What’s that thing in your life? You know what I’m talking about. That thing that happened that changed your life forever, in some ways good, in some ways bad, but now you’re stuck. We all have had one of those. That thing that keeps you in the past, afraid to dream again.
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Make sure to read to the end of this post for a $30 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!
What’s your “thing” from the past?
For Gloria, it’s her husband Stan, who died more than a decade ago, leaving her to parent 2 little girls including one with cerebral palsy that requires constant care. For Derek, it’s the death of his parents, leaving him to parent his little sister. They both put family first, sacrificed much with no question or doubt, grew closer to God, but in a way, their lives stopped moving forward. They’ve been so busy taking care of others that they’ve had no chance to dream again. And how can Gloria think about the future when she’s still dreaming of her dead husband?
Dare to Dream Again tells the beginning of their story, a story where God orchestrates a VBS scheduling conflict to bring two people together. We get to watch Gloria’s eyes and heart come back to life as she imagines a hope for the future, and yet also wrestles with where to put the feelings of her past. I enjoy Alana’s suspense novels more because that’s just my preference. But this was a sweet little story. It’s a light story, a quick read, but it made me think.
I don’t have Gloria’s experience.
I’m not a widow, a single mom caring for her disabled daughter. No, the things that hold me in the past aren’t circumstances of death or abandonment. They are my own choices. And every time I start to think about the future, I think about the past. Will you accept me if you know me? Will I be able to trust you? Will I be able to trust me? Will you be disappointed or disillusioned? God fully forgives my past mistakes, but sometimes it is hard to let go.
And so I realized that Gloria’s story is for me, too. I can pray alongside Gloria, “Lord, help me to guard my heart, and give me the wisdom to know your will.” And at the same time, I can know that it’s okay to dream again. It’s okay to step into whatever great thing God has for my life – and yours – because our God loves us enough to bring those great things in just the right time.
Dare to Dream Again is on Tour with Celebrate Lit!
About the Book
Book Title: Dare to Dream Again
Author: Alana Terry
Genre: Christian Romance
Release date: May 8, 2018
Will love bloom just as sweet the second time around?
Losing her husband has taught Gloria more than anything else how to rely on God.
His grace alone gave her the strength to raise her children — a sweet angel with cerebral palsy as well as a daughter who wants nothing more than to serve God as a missionary on foreign soil.
Gloria couldn’t be prouder of her girls, but a future without them both by her side sounds empty and hollow.
When God thrusts a godly man like Derek into her path, Gloria isn’t sure she’s ready to jump headfirst into a relationship.
But maybe God’s giving her the chance for a happily ever after … a second time around.
Purchase your copy here!
About the Author
Alana is a pastor’s wife, homeschooling mom, self-diagnosed chicken lady, and Christian suspense author. Her novels have won awards from Women of Faith, Book Club Network, Grace Awards, Readers’ Favorite, and more. Alana’s passion for social justice, human rights, and religious freedom shines through her writing, and her books are known for raising tough questions without preaching. She and her family live in rural Alaska where the northern lights in the winter and midnight sun in the summer make hauling water, surviving the annual mosquito apocalypse, and cleaning goat stalls in negative forty degrees worth every second.
Guest Post from Alana
Hey everyone! Fall is here. Our family had a great summer. Everything in Alaska is gorgeous in the summertime. One of my favorite childhood memories that my husband and I have introduced our kids to is Vacation Bible School (VBS). With so many volunteers giving of their time to build relationships with each other and the kids who attend, it’s a week filled with so many great Jesus moments. I thought it would be fun to write a book about VBS. Dare to Dream Again is about two VBS volunteers who not only become friends, but just may dare to fall in love.
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Alana is giving away a $30 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d56d/dare-to-dream-again-celebration-tour-giveaway
Blog Stops
Just the Write Escape, October 23
Real World Bible Study, October 24
Inklings and Notions, October 25
Quiet Quilter, October 26
Bibliophile Reviews, October 27
Mary Hake, October 28
proud to be an autism mom, October 29
Texas Book-aholic, October 30
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 31
Janices book reviews, November 1
Carpe Diem, November 2
The Christian Fiction Girl, November 3
A Baker’s Perspective, November 4
Bigreadersite, November 5
This is a really good story! I quite enjoyed it.
Great post and I appreciate getting to find out about another great book. Thanks for all you do and for the hard work you put into this. Greatly appreciated!
Thank you for sharing Dare to Dream Again. Sounds like a must read.
Thank you so much for the lovely review. I’m so glad you enjoyed Gloria’s story.
I think this was actually the first one of your books that I read!