Daring To Dream...

Dreams... aspirations... goals....
All these are buzzwords around this time of year, aren't they? 

Isn't that one reason we celebrate the beginning of each new year? To renew our aspirations for something better, to make changes (hopefully), and to set new goals?

Back in December, I started setting a few goals for this year. How many books I wanted to get out, how many new reader friends I hoped to make with my newsletter and on social media. Things like this. And more personal goals, too. Such as try to make myself take a break from work and enjoy life a little. 

It's hard sometimes. I get all caught up in my aspirations to make a living at writing books, I end up with tunnel-vision and forget there's a real world out there. You know, roses to be smelled, sunrises and sunsets to watch. Things like that. 

We need to take care with our dreams, you know?
If we're not careful, they can become heavy stones that we end up dragging along. Discouragement settles in because we lost our true vision in the first place. That's why I've found it necessary to let others in on my dreams. They help keep me grounded. 

The other thing about dreams is that we need to make sure we've caught the right ones. That we not settling for something safe. Or that we're not chasing ones that never belonged to us in the first place. I did that and will share more about my chasing the wrong dream in my next blog post. 

For now, I only wanted to toss this out to you for consideration...
Do you have a dream you are pursuing, or want to? Or maybe you have some dreams tucked neatly away in the back of your mind, but think they're better off put away for now. Maybe they are. Maybe they aren't?

Would you consider at least spending a little time this month with me, considering them, thinking about them, praying about them?

This month, I'm doing a few new things. All of them relate to Daring to Dream. 
First is my monthly Giveaway--

That's right, I'm giving away another Reader's Gift box, along with a signed copy of Snow Belle. Why Snow Belle?
​Well....

Haley Madison Had A Grand Plan

Have you read Snow Belle? If not, you'll want to read it before this month is over because do I have a lot of fun games and activities planned for this book!!

I totally relate to Haley with her dream of opening a barbecue joint. 

So, seriously, Mr. Castle and I have talked about this a time or two. He's a native Michigander. He despairs over the food up there every time he returns home for a visit. Texas has spoiled him good. Ha. 
However, neither of us have an aspirations of moving north to open a bbq restaurant. We both hate being cold.
I'm a southern hemisphere girl, through and through and can't handle all the...snow. Geeze petes. My in-laws send me pictures and I'm like... yeah, have fun with that. 

Anyway, I've derailed. Sorry. 
Ha.
What I was trying to say, is that I get it when you have a "Grand Plan" and it sounds great. Wonderful. The best plan EVER!! And then anything and everything is against you. Nothing works out. You're climbing up hill with a hundred pounds of rocks stuffed in your backpack. 

And you know what I've realized when that happens? 
​

​Our Dreams Can Cause Us To Totally Miss It

As I said earlier, we need to make sure our dreams are ones we should be having in the first place. How do we know? Well, by going to the Lord and asking. 

More about this later. But my question is... have you? Do you work hard- at whatever job you have- by doing what's logical and rational? Or by what you feel the Lord is directing you to do?

Because here's a little bit of advice I've learned the hard way: The Lord's ways are not our ways. He sees things from a completely different view than we see them. That's what Haley Madison had to learn in Snow Belle. So did Ethan Winters. 

Perhaps Peter learned this lesson, too, when Jesus told him to come on out of the boat and meet him for a chat on the waters. There was absolutely nothing practical or logical about that. Yet, bless Peter's heart, he stuck his foot over that boat rail.

When we line up our dreams with the Lord's plans for our life, it makes all the difference in the world. 

---

What dreams are you running after?
Or hanging on to? 

Share them with me in the comments. I'll pick someone this month to win a special prize. 

Have you read Snow Belle yet? 
Maybe you picked it up for free and it's sitting on your e-reader. (This might be a good month to open it up) 
​
If you've joined my newsletter, I'll be offering it free to subscribers this month. Ah, now there's a sweet deal. 

Enter the Dare To Dream Giveaway

Visit the Book of the Month Page

Subscribe to Castle's Story World Newsletter

Join me on Facebook for Games & Prizes

Check back later for more about Daring to Dream motivation, games, activities and more chances to win prizes!

Blessings and Peace to you all!
​Jackie C.