\u201cAnd we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.\u201d – Romans 8:28 NKJV<\/p>\n

https:\/\/bible.com\/bible\/114\/rom.8.28.NKJV<\/a><\/p>\n

I was having the best time of my life in college. My academics were on point and I was experiencing life. After finding out that I was pregnant, I went into hiding, I dropped classes, and it felt as though, little by little, my dreams and life were further away from what I had imagined them to be. In a matter of just seconds everything was broken down and in a mess. Life was not as I would have it.<\/p>\n

At one point, I contemplating my decision to have this kid as such a tenderoni age. I found myself in mental anguish and cried to God, \u201cMan, God I am so sorry for disappointing you! This was not really the plan.\u201d God listened. And then, He spoke to my heart.<\/p>\n

I am saving you.<\/em><\/p>\n

The audacity of this statement was almost comical- I did laugh at the moment I actually found out I was pregnant though. There was nothing about what I was going through that even remotely resembled rescuing.<\/p>\n

Hollllyyyy, I rescued you from the version of the dream you thought you needed…No worries though, I will redeem the best version of your dream.<\/em><\/p>\n

This guarantee, that God would redeem my dreams and restore my life, gave me hope that my current situation would get better.<\/p>\n

Be patient, my child, your time is coming. <\/em><\/p>\n

I know God now to be a redeemer. I have experienced his goodness front and center. First, he redeemed my story of shame and academic setbacks and used my graduating college and pharmacy school to reach other women and single mothers. Today, after endless dating life escapades, I can tell you that he has redeemed my dream for a God-given husband and family to be restored. On May 2, 2015, I was married to a marvelous man (with a handsome son) who is an amazing, caring, bonus father to my beautiful daughter! In February of 2016, we had a sweet baby girl together who has brought so much joy to our home. This birth is followed by the births of our daughter and son in 2017 and 2019. We are now a family of seven! I cannot believe it!<\/p>\n

I love the story of David, because it\u2019s a story of a dreamer who trusted God, even when it appeared that trials after trials were testing his dreams. He was a man on the run, his wife given to another man, his family displaced, he was surrounded by disgruntled men and he was sought after to be killed. Even through all of this, God was with David. Ultimately, he was a man after God\u2019s own heart and it allowed him to rise above his circumstances, achieve the dream and ultimately be crowned king! God used every single bit of David\u2019s life for good! God fulfilled the dream.<\/p>\n

I would not have blamed David for being tempted to give up the dream after all that he went through. Instead, he stayed steadfast and faithful throughout all of his seasons and circumstances, allowed God to use him, and kept chasing down his dreams. He was one of the greatest kings in Israel. \u201cWe must also grow up in our faith to trust in His direction through the dark pathways of life.\u201d -1 Samuel 23:6, 12-14.<\/p>\n

Today, I am here today with four degrees in hand and 1 on the way and I am forever grateful for this opportunity. I, together with my husband, are building an empire, building a legacy and taking advantage of the second chance (or many chances) given to us by God. And you know what, He\u2019s not done with me yet.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know what you are going through. I don\u2019t know what kind of trials or tribulations that you have gone through to get to this point. But I do know this\u2014God will follow through with your dreams in His timing. He is faithful. As you keep dreaming, keep trusting, keep working, keep persevering and your dreams will come true. And that\u2019s on God.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus\u201d -Philippians 1:6.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cAnd we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.\u201d – Romans 8:28 NKJV https:\/\/bible.com\/bible\/114\/rom.8.28.NKJV I was having the best time of my life in college. My academics were on point and I was experiencing life. After finding out that …<\/p>\n

Dreams Deferred, Not Denied<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":568,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,20,19,23,22],"tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life-ish","category-marriage-ish","category-mother-ish","category-wellness-ish","category-work-ish"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/iamgoalden.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Title-3-web_r4a4890-1-scaled.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/iamgoalden.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/iamgoalden.com\/feed\/podcast\/agoalden-star","embedCode":"

Dreams Deferred, Not Denied<\/a><\/blockquote>