Going Small
Great big dreams, great big budgets, great big opportunities – America is the land of great big possibilities! Think big, plan your work, work your plan! Have you heard that before?
I love motivational speakers. I have bought their books, listened to their podcasts, bought their old school CDS, and dare I say it? Tapes!!! I love to think big and plan and work and see it happen!
But what happens when it ends up being small?
The RSVPS come in, but the bodies don’t show up? Or the RSVPS are ignored altogether?
The ideas were big but the follow-through was non-existent?
Volunteers signed up and trained but got sidetracked by life and never could work?
Guess what? If it was easy, they wouldn't need us!
Two things I have learned that have helped me when the “small” tried to kick my big dreams down:
1. Write your dream down and look at it – a lot.
Look at it and read it to yourself when the client says no, when the volunteer backs out, when the politics look evil, when the news is all sad – read it and remember why you are doing what you are doing.
(Habakkuk 2:2) And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
2. Celebrate the small!
You only had two show up for your get together?
Celebrate their presence and give them seconds on cake!
Spend the extra time you now have to listen to their stories – everyone has one!
Begin with what and who you have. The most important thing is to begin!
Zechariah 4:10 (New Living Translation) Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…”
Look for the small victories!
They are there, they have just been overshadowed by the disappointments of higher expectations.
And really, how can you have a big victory if you aren’t aware of and thankful for the small?
