It was all a dream… until it was reality.

I remember praying and studying in my favorite spot at home. While in that spot, there were times when I could hear what I would describe as a preview of my future, though it wasn’t real yet. I was not married or dating, but I heard my husband talking to our children. Deep in my spirit, I could hear them—a family that belonged to me, in my house. It was my husband and my children. It felt like a dream.

A few years ago, I told God that I only wanted to serve Him. His response to me was that serving Him meant serving His people. If that was my way of serving God, then I was fully committed to it. I was single, and my life was all about God.

I pressed into the things God wanted me to do—the things we had outlined before the year began. I pursued those goals intently because I knew that this precious season would eventually come to a close. I pursued God as if time was running out. There were nights when I went to bed late and woke up early because my heart was so full of purpose for the season I was in. I had so many people I needed to pray for, and I knew I would encounter others in the coming days. I wanted to be my best for them, even though I hadn’t met them yet. I had no knowledge of them, but I knew that if there was an opportunity to share the love of God, I needed to be ready.

I pressed into God’s plans for me. If I dreamed it, I knew it was coming. The dreams and visions were preparation. I could hear and see myself teaching. When those dreams happened, I would get up and write down what I heard and saw. The Holy Spirit was my help then, and He still is now. I’m so grateful that He’s always with me—leading, guiding, and encouraging me. He reminds me that seasons change, and once a season is over, in many cases, it’s over forever. That’s why it’s crucial to wake up early and get things done. Sometimes, pressing into the night is necessary because the next year might bring a completely different situation, where those late-night hours won’t be available.

When I met the man who would become my husband, I knew my season would change soon. Our courtship was amazing. In just a few short months of meeting him, we were married.

It was a dream. I love hearing his story of how God prepared him. I love that he stayed committed to pressing into the plans of God and to the dream that may have seemed unreal at times.

There’s a lesson I’m learning in life: When you put God first in everything you do, your life will always be amazing. It may be tough, and you may have some sleepless nights, but in the end, there’s no regret. That dream of giving all that was within my heart was God’s way of drawing me closer to Him and preparing me to serve Him.

The voice I heard during those late nights—the voice of a husband—has become my reality. Now, my husband and I dream together about the children we will have. We don’t just dream; we visualize it—the room they will sleep in, the clothes they will wear, and the schools they will attend.

Those dreams and visions encourage me to live this moment to its fullest because I know that dream will soon become a reality. The time to get ready is short.

Here’s my prayer for you: Take those dreams seriously and act on them. Move when you feel the Holy Spirit pressing you. Like me, the time to prepare may be brief. When God moves, you’ll want to be ready and prepared to move with Him.

It’s only a dream, until it becomes reality.

God Has Big Plans for You