Hold on to Your Dream
A helium balloon is like a dream, we hold firmly, or tie it down because we realize taking it for granted will cause it to fly away.
Kobe Yomada shares in chasing your dreams, “No one is going to hand your dream to you. You must work for what you want. When you strive earnestly and consistently for a dream, you become the person capable of reaching it. The harder you work, the closer you get, Grab firmly to your dream and hold it tight.”
Here is the connection:
1. Dreams Require Intentional Effort
Just like a helium balloon naturally rises if left alone, our dreams will drift away without conscious action. Understanding this teaches us that passion must be paired with persistence. Dreams don’t come true by accident; they must be actively pursued and protected.
2. Taking Dreams for Granted Can Lead to Regret
The image of a balloon slipping from your hand is a powerful symbol of lost opportunity. If we fail to value and secure our dreams, we may one day realize we let go of something that truly mattered. This reminds us to stay present and purposeful with what we want most.
3. Chasing a Dream Transforms You
Yamada emphasizes that in working hard for a dream, you become the kind of person who can achieve it. This understanding helps us see that the journey itself—filled with growth, discipline, and resilience—is just as meaningful as the destination.
Three tools to help monitor your dreams:
1. Dream Tracker Journal (Supports: Dreams Require Intentional Effort)
What it is: A simple weekly or monthly journal where students or participants record their goals, the steps they’ve taken, challenges faced, and progress made.
How it helps:
- Encourages consistent effort
- Builds self-awareness and ownership of progress
- Reinforces the habit of being intentional with time and actions
Example Prompt: “What small step did I take toward my dream this week?” or “What can I do tomorrow to move closer?”
2. Anchor Reminder Card (Supports: Taking Dreams for Granted Can Lead to Regret)
What it is: A physical or digital card with a meaningful quote, image (like the balloon), and a personal dream written on it.
How it helps:
- Acts as a daily visual cue to stay focused
- Helps avoid drifting by keeping the dream “tied down” with intentional thought
- Strengthens commitment through repetition
Bonus Tip: Encourage students to post it where they’ll see it every day—like a mirror, notebook, or phone screen.
3. Growth Reflection Circles (Supports: Chasing a Dream Transforms You)
What it is: Small group or paired conversations every month where participants share how they’ve grown while working toward their dream.
How it helps:
- Builds community and encouragement
- Reinforces that setbacks and effort are part of transformation
- Shifts focus from just “achievement” to “development”
Guiding Question: “How have I changed while chasing this dream?”
What does God have to say:
1. Philippians 3:13–14 (Paul’s Focused Pursuit)
“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Connection:
Paul paints a picture of intentional, focused effort—he lets go of distractions and past regrets and holds tight to his spiritual calling. Like the balloon, if he didn’t “press on,” the goal would drift out of reach. His dream wasn’t handed to him; he pursued it with discipline and passion.
2. Joseph’s Dream (Genesis 37–50)
Summary:
Joseph received dreams from God as a young man, but betrayal, slavery, and prison followed. Despite hardship, he held on and walked through each season with faith and integrity. Eventually, he rose to power in Egypt and fulfilled the purpose his dream foretold.
Connection:
Joseph’s story shows that dreams require endurance. If he had let discouragement or bitterness “release the string,” he may have lost the very dream that shaped him. His dream transformed him first, then saved nations.
3. Habakkuk 2:2–3 (Vision and Patience)
“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time… If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”
Connection:
This passage teaches the importance of clarity, intentionality, and holding on even when it takes time. Like tying down a helium balloon to keep it in sight, writing the vision helps anchor it so we don’t lose focus in discouragement.
Reflection:
1. Am I holding tightly to my dream, or have I let it drift because of fear, distraction, or discouragement?
- Reflect: Have I become passive about something I once cared deeply about? What would it look like to grab hold of it again?
2. What small, consistent steps am I taking right now that show I’m serious about pursuing my dream?
- Reflect: Dreams aren’t built in a day. Are my daily habits aligned with where I say I want to go?
3. How is the journey toward my dream shaping me into someone stronger, wiser, or more faithful?
- Reflect: Instead of only looking at results, how can I celebrate the growth I’ve experienced just by choosing to stay committed?