Adventure, Faith, and the Dreams of a Little Girl
Adventure has a way of surprising us, but sometimes it’s not a surprise at all. Sometimes it’s the fulfillment of a dream planted deep inside the heart.
A couple of years ago, I sat Millie Grace down with a simple assignment: make a list of rewards you’d love to earn for helping beyond your normal chores. I expected ideas like go to a movie, grab ice cream, maybe even a manicure.
Instead, she handed me an entire page filled with adventures and dreams.
Paris. Japan. Africa.
Her little-girl handwriting carried big dreams, far beyond what I had imagined.
At first, I laughed to myself and thought, I should have been more specific. But then I tucked that list away in my heart. Because the truth is, she wasn’t asking for the impossible. She was asking for the desires God had already placed inside her.
A Surprise in Paris
Fast forward two years. My husband announced that we were joining him on a business trip to Tbilisi, Georgia, and Baku, Azerbaijan. But then came the twist: our layover was in Paris and we were going to spend a few days exploring the City of Lights.
We decided to surprise MG and told her just one week before leaving. She smiled from ear to ear and lit up with joy. Yet, honestly, it wasn’t the reaction I was expecting for such a BIG dream. She carried an air of certainty that said, “I knew it was going to happen.”
She was elated, but not surprised. To her, Paris wasn’t a maybe. It was a promise.
What My Daughter Taught Me About Faith
As I replayed her response in my mind, God whispered something to my heart:
“This is what faith looks like. You should never be surprised at the goodness of your Father to fulfill the desires I have placed inside of your heart. I am the good Father who gives good gifts to His children.”
Her confidence challenged me. How often do I treat God’s goodness like a pleasant surprise, when He’s already told me He is faithful?
MG wasn’t shocked that her dream came true. She expected it! And that expectation mirrors the kind of faith Jesus invites us into.
Adventure + Faith for Moms and Daughters
Adventures aren’t just about boarding planes or crossing oceans. Sometimes, they’re about learning to trust that God really does care about the details. Sometimes, they’re about watching our daughters dream boldly and realizing God placed those desires in them for a reason.
Adventure becomes holy ground when it’s mixed with faith.
Mama, maybe your daughter has a dream that feels too big, too far, too “out there.” Don’t dismiss it. Don’t shrink it. God is writing her story, and sometimes He uses those dreams to teach us both how to walk in faith.
Because adventure isn’t only about where we go…it’s about who we become when we trust Him to lead us.
Reflection for Moms and Daughters
- What’s one “big dream” you or your daughter have?
- How can you take a step of faith today to believe God cares about it?
- Where might God be inviting you to trust Him more in your own adventures?
