Q&A with Nick Nilson, author of “You Can Live the Dream”
1. How do we push past fear, even if it is valid, and take a leap of faith?
“It’s so important to remember that we walk by faith and not by sight. When you can’t see even two steps ahead, it takes immense courage and strength to take the next step. It can be easier to go back or to stand still. Moving forward is never easy. There’s always resistance. There’s always uncertainty. There are always obstacles. You will have to trust God even when you can’t trace Him. I want to encourage you to step out and do it afraid. Don’t wait for the feeling of fear to go away. DO IT AFRAID. Don’t be concerned with taking a leap of faith, focus on just taking a STEP of faith. Psalm 37:23 says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly”. Notice that He doesn’t direct your stance; He directs your step. If you’ve prayed, planned, and are as prepared as you can possibly be, then it’s time to step out in faith to find out if it’s really God leading you. Don’t panic. God is big enough to get you back on track if you happen to misstep. No one gets it right the first time every time. I certainly don’t. Just remember, your step, as insignificant as it may feel or seem in the moment, has the potential to change the trajectory of not only your life, but the lives of many around you. Your step of faith can give others the permission to step as well.”
2. What do you mean by changing our perspective?
“Today, you may not have all you want, but you have to realize that what you have is enough. Change your perspective on what you have. I read a story about a man who spent his life barely getting by and died in abject poverty. After the funeral, some of his family members went to his run-down apartment to gather his belongings. They took a few things they wanted and decided to arrange a garage sale to get rid of his leftover belongings, including an old painting he had had for many years. Someone at the sale bought the painting and took it to an art expert to learn more about it. It turned out that it was an original painting from a renowned artist in the 1800s whose artwork was highly sought after. That painting was eventually put up for sale at an art auction and sold for three million dollars. The man had lived a destitute life because he didn’t know what he possessed. As with this man, you can be missing out on the life God designed for you because you don’t realize the value that you carry and possess. The painting didn’t look like much to the man’s family members, so they sold it for next to nothing. What made this painting valuable wasn’t who owned it or where it was located. What gave it immense value was who painted it. Because of who your Maker is, you are valuable. You have been carefully created by the Master Painter. You are full of purpose, destiny, and potential. You have the fingerprints of God all over you. You are a child of the Most High God. That is who you are, that is whose you are, and that is what you carry. The best thing you can give your future is a healthy, content, unashamed you.”
3. Can you talk about the inspiration for the title?
“‘Livin’ the dream’ is a commonly used cliche, one that I and many others use. It’s usually used to describe a set of achievements, milestones, or experiences–things that we hope produce joy, peace, happiness, and contentment. But often the daily grind distracts us from that contentment. You don’t have to live long to discover those things are good, but they can’t completely satisfy you. You don’t have to wait for those things to happen in your life to experience joy, peace, and satisfaction! My book offers help on how to change your perspective to experience the hoped-for outcomes of dreams TODAY!”
A National Bestseller!
Start living the life of your dreams today with the help of this inspiring guidebook from the Associate Pastor at Lakewood Church as he shows how to stop delaying and start enjoying the life you have right now.
Nick Nilson, Associate Pastor at Lakewood Church, offers a different approach to overcome these challenges: a change of perspective. What if we stopped focusing on what we lack, and instead focused on what we do have, and the possibilities our life currently offers us? What would change if you truly believed that God was in the middle of your troubles, disappointment and heartache and actually working all things out for your good!? Imagine if your dream wasn’t a destination you chased , but a mindset you chose?
You Can Live the Dream outlines how readers can harness the power of perspective in every aspect of their lives. Recognizing that you don’t have to wait to live the dream, you can live your dream now.
