Dreams That Die and Live Again: Veggie Tales Creator and the Shunammite Woman

Teresa Neumann : May 10, 2011
Michelle A. Vu - Christian Post

"Seven years ago my dream died and I discovered once all the noise faded away what I had been missing all along. The impact that God has planned for us does not occur when we are pursuing impact. It occurs when we are pursuing God." -Phil Vischer

(Lisle, IL)—Phil Vischer, creator of the immensely popular Veggie Tales films, has a cautionary tale to tell. Dreams, he says, sometimes die. And when they do, it might just be that God is doing us a favor.

For Vischer, according to a report in the Christian Post, his Veggie Tales success was a dream that ended in bankruptcy.

Notes the report: "At the height of his [Vischer's] professional success, everything went wrong. His staff members were arguing, video sales stopped, he had to fire over half his staff, and a former distributor sued him. The court ruled in favor of the distributor and Vischer lost everything and had to file." (Photo: AP Images / Beth A. Keiser)

After Vischer's bankruptcy, his mother reportedly gave him a recording of a sermon about the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4, in which her son—who was the "dream" God gave her—dies. Subsequently, the woman sought out Elisha who came and placed himself over the boy, prayed to God, and the boy was resurrected.

From that teaching, Vischer realized that "if God gives a person a dream, breathes life into it and then it dies then God might want to know what is more important to the person—the dream or God."

"The Shunammite woman's response was clear. She headed straight to Elisha," he said, noting that the prophet was a man of God and that she wanted to be as close to God as possible.

In conclusion, Vischer says, "I have no idea what my business strategy will be in two years, and that is OK because God does. So, let go of ego. Let go of outcomes and put your plans in God's hands and let Him direct your steps."

Click on the link provided to read details of this Christian artist's journey with God and the spiritual learning curve he has been living.