I never knew that so much of the Chronicles of Narnia movies were filmed in New Zealand.
You can imagine how excited I was when I went to Cathedral Cove in Coromandel and saw the hole in the rock, AKA entrance to Narnia and about died as I ran through it looking for Aslan pretending I was one of the Pevensies.
Prince Caspian
Picture I took at Cathedral Cove
When I gave up on the fact that I wasn’t going to find Aslan, I thought about the movies as I ran my toes through the sand. In the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian no one believes Lucy the first time she tells them the wonderful things she’s seen in Narnia. In the first movie her siblings doubt Narnia’s existence and in Prince Caspian they give her a hard time for claiming to see Aslan when to them, he clearly wasn’t there.
In each movie it turns out that Lucy is right and she is rewarded for her child-like faith. These stories are such great symbols of life because for whatever reason, we expect little from life and believe that if it seems too good to be true, then it probably isn’t. Instead of expecting the best, we don’t want to get our hopes up for fear that we might be let down.
Let me stop right there and tell you something. This is life. You are going to be let down. You are going to fail. A lot. However, this irrational fear of being disappointed shouldn’t keep you from dreaming or hoping for the best because it says in the Bible that we will go through suffering!!
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
James 1:12
By lowering your expectations, just to protect yourself from getting hurt or feeling disappointed, you are minimizing God and limiting His power to work in your life. God is way bigger than your problems and He’s way bigger than your dreams. Jesus nailed all these worries & fears to the cross when He died in your place so you wouldn’t have to live in them. Nothing you can think of on Earth can limit Him in any way. His ability and power is beyond anything you can think of.
With this kind of a God on our side, you should be hoping for more than the best! You should be expecting the best in every situation, believing with an active faith that God will show up and do something wonderful with your life. The world is saying “don’t get your hopes up” but God is saying, “Dream bigger! Expect more! STOP LIMITING ME. I AM God.”
Lucy is able to get through the wardrobe to Narnia because she believed. When she brought Edmund with her the second time, he found nothing but a wooden wall because he didn’t believe. Maybe you haven’t experienced your breakthrough because of unbelief.
To step out of the wardrobe and into your “Narnia”, you need to have an attitude of hope and a spirit of expectation because it’s belief that opens the door.
God tells us to have a child-like faith.
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.”
Matthew 18:3-5
Just like Lucy believed she saw Aslan when no one else would believe her, you have to be strong in your faith in Jesus, even when those around you don’t believe or don’t “see Him”. They may never see Him in their lifetime, but I can guarantee you that if you stop believing and living like you can see Him, there is 100% chance that they won’t either.
It’s time to stop being an Edmund and be more of a Lucy. It’s time to approach each day with higher expectations & allow God to move and work in you. I want to have a radical faith that believes in bigger, impossible dreams and expects the best, because the God I serve is bigger than me and can do things that are bigger than me. Only through Him can I do the impossible and personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way because when I accomplish something that isn’t possible by this world’s standards, God is glorified and more people see Him.
“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Exodus 14:14
Don’t put pressure on yourself to have it all together. Put your faith in Jesus and let your hope allow Him to do an impossible work in your life. When you stop trying to be a perfect adult who has all the answers and come to God as a child, ready to be wow-ed, I promise He will wow you and exceed your expectations every time.
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26
He’s not going to take over the steering wheel though. Because He loves us so much, He allows you to choose. He waits patiently for you to unbuckle, move to the backseat and enjoy the ride.
Get your hopes up. When you expect the worst, you may as well shove yourself into a tiny box because that’s all the potential you’re giving yourself and your situation. When you expect the best, your box has no bounds and your potential is suddenly limitless because your expectation is rooted in a faith of Someone who can do the impossible.
Dreams are free, so start dreaming big ones.
Love always,
Nicole #dostuff #NewZealand #NewNicole #NewPerspective #Narnia #dreambig
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