D.R.E.A.M.
Reconnecting To That Inner Passion
Sheldon R. Smith
Copyright © 2011 by Sheldon R. Smith. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced without the express written permission of the author. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
Cover photo: courtesy of Microsoft Office
Picture portrait inside: courtesy of Picture Perfect Photography: by Mark
All stories used throughout this booklet are fictitious. All names, characters, places, or events are of the author’s imagination and are used in a fictional way. Any similarity to actual scenarios, events, locations, persons, living or dead is totally coincidental. Each story is inspired by actual accounts. Copyright © 2011 by Sheldon R. Smith.
All biblical passages are in reference to the New International Version Bible with the exception of “John 3:16” which is taken from the Living Bible.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, TODAY'S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by Biblica®. Used by permission of Biblica®. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
This is dedicated to all who have ever wanted something and honestly believed that if they acquired it, it would bring happiness in their life. This is for the kid sitting in the bleachers at a basketball game and wishing that he could be an NBA star on the court imitating his favorite NBA player. This is for the woman who is flipping through the magazine and viewing all the celebrities that grace the stage of Hollywood while she says to herself, “It would be nice to be in Hollywood as a star.”
This is for the man or woman that says, “I know there’s a better life than this one.” This is for the janitor who spent twenty years cleaning and dreaming of the day when he didn’t have to clean anymore. This is also for the factory worker who has spent over half of his or her life working to the bone and still feels like he or she is getting nowhere. This is for the single parent who desires everyday that their kids would be able to wear better clothes, shoes, and enjoy being around their peers because they know that they are experiencing the best that life has to offer.
These people that I speak of vary and come from all walks of life. Some are famous and successful while others don’t have a dime to their name and live in poverty on a daily basis. Their color scheme is not limited because it affects the black, white, brown, and other colors. Their ethnicity does not matter because it covers the Asian, Japanese, Chinese, American, and other descendants. The age bracket doesn’t matter because it is experienced by children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly.
This one thing that everyone who’s anywhere has attributed to them is called a dream. It doesn’t matter whether it’s lived out, almost lived, not quite there yet, or not thought to happen, everyone has the capability to dream. The subject of dreaming is so vast. There have been many men and women who spend countless hours researching this topic. In this little book, we’re going to look at several facets of dreaming. My purpose for writing this is to give you the opportunity to take the information presented and use it to live out your dream regardless of what it may be.
There are many definitions of the word “dream”, but I’ll give you mine so that you can keep it in mind as we flow throughout this book.
The Sheldon Smith definition of a dream is:
A desired longing aspiring from an imagined state of: 1) personal fulfillment;
2) satisfaction; and 3) achievement, these being embedded inside of you and
are waiting to be released out of you to reach a manifested end.
It may sound complex but it’s not. Each and every person has these three components as foundational factors to make up what we call a “dream”. Personal fulfillment, satisfaction, and achievement are factors that a dream builds upon. As you read through this book refer to this definition, and keep your dream in mind. There are five different aspects that we will build on as stages for a dream to flourish. We will also make references to the key element and supreme foundation to living out all of your dreams.
So stay attuned and journey with me as we dream…
DESIRE
Let’s start our subject of what a dream is by talking about the first element and that being “desire”. We’ll define a desire as a strong and deep longing, or wishing for something. When you dream, there is a longing to accomplish something or experience it in life. It doesn’t matter whether that desire is passive or fervent at the time; a dream still begins with a desire.
Many times the things that we wish to obtain in life are things that we feel will give us peace of mind, security, satisfaction and a list of other expressions. We want better and we want to be happy to enjoy the amenities of life and there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, Creator wants us to enjoy the best that life has to offer. Creator is someone important and we will see the role he plays later on in this book.
So harness that desire. Don’t back down from it because you feel that you’ll never have it or you feel maybe it’s not alright to have. No, embrace it. Life and that which you wish to obtain in it was made for you to enjoy. Find that dream, look at it and say to yourself, “I can have this. I can live my dreams!” Creator, as a matter of fact, created and gave birth to dreams because he desired things as well. Go outside and take a look at the sky and the array of color schemes an evening sky and sunset produces. Look at the contrasts of lights and darkness a forest of trees holds.