes you think. <3

    Micaiah
    adventuresbeyondthehorizon.blogspot.com

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    1. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I POSTED THIS!!!!!! It makes my heart sing to hear you were touched by this post!

      TANGLED FOR THE WIN!!!

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    2. Oh, and Hannah! I just heard this song the other day and it reminded me of this post :D - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7tfMno9uHQ&list=WL&index=67

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    3. THAT'S A GREAT SONG!!! I can't believe I hadn't heard of it until now, but it is SOOO ME!!! And cool sounding. Thanks bunches!

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    4. Oh, yay! I'm glad you liked it! :D Well, don't feel bad, it's not that old. ;) You're welcome! <3

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  2. Oh, how I love this post, Hannah. Jesus and Tangled- perfect!!

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    1. TANGLED IS ALMOST PERFECTION!!! (When combined with Jesus... well, I'd say its purdy close to perfection!)

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  3. Wow. You literally reinstated what I heard at a youth conference last well, although I must say I love the way you expressed this more than how the priests were saying. I feel like giving up a part of our dreams and leaving them in God's hands is the hard part. That's something I struggle with. But we have to do so. <3

    xoxo Morning

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    1. Yes, at first it seems hard to give up that dream, because we almost have it. The crown is in our hands. But when compared with the princess, when compared with Jesus, it will be our joy not to lose the old dream, but to gain the new dream. It isn't about giving something up, but about finding something better, and I hoped that I presented that in the post.

      Plus, God may work to make your dreams come true! (If you work alongside Him.) You never know His plans.

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  4. Hi! I'm Abbie! I just recently subscribed to your lovely blog and I had to comment on this post because it made me cry! (Happy tears!) God is just so great and loving, and He actually cares about my hopes and dreams and it's too much for me! I know He has plans for me, and I can't wait to see what those are. But this really inspired me to pursue Jesus as my ultimate treasure, my greatest dream, first. Thank you so much for writing this! -Abbie C. (chroniclesinbloom.wordpress.com)

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  5. Amazing Post!

    Justyna
    http://justynaczubak96.wix.com/livelovelaugh

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