Many years ago I bought and listened to a teaching series by Florence Littauer. It was a special boxed set of two cassette tapes, with a green cover that had the bold title: DARE TO DREAM. Florence is so funny! One day she was driving home after a long day of shopping. As she looked into her rear view mirror, Florence was shocked. She saw wild-looking kids running hard after her car, shouting and screaming. Afraid for her own safety, she accelerated and managed to shake them off - much to her relief. Moments later, it finally dawned on Florence - those were her own kids! She brought them shopping and then completely forgotten about them.

Florence taught me one thing that would remain with me for the rest of my life: Dare to dream. As Ps. Kong Hee likes to say, "Dream big, because we serve a big God." Martin Luther King Junior's speech forever immortalized the words, "I have a dream..."

I have never forgotten Florence's words. Over the years, her message has inspired me to pursue the dreams that matter most. Many have I seen come to pass. And some I still hold on to, just waiting for the right time and season to pursue. I believe that life's true meaning hides behind the dreams that God puts into our hearts. To engage our dreams is to discover our true purpose in life. At 21 years of age, I saw a major dream fulfilled when I stepped into the full-time ministry. It has been almost 10 years now, and what a journey it has been!

One long-held dream is that I have always wanted to become a professional photographer. I guess this explains the passion I have for photography, and the sizable investment I have put into equipment! This dream is like a song in my head that just won't stop playing. When I was in college, my pastor in Shah Alam once said, "You know you own a great dream... when that dream owns you." This dream lives on... and I dare say it has 'owned' me. So you may ask, "But Mel, you are in the full-time ministry. How then are you going to pursue this dream?"

The answer to that question? It is printed on a poster that my sister Melissa gave me on my 21st birthday: