chasing dreams

Letha and I are investing some time in a young leader who has what it takes to do something only a select few courageous people manage to do. She is abandoning a secure job to pursue her passion.

It was been fascinating to watch it unfold. It started years ago when she began going on short-term missions trips. She was a part of a couple of teams we led. She engaged, on a deep level, with those she was going to serve. You could tell that she was in a process. A few years went by and this leader began to feel increasingly restless and dissatisfied with her career. She worked long hours with increasing responsibility but she wasn’t fulfilled by her employment.

Finally, she had enough. After some strategic planning, she gave her notice at work, much to the dismay of some of her employers. She walked away from a good paycheck, leadership responsibilities and the hopes of advancement. She no longer has her job, but she is now free to pursue her passion. By the way, her passion doesn’t pay very well – actually nothing at all – she will need to raise her own salary. And there are no benefits. And she has to start this entire thing on her own.  But she is very happy. And she is full of dreams.

I say, kudos to anyone with enough guts to go with their heart! We celebrate this young leader. We think she is a world-changer in the making. We could be wrong – she could fail miserably. She may give this a shot for a few months and come up flat broke.  But I don’t think so. Either way, she has more courage than 99% of the people I know. Succeed or fail, it can never be said of her that she was afraid to chase her dreams.

Are you chasing any dreams?

(picture from Monte Rico, Guatemala, April, 2010.)