The Fire That Keeps Us Moving

I’ve probably watched Braveheart ten times over the years. Somehow it never loses its pull on me. Let me say upfront, I’m not endorsing the movie. It’s brutal, the violence is intense, and the history is about as reliable as a campfire story after three cups of coffee. But even with all that, something in it keeps drawing me back. Maybe it’s that rare spark of conviction. There’s something powerful when a person stands for something greater than fame or money. Whether the real William Wallace lived that way or not, the story pushes me to ask if I’m living with that same kind of fire.

This past week I stood beside several elderly people confined to hospital beds, nearing the end of their time on earth. It hit me in a way I wasn’t ready for. This last year I’ve started feeling my age a bit—aches that weren’t there before, slower mornings, thoughts that wander toward legacy. Time slips by faster than we realize. If you’re young and reading this, you probably don’t believe me yet. But blink a few times, and you’ll understand what I mean.

Venessa and I recently worked on our vision statement for our marriage. It sounds formal, but it’s really just a conversation about what we want our lives together to mean. Writing it made me realize how much I regret the seasons when I lived without clear vision and how much I’m inspired to never go back there again. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” That’s not just about leadership or direction. It’s about purpose. Without vision, the soul dries up. With vision, even pain has meaning.

This world is full of people chasing hollow dreams or carrying visions of destruction that tear others down. But we get to choose what kind of vision shapes us. Will it be one that builds, heals, and lifts others, or one that leaves ashes behind? The truth is, even when you live with godly vision, life doesn’t become easy. You’ll still face betrayal, confusion, and weariness. Jesus never promised a pain-free path, but He did promise presence and peace. “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1–2). Vision doesn’t erase the storm; it gives you something worth holding onto in the middle of it.

C.S. Lewis once said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

Augustine wrote, “Hope has two beautiful daughters—anger and courage. Anger at the way things are, and courage to see they do not remain as they are.”

Both point us back to the same truth: God gives us the gift of vision not just to dream, but to act, to love, and to stay faithful.

Here’s a thought I’ve been carrying lately:

“When your vision is anchored in heaven, even the smallest act on earth becomes eternal.” — Steven

So yes, Braveheart might be fiction, but its echo is real. Live with conviction. Keep vision alive. Because the world doesn’t need more people who exist it needs people who see, believe, and build something that lasts.