When Dreams Go Dry: how to live and lead when all seems lost

By Camis G Ware

When Dreams Go Dryhow to live and lead when all seems lost

If you have ever felt lost or let down in life and yet you know God has something more for you, then you are sure to find this book helpful. Join the author in an empathetic reflection on the life of Joseph. See how Joseph behaves and responds to devastating and demorali

• Language: English
• Publisher: Camis G Ware
• Release date: Nov 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9780645290219

Camis G Ware

Camis Ware lives in Esperance, Western Australia with his wife Kerry. He has over 25 years' experience of lay leadership, serving and preaching in local churches. He focusses on connecting the teaching of the Bible with everyday real life. He is dedicated to serving and encouraging the wider body of Christ, both in his locality and now further afield through this book. He holds a bachelor's degree from the Australian College of Ministries as well as Diplomas in Business and Management.

Book preview

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Before we start

CHAPTER ONE: WHO IS THIS REALLY ABOUT?

CHAPTER TWO: WHEN THINGS SEEM FINISHED BEFORE THEY START

CHAPTER THREE: RIGHT OR WRONG?

CHAPTER FOUR: WHAT TO DO NOW?

CHAPTER FIVE: WHEN TEMPTATION COMES

CHAPTER SIX: HAVE YOU LEFT ME?

CHAPTER SEVEN: WHAT ABOUT ME?

CHAPTER EIGHT: WORTH THE WAIT

CHAPTER NINE: WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. OR DOES IT?

CHAPTER TEN: A BIGGER PICTURE

Before you go

About the Author

Reviews

Foreword

When Dreams Go Dry, by Camis Ware, is a book that is carefully and intricately woven to portray God’s Word in a way that reveals the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

What you take away from this book will depend on the time and consideration you give to reading and reflecting on its depth and insights. This is not a book to ‘speed read’ or jump from the introduction to the conclusion. When Dreams Go Dry is meant to be read by those who are teachable and sincerely want to be used by the Lord for His highest purposes.

I have always been fascinated by the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob. Joseph’s life is one of the most powerful and inspiring biographies found in the Old Testament. So significant was Joseph’s life that the final quarter of the Book of Genesis is devoted to telling his story. In the final chapters of Genesis, we discover how God uses Joseph and shapes his character to save the entire Israelite nation from starvation and death.

Joseph’s story reveals a three-part theme that is repeated in the lives of many Biblical heroes: birth of a vision, death of a vision, and restoration of a vision. From a young age, Joseph knew that God had chosen him for a special purpose. When he shared his dreams with his brothers, it drew a predictable response of jealousy and resentment. Rather than kill him, as was their original plan, his brothers sold Joseph into slavery. This all but dashed his hopes of fame and recognition.

After coping with betrayal by his brothers, Joseph faced a new and unpredictable life in Egypt. He was forced into servitude and compelled to learn foreign customs. Sold to a wealthy Egyptian named Potiphar and wrongfully accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Joseph found himself in the Pharoah’s prison. In prison, he was soon made an overseer and distinguished himself as an interpreter of dreams.

Joseph’s gift of dream interpretation came to the attention of Pharoah, and he was miraculously promoted to the office of Prime Minister. As Prime Minister of Egypt, Joseph’s task was to steward the priceless grain supply during seven years of famine. Joseph excelled in this role, and it brought him into contact with his estranged brothers.

Faced with the choice of revenge or forgiveness, Joseph chose to forgive. His memorable words to his brothers in Genesis 50:20 reveal the depth of character shaped in Joseph through years of suffering,

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

The Story of Joseph is the canvas Camis Ware uses to skilfully paint a portrait of lessons we must learn on the path to spiritual maturity. Like Joseph, many of us begin life with a very self-centred view that it’s all about us; life is about our aspirations, our career, and success. Through time and trials, we are shaped to gradually understand that we are part of a wider picture involving God’s plans and purposes for the world and mankind.

Camis highlights the sovereignty of God in determining the course of our lives. God orchestrates events and lessons we must learn in order to fulfil the role He has planned for us.  God’s ways are above our ways. Camis recalls us to the truth of Romans 8:28, that in ‘all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to His purposes’. 

Our purpose here is not to give a detailed synopsis of the book but to reflect on its authenticity and value to you as a reader. Camis Ware has crafted an insightful book that challenges the reader to consider where we are and how we respond to real-life situations based on the life of Joseph. This book is brilliant! When Dreams Go Dry is an excellent, helpful, and insightful resource to position yourself and your attitudes to reflect the heart of God in all situations. 

Dr John W McElroy

Director, Southern Cross Association of Churches

Perth, Australia

Acknowledgements

Dad and Mum for their example of living by faith and obedience to God. Dad’s depth of teaching and its grounding to real life provided me with a strong Biblical foundation.

My wife Kerry and children Rebecca, Mitchell and Lauren for your role in helping me to walk out my faith. I haven’t always got it right—thank you for loving me anyway.

Noel Barnes and Andrew Johnson, for the years you walked with me while I studied my degree and for providing me with opportunities to practise church stuff. Your friendship and support meant a lot and helped me through those formative years.

Dean Smith, John Bayly and Ann Green, past and present leaders of Esperance Christian Family Church who trusted me and provided me with opportunities to grow my teaching abilities.

To my great mate Trevor Boyd, your friendship, support and our deep discussions have been refreshing.

Maya Krayneva for her encouragement, guidance and input through the process of getting this book off the ground.

John McElroy for generously writing the Foreword. I always appreciate your wisdom and genuine care.

Before we start

I had a dream. Not a dream anywhere near the social magnitude of the one that Martin Luther King Jnr. had, but as far as I was concerned, it was my destiny. Perhaps you will note the past tense used—I did have a dream.

I can still clearly remember the utter devastation and bitter disappointment I felt when I was denied ‘the one and only’ opportunity to progress my journey toward that dream. Denied by the very ones who, I felt at the time, should have supported me the most—my parents. Perhaps, this experience drew me to the story of Joseph, who also had dreams which seemed to have been denied by members of his family.

I was only fifteen years old at the time, and my dream was to play in the National Basketball League. Basketball was my life. It was where I fitted socially, and it made me feel that I had a purpose in life. All I could think about was basketball. All that I did was basketball related. Every spare moment I would practise, practise, and practise. My bedroom was decorated with posters of my heroes from the Perth Wildcats. I could not wait to watch the next game, preferably live if possible. But also on television, even if it meant recording it on our VCR to watch later.

I felt I was good enough, with some professional guidance to make it to the big league. I even remember practising my signature and autographing my own shoes in preparation for when I made the big time. The time came when I could try out to make the under 16 regional team, which, if successful, would expose me to experienced coaches and other teams in the metropolitan competition. I had it all planned out. I would make the team, improve even more, be selected for the state team, and I would be well on my way to my dream.

This all came crashing to an end when my parents found out that the tryouts and subsequent games were to be played on Sunday nights. My dad was a pastor at a church that had Sunday night services. His role and his convictions at the time about playing sport on Sundays, led to my parents not being able to support me by attending the games or by allowing me to even attend the tryout. I was crushed. I remember crying on my bed for what seemed like hours as I realised my ‘one and only’ opportunity to progress toward my dreams had been robbed. I am still surprised that this decision did not cause me to turn away from the faith and the church.

Since my dream was dashed over the last 30 plus years, my parents have often asked if I am scarred by their decision. I am sure they feel some sort of heaviness about their decision. It was a memorable moment, but I do not hold it against them. Life has turned out pretty good for me, regardless.

Through my own experience and observing others, including Joseph, I have learned that life rarely works out exactly how we hoped or planned it would. Sometimes things get worse before they get better, while other times life just seems to keep getting further from where we wanted to be. When these times come, it can be easy to give up hope and give up on life. During these difficult times, we can question whether it is all worth the effort and whether there is any point in pressing on with any sort of passion and energy.

Some of you might be familiar with Joseph, the boy from the back blocks of Canaan who made it big in Egypt. You might know him from that school play you were in for the end of year presentation for first grade, or the eighth, called Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Coat. (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, 1967.) You may have been fortunate enough to see the professional productions of the same or one of many amateur ones. If you are a Country and Western fan, you may have heard the reference in Dolly Parton’s song and album of the same name Coat of Many Colors. (Coat of Many Colors, Dolly Parton, 1971 RCA Victor.) It is a classic ‘rag to riches’ story where a poor shepherd boy became prime minister, eventually, of the richest nation in the known world at the time.

Anyway, if you have not heard the original Joseph story, it is found in the first book of the Old Testament, called Genesis in our English Bibles. His story starts in Genesis Chapter 37 and finishes at the end of the book in Chapter 50. Yet, as much has been sung and danced and acted and written about him, how well do we really know Joseph, and when was the last time you really took a deep dive into the reasons behind what we would loudly proclaim as his success?

I preached a series on the life of Joseph, and I grew to understand that his story and the choices he made on his way to success are quite helpful insights for us. This book contains ten lessons from Joseph’s life, which, if put into practice, can help us both achieve the most out of our endeavours and make a positive difference to those around us, even when things are not really working for us.

Using the example of Joseph, we discover that we can still find meaning and purpose for our life in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. You will find character traits and attitudes to implement that will set you up for the greatest chances of success. Even if the success you have in mind never comes, you will still have lived a life worth living. If you are familiar to some degree with Joseph, be prepared to see his life from a unique perspective as I ‘read between the lines’ in order to make his story and his struggles relatable and consequently helpful to us when our dreams go dry.

To get the most out of this book, please ensure you read and reflect on the Bible references as and when directed. I trust you enjoy this book and are challenged by the thoughts and questions, so many questions.

Enjoy.

Camis

CHAPTER ONE: WHO IS THIS REALLY ABOUT?

The story of Joseph begins with him as a boy, being very, if not overly, confident about his future being bright. Little does he know of the hardships, the disappointments, and the devastation he will soon encounter. His dreams will seemingly disintegrate before his eyes and be replaced with his worst nightmare. Somehow Joseph finds the resilience and fortitude to make the best of whatever despairing situation he repeatedly finds himself in. How does Joseph even find the will to live when his dreams go dry?

Joseph’s Family

Let’s start our journey with Joseph by discovering where he came from. Not where he was geographically located, at this stage, but with his family. Why would we begin with his family? Well, because often we think that our future is determined or limited by our family or our fortune or, as in most of our cases, the lack of fortune.

Often what we consider normal is the limit of our reality, and for Joseph, I believe this was the case too. Joseph could not see that God’s destiny for him was going to be bigger than his dreams and more than he could imagine, regardless of his foundations and regardless of how things look at any particular point in time.

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