I’m linking up with the wonderful ladies at the brand new God-Sized Dreams website today, as we recap our 2013 journeys. I’d love for you to join the rest of the team over there & read what God has been doing in the lives of these brave friends.
I posted this on January 8, 2013:
I don’t know if you realize this, sweet friend, but you are loved.
When I first joined Holley Gerth and the incredible team of God Sized Dreamers at the beginning of the year, I thought I had it figured out. My dream was to encourage women through writing and speaking. I knew I was choosing a dream that others already do so well and trusting that God still wanted me there, too.
I believe that He has given me the gift of words, a heart for the broken. In a place of refinement I am becoming less of me, to make room for more of Him, and He gets the glory for it all.
I could never have known. In January, I could never have known the path this God-Sized Dream chasing would take me down, the winding hills of job loss, sorrow, insecurity, unexpected blessings, and mind-blowing surprises. My dream in January? It wasn’t really God-sized. It was safe. It was what I loved to do and would have done anyway. What God chose to do with it? Extraordinarily, extravagantly generous.
In the last year I have started a VA business, guest posted on some of my favorite sites, spoke at Allume, led webinars with Dan King, recorded a podcast with Kat Lee, moved my blog to WordPress, started a mastermind group for other VAs, helped with two conferences…and it was all more than enough.
But God had more.
In the last year my faith has grown as I relied on God to provide for my family. My heart is bigger, softer, more broken and beat up. I have been stretched thin, sifted, and put back together with just enough cracks left to let God’s glory shine through. I thought that speaking to women was the challenging part of my dream, and God has opened, and continues to open, doors to live out that piece of the dream. But He has done more.
Yesterday, I started a new job as the Editorial & Marketing Manager at (in)courage. A job that didn’t exist when I first began this God-Sized Dream journey, and one that I thought was well out of reach. A job that gives me the opportunity to encourage women every day through the work that I do, to work with a team that feels like family, and to spend more time with my family. I can see now, when I look back on the last several years, how God was preparing me for such a time as this. My experiences, the community He brought around me, the dreams of my heart, and the skills that I’ve learned have all added up to THIS moment.
God did it.
He took my “me-sized dream” and blew my mind with His answer to my prayers. A hard journey with few safe harbors and more uncertainty than security, but a voyage I would gladly take again, to know that this is just a glimpse of God’s destination for my life.
Ah! That is so awesome! Congrats, Crystal!
Thanks Amy!
Wow. Just. Wow! Tears…for you, for the promise of more in my own life. More of HIm! More of His dreams for my own journey. My own Gods-sized dreams. I’m ready!!
Praying He does more with those dreams than you could possibly imagine 🙂
Congrats on the new job! I am so excited for you and proud to know you 🙂 Can you even imagine what this year will bring?!
It’s going to be a fun one, for sure 😉
Inspiring and daring. Thank you for sharing this!
Thanks Rachelle!
Love this and all God is doing in and through you, and how He custom crafted this, from a moment that felt like failure and loss, to this moment of joy and blessing. I knew He would…and I’m so thrilled to see Him do it. I am cheering you on and giving praise and thanks to Him for how He loves us. Oh how He loves us so. xoxo
I adore you. And your beautiful voice on my Voxer 🙂 You make my life brighter!
Um, you just made me cry! What an amazing year this has been, and I.pray for a fully blessed year to rain down.on you in 2014!
Passing tissues and a hug 🙂 Cherishing that prayer & sending the same right back to you, my friend!
I am so excited for you, Crystal!! You radiate “Incourage” where ever you go! This is PERFECT for you… am I allowed to say, “I knew you back when… and we were roomies once” ? 🙂 So thankful for all the encouragment you have breathed into my life!!
Oh goodness…if I ever become someone who people say “I knew you when”…will you just smack me back down to where I belong? That first year at Allume, when we were roomies? It was part of this whole story, how God has been preparing the way for a very long time 🙂 Grateful you were part of it then, and part of it now!
“But God had more.”
Oh, how I wished I lived with this expectation every day! Your post was lovely and it has been so fun to hear about your journey! Your words of encouragement, your laughter (especially when we are touching soft sweatshirts), and your authenticity is so refreshing! I just plain adore you! XO
Oh you KNOW I love a soft sweatshirt 😉 I need more of that – and you! – in my life. Hope we get to laugh together in real life again soon!
How awesome, Crystal! Your post just makes me smile, and makes my heart fill with joy! So happy for you — and so excited, like so many others, to see what God does with His dream in you as we begin the new year!
God is on the move..not just here, or in my life, but in big ways. Can’t wait to see how He shows up for everyone 🙂
Oh, Crystal! This is so exciting! I’m so happy for you. I’m excited to watch and see what God continues to do in your life in 2014.
thank you so much Jamie!
Thank you for being real, Crystal. I am so happy with your accomplishments! Good Job! and the tenderness in which you love others who are banged up, because you fully understand! You are beautiful, and I am richer for knowing you!
I am so blessed to have you in my life, Diane 🙂 I cherish our friendship!
GIRL!!! A huge congrats. God is amazing in the ways He works in our lives.
Janelle
Amen! (and thank you!)
Jumping for joy for you! What an amazing year. Thanks for being amazing you 🙂
Jumping with you! It’s been a crazy ride…can’t wait to see what 2014 holds 🙂
reading your words just makes me smile! So happy for you and your new job! 🙂
Thanks so much Cathy!
Oh, girl…so much yes. I can’t imagine someone more perfect for this job than you! Congratulations!!! You have been such a blessing to me over the last year…your encouragement, your love and acceptance of me just as I am, and that late-night chat at Allume? Oh, I still smile BIG! Friend, I am so thankful for you, and I can’t wait to watch how He uses you! I am truly thrilled for you…and I can’t wait until our next couch chat. (Let’s bring coffee next time, though!) Love you!!!
Love it – coffee, couches, chats…all of my favorite things 🙂 Can’t wait for the next one – and cheering for YOU as God does amazing things in your life!
Love this! You’re going to shine there – all because of God and your willingness to seek him. I’m excited for you. And I’m thankful this God-sized Dream Team lead me to your words this year.
{{hug}} – this community has been the biggest blessings. So grateful to know you 🙂
This is so very exciting and the PERFECT place for you! I love how God took your plans and made them better!! 🙂 He did the same for me this year and I have been overwhelmed by the blessings of community He has brought me. Something I longed for but didn’t realize how badly I needed!! You have been a big part of that so thank you for using the gifts God gave to you to encourage and cheer….you my friend are a true gem! Hugs, Kristin
I just adore you. That’s all 🙂