Relationships
By Jaala Taylor When I met Jeremy, I knew from day one that he was a dreamer. He was speaking to a group of people who were learning more about health and wellness and home-based business, after spending the day pouring into youth at a basketball camp. I learned that day that he left his job as a teacher and coach to pursue his dream of encouraging people of all ages. I certainly didn't know I would eventually become his wife, but I did know that whoever that lucky lady ended up being, she would have to be someone who understood the importance of feeding his dreams and not starving them. To my surprise, a year after first seeing him that day, we were planning our wedding. Now that we've been married almost three years, I've been able to see the importance of supporting one another's dreams. Here are 3 tips that can help you, if you too are married to hardworking, free-spirited dreamer: 1. Remember Who put those dreams in their heart. I'll admit, there have been some time where Jeremy has come to me with some BIG, crazy-scary ideas. In my mind I'm thinking, "Uh, there's no way that's humanly possible, babe!" (insert bright eyed emoji) And I was right, humanly it wasn't possible, but with God in control anything is possible (Matthew 19:26). A notecard that I keep in the book I'm currently reading or in my calendar actually came from reading Jeremy's book, D.R.E.A.M. before we were married. It reads: I believe God doesn't call you to do something or place a work in your heart unless He plans on equipping you with exactly what you need to complete the mission. One of the things I love about Jeremy is when a dream is planted in his heart, he starts moving and acting on that dream immediately. Most people (and I'm speaking to myself here) have dreams, but we are waiting for the starts to align, for a door to open, for God to do something while we are sitting still. Not my dreamer husband. He starts moving, trusting that God will steer him in the right direction. As a wife, I have learned that even though some of his dreams may seem crazy - even outlandish to me - I still have the choice to support my husband because I know Who put those dreams in his heart. 2. Decide to make their dreams your dreams. The day Jeremy and I exchanged vows was one of the BEST days of my life, and on that day we became one ("... and the two shall become one flesh" - Mark 10:8). Therefore, I've made the decision to make his dreams my dreams. I know we are better together. Now, before you make the assumption that everything I ever aspired to do just got tossed out the window, let me explain. What I've found is that much of time, his dreams will complement my dreams. That said, I want to get in the game and help him win. For example, I want to do all that I can to make a difference in the lives of individuals who are rescued from human trafficking (modern-day slavery). While I was completing my master's degree in order to have the credentials to work in this field the way that I would like to, Jeremy felt like we should contribute to the cause right now instead of waiting. One of his dreams has been to create a t-shirt line with simple, positive messages that would empower those who wore them and encourage those who saw them. That dream became a reality when we launched Encouragewear. Merging our dreams together as one, we found a way to not only encourage people, but to financially support the fight to end modern-day slavery at the same time by donating a portion from every sale to an organization called Hope for Justice. The entire process has not only affirmed that it's important to participate (in some way) in the pursuit of your spouse's dream, but that big dreams often start small. 3. Be their biggest cheerleader. The words you speak to your spouse are powerful. While other people in their life will be able to influence them with words, yours hold more weight because of how you are bound together in marriage. "Death and life are in the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21), meaning our words have the ability to tear someone down or build them up. When it comes to being married to a dreamer, remember your words can make all the difference for them. I choose to be Jeremy's biggest cheerleader (a sport that comes quite naturally to me - former cheerleader and current cheer coach, here) because I believe he should never step out into the world questioning himself because his other half doesn't believe in him. Life is already challenging enough, and in our household it just got a bit more challenging with little Miles in the picture (but oh so worth it, and that blog post coming later). I don't ever want to be another obstacle in his way - like the sea of circumstances and the silly critics - hosing down the passions that burn within my husband's heart. Instead I want to throw fuel on those flames and push him to pursue his dreams. I feel as if this is one way of respecting him (Ephesians 5:33), which I am called to do. But also, I want him to do the same for me in return, which he does! I hope these 3 tips find you well and serve you well. Keep in mind, if you ever find yourself at a place where you don't know what the next best step is in supporting your spouse's dream, simply pray for them. Pray for things such as wisdom, confidence, patience, etc. If God is leading their heart, you can trust that His purpose will be fulfilled. Just keep in mind, as long as they are pursuing their dream for the right reason with the right motivation, they need your support. As Jeremy likes to say, "Dreams do come true for people just like you!"
1 Comment
3/13/2023 02:53:59 am
Nice blog you have here, thanks for sharing this
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