Do you have a dream?

I offered the question to the youngsters in Children’s Church on the Sunday prior to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I asked if they had big dreams, world-changing dreams. The Rev. Dr. King had a big dream, and it continues to create change in the world.

Do you have a dream? I received the following responses:

“I want there to be an end to bullying.”
“I want there to be more kindness.”
“Love, and no more sickness.”
“I want all families to be safe.”
“I want to clean the planet.”
“I want everyone to play together.”
“I want everyone to have fun.”
“I want parents to listen to their children.”
“I want my sister to be President.”

(If you knew his sister, you would be confident in her presidency. And, yes, her dream is to be the first woman president and the youngest president. She knows she becomes eligible for the presidency in 25 years. Her dream is to make the world less frightening for children.)

As a child, Dr. King realized the world was broken. And he realized that our God could help us grow and heal and move toward our biggest dreams.

Let’s lift our children’s biggest dreams together.

On February 5, as the sun sets around 5:45 pm, from wherever you are, with whomever wants to join you, let’s pray with our children and for our children.

Let’s pray for love. Let’s pray for kindness and an end to bullying. Let’s pray for good health for everyone. Let’s pray for safety. Let’s pray for everyone playing together. Let’s pray to vanquish all the things that frighten children.

Let’s pray for our youngest generation. Lord, show us how we can help make their dreams come true.

Let’s also lift a prayer of thanksgiving for our youngest generation. Lord, bless them with hearts and minds that continue to imagine a better world and a growing faith in You to lead them to a better world.

Soon after our class ended on that Sunday, the child who dreamed of kindness found a box of rainbow-colored rubber bands. She and a companion made friendship bracelets and distributed them. The child then made a kindness poster—featuring a heart—that I have displayed in our classroom. Every time I see it now, I lift a prayer of thanksgiving for the reminder that dreams require effort.

Photo provided by National Park Service