Our fourth installment of how we can search for God speaking his will into our lives comes in the form of our DREAMS.

Now we know that God has used dreams to direct God’s people in many different ways. Jacob wrestled with God in a dream, and came out of it with a new name and a limp. Joseph was told in a dream to stay with and marry Mary. The wise men were told in a dream to go back home a different route.

But today I’m talking about the dreams God plants as seeds in our hearts. Dreams that can become reality and make the world a better place for God’s people. Perhaps it’s a business, a nonprofit, the way you volunteer in retirement, or even what you want to be and do when you grow up as a child.

The writer of Whisper, Mark Batterson, says that his favorite treat is a vanilla milkshake from Chick-fil-A. He says, “it’s not just ice cream, it’s an ice dream.” If you didn’t know, Chick-fil-A calls their ice cream “ice dream,” because it tastes dreamy I guess; I think he was trying to be funny. I like the chocolate myself.

He tells of a young boy named Edmond, who lived on an island called Reunion. The Mexican government gave the French a bunch of vanilla orchid plants, and out of them, only one survived. Due to the fact that for hundreds of years outside of Mexico no vanilla bean plant ever produced fruit, it was seen as useless. A plantation owner liked it and kept it, but it never bore fruit. Edmond wanted so badly for it to produce beans. (It turns out, there is a specific bee in Mexico that pollinates the orchid and that bee didn’t live on Reunion). So walking the field one day was the plantation owner and Edmond. As they walked by the Vanilla plant, they noticed it had produced two beans. Edmond explained to the owner that he had tried to pollinate the orchid by hand, by putting the anther and stigma between his fingers and delicately rubbing them together. It worked!

Two beans in 1822 turned into an export of two tons in 1858, 20 tons in 1867, and 200 tons in 1898. Now, this little-known island of Reunion was exporting more vanilla beans than the entire country of Mexico. All because of a desire, motivation and ingenuity of a young boy.

What “dreams” has God given you that you think is crazy, too hard, or impossible for ME? Do you think God would give it to you if it was … for isn’t “anything possible with God”?

What dream do you have that might just become a reality as God uses you to help his children, his people, for his purposes?

This is the season of miracles, right!

Tim Beck is pastor of Kenbridge United Methodist Church. His email address is revtimbeck@gmail.com.