This post was originally published on Substack on February 21, 2025. I’m sharing it here for my blog readers who may have missed it.
When Dreams Slowly Fade
I used to believe I had made peace with letting go of certain dreams. Not because I wanted to, but because I didn’t see another option.
Life moved forward.
Responsibilities piled up.
Other people’s needs came first.
And slowly, without even realizing it, I stopped believing my dreams were possible.
Some of them never fully left my heart, but they felt more like a wish than a dream—something I would love to happen but didn’t actually expect.
Others were still there, just… stuck. No momentum.
And then there were the ones I had shelved completely, stuffing them so far out of reach that I didn’t even consider them anymore.
I didn’t wake up one morning and decide to stop hoping. It just kind of… happened.
The Safer Choice—Or So I Thought
At first, I told myself I was just being practical. That I had moved on. That those dreams must not have been meant for me.
And honestly? That felt safer. It was easier to let go than to keep wanting something that felt impossible.
Maybe you’ve been there too.
Maybe there was something you used to long for—a dream, a goal, something you felt called to do.
But over time, life got in the way.
Disappointments stacked up.
The weight of everything you had to do made it feel like there was no space left for what you wanted to do.
So eventually, you let go. Not because you didn’t care. But because it hurt too much to hold on.
I get it.
But What If Those Dreams Weren’t Lost?
Here’s what I’ve come to realize:
Just because I stopped believing in my dreams didn’t mean God did.
For so long, I thought my dreams were closed doors.
That I had missed my moment.
That it was too late.But God never took those dreams away. He was holding onto them.
Waiting. Working.
Even when I couldn’t see it.
And then one day, something shifted.
I didn’t force it. I wasn’t even trying to make it happen…
Yet something was different.
I didn’t realize it right away. It wasn’t a big, dramatic moment.
But looking back, I can see it so clearly now—God was rekindling what I thought was lost.
What Changed?
The reason my dreams came back to life isn’t because I suddenly decided to try harder.
It’s not because I made a plan.
It’s not because I figured out how to make them happen.
It’s because something inside me shifted.
1. My Perspective Changed
For years, I thought dreams were something I had to force into reality.
That it was on me to figure it all out. That if I didn’t push hard enough, plan well enough, or move fast enough—those dreams would slip away for good.
But now? I see it differently.
I’ve stopped trying to control the outcome.
Instead…
I’m trusting that if God placed these desires in my heart, He will also provide the way. That shift—from self-reliance to God-reliance—changed everything.
Because suddenly, dreaming again didn’t feel like pressure. It felt like freedom.
2. My Faith Expanded
Before, dreaming felt risky.
I was afraid to hope too much—afraid that if I let myself believe, I’d just end up disappointed again.
Afraid that maybe… I was wrong to even want those things.
But something has been shifting in my faith.
I’ve been actively practicing surrender—trusting that God is good no matter what, and that His plans are better than mine.
And because of that?
Dreaming doesn’t feel like a setup for disappointment anymore. It feels like walking in faith.
I Stopped Letting Circumstances Define the Outcome
Before, every obstacle felt like proof that my dreams weren’t meant to be. If something didn’t work out, I assumed it meant the dream was over.
But now, I see things differently.
I no longer believe that circumstances determine the outcome.
God’s plan isn’t dependent on whether things work out immediately.
It’s not dictated by timing that makes sense to me.
The dreams He gives us don’t live or die based on whether something happens right now.
They’re part of a bigger picture—one that He sees fully, even when I don’t.
Why Dreaming Again Feels Scary
Even though I know all of this, stepping back into hope still feels… vulnerable.
Because for so long, I guarded myself against disappointment. It felt safer to expect less than to hope for more.
But here’s what I’m learning:
I don’t have to protect myself from hope.
Because—
- My hope isn’t in a specific outcome. It’s in God.
- My security isn’t in whether one dream happens a certain way. It’s in knowing that God is working all things together for my good.
- Dreaming doesn’t mean trying to control the future. It means trusting that God placed these desires in my heart for a reason.
Trusting that God Restores Dreams
Maybe you’re in this place too. Maybe there’s a dream in your heart that feels too far gone. Maybe you’re afraid to hope again because the weight of disappointment feels too heavy to risk.
If so, I want to challenge you with this:
Instead of asking, What if this dream doesn’t happen? try asking:
👉 What if it does?
👉 What if God is already moving behind the scenes in ways I can’t see?
👉 What if my only job is to take the next step and trust the process?
Here’s what I know now:
Your dreams are not fragile.
They don’t live or die based on whether they happen exactly the way you imagine. They are planted by God, nurtured by trust, and carried by faith.
This isn’t about forcing things to happen.
It’s about walking in step with God. Holding onto hope. And trusting that the same God who gave you these dreams will also fulfill them in His perfect way and timing.
You don’t need to wait for permission to dream.
You just need to take the first step onto the path—and trust that God will guide the rest.
Let’s Talk:
I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever felt like you had to let go of a dream? Do you feel like God is rekindling something in your heart?
Drop a comment below—I’d love to connect. 💛
With love and belief in you,
