If The Dream Is In You - How Your First Dream May Be The Foundation For Your Purpose

If The Dream Is In You, It Is For You

Have you ever heard the saying, “If the dream is in you, then it is for you”? A friend and mentor, Amber Lileystrom said that several years ago to me and it has been part of my life ever since. I believe that with every part of my soul. Dreams don’t land in our hearts by accident. I believe they are placed there before we are even born. They arrive on purpose, often when we least expect them ( but at the exact right time)—and whether we choose to follow them is up to us.

But here’s something I’ve learned: Not every dream is meant to be your forever calling. Sometimes, that first big dream is simply the seed being planted for something bigger. It’s the roots taking place deep in the soil to start the growth journey we are meant to go on. The beginning. The thing that teaches you what you're truly capable of—and where you're truly meant to go.

My First Dream: A Cupcake Shop and a Heart Full of Hope

In 2013, I started a cupcake bakery out of mt mom’s kitchen. I was so sure this was my forever dream. It felt like my calling—my one big thing. And honestly? It was amazing. The business took off faster than I could have imagined. We grew rapidly, and I got to work alongside my parents and sister—something I’ll always cherish. We opened our retail location in 2015, and it was all happening so much bigger and faster than I every anticipated. I was so proud!

But as the years went by, I started to feel something I wasn’t prepared for: fatigue. I was always working in the business, never on it. I was losing the sparkle in my eye. I felt guilty even thinking those thoughts—because this was my dream! A dream so many people had supported. A dream I prayed for. How could I outgrow it? How could I possibly lose the joy it once brought me?

A Whisper I Couldn’t Ignore – But I Tried

Then one day, I heard a whisper in my heart:
“This dream is just the start.”

I knew it was God talking to me, but I had no idea what it meant. At first, I didn’t understand. The start of what? More cupcakes? Longer nights? I didn’t want more of what I was already doing—I was exhausted. To be honest, I ignored the inner voice and the whisper for a couple years, because I thought surely this isn’t right.

Everything shifted when I attended the Inspired Retreat in Nashville, TN. There, I heard two women, Amber Housley and Amber Lilyestrom, speak about burnout and evolution. They shared how their original dreams eventually paved the way for something even deeper—a purpose more aligned with who they had become. I was so profoundly impacted by hearing their burnout stories, and I had never felt more seen and understood in that moment. I felt less alone. To be honest, as I reflect back on it now, those two women sharing their stories of pivoting, finding alignment, and connecting deeply to their purpose – those were the seeds being planted for me for Farm to Heart.

And I realized: my cupcake shop was meant for me. It was a beautiful, bold beginning. It was the foundation being laid for new seeds to be planted. It shaped me. It taught me how to create, how to lead, and how to listen to the deeper call inside me.

When Dreams Evolve, So Do We

I used to think that walking away from the cupcake shop meant giving up on my dream. Now I know the truth: it was the exact dream I needed to live in order to become who I was truly meant to be.

That business gave me roots. It gave me confidence. And most importantly, it gave me the clarity to see what I truly wanted: a life that aligned with my values, my family, and my purpose.

Now, through Farm to Heart, I get to share that journey with other women—mothers, creatives, caretakers, dreamers, and entrepreneurs—those who are listening to their own whispers. The ones who know there’s more, even if they don’t know what it looks like yet. The ones ready to plant the seeds, and watch a beautiful life and business grow intentionally.

Your Dream Matters, Even If It Changes

So let me say this to you, from one heart-led dreamer to another:

If you have a dream inside you—follow it. Start messy. Start scared. Start without a perfect plan. That dream might lead you directly to your forever calling... or it might lovingly and gently guide you toward something even better.

The dream is in you because it’s for you. Even if it’s not the destination, it’s part of your life’s map. It is the beginning of a beautiful hike, one that I hope we can take together and reach the top hand in hand.

And that, my friend, is where we begin.