When I broke ground on this piece of cyber property, I could feel something shifting, something changing, something happening.

Maybe it was the wind billowing out these sails, readying this vessel for adventure.  This ship has long been in the making.  At first only a inkling in the mind’s eye of a steadfastly passionate thirteen year old girl.  Then a notebook–now worn and wrinkeld with time–filled with ideas, titles, names, questions, proposals, dreams, hopes; the pockets full of written-on napkins, scrawled-on backs of reciepts, whatever-scraps-were-handy–the drawing up of blueprints.  There were years of praying and working random yet ever so relevant jobs–the gathering of materials.  There were years of learning and training–the building of the ship.

My pulse quickened as This Front Porch, and everything with it, unfolded before me–almost taking on a breath and a pulse of its own.  Each exquisitely designed piece taking it’s place with the comfort of one settling blissfully into its destiny.  There is remarkable energy produced when a dream is becoming reality–it is a lively crackling like power over wires.

I think about the advice I was once given by my college Chaplain, Dale Cooper: “First, never stop dreaming.  Second, never stop talking about your dream…because you never know just to whom you might be talking!”  This is some of the best advice I have ever heard and I try to follow it–and people around me will most likely confirm that I will indeed talk about my dream to any–willing or unwilling–soul that will stick around to listen!

I find that talking about my dream/vision accomplishes many things:

• It allows me to keep it alive, dusted off, at the forefront of conversation, thought and action
• It allows me to evaluate areas that I have developed over time and areas that still need development
• It usually serves as a source of encouragement and inspiration to others–whether they are dreamers, or are supporters, or are not sure where they belong
• It connects me to a vast wealth of resources of books to read, people to contact, websites and organizations to research…and hopefully one day will connect me to funding!
• It reminds me what I have been uniquely and specifically called to do and it gives purpose and motivation to the in-between steps I need to take and seasons I need to experience all on the path of preparation leading up to the destination
• It allows others the opportunity to encourage and affirm not only the vision I have, but the gifts and strengths they see in me that validate me as the doer of this dream
• It provides opportunities of service for others who have a heart to work with and minister to troubled youth–I have the dream and lots of plans, but I need lots of workers too!

Just last night a friend of mine graciously indulged me in a conversation about my dream.  She listened as I described all the details and stages and the various details of each rather intricately intentional component of my dream for working with troubled youth.  Her excitement and encouragement served to stoke the fire of my vision allowing it to burn even brighter.  She told me about Ashoka, an organization that seeks out social entrepreneures who are changemakers in society and offers them–through a process of nomination and election to a fellowship–opportunities for various means of support including stipends, professional networking, and growth and development resources.

I read through the site this afternoon and again found my pulse racing.  I find my soul jumping up and down like an excited child exclaiming, “This is me!  This is me!” as I read about social entrepreneurs and about the mission of Ashoka.  I am also deeply encouraged that there are organizations equally as passionate about supporting visionaries as we are about changing the world.

What does all of this mean?  It means that my dream is dynamic, it is alive, it is stirring and moving and happening.  It means that this dream has been infused with hope and passion and love and faith from the one source from whom all such things flow: God.  It means that I can rest and have peace knowing that I am moving forward during these intermediate stages of preparation…even when I am wildly impatient!  It means that I am reminded that my Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills and that nothing is impossible with God.  It means, my friends, that I hope you will one day come visit me on a tangible Front Porch and with me, you will drink in the vast faithfulness of God to make real that which is unseen.