Forsaken Dreams & Hidden Talents

Let me ask you this: Do you have a talent? If you answered no, then your answer is wrong. Whether it’s playing an instrument, writing, talking to people, decorating, or math, everyone has something they are good at. The God that formed us from our head down to our toes, put these inherent gifts within us for a purpose.

But so many times we look at our gifts, decide they are meager and not worth sharing, and then bury them away. Who would care about that song you’re writing, anyway? Who would like that story that’s on your heart? No one, we think, so in our fear of rejection and failure, we pull out our shovels and bury those talents, thinking they are safer locked away. 

What about our dreams? When we are little, we all have some far-out-there, big dreams. We want to be ballerinas, or astronauts, world-renowned artists, or movie stars. We play dress-up and pretend to be the things we dream of. Sometimes we truly believe that those aspirations will come true one day. But somewhere along the way, we forget how to dream. And more often than not, those big dreams we held dear as children fall by the wayside; and even those dreams that try to spring up as we grow into adults are squashed and discarded as unrealistic fantasies. 

Why? Why can’t we dream we can do big things? Why can’t we dream that we can be more than we currently are, even change the world, and actually chase after that? It’s the cares of this life and the challenging aspects of our realities that often convince us that dreams are a waste of time. But—and here’s the question that’s been weighing on me for months now—what if that dream that lives in your innermost heart was given to you by God, not to bring glory to you, but to Him and His kingdom? 

Well… That changes everything. 

If we look at our talents and dreams in that light, how can we not pursue them? Who are we to tell the Creator, “No, You’re wrong,” and move on? We have an obligation, a critical need to use what He has given us and chase those dreams, because I am convinced we will never be satisfied in life if we don’t. Far worse, our lack of obedience to God’s call to use our talents may impact us beyond this life. 

In Matthew, Jesus told a story about servants who were each given different quantities of talents (a term for money at that time), and what they did—or didn’t—do with them. 

“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:14-30‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The servant who had only one talent, instead of multiplying it as the other servants had done, buried it away in fear. And when his lord returned, the servant was cast out into darkness for failing to be a good steward of what he’d been given. 

I know what it’s like to be afraid like this. I have feared failing if I tried to pursue my dreams. I have feared rejection, people not understanding or caring about what I wanted to do. I have struggled with self-confidence in my gifts. Here’s my story…

Books are my thing. There are few things that make me as happy as a good story. At the age of fourteen I started to write a novel of my own. I quickly fell in love with writing on that scale, crafting an entire world through my imagination. A year and a half later, I typed “the end” on that very first full-length novel. I cried a little, hardly able to believe I had actually done it. I quickly began a second book, which flew from my fingers onto the Microsoft Word document over a much shorter seven month period. Then I wrote a third book in nine months. After that, I started on my fourth book… and I got stuck. I hit a brick wall in the story and wasn’t sure how to get around it. In the midst of that time, I started working, graduated high school, and started dating my husband, Austin. It was a big transition point in my life, and that, combined with my writer’s block, resulted in my writing taking a back seat. 

I tried to keep going, though. I worked on the book here and there, but the blockage in the story frustrated me more and more. I got to where I didn’t even want to try. Why try to continue this story if it wasn’t going anywhere? I feared starting something new, because I was afraid I would just get stuck again. Many nights I cried and prayed, frustrated because I felt my dream dying, felt the fear and insecurity burying my hopes of being an author one day. But nothing seemed to change. It only got worse.

Fast forward three and a half years and here I am, a year into married life. This thought of failing to use our talents has been on my heart for a while, but lately, it’s been screaming at me. Get up and do something, Ashton Elizabeth Hayes Dorow! Quit making excuses! You can do this thing! So I’ve picked up my pen again, or rather my computer keys, and have started writing a new book. This one is special, and big, and harder than anything I’ve done before, but I’m excited and I love it. 

That’s step one in my quest to use what God gave me. Here’s step two.

I have thought of starting a blog for a few years now. It’s been one of my New Year’s resolutions for at least the last two years. But of course, like everything I really want to do, it has been pushed aside. Lately though, I have seen others stepping out and chasing their dreams and it has pricked my heart. Mariah Amador, the ever-beautiful #Apostolic Instagram blogger, recently launched her own online clothing store–a long time dream of hers–and is working toward being her own #BossLady. Nicole Soto has written and self-published a book that hundreds, even thousands are raving about. Morgan Gregory, a girl two-years younger than me, started a hair tutorial account called Crowns of Glory because that’s what she is passionate about, and now she has inspired thousands. Charity Jewell Walter, the talented CEO of Dainty Jewell’s, just celebrated ten years of being in business. Over the past decade she has literally sparked a modest fashion revolution. All of the modest fashion bloggers would not be here if not for her! Ten years ago there were no modest clothing stores. Now, my Instagram feed is glutted with ads for the countless boutiques I follow. If these women, and many others like them that I admire, can pursue their dreams and use their gifts to make a positive impact for Christ… why can’t I?

These ladies have lit a fire under me. God has convicted me. I have to act. I have to take a leap of faith and just do what is on my heart. So this blog… this is me, digging up that talent I buried for too long. It may be a little rough around the edges, but it’s mine. I may not do everything right in the beginning, but what matters is that I’m doing something. I’m taking my talents, brushing the dirt from them, and offering them up to be used for His glory. I want to be able to stand before my Lord one day and hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

This brings me back to my original question. What’s your talent? What is that thing you are good at, but are afraid to share with the world? What is that dream you’ve had for so long, but think is pointless to pursue? Are you hiding what God gave you? If so, then wake up and do something, for goodness sake! Do the thing you really want to do, chase that big dream! God will bless it and help you grow that gift to impact the Kingdom. God has a plan for every one of us on this earth. If we do not let Him fulfill that plan in our lives, how many wonderful things are we withholding from this world?

This is the start of something new, exciting, and more than a little intimidating for me, so if you choose to follow my journey, I pray you will bear with me! But above all else, I pray you will be inspired as I have been. Let’s be brave together, and allow God to use us as He sees fit.