Are your dreams realistic?

I’ve been told to “dream big”. I think dreaming big is a way of making sure you don’t set your expectations too low. If I set my goal at an eight, out of a one-to-ten scale, I might reach a five and be content. If I set my goal at an eleven in that same scale, I might reach an eight. I doubt that I would reach the goal every time I set it at my top of the mark boundary.

Although lowering my standards would help me achieve the goal, it’s not going to put me in any kind of growth process. I need a little momentum to keep me growing and pushing past my former barriers. I love the elation of achieving goals, but I also enjoy knowing there is always a chance that I’ll push through to the next level when I try again.

How do you dream big?

Here’s a little teaser of my novel about Charissa who sets her goals too low and then almost misses out on the one thing she’s always wanted.

Her dream is to be a happy mother of children, but having been sidetracked by bad boyfriends, Charissa may end up an old maid with no kids. Sure, she could adopt and become a single mom. But having been abandoned by her father at a young age, single parenting isn’t on her bucket list. Should she give up on her dream of having her own kids and a husband who loves her? Are her goals too lofty?  

Hiding away in an old abandoned mansion, Rudy has escaped the paparazzi and all the girls who have chased him and his inheritance for years. When he meets Charissa, he discovers a chemistry with her and a connection that he wants to build on. How will he help her get to know him if she avoids going on a date with him?

Read more about Rudy and Charissa in The Mansion’s One Flaw, the second book in The Fulton Ridge Estates Series.

5 Holiday Donation Tips

Adam is a hero at heart, but he’s been in a downward spiral of grief for months. When he finally finds the motivation to be a better man, he begins by donating to a local food bank.

Is that what you’re doing this holiday season? Here are some food donation tips I’ve picked up.

  1. Always check the “sell-by” date before you donate.
  2. Women’s personal care items are always in demand.
  3. Meat is a valuable gift: canned stew, canned fish like tuna/sardines/mackerel, and canned soup.
  4. Peanut butter can be donated along with the bread and jam, but check to see if your local food pantry accepts bread donations.
  5. Canned beans have protein in them so they’re more nutritious than corn or fruit.

In my Christian romance novel, The Promotion, Adam tries to get his life back on track because he sees a woman who motivates him to stop wasting his life and start living.

Benita is determined to get that job promotion that her boss has just dangled in front of her. The only problem is that she’s in competition for it with a coworker. She falls in love with the guy she hires to help her prepare for success, but when it gets down to the nitty gritty, she has to choose between him or the promotion.

Have you ever been so focused on success that you were afraid you might miss out on love? Enjoy the climb to success in life with Benita and Adam in The Promotion.

Volunteering Tips in Christian Romance

What’s your favorite way to give back to the community?

My daughter and I used to volunteer together. Now that she’s married and moved away to start her new life, I miss my volunteering buddy. We spent hundreds of fun hours helping many different organizations serve the community.

Have you volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, a dog shelter, or Ronald McDonald House? These are great places to share your energy with the community. Most non-profit organizations need volunteers. If you have an hour each week to donate, your efforts will be greatly appreciated.

My four-book Christmas-themed Christian romance series has several volunteering tips. The characters create a care group, sing with kids, feed kids with a food truck ministry, raise funds for scholarships, renovate homes, donate food, and mentor young girls.

If you need a little inspiration to start your volunteering journey, check out The Fulton Ridge Family Series Box Set.

Or give it to your volunteering buddy for Christmas!