Yes -- this is a book about having faith -- surely in a
higher authority -- but also something closer at hand --
yourself. Often life hands people truly more than they can
deal with normally. But then again who said life is
supposed to follow a path deemed normal. It would seem that
normal is overrated. What happens when the person no longer
sees themselves as valuable. Such is the core of ANY DREAM
WILL DO by Debbie Macomber.
When being counselled Shay was asked quite candidly by her
counselor Lilly -- what was her dream. Dream life, dream
job, dream existence -- anything large or small. Shay didn't
believe she had the right to dream. But Lilly was firm --
and her directive was simple -- any dream will do.
What does it mean to have a dream -- more important though
is how devastating is it to no longer dream. Coming out of
jail after serving a three year sentence for embezzling
Shay had no expectations much less dreams. Jobless,
hopeless, direction less Shay now had to figure out what
she could do to prevent becoming a part of the homeless
masses. Even small towns had their share.
But hoping for any dream or wish to be answered takes a
giant leap of faith. After being truly thrown under the bus
by her own brother it is only fair to realize how Shay is
reluctant to let anyone close. The loss of her mother, the
physical abusive father and now the betrayal of the brother
Shay had dutifully protected.
Somehow Shay winds up in sitting in the back of a small
church in Seattle Washington. Could be fate or just plain
luck -- either would be almost impossible for Shay to
accept. So now what? The cards have been dealt. Now you
have to work with them to make the best possible hand. Hope
House is a wonderful start.
Walking into the Pastor Drew's church was to be a turning
point for Shay. Drew's life had been through major turmoil
after his wife's death which consumed his every thought. He
was just going through the motions -- doing the best he
could with his two children -- but his friends and
parishioners knew better. Somehow this meeting of Pastor
Drew and Shay -- two lost souls -- would come to be something
truly miracle. Time was going to tell just what the future
would hold and hopefully the past could find its way to the
back of memory allowing new bright memories to explore.
ANY DREAM WILL DO by Debbie Macomber is a study in human
tolerance and friendship. It's also about never judging a
book by its cover. The people that surround Shay and become
her friends and support are as eclectic as any I've ever
experienced. Debbie Macomber masterfully shows how all
people have value -- most just don't understand or
acknowledge theirs. How sad -- but in ANY DREAM WILL DO
Debbie Macomber doesn't let you feel badly for these folks.
Instead she puts the emphasis on their inner strengths --
and their faith -- in themselves after much soul searching
and in others.
Shay Benson adored her younger brother, Caden, and that
got her into trouble. When he owed money, Shay realized
she would do anything to help him avoid the men who were
threatening him, and she crossed lines she never should
have crossed. Now, determined to start fresh, she finds
herself in search of a place to stay and wanders into a
church to escape from the cold.
Pastor Drew Douglas adored his wife. But when he lost
her, it was all he could do to focus on his two beautiful
kids, and his flock came in a distant third. Now, as he
too is thinking about a fresh start, he walks through his
sanctuary and finds Shay sitting in a pew.
The pair strike up a friendship—Drew helps Shay get back
on her feet, and she reignites his sense of purpose—that,
over time, turns into something deeper, something
soulful, spiritual, and possibly romantic. Even Drew’s
two children are taken with this woman who has brought
light back into their lives. Perhaps most important, Shay
learns to trust again as she, in turn, proves herself
trustworthy to her adopted community.
But Caden’s return to town and a disastrous secret
threaten to undo the life Shay has tried so hard to
rebuild. It will take the utmost courage and faith if she
and Drew hope to find healing and open their hearts to a
brighter future.
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