my dreams

I was out with some girlfriends last night and I just happened to mention how as a girl I never really dreamt of the whole wedding thing. I never thought about getting married until it happened. I never really thought about having kids until it happened.

I can honestly tell you today that I am married to the absolutely most perfect man for me. And my kids, well don’t get me started. Perfection on two legs, both of them… but my childhood was filled with other dreams. While most girls had visions of white dresses and changing diapers, I was fantasizing about something all-together different.

My friends laughed at me when I told them I hadn’t really thought about getting married…nor having kids… they simultaneously asked: “well, Erin – what did you dream about?”. I stopped, thought quietly to myself and said ‘ministry’. That’s what I have always dreamt about from as early in life as I can remember.

In fact, in elementary school I drafted up my programme for my funeral. It was full of worship and evangelism – and that was just the beginning. As I entered high-school I envisioned myself seeing my entire high-school get ’saved’. I would lie awake at night dreaming about taking over for Billy Graham when he retired. It was everything…His ministry, essentially was sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who realized their need for redemption and grace… like I myself have needed so desperately over the years.

Nothing fires me up more that the idea of the lost and broken finding healing, redemption and love. Today as I write, I know that has not changed. My passion for worship is all about the healing and redeeming presence of God. Yeah, I love music and I love to sing – but my dreams have always been and will always be about people finding their identity, their ‘new name’ in Christ Jesus.

Broken homes, mended. Broken hearts, whole. Broken lives, restored. Broken marriages and broken families reconciled. It is my passion in life to carry on the work of Jesus Christ and see the lost find their way home.

The life of a worshiper. There’s no life like it. Read Isaiah 61 below. This is what Jesus lived His life doing and in turn we can do the same.

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.

5 Aliens will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

6 And you will be called priests of the LORD,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.

7 Instead of their shame
my people will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance;
and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs.

8 “For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and iniquity.
In my faithfulness I will reward them
and make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”

10 I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations.