My family went to Disney World for a spring vacation a few years ago. During one of the performances that we enjoyed in the Magic Kingdom, Mickey Mouse prompted the crowd to chant, “Dreams come true, dreams come true…..” in their loudest and most heart-felt voices. Our youngest daughter, Allie, screamed at the top of her lungs, “DWEAMS COME TWUE! DWEAMS COME TWUE!” At that moment, fireworks shot out of Cinderella’s Castle! Allie’s eyes were as wide as hub-caps.  She was so proud of HER ability to cause fireworks to shoot out into the air. She just knew it was all because she really did believe that DWEAMS COME TWUE!

Kids walk by faith and not by the sight. They imagine possibilities and see through the lens of belief. They are not bound by the limits of their environment. But what happens when kids grow up? What happens when they start to experience social, financial, and personal set-backs? The adventurous playground they once loved slowly turns into a desolate prison cell they resent. What once felt like an endless opportunity to be whoever they wanted to be and do whatever they wanted to do becomes a lost hope. Instead of thriving, life now becomes an overwhelming attempt to survive and make it out alive at best. If we are not careful, as we get older, we will lose our belief that dreams do come true and with that belief will go the desire to achieve……anything. Blinded by “reality,” we can stop chasing after our dreams. Our child-like faith is rationalized away based on our experiences rather than being fueled by the possibilities. So we now become a product of our situations rather than our potential. But, Christ-Followers never grow up! They are driven by the desire to achieve even under the most adverse conditions. Napoleon Hill stated,

“Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.”

Faith-fiiled Christ-Followers keep their drive alive by…

1. Feeding Their Faith Daily

Whatever you feed grows. If you feed your fear it WILL grow. However, if you feed your faith it WILL grow. What are you feeding your Spirit each and every day? What are you inputting into your life? Every day you should have a healthy dose of God’s word, positive self-talk, and opportunities to grow.

2. Stepping Beyond Their Fear

Fear is a prison that traps its victims into the cell of paralysis. It immobilizes action and progress. Fear attacks faith and is the enemy of productivity. Greatness is about stepping beyond our fears and trusting God to do what He does best! Never allow yourself to be suppressed by your fears.

3. Enduring The Journey

Patience is the key that unlocks endurance. Too many people give up short of their destination because they become anxious and jump ship. Patience is a virtue that followers of Christ must develop. In order to get better it requires time. It is like a statement I once heard that said, “You can become an overnight success after 20 years of hard work.” Don’t surrender your mission just because you haven’t seen the finish line…yet!