A New View of Flourishing

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive an inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 ESV

Dream big! The sky’s the limit! Reach for the moon. If you miss, you’ll reach the stars.

Most of my life, I have had these words spoken over me, and I have spoken these words over my children and students. I bought into the mentality that I had to keep achieving bigger goals and never settling for the same outcome. I was driven by climbing the ladder of professional success. Finish another graduate class, attend another training, and lead another workshop. My life was marked by a constant cycle of achievement.

But what if flourishing doesn’t always look like dreaming bigger and instead looks like intentionally making our reach smaller?

When one of our children opened our eyes to the world of hidden disabilities everything changed. It was like our world uncontrollably tipped on its axis. We had to figure out how to regain our balance. We knew there was a source to his frustrations, but it was unlike anything else we had tackled in the past. This was the first time in my life that my hard work didn’t equate to quick success.

For the last three years, instead of dreaming bigger, the Lord has patiently taught me what it looks like to dream dreams that might be smaller in physical scope, but infinitely deeper than I thought possible. Instead of chasing the full time college teaching position or taking the exciting traveling educational consulting position, the Lord clearly told my stubborn heart to make my reach a smaller circle.

It hasn’t been an easy three years, but I can honestly tell you that through embracing this smaller scope of raising our neurodivergent child and making my professional circle smaller has grown me as a believer, mom, wife, and teacher more than any of the first fifteen years of my career as a teacher combined. I now embrace children and their families with a heart of compassion, because I get what it feels like to love the unique parts of our children and while still striving to empower our children to thrive in school, church, and life in general.

Friend, in a world where every billboard shouts to “keep hustling” and “chase your dream” let me gently offer another perspective. What if we asked the Lord what He wants our hearts to beat passionately about? What might change in our lives if we fully embrace His guidance even if it seems counter-cultural?

Instead of striving to please a large audience, let’s be “all in” with the smaller circle He is calling us to. That’s where flourishing really happens.

*This post was originally shared on The Round Farmhouse Ministries Facebook and Instagram accounts on October 4. If you want to read more encouraging words like this, check out their social media accounts!