Dreaming with Betsy St. Amant - WIN HER BOOK!

It's my pleasure to welcome today's guest blogger, author Betsy St. Amant!

Does Dream-Come-True
Equal
Perfection?

This is such a timely topic for me, as I've had several people over the last few weeks tell me "wow, it looks like all your dreams are coming true!"

It certainly seems that way, as two of my deepest dreams have indeed come to pass in the last year or so. I've received multiple contracts with Steeple Hill Love Inspired, a long-time dream of mine, but even more exciting than that, as of July 2nd, I officially became a stay at home mother!

My daughter is one year old now, and I was able to quit my day job as a receptionist just weeks before her first birthday. My husband, a fireman, graciously took on a second job so this could happen. It took lots of planning and prayer, but here I am! Blessed beyond belief and eternally grateful to my hero-hubby! =) Now I get to mother full time and write more often.

My dreams have indeed come true. But many people fall into the trap of believing that with dreams come perfection. And that is NOT true! Being a multi-published author still has its problems and stresses. Yes, it's what I've always wanted, and wouldn't trade it - but now I have deadlines to meet, the pressure is higher, there are new worries about bad reviews, etc. My problems didn't go away with publication, they just changed.

And that's life. Many unpubbed authors think their lives will be perfect when they get published, but it’s just not the case. Fears of rejections will just change to fears of low sales or never getting a second contract. Fears of never getting an agent will change, once agented, to fears of the agent not liking your next project.

The same goes with motherhood. We have our good days and bad days, like any other mother/daughter. But I wouldn't trade this time or opportunity for anything in the world. My dreams have come true, and that doesn't mean life is perfect, but it sure is sweet!

The only true perfection we can have is through Jesus Christ. Without God in our lives, we have no hope of true joy or happiness. Only with Jesus at our side can we be good mothers, good authors, good employees, etc. Without Him, its a futile search.

Jesus puts dreams in our hearts. I'm so blessed that He brought two of mine to pass recently. If you are pursuing a dream, don't give up. It took a year to reach mine of staying at home to write and mother full time. And it took MANY years of waiting before reaching publication. Keep trying, keep praying, and never release that dream in your heart. God has a way of providing at the most unusual - and perfect - timing. =)

Dream on, friends!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Betsy St. Amant lives in Louisiana and is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers group. Betsy is multi-published through Steeple Hill and has been published in Christian Communicator magazine and Praise Reports: Inspiring Real Life Stories of How God Answers Prayer. One of her short stories, Kickboxing or Chocolate, appears in a Tyndale compilation book, and she is also multi-published through The Wild Rose Press. Betsy has a BA in Christian Communications and regularly contributes articles to Crosswalk.com. She is a wife, author, new mother and an avid reader who enjoys sharing the wonders of God’s grace through her stories.

To find out more about Betsy and her books, visit her website: http://www.betsystamant.com/



ABOUT THE BOOK - Return to Love

“I’m Not The Man I Used To Be!” If only Gracie Broussard could believe that! Years ago, Carter Alexander broke her heart and betrayed her. Now, just when she needs him most, he’s back—asking her to believe he’s changed. But this time, it’s not just Gracie who’ll be hurt if he disappears. A penguin keeper, Gracie urgently needs to find a new home for her beloved birds. Carter is the only one who can help. He promises that she can trust him, that he’s not the rebel he once was. And that he needs Gracie as much as her birds do.


WIN THE BOOK
If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Return to Love , just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on July 30th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!