Many motivational speakers get hired based on their ability to inspire others toward achieving one’s dreams. Phil Vischer, founder of Jellyfish labs and creator of VeggieTales, offered advice on what to do when your dream comes crashing down. Vischer, the speaker for Sterling College’s Ross and Fern Freeman Lecture Series for Servant Leadership, addressed students, employees and guests Friday, Sept. 30.

“My dream was for impact. In particular, I wanted my stories to make the world a better place. And I wanted to use TV sets and DVD players and movie theatres to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to make America a better place. As of September 2002, all of my dreams were coming true,” Vischer said.

Vischer and his college friend Mike Nawrocki began producing VeggieTales a few years earlier, and the Bible stories for children, as told by talking vegetables, were a big hit. VeggieTales took off and eventually became the best-selling direct-to-video series of any kind, and Vischer was ecstatic that he was accomplishing his dream and began envisioning what the future might hold.

While business was growing and the world was beginning to notice the animation studio, sales unexpectedly stopped growing. The employees who were recently hired to handle the expanding business were suddenly unsupported without business growth and Vischer had to begin laying people off. Over the course of the next few years, his dream died and VeggieTales was sold.

During the time that Vischer had lost his entire dream, he heard a sermon by a family friend Richard Porter. Vischer recalled Porter’s quote: “If God has given you a dream, and the dream comes to life, and then without warning the dream dies, it may be that God wants to see what is more important to you – the dream or Him. … And once he has seen that, you may get back your dream, or you may not. And you may live the rest of your life without it, but that will be ok because you will have God.”

Vischer encouraged students to pursue God above all else and if you aren’t sure what to do, then wait on God to speak. While waiting, Vischer began to feel fulfilled without creating anything. He eventually felt like writing again and he came up with more ideas to continue his creative career. Vischer founded Jellyfish Labs and is enjoying his new creative pursuits.

In conclusion, Vischer said, “The impact God has planned for us does not occur when we are pursuing impact, it occurs when we are pursuing God.”

Vischer’s entire message can be heard on the Sterling College Chapel Podcast page at www.sterling.edu/chapel.

The Freeman Lecture Series seeks to educate individuals on the various values and applications of leadership by highlighting the servant leadership attributes present in others.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.