go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

This past Saturday morning I had the blessing of serving on a judging committee for the "Hero for Life" Scholarship. Four years ago, back in 2006, I was the first recipient of this reward and they had me come back and help judge this year for that reason.

The "Hero for Life" Scholarship is sponsored by Room at the Inn which is a group home in Charlotte that offers support, hope and provision to pregnant women. The scholarship is available to all youth between the ages of 14 and 18 in both North and South Carolina. This year there were 8 entrants, all of which had actively done something for the pro-life cause in order to apply for the $2,000 scholarship. 

Obviously, the award is far more about encouraging young people to be involved in the ongoing crusade for life, but it is always nice to receive a little help when you are facing the monstrosity of college bills as an 18-year-old kid, especially if mommy and daddy aren't paying your way. 

The experience was so meaningful to me because as I read through the applications and saw the passion for life and the love for the innocent that was clearly in the hearts of those young people, I was inspired and reminded of my own passion. 

It's so easy to forget what it feels like to really care about something. Life can continually feed you a stream of monotony so that you forget how amazing it is for your heart to be so moved that you can't help but cry. As I was sitting there in that room, I started to remember my passion. It's not that I had totally forgotten it, it was more just that I forgot what it felt like. I remembered how much I want to help women who are facing unexpected pregnancies and need help--a place to stay, a plan, ... and perhaps most of all, Love. I remembered how much I long to one day hear the words, "This little child is alive because you showed me there was hope." 

One of my favorite quotes was said by Henry David Thoreau. He said, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined." It is so important for us not to forget are dreams, for they are our gift from God. They give us purpose and a reason to get out of bed and live life. No dream and no passion is too big, too impossible. Keep striving to achieve the dreams in your heart, because even if you never get there, at least your life will have been full.