It was such an innocent question.

My family and I were on Day 3 or so of our week-long, fun-filled Disney World vacation. The kids were in their element – fast rides for the older boys, princesses galore for our daughter, and classic Mickey for our youngest. And we were having fun! The kind of F-U-N that wears you out and keeps you going all at the same time.

We were just leaving the Magic Kingdom for the day when we realized a live show had just started in front of Cinderella’s castle. Naturally, we stopped to watch, and in seconds, the kids were caught up in the plot: Mickey tells Donald everyone believes in dreams, but Donald – ever the skeptic – isn’t convinced, even when surprise guests like princesses and pirates arrive. So Mickey enlists the help of the audience who begins chanting “Dreams come true! Dreams come true! Dreams come true!”

That’s when my four-year-old daughter turned to me with eyes wide as the spinning tea cups at the Mad Tea Party and asked: “Do dreams really come true, Mama? Do they?”

It was such an innocent question. I didn’t want to crush that innocence with a black-and-white, NO!, because that’s not exactly true. But then, neither is a black-and-white, Yes! either. So I whispered in her ear the best, bite-sized truth I could put into words at a moment’s notice: “When your dreams are from God, yes they can come true!”

I assumed the moment had passed but days after we got home, I heard her and Solomon playing in the living room. Again they were chanting, “Dreams come true! Dreams come true!”

I couldn’t let it slide. I interrupted from the kitchen. “Remember what I said about that. That’s not entirely correct. When your dreams are from God, then they can come true.”

“But Mom, Mickey said dreams come true,” Solomon argued. He was three and had already learned everything there is to learn – apparently.

“Well, Mickey Mouse is wrong,” I said. “You can say dreams come true all you want, but you need to know that you should never leave God out of your dreams.”

I don’t know. Too much touch-love for a three- and four-year-old? Should I let them bask in their Disney-induced fairy tales and fantasies for a few more years? I suppose time will tell. But the fact is, they hit a nerve.

I’m so aware of the dangers of the “prosperity gospel,” I’m cautious of any mantras or sound bites that have the potential to desensitize my children to it. If my children grow up believing a blanket “Dreams come true” worldview, will their faith shatter at the first tragedy they face? Will unwanted junior high acne cause them to question their salvation? Will they ever find joy in the shadow of “more”?

One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Whose plans are they? They are the Lord’s plan. Not mine. He doesn’t say, “I know your plans and I agree with them.” He says, “I know MY plans for your life, and they are good.” His plans alone are the path to our future full of hope.

Some may think I’m over-spiritualizing harmless entertainment and that I should just chill. Perhaps. But really, I’m just trying to train my children to think in such a way that they include God in their thoughts about the future so that they’ll grow into teenagers, young adults and parents who will continue to do the same.

You can have God-sized dreams. You can pray for the desires of your heart.

But don’t leave out the Giver of all Dreams and Desires as you do.

How do you help your children include God in their dreams for the future?