God Size Dreams

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One of my heroines of the faith stepped into heaven this week.  Perhaps you have never heard of Ann.  She was a college dean of women, a marathon runner, a singer of songs and a dreamer of dreams.

Ann wrote books that changed my life when I was just a college girl myself.   Her books, although simply written, were heartfelt and stirring.  Ann helped me develop my belief that we serve a BIG God to Whom nothing is impossible.

Have you ever read …

“I’m Out to Change My World!”

“I Love the Word Impossible!”

“I’m Running to Win!”

“Yes!”

When Ann finally got married at age 35 to a potato farmer from Idaho, she wrote the book,

“I Gave God Time!”

Ann and I both walked the long and lonely road of infertility and God answered both of our prayers.  Ann adopted 4 little boys, fed them ice cream cones, raised them on a potato farm with her husband, Will, and sang the songs of life to them.  After Ann adopted these 4 miracle boys, she wrote another book,

“And With the Gift Came Laughter!”

Ann’s spirit was contagious and her love for Jesus was all-consuming.  When I was 20 years old … I wanted to BE Ann Kiemel.  But God made me Carol.  Ann and I each had our own races to run and although they intersected at times … she was she and I was me.

If Ann’s life taught me anything at all, it was that we serve a BIG God and that He puts dreams in the hearts of His children.  Your dream is NOT the impossible dream because you serve a God to Whom nothing is impossible!

All you have ever prayed about … longed for … asked for … and dreamed about is possible because you serve a God Who is big enough to pull it off!

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“Now to Him Who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we or think according to the power that works within us!” – Ephesians 3:20

God is capable of accomplishing far more than you or I could ever ask for or imagine!

You can never out-dream God!  I dare you!!

The Cistine Chapel started out as a dream …

Disney World started out as a dream …

Flying in a man-made contraption started out as a dream …

The cure for polio started out as a dream …

The end to slavery started out as a dream …

Women getting the right to vote started out as a dream …

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Your biggest, most gargantuan dreams pale in comparison to God’s tiniest, most miniscule dreams for your life!

“… according to the power that works within us …”

Paul’s God … and Ann’s God … is your God!  You and I have the same power that my heroine, Ann Kiemel Anderon, and the apostle Paul shared. 

In honor of Ann today, I am stirring up my dreams again.  I am making a bucket list of things that might seem stamped “IMPOSSIBLE!” but God looks at and says with a grin, “Yes!!  We can do that!!”

It’s time for you to dream again and to stir up the gift of God within you!

Stretch your thoughts … increase your delight in Him … enlarge your desires … multiply your prayers and petitions to the utmost

You honor God when you dream big dreams!  You honor God when your prayers are unrealistic!  God never thinks that a child of His is being presumptive in prayer … most of us are guilty of asking for far too little!

Whatever we ask … or even think to ask … our big God is able to do more … exceedingly, abundantly more!

You and I have been joined to Someone Who is more powerful than you or I have ever begun to imagine!

This was Ann’s prayer when she became a youth director in the inner city of Boston.  Today … let’s allow it to become our prayer as well …

"Jesus, You called me.

i am nothing

but You are everything

and i only make one request --

that You do things

so big

so unusual

that people will be able to look on

with such a sense of awe

and say it is too wonderful--

only God could have done it."

Ann Kiemel Anderson … thanks for dreaming big dreams and praying big prayers. 

Thanks for singing your song and running your race.  Thanks for saying a resounding “YES!” to God.

And Ann … just so you know … you really did change my world.

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Carol McLeod
Carol says, “I am just a girl who is head over heels in love with Jesus ... passionately addicted to His Word ... and find all of the joy that I need in time spent in His presence." Carol is a Christmas-aholic, loves ACC basketball and the beach! Like all menopausal women, she is overly fond of chocolate and enjoys a good read. She doesn't like cleaning her house and is an expert in carry-out dinners. She hates to shop … loves to jog … and somehow finds time in her busy life to hang out with small children. She is the kind of woman that you could laugh with over lunch, cry with over disappointment and shout with over a victory! But … if you need her official bio … read on! Carol is an author and popular speaker at women's conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. She also hosts highly successful Just Joy! outreaches. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. Carol has written three books, "Holy Estrogen!", "The Rooms of a Woman's Heart" and "Defiant Joy!" which was released by a subsidiary of Thomas Nelson. Her teaching DVD, "The Rooms of a Woman's Heart", won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award, for excellence in religious programming. Carol has also been featured on YouVersion (the smart phone Bible app) with several devotionals, including: "For the Journey Set Before Him", "Jolt of Joy", and "Joy to YOUR world", " Carol has a daily radio program, "Defiant Joy! Radio" which is available in several national markets including Youngsville PA, Warren PA, Buffalo NY, Roanoke VA, Norfolk VA, and Nashville TN.  A 1977 graduate of Oral Roberts University with a degree in Music and English, Carol has the distinction of being both the first Women's Chaplain and the first woman to speak at the university's Vespers.  Carol currently serves on the ORU Alumni Board as chaplain.  She is married to her college sweetheart and love of her life, Craig, who serves as senior pastor of Life Church, a church near Buffalo, NY.  Craig and Carol have been happily married for nearly 37 years and are the parents of five children and three delightful daughters-in-law. Craig and Carol are thrilled with the joy of being grandparents to five precious grandchildren! Carol has written three books, "Holy Estrogen!", "The Rooms of a Woman's Heart" and "Defiant Joy!" which was released by a subsidiary of Thomas Nelson. Her teaching DVD, "The Rooms of a Woman's Heart", won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award, for excellence in religious programming. Carol has also been featured on YouVersion (the smart phone Bible app) with several devotionals, including: "For the Journey Set Before Him", "Jolt of Joy", and "Joy to YOUR world", " Carol has a daily radio program, "Defiant Joy! Radio" which is available in several national markets including Youngsville PA, Warren PA, Buffalo NY, Roanoke VA, Norfolk VA, and Nashville TN.  A 1977 graduate of Oral Roberts University with a degree in Music and English, Carol has the distinction of being both the first Women's Chaplain and the first woman to speak at the university's Vespers.  Carol currently serves on the ORU Alumni Board as chaplain.  She is married to her college sweetheart and love of her life, Craig, who serves as senior pastor of Life Church, a church near Buffalo, NY.  Craig and Carol have been happily married for nearly 37 years and are the parents of five children and three delightful daughters-in-law. Craig and Carol are thrilled with the joy of being grandparents to five precious grandchildren!
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