We all carry dreams for our lives, but what happens when they don’t come true? Proverbs 13:12 tells us that hope deferred makes the heart sick—and disappointment can erode our faith, joy, and even our identity in Christ if we let it.

In this episode of Born to Be a Butterfly, Nina Pajonas shares her personal story of how God redeemed her broken dreams, including how He redirected her career path and restored her hope. You’ll discover why acceptance is the key to faith, how God’s redirection often protects and prepares us, and why He sometimes allows old dreams to die so He can birth new ones.

This message will remind you that God is not done with you. What feels like loss may actually be divine exchange—ashes into beauty, mourning into joy, and ordinary dreams into extraordinary destiny.

Remember, the Lord can turn your wounds into wings—you were Born to be a Butterfly! 🦋

📩 Have questions or want to connect? Send me a DM on Instagram at Born To Be A Butterfly or email me at ninapajonas@gmail.com.

Born to be a Butterfly © 2025 Nina Pajonas All rights reserved. The content of this podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. For the full disclaimer, visit ⁠ninapajonas.com.

We all have dreams and aspirations.

We carry visions for the life we want to live. And it's beautiful when those dreams come to pass. But what happens to us spiritually when they don't?

Unfortunately, we will all have to deal with unmet expectations at some point. And the higher the expectation, the greater our devastation if it doesn't come to pass.

Emotionally, it can be incredibly difficult to handle disappointment. Scripture acknowledges that it can make the heart sick,

and that sickness, if not surrendered, can erode our faith, our joy,

and even our identity in Christ.

Loss of hope leaves us vulnerable because it opens the door to the lies of the enemy. It can make us question God's character, his plan, and his goodness.

There are two ways we can walk through those times.

We can walk through them hopelessly or faithfully.

They call it a fork in the road for a reason.

We can go one of two ways, and the decisions that we make can affect our lives dramatically.

Welcome to Born to Be a Butterfly, where we seek healing and growth so that we can step into true transformation.

My name is Nina Pajones, and today we are discussing how God redeems broken dreams.

When our dream dies, it could feel like a part of us died with it. The disappointment that comes with that could quickly turn into despair.

It's not easy, I know.

Trust me when I say that I understand.

I speak from experience,

far more experience than I've ever wanted.

But I've learned that acceptance is key in choosing faith. When we accept situations or people as they are and not as we want them to be, we begin to make peace with God's plan.

If we fight the narrative of our stories because they don't align with our expectations, we only fuel bitterness and resentment.

But when we embrace what God has ordained, we can move forward rather than staying stuck in sadness or spiritual paralysis.

Glorifying God well means that we are fully aware that our lives as followers of Christ are not ours. They're His.

We are but threads in the tapestry of life that he weaves.

God alone determines what color that thread is, where it's placed, and what it does.

It's easy to walk with the Lord when life goes the way we want it to. But mature faith?

That's walking with your eyes lifted when all you want to do is hang your head in sorrow.

Psalm 39:7. NIV says, but now, Lord, what do I look for?

My hope is in you.

As I mentioned earlier, I Speak from personal experience when it comes to unmet expectations.

In fact, early in my recovery journey and in my walk with the Lord, I experienced this firsthand. And it was a real stumbling block for me in that I started to get resentful and I started to doubt that God was for me or that he knew what was best for me.

I can't even believe I'm saying those words, but I really did think that way back then. I was so immature in my faith at that time because I didn't have the track record with the Lord that I have today.

So when something didn't go the way I anticipated it going or the way that I believed it should go right away, it just made me unsteady.

It made me wonder if what he wanted for me was the right thing.

It made me question God's judgment.

And I shake my head today when I think about it, because obviously his ways are higher than my ways. His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. So it is incredible that I ever even felt or thought that way for a second.

But again, I was super young on my journey, and I give myself grace now for the way I felt then.

But my story with that is that initially, when I was looking for work again in early recovery, I went to do what I always did in my career, which was sales.

My entire career up to that time had been in sales.

And so that was basically all I knew. That's what I thought I was supposed to do for the rest of my life. But God had other plans,

and I would soon find out that his plans were. Were exactly what I needed.

When I started looking for sales jobs again, I was applying on all the sites I used to apply on, and I had even revamped my resume and all the things you're supposed to do.

And I just waited to get called in for an interview or to hear about next steps. Because even when I was drinking, I never had an issue finding work.

I just didn't. I was very blessed that way.

So I assumed in my sobriety that it would be even easier, that I would find a job very quickly and get back on my feet in no time at all.

But that is not at all what happened.

And it took me months.

I mean, months, like three months, I believe it was, at least before it occurred to me it wasn't happening the way I expected it to. I kept getting rejected. Nobody was calling me in for interviews.

Nothing was happening. There was no traction at all. And I had submitted so many applications.

And then finally it occurred to me,

God doesn't Want me doing sales.

It just, it dawned on me one day. I've never had this much difficulty getting a sales job. And all of a sudden it's like every single door in that space is closed to me.

And that's when I had the epiphany. I was like, okay, Nina, he does not want you to do sales. You're going to have to find something else.

And I was so confused.

I didn't understand why he was shutting those doors. I was resentful. I was talking to God saying, well, how do you expect me to take care of myself? How do you expect me to financially support myself if I can't do the one thing I'm really good at?

It just made me question so much about God.

And it makes me so sad to say that now, but it did.

And it didn't make me question him to the point that I didn't want to walk with him anymore. It wasn't that. It just made me feel lost and confused.

Because I wasn't used to leaning into his will. I was used to living in mine.

But eventually, through a series of events,

I got a job at an assisted living facility and I was doing service work. The job was not glamorous,

I'll let you know now.

It was fulfilling, though, ultimately it was extremely fulfilling.

I was cooking for the residents, I was cleaning their rooms, I was bathing them,

I was helping them get dressed.

Nothing at all like what I had done in my former life.

The job entailed that I performed service for others throughout the day. That's what it did.

And it was beautiful. And it was exactly what my heart and my soul needed.

I felt such peace in taking care of others.

I felt such peace in trying to provide some joy in their day.

Making them laugh, making them smile, sharing a special moment with them.

I loved every part of it.

And then before I knew it, he directed me to another job,

another part time job.

When I was six months sober,

the woman that owned the rehab that I had attended reached out to me and asked me if I would be interested in being a technician there.

Which means that I would be watching over the residents that were attending the rehab at that time.

I would be overseeing other people who were on the road to recovery.

And when she reached out to me about that opportunity, I immediately jumped at it. Then I had two part time jobs performing service.

I worked at the assisted living facility three days a week. And then I worked at the rehab for the entire weekend from Friday to Sunday.

And my plate was full.

And the money that I had Worried about, I had no problems with. Between the two part time jobs, I was financially stable,

I was taking care of myself, I was able to save money.

But the greatest part of the journey,

I loved what I was doing. I absolutely loved it.

And not many people can say that about what they do for a living,

but I could.

And that's what happened when I opened my heart to what the Lord wanted me to do versus what I wanted to do.

As I leaned in,

God gave me a new vision.

I was to serve others in everything I did, both professionally and personally.

When I was at the rehab, I started ministering to women who were going through the same struggle that I was. Women that were seeking to get sober.

I also helped men that were doing the same.

It was incredible.

I was getting to teach them everything that I had learned so far. And I was growing at the same time.

It was such an amazing experience.

I can't even put it into words. The satisfaction that I felt from doing the work that I was doing,

that every night that I put my head on the pillow, I felt that I was actually making a difference in the world. And I had never felt that way before in my life.

And that's how God started to rebuild my sense of self worth.

That's how he started to rebuild my confidence.

There were so many different things he was doing for me and through me during that time that it boggles my mind to even think about it now.

Our God is so good. He is such a good God and He knows what's best for us.

You know, we're given free will.

God gives us free will.

But he never said that it was a good idea to use it.

And that's what I learned during that journey.

I finally found fulfillment in my life. And it wasn't in the dream I had.

It was in the new dream that God had given me.

Serving others healed me in ways I could have never imagined.

Because through it, God was declaring a purpose for all the pain I had gone through.

Let me say this to you clearly. The Lord will restore you. He will write a new chapter.

Redemption begins the moment you surrender the pen and let God write the rest of your story.

Romans 8:28 NIV and we know in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

It doesn't say all things are good.

It says all things work together for good.

Even the heartbreak,

even the dreams that died.

Sometimes we plan things with every good intention, with passion and preparation, and they still fall apart. But that's where this next verse gives us deep perspective and peace.

Proverbs 16:9 NIV in their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

We often make detailed plans for our lives.

We envision our future, mark out timelines and set goals. But sometimes, despite our best efforts,

God will redirect our steps.

You can dream.

You should dream.

But you need to trust in the Lord when He reroutes you,

because he's probably doing it for your protection,

growth and your future impact.

Never forget that God is in the business of divine exchange. He takes ashes and gives beauty. He takes mourning and gives joy.

Sometimes the dream we hold is too small for the God we serve.

What feels like loss is often just the death of the ordinary so he could lead us into the extraordinary.

Only God's divine plan can truly satisfy our soul.

Ephesians 3, 20, 21 and IV now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,

according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations,

forever and ever. Amen.

I want you to take a moment right now.

Ask yourself,

what dream didn't come true for you? What expectation left you feeling heartbroken or abandoned?

Have you grieved that loss with God? Or have you just buried it?

Maybe even say it out,

Lord, this is the dream that died.

I'm having a hard time.

Please restore my hope.

Pray to Him.

Ask him for guidance.

Ask him to reveal your next steps.

And then once you do,

wait.

Wait on the Lord.

Be still.

He will give you the answers.

He will tell you what the next step is.

It might not happen the very next day, it might not happen the very next week, but in time he is going to show you what it is that he wants you to do.

He's going to open a door, and it's probably going to be one you would never expect.

But remember this truth.

Even in the confusion,

even in the death of your dream,

God is good.

Here are a few practical ways to walk through the grief of an unfulfilled dream.

Number one Acknowledge the pain. Let yourself feel it. Don't rush healing.

Journal your emotions.

Journal your thoughts.

I encourage you to do this because journaling has helped me immensely on my walk with the Lord.

I have often gone back and I'll reread things that I wrote from two years ago, three years ago,

when I was in what I considered a difficult season or a trying time.

And now when I look back,

I also remember how God delivered me from it.

Then I also recall the lessons he taught me during that time,

the lessons that made me stronger and wiser and more faithful.

I see all of it when I look back,

but it's easier to do that when I write it down,

so that's why I encourage you. Please journal about these things.

I guarantee one day you will look back at what you wrote and you will be astonished at the way God moved during that season.

Your pain is valid.

Grieving the death of a dream is not weakness.

It's a natural part of releasing what was and preparing for what's next.

God isn't in a hurry.

He walks with us through the valley.

Talk to God honestly about how you're feeling.

He can handle your questions, your anger and your tears.

Your honesty does not scare him. It invites him into the places where you need him most.

Reframe the experience in your mind by asking yourself, what might God be doing through this loss?

Even if you don't have the answer now, trust that he is up to something good.

Stay open to new dreams.

Let God plant something fresh.

Sometimes the soil of grief produces the richest fruit.

Trust his authorship.

God sees the whole story.

We only see a page.

Let him write the story that you could have never imagined.

Now I like to pray over you,

Father God, please help us manage our expectations so that they align with your will for our lives.

Help us to seek the life you want for us,

not just the life we imagined.

And when we find ourselves in the pit of disappointment over what hasn't come to pass, Lord, please lift us up with your divine love.

Help us embrace what you have ordained to move forward in faith. We place our trust in you, Lord Jesus.

If today's episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to share it with a friend. And don't forget, you can order my book From Broken to Butterfly on Amazon for more biblical encouragement.

If you have questions or want to connect, email me at ninapajonas@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram.

Don't forget to follow Born to Be a Butterfly so you don't miss the next episode until next time. Remember,

the Lord can turn your wounds into wings.

You were born to be a butterfly.