When I Grow Up: Helping Kids Dream

The longer I do inner city ministry, the more smiles and sorrow it brings me. I celebrate the innocence of a child when I find it. I grieve the loss of innocence in a child when it's apparent they have had to grow up ahead of their time.

Last week was spring break, so I had the opportunity to spend more time with some of the children and youth than I normally would in a typical week. I took one young girl out to lunch one day. I wanted to take her somewhere that she may not normally get to go. I took her to a sit down restaurant. Her eyes were wide looking all around the room. There were TV's everywhere. I told her she could order anything she wanted. She ordered a cheeseburger. I ordered a burger as well with a little difference on the toppings. Our waiter had told me that he had come up with 1/2 of the burger (idea of toppings) and assured me it would be great.  When the plates were set in front of us, the little girl said..."How do they make it look like that?"  To me, it was nothing more than a burger on a plate, but to her, it looked like a masterpiece, the way it was plated. About half way through my burger I said, "Wow, the waiter was right, that was really good" and without skipping a beat, the little girl said, "That must have been the half he made." I just want to bottle up those moments and save them for many of these kids. It was an innocent precious and rare moment.

Later in the week I had a conversation with a young woman who expressed her interest in experimenting with dating other girls. I simply said, "What's wrong with boys?" I will never forget her response. She said, "Well at least if I date a girl I don't have to worry about getting a black eye." My heart sank. Is that what a relationship with the opposite sex had been reduced to? Not getting a black eye? 

As Glenn and I have asked some of the youth what they want to do when they grow up the answers have been something along the lines of "I'm gonna work at McDonald's, the skating rink, or six flags." (Not that it's bad, we need people to do those jobs), but what it showed me was that our kids aren't dreaming. What happened to wanting to be doctors or teachers even if it didn't happen?

We are committed to helping our kids dream and dream big. I believe that with hard work and determination, these kids can be the first in their family to go to college, or do something they really love. One of our girls likes to do hair, so I'm planning on taking her to the Aveda Institute for our birthday (we share the same one)  to get our nails done, but with the thought of exposing her to the possibility of getting trained in something she loves to do that would provide a good living. Just to simply give light to another option. Give hope for a life more than what she knows right now.

I may not come from the exact situation our kids do, but I know that I sell myself short on so many things the Lord wants to do in me, for me, and through me. I get tunnel vision and think that what I've known is what I'll always know. Or if I fail to succeed at something I set out to do, I quit, become frustrated, and eventually hopeless.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 

 “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:13

This is true for adults as well. It is never too late to start dreaming again. You are never too old to dream. Sure, there may be some physical limitations...but there is always something within reach. Don't be afraid to take a leap of faith. If you are comfortable and not being stretched in any area of your life, maybe it's time to start dreaming again.

Please pray for our kids. Pray that they will start dreaming beyond their current circumstances and that God will give us favor with designing creative ways to encourage them in their journey.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
If you were to dream big, what would you do?

Has God put a dream in your heart and you're afraid to take the first step?
If God put it there....He will give you the tools needed to accomplish it.
If you have taken the first step on a hard and winding road....don't give up.
You never know what God may have around the next bend.

For His Renown,
Morgan