walking in the wrong direction

So I had a dream last night that I discovered an incredible, vibrant, and beautiful shopping center...right down the road from where I live. All of my favorite stores, restaurants and entertainment, just feet away. I kept saying to my friend, "I can't believe this has been here the whole time and I no idea! I can't wait to show this to my husband!" I was shocked to learn that everything I had ever wanted - joy and excitement and a life that feels so alive - but believed, because of circumstances, was out of my reach... couldn't be any closer.

All these years, I had simply been walking in the wrong direction.

I have had these dreams before. Usually, it is an extra room in the house that I uncover..."Oh my gosh! Look at the space we have! I had no idea! Honey! Come look! You won't believe it!"

My dreams are not unique, I am sure, nor is my hidden desire to discover more. To seek out more, To find out that, guess what? There is more!

And up until a few moments ago, I never gave these dreams much thought. But now I am considering how very much Christ speaks to me while sleeping. Could these dreams be more than a materialistic desire for a bigger home or an outdoor mall in walking distance? The space and the joy and the absolute need to bring my loved ones along with me? This sounds less like a good mall experience, and more like heaven.

But I believe that we are first to experience heaven here on earth. Despite the burdens and trials, I am confident we can find a slice of the paradise to come. In fact, dare I say, thanks to the burdens and trials, we can come closer to God. And finding God is not as hard as you think. It does not require a trip to Lourdes, or a silent retreat, or hours of theology and deep Biblical study. Sometimes, it simply means staying right where you are, but walking in the opposite direction. That is the hard part. Changing your ways. But once you do, you won't believe what you find. Once you do, you will be amazed at how close it all was.

And should this grace pour down upon you and turn you around, do not stop there. Get up, go out, and tell everyone you love, and even those you don't, all about what you have found. Take them by the hand, and bring them to that room, take them to that mall, show them the accessible joy and life to be lived. Be a living witness to them that there truly is so much more...just feet away...waiting to be found.

I speak this as someone who traveled down the wrong road in the wrong direction for far too long. I share this as someone who God speaks to while sleeping and wakes up with the instructions to pass this good news along. If the road you are walking today leads you to emptiness, loneliness, anxiety, confusion, dissatisfaction, or despair, dare I suggest, you turn around and take a new road.

It is never too late to change your direction.

*here is a good direction to go in....walk on over to walking with purpose. I am talking about true love here, and hijacking their instagram stories all week long! Come hang out with me!