Overflowing
Dream Board 2025 - photo by Elizabeth Watkins
“He restores my soul…my cup overflows.”
Psalm 23: 3, 5
Every year, the kids and I make dream boards. These vision boards serve as a sacred space for my family and me—a place where we stretch our imaginations, speak life over our futures, and lean into God’s invitation to believe for more. Some dreams are small and self-focused — rest and family time. Others are extravagant — houses and cars. We also include core values — freedom and impact.
Some years the dreams flow freely; this year, they didn’t. I still joined the kids and cut out dozens of photos, but they ended up in a disorganized stack. Despite checking off goals from last year’s board, I couldn’t muster the same excitement to design another poster. So I tucked my dreams away—literally. I picked up all the pictures and filed them in a manila folder — goals and dreams out of sight. And I quickly forgot about them.
Spring flew by! Work and home responsibilities filled each day. Then came the curveballs with my daughter’s accident and surgery. Two weeks after her surgery, our suburban gave out. The repairs cost more than the vehicle was worth. Ironically, we were memorizing Psalm 23 at the time.
“He restores my soul…my cup overflows.”
As we recited the verses each morning, I inwardly questioned the promises. “God, where’s the overflow?”
One week later — on Mother’s Day — we set out car shopping. Some of you may enjoy car shopping. I do not. Thankfully, my husband likes shopping. He also excels at researching. So, he selected three vehicles to test drive - all private sales through Facebook Marketplace. All of his choices were really nice and within the price range we agreed upon. I felt reassured by his selection.
“Since we’re shopping for cars, could you include this model?” I asked, naming a favorite. “It may not be a practical choice, but I think it would be fun.” Isaac humored me and found one to suit my request. Priced to sell, it surprisingly met our budget requirement. All four vehicles were over an hour away, so I knew the ordeal would take the entire day. We scheduled our top choice first, and I internally hoped we’d settle everything quickly.
For the day of our shopping adventure, a friend offered his in-laws’ suburban. We gladly accepted. Later on at the bank, Isaac, who rarely misplaces anything, lost the suburban key! We searched everywhere. A kind woman named Julia even joined our search. After looking for close to an hour, the in-laws arrived with a spare. As Julia said her goodbyes, she offered the kids passes to a local pool. Water fun is scarce in Colorado, so this small gift felt extravagant. My heart started to fill up.
Our unexpected delay caused us to miss our first appointment — and our top choice. Yet we continued on — to a rural location east of Denver. When we arrived dozens of exotic birds greeted us! Peacocks, guinea fowl, chickens and ducks roamed freely around the property. We immediately liked the couple and visited for more than an hour. The husband talked about off-roading adventures with Isaac while I discussed homeschooling with the wife. Unfortunately their car’s seating and storage weren’t quite adequate for our family’s needs, so we passed. Even so, the couple’s kindness felt like another gift.
Isaac mapped out directions for the last two appointments. Up next - my personal request! Similar to the last family, the car owner was so kind. To our surprise, the vehicle had more space than we anticipated. The seating and storage accommodated our family with room to spare! I immediately like the model, and the kids did too. Yet I kept quiet. I desired to make the best decision for our family. So we proceeded to our final appointment.
The final vehicle met all our needs and checked all our criteria. However it needed some repairs. After some discussion, we passed again. We piled back into our borrowed suburban and started home.
As we drove away, Isaac asked, “What did you think about the second car?” I turned to him in surprise. He was considering my favorite?
“I think the vehicle could be a good fit for our family,” I answered slowly. “It has more than enough seating for the kids — and storage space. But,” I added, “I want you to feel confident too. This isn’t just about me and what I want.”
Isaac nodded and turned to the kids. “What do you guys think?”
“The second car! The second car!” came unanimous shouts from the backseat.
“Okay, let’s go get it!” Isaac announced. I sat there in shock as he navigated back to the address.
By the time we arrived, everyone was tired and hungry. Yet the gentleman welcomed us like family, providing food and water for the kids, while he and Isaac finalized the sale. Shortly after, we all drove home. I felt dazed, my mind reeling from the afternoon’s events.
Monday morning rolled around, and the kids and I started our day. We continued memorizing Psalm 23.
“He restores my soul…my cup overflows.”
My heart felt so full.
Suddenly I remembered something. My manila folder! I jumped up from the table to retrieve the envelope of pictures. I dumped out its contents, and the kids and I shuffled through the photos together. We continued searching until I found what I was looking for. A picture of a car.
I pulled the picture from the bottom of the stack and blinked in shock.
“Mom!” The kids shouted. “It’s the car! The photo you cut out is the exact same one we just bought yesterday!”
I sat down and began to cry. And at that moment God met me. He reminded me of His overflowing, tender mercies: a friend’s borrowed car, a missed appointment that redirected our steps, unexpected kindness from strangers, and finally, a vehicle that wasn’t just a practical solution, but a deeply personal reminder that He remembers.
He remembers the dreams I buried.
He sees the things I call too small or too extravagant.
He knows what fills my heart—even when I’ve stopped believing it matters.
When we pulled out that manila folder and saw the car—the exact model, color, and design I had once hoped for—it wasn’t just about a vehicle. It was about validation. It was about love. It was about a Father who gives good gifts, not because we demand them, but because He delights in us.
The car is more than just a dream fulfilled. It is an anchor in this season. A whisper from Heaven: “I haven’t forgotten you.” A tangible echo of Psalm 23—“My cup overflows…”
So here’s what I know, deep in my bones: our dreams matter. Not because they’re flashy or perfect or even attainable, but because they’re reflections of the longings God himself placed in us.
What dreams do you have? Are you still believing, or have you filed them away like I did? I hope this story encourages you to keep dreaming.
God loves you. He sees you. And He sees your dreams. Sometimes, He even surprises us with them—months after we’ve set them aside.
I just finished my dream board—six months late. The poster board is filled to capacity — overflowing. Just like His grace.