Dreams are weird. I think most of us can relate. Who hasn’t had a dream that was so bizarre you could never invent it if you tried? Sometimes they reflect our hopes and desires, sometimes our worries and fears, and sometimes what we ate for dinner. I don’t know about you but every once in awhile, I have dreams that seem… different. More meaningful. You can call that fate or coincidence or God speaking or random nothingness or whatever you like, but they are special.
I was recently reminded of one of those dreams. I tend to be more reflective this time of year and that led me to look at some old journal notes. I stumbled across a dream that I had written down on Dec 31, 2015 because it felt like one of the “more meaningful” variety. It seems somehow appropriate for Old Year’s reflection and New Year’s goal setting so I thought I’d share it here. I hope that it helps you decide on what you want to achieve or, more importantly, who you want to be in the year ahead. Remember, this is a recording of a dream so take that into account as you assess the weirdness factor :)
I dreamed that I was talking with four friends about life. About what I’d learned and things that helped me live the life I wanted. The odd part is that they were all playing on a giant swing set while we talked. Go figure. Here are the four things I shared:
1. PLAY – it’s the field where new ideas are birthed and all things are
possible. What does playing look like for you? What gives you joy and makes you feel like a wide-eyed child again? Do that regularly in the new year and see where it leads you.
2. DREAM – allow God and/or your own imagination to bring visions to your mind and heart. Dream big dreams. What are you passionate about? What would you attempt if you knew you wouldn’t fail? What would you try if you had unlimited resources? Take a few minutes to regularly let your mind run free this year. It will probably point you in some new, life-giving directions.
3. PRAY – ask God for wisdom and direction on what you should do. If the God thing isn’t for you, seek advice from others you respect on significant decisions you need to make or ideas you have. This is a smart thing to do in addition to prayer anyway. It can help you focus your efforts and avoid pitfalls in the year ahead.
4. PLAN – prepare, organize, and do the work of going after your dreams. When I lived in Michigan, we had an auto insurance acronym called P.L.P.D. I don’t remember what it stood for but I’ve revamped it for my own life to stand for Pray, List, Prioritize, Do. It’s been a helpful framework to give some direction to my goals for years.
So there you have it. Advice from a dream to consider for the New Year. Is there helpful wisdom there? I’ll let you be the judge. Whatever you decide, I hope you’ll be joining me this year as we chase the life we really desire! If you do, you’ll take another big step toward Becoming Yourself.
Giving is supposed to be a selfless act. I get it. But if you’re like me, sometimes it helps to have a little extra motivation to give. Here are three simple ways to give where you get something in return.
When I volunteer my time at 
One of my favorite jobs as my wife 
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is giving everyone in our family money that they can donate to the charity of their choice. I keep a selection of those charity requests we get in the mail and spread them on the floor. It’s so fun to watch everyone choose where they’re going to give and share why it’s important to them. One year we combined our money and bought a poor family in Thailand their own water buffalo through 
So how about it? What’s one way you can give some of your time, talent, or treasure this week? Do it because there are people all around you who could really use what you have to give. And for that extra motivation, do it because you’ll get a lot in return. If you do, you’ll take another great step toward Becoming Yourself.
For most of my life I’ve felt like I wasn’t doing enough. Not giving enough money to charities. Not spending enough time developing relationships. Not doing enough to serve others. Not working enough on my own heath and well-being. Every TV commercial showing a child in need made me feel guilty. Every article about diet, exercise or sleep habits made me feel like I was failing. Every book on relationships made me feel like I was falling short of being a good husband, father, friend, or neighbor.
These feelings led me to ask some hard questions: how do I balance all the competing demands in my life? How do I choose to live in a world where there is so much need? How do I spend my time, energy, and money? I felt overwhelmed by the “should do” lists in my life.
2. FINANCIAL – I will fund my retirement plan and give at least 10% of my income to charities I believe in.
4. SPIRITUAL – I will spend 45-60 minutes praying / reading / meditating / hanging out with God 6 mornings a week.
5. SERVING OTHERS – I will volunteer 1-2x per month at 
I’ve found that having a simple Rule of Life frees me from a lot of stress and guilt. Sometimes things that aren’t on my list come up that I feel I need to do. That’s ok. And when circumstances in my life change, I update my Rule. But having this baseline has made me happier, more peaceful, and more productive.