Chapter 9: Dream Factory

Hey SIS!

So, this is my second time doing the 40 day Prayer Challenge. The first time, I was led to do it in September of 2013. Five months ago, on (Day 8) I asked God to give me "God Ideas." When I prayed this prayer, I didn't ask God for anything specific, I just knew that I no longer wanted to have "Chantele ideas." In less than 24 hours, on the morning of (Day 9), God woke me up at 6:34am and gave me the name for the non-profit organization that He wanted me to start. He gave me my God idea! The scripture reference for Day 9 is 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) -We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. It was mind blowing, so I took the thought captive and immediately wrote it down and began to pray over it.

I prayed for it and I expected Him to do it but I was so AMAZED! I was amazed because when I asked God for ideas I knew he would answer but I didn't expect it to be to this magnitude. At the time, I had no desire to start a non-profit, the thought never even crossed my mind. But that's why God is God and He say's in Isaiah 55:8-9 “(NIV) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." God's ideas, thoughts, and plans are bigger than ours. We serve a BIG God, who gives us BIG ideas so that He can bring them to pass and get the Glory.

Mark Batterson said, "Never to underestimate the power of a single prayer" and that is SO true! Never underestimate the power of your prayers. What you ask God to do, He will do, but don't expect it to always come in the way that you expect it to.  In the book, Batterson prayed that his coffee house would be a Dream Factory. A dream factory is a place where God gives you dreams. I believe we are that place and God wants to manufacture dreams inside of us. I encourage you to revisit those dreams you may have put on the back burner or you have forgotten about. I encourage you to dream again!

God gave me the idea to start my non-profit, "Keeping The Christ In Christmas" on September 7, 2013. In less than 4 months, He gave me the strategy and resources to implement it on December 25, 2013. Through one "God Idea", we were able to distribute 200 winter survival bags and 100 hot breakfasts to those in need. God is amazing!!!

Say this prayer:

Lord, I come before You lifting up Your name and thanking You for who You are in my life. I thank You for having huge plans for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future. Lord, I ask that You take the limits off of my mind and way of thinking. Give me a new mindset, help me to think as you think and see how you see. Lord, I just thank You right now for Your will being done in my life and I pray that my will lines up with Your will. I pray for not only my desires but for Your desires. I ask that You will help me to trust and not question Your plans, even when I don't understand them. Help me not to lean on my own understanding. I thank you for Your perfect will being done in my life. I thank You, in advance for all the ideas, dreams, and witty inventions that You have placed on the inside of me; I ask that You birth them out of me, Lord. I pray that I will not allow fear to hold me back from acting on the ideas, dreams, and witty inventions that You give me. Lord, I know that whatever You give me to do, You will bring to pass. Therefore, I don't have to worry about the "How" ,I just need to focus on the "When." I thank You that I am the dream factory and I declare and decree that many great things will come forth out of me. Lord, I give You all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise. I thank You in advance for what You are about to do in me. In Jesus name, Amen!

Post Written By: SIS Chantele