I’ve heard for most of my life that God puts dreams in our hearts for His purpose. I still believe that, but it doesn’t seem as straightforward to me now as it did when I was a seven-year-old wanna-be Disney Channel actress. As I grew through adolescence and into young adulthood, I had so many dreams that didn’t seem to come to fruition—leading me to wonder why I ever had those dreams at all.
The dream that dominated all other desires in college was to move to New York City and work for a worldwide advertising agency. I was earning a degree in advertising, and I loved everything about it—the strategy, the artwork, and the ability to influence consumer decisions through creative problem solving. It invigorated me to my core. I had always loved New York City. Even as a kid, travelling there for family vacations, I loved the stories around every corner—there was nothing bland, nothing mundane about city life. New York was more than a city to me. I knew that’s where my heart belonged—it was my dream.
I never even got an interview with a New York City advertising agency. I graduated at the top in my major, yet I wasn’t what New York was looking for. I was upset, but I felt that maybe it just wasn’t time for me to move to the East Coast just yet—but I would make it there. A couple years later, I realized I had been living life with my heart still in New York City. I couldn’t enjoy the blessings in my life because I was in the “wrong” place. I honestly thought that meant I needed to just bite the bullet and move to New York—job or no job—and make it work. After all, I belonged there. It was my dream—and God gives us dreams for His purpose.
I was searching apartment listings when I felt an incredible sadness wash over me. In a moment where I should have been excitedly imagining my new life, I felt like I was doing something wrong. I prayed; I asked God to reveal His will to me and let my life reflect His true wishes. There, in front of a computer screen filled with pictures of tiny flats with parquet floors, I started to cry. New York was not my dream. I thought I needed to be in a certain place to use my talents to positively impact the world. I thought that, without New York City, I could never be enough. It wasn’t my dream—it was my crutch… and I needed to let it go.
It wasn’t long after that when God opened a door for me to work for St. Luke’s. Now I use my talents to impact my community in a real way and to glorify God. It’s nothing like what I pictured in college, but it’s truly a dream come true. It’s my dream come true.
I believe that God puts desires and dreams in our hearts to guide us to a life that glorifies Him. Dreams are not always obvious, straightforward, or grandiose. They almost always include feelings of failure, confusion, and loss. Ultimately, God gives us dreams to bring hope and love to His world, and you can do that from anywhere on Earth.
Beth Armstrong, Director of Welcoming Ministries
