Leaders On The Shelf by Lahoma Dade
Have you ever wondered what to do with the dream that is in your heart? Sometimes I think about things and today, I was thinking about a “shelf life.” You know as you go in the cabinet and you pull something off the shelf. If you are anything like me, you have to check the date on things.
I wonder if our dreams have “shelf life” or an expiration date. I wanted to make a cake, so not only did I have to check on the cake mix, but I had to look in the fridge to make sure my eggs were still good, I noticed the “best if used by date.”
Many people believe that our desires and dreams have a “best if used by date” or a particular length of time that they can sit on the shelf. As a young leader, I feel like this is what I get from so many people that I interact with. In fact, some dreams of those close to me have sat on the shelf so long, it’s like they aren’t even good anymore. Leaders dream big, but as life happens, we put things on the shelf.
Often times we can get in the mode of thinking things like, how would God ever expect me to do anything with this since I have all these obligations to meet? Or God knows all my mistakes, insecurities, financial situation, weaknesses, etc. Further, there is no way God could be asking me to do anything more than what I am already doing, finding ourselves very busy, but barren.
Honestly, I don’t believe that your dream and what God has placed in the inside of you has a shelf life. I don’t believe that one single iota expires, but I do believe that there is a “best if used by date.”
Today!
Today you are “best if used by God.” My prayer is that the dream, vision, passion and desire that you were created for begins to consume you and come off the shelf. I give you permission to dust it off and pick it back up because it is not expired and it is not over. My prayer is that the satisfaction that came from the shelf or simply shows itself as an idea becomes real and tangible for you.
Here are some practical tools to get what is on the inside of you out. It starts and ends with Gods will for your life and prayer, but here are some steps to taking your dream from the shelf:
Search the word. Discover what God says about what he has placed on the inside of you. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Jer. 29:11
Honor God with your gifts. Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Envision what it is you were created to do. Write out everything that you see (Habakkuk 2:2 – Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.)
Let God work the details Phil 1:6
Faith factor. By faith….
Listen to what the Lord whispers – Small still voice, My sheep know my voice and they listen to me. Spend time in quiet and remove some of the noise and distraction in your life.
Involve yourself in a community of like minded individuals. Connect with people who have a desire for more. I heard it once said that if you want to be better at something play with people at a higher level. Connect here with us at All Called.
Follow through and finish what you start.
Experience walking in the purpose for what you were created.
I encourage you with this final thought; Don’t ever give up on your dreams them or we lay them to rest before it is time to do so. Dream big, think, and live out loud. Instead of waiting until the “best if used by date,” start today. Because I believe that today is your day. We are the chosen generation.
Your Thoughts?
Lahoma Dade is the president/founder of All Called Ministries, a non-profit organization created to empower, support, and propel individuals to live out their dreams. The mission is to challenge leaders to fulfill their God birthed destinies using gifts, talents, experience and knowledge under the leadership of Christ. Follow Lahoma on Twitter HERE and friend her on Facebook HERE. Become of FAN of All Called on Facebook HERE. She resides in Austin, TX and attends Shoreline Church. You can email at in**@*******ed.com.
LaHoma you are right on! Doesn’t matter your age, experience or lack of. God created all of us w/a purpose to fulfill & gives us dreams & visions to unfold the purpose
. He will make it come to pass. Trust-step-trust-step cause our footsteps are ordered bt
by the King of the Universe. So proud of you LaHoma & so luv u.
Thanks so much Kelly Mata! I love you and I appreciate your support and encouragement!
Lahoma!
I am so thrilled to read this. I knew that you had this in you. I think about Paul, Peter, and those who stood up and accounted for Christ’s sake.
Please, keep going….
Love you!
Cynthia Crenshaw
Thanks lovely! I appreciate your support and encouragement!
So I have a few questions for Lahoma. I ask these in all sincerity and not out of resentment or pride. So please try and understand:
What if you were one of many Christian martyrs who died gruesome deaths at the hands of their captors in Rome during the early Church? Some were crucified, some were fed to lions. Some were burned on wooden stakes.
Where’s God’s plan and destiny and dream for their life? Are they excluded? If they are, then on what basis?
Is this even a Biblical message you posted? Just because you use verses in the Bible, doesn’t mean that it’s entirely Biblical. It’s all about the context.
For instance, I can string two verses together and make it say what I want. Let’s go with…
Matthew 27:5 “And He (Judas Iscariot) threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed and he went away and hanged himself”
then we’ll use
Luke 10:37 “And Jesus said ‘Go and Do Likewise'”
See how you can promote killing yourself as our God-given mandate by stringing verses together, out of context? Now please, do not abuse the Bible. From what I have read and what you are saying, you are making it align with something that it does not teach.
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss more, please email me. I’m willing to discuss more.
In Christ,
-raph
Raph,
I would love to opportunity to discuss the article with you in detail and answer your questions/statements. For the sake of time I only responded to one below:
One of your questions/statements – Is this even a Biblical message you posted? Just because you use verses in the Bible, doesn’t mean that it’s entirely Biblical. It’s all about the context.
My response – It was intended to be a faith based leadership article to provide encouragement to believers who are trying to develop the gift and call that God has on their life. It is contextually accurate, feel free to read the scriptures in their full context. Some great places that you can discover it for yourself are http://www.blueletterbible.com or http://www.biblegateway.com.
My email is in**@*******ed.com and you can feel free to email me at anytime.
Thank you!
Lahoma
Fabulous article. Exactly what I needed to hear today. I’ve been walking out the dream in my heart and going through a new season where I am taking that dream “off the shelf” and becoming a “doer” and not a dreamer only. Appreciate you, Lana