An emotional and touching story of a young girl’s battle with cancer and her unfailing faith in God. An Inspiring and humbling story. It is amazing how much she accomplished despite her challenges with her health.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a motivational book for me! At this point of my life, it was exactly what I needed to be reminded of. Keep up the good work!

Tiffany's story was gripping and so very inspiring. She has walked through so much and it's encouraging to see all of the good that God has brought out of tragedy.

An interesting and Inspiring book about a young woman's life and her desire to live life in God's Plan. Thank you to net Galley for the read.

Tiffany's life is a good example of "God's plan." Sometimes what we wish for is not what he wants for us. I applaud Tiffany for going back to school and pressing on with her life. It took courage and strength.

Your Dream, GOD's Plan is about the story of a girl who went through cancer through most of her life. When she beat it they went on vacation and when they got back she went shopping for a very special dress and when she did, something tragic happened. What happened? I won't tell you because I don't want to ruin it for you. She tells us how GOD is working for her good when satan tries to thwart HIM at every turn. The book is all about our strengthening our dreams as long as it is GODs plan and when you do that he will see you through.

This book is about Tiffany and her journey through cancer and recovery. It follows her embracing God's plan for her and learning to follow His leading. It was very emotional and had me searching for God's plan for my own life.

I love this:
"...see how the Lord wants to use the broken pieces of your life for His greater plan for you."

This is so true.

This is the uplifting, faith-based story of Tiffany Smiling who battles cancer and later, partial paralysis after her surgeon knicks a blood vessel in her brain during surgery. Her journey from a childhood of illness to a woman fighting for the life she desires is an encouraging one. Tiffany's humility and faith shine through every sentence.

I did pick up a slight underlying tone throughout the book that we (humans) have big dreams for our lives and that God tosses a monkey wrench into those plans to spoil them or interrupt them or to somehow force us to follow His own plan for our lives. Perhaps this was just my own interpretation, but this bothered me. Otherwise, it was an encouraging book and a lesson in humility.

*I received an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Very moving and inspirational book about how trusting God through anything will get you through it. Even though she suffered, she was able to some grace and help others. Very good book for everyone to read. I received a free copy from NetGalley.

Inspiring story, part memoir, part teaching. Author Tiffany Smiling had the perfect life from outside appearances. God had other plans, and her experience as a cancer survivor is nothing short of a miracle. Smiling takes that miracle and continues to be a young woman after God's heart.

Your Dream. God’s Plan.

by Tiffany Smiling
with Margot Starbuck

What were you like in fourth grade? How about when you were sixteen? Those are the ages at which Tiffany Smiling had major, life-changing medical events. She shares those stories in her book Your Dream. God’s Plan. Although these were pivotal points in Tiffany’s life, she was rescued by God to later do amazing things for His kingdom.

Your Dream. God’s Plan. is really focused on an audience of young women, but others can derive inspiration and guidance as well. She challenges young women to devote themselves to drawing close to God and then listening to the call He has for them. Her fascinating story relates miracles of how God used her and many amazing people she met to give out of their abundance and find that God always supplies enough.

Tiffany will draw you into worlds of poverty of body and spirit as she describes orphans, women rescued from sexual trafficking, extreme poverty, disease, and demons. But she also shares the many ways God answers prayers when the people of God make themselves available to be used by Him.

The book includes a section appropriate for study by groups or individuals for each chapter. There is a summarizing sentence followed by questions to help the reader personalize the content to her own life. The questions are followed by a “Dream Challenge” which focuses on how you can implement the concepts to find a closer relationship to God and thus discover His plan for your life. She finishes with a sentence or two “tip,” an additional quick take-away to help you make changes in your life to align your dream with God’s plan.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Barbour Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Christian

Notes: I had so many “memorable lines” highlighted that I just pulled out the first 3/4 for use below. I am not a thirty-something or a new Christian, but there was still so much to ponder and so many possibilities for spiritual growth to attend to.

Publication: November 1, 2017 — November 20, 2017

Memorable Lines:

At the moment the “good life” was just within reach, I discovered that lasting satisfaction wasn’t found where I thought it might be. In fact, as God revealed to me that scrambling after the dream I’d bought into would never satisfy, I tasted something even more fulfilling.

As you release the barren pursuit of earthly pleasures, exchanging it for the surprising way of Jesus, you will experience lasting satisfaction as you embrace what matters most.

You were made for so much more. If you are a student or a single working woman or a missionary or a full-time mommy, there is a calling over your life that involves bringing light to the dark places—in university hallways, in work cubicles, in overseas villages, and in the rooms of your home. If you are willing to release your grip on the plans you’ve been holding for your life, God is waiting to show you His plan that is even better for you and for the people He loves.

Your Dream. God's Plan. is an inspiring and challenging book by Tiffany Smiling, a young woman who chose to give up her dreams for her life and pursue what God has planned for her. Autobiographical in nature, Tiffany shares her childhood journey through cancer and its aftermath and then continues to share how God interrupted her plans for a comfortable life and enabled her to use her entrepreneurial talents to fulfill His dream of growing His kingdom. As she has stepped out in faith and followed His plan, she has been instrumental in building family homes for orphans, day care homes to enable parents to work knowing their children are safe, homes for girls who have been rescued from sex trafficking. Because of her obedience to God's call on her life, she has partnered with others to plant a church that serves a thousand people, and a seminary program that is training pastors to plant churches in their own villages. From Africa to Haiti and Guatemala to Costa Rica, the results of the author's change of priorities can be seen. Lives are changed. A whole village, which had never heard of Jesus, has heard and accepted Him and seen Him at work. As each story is related, whether it be her own or the experiences of people she has met, the author encourages the reader to recognize the need to offer one's heart to God and allow Him to infuse it with His life, His heart His passions and His plans. Throughout the book, readers are questioned and encouraged to think about what a surrender to God's plan and purpose for their lives might look like. There is also a section at the end of the book with discussion questions on each chapter to direct the reader to further introspection. Your Dream. God's Plan is a powerful book for those who desire to dream God's dreams and fulfill His plans for their lives.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

The author of this book has a great testimony! I loved reading about how God worked in her life and used her for his glory. It read like a memoir. The author clearly shared how God was working in her heart as she experienced life, challenges and highs. It makes you think about how you react to things in life and makes me want to respond in the right Godly way so I can experience the power of God in my life. Loved the summary of Main points chapter at the end. Nice easy read. Would have loved to have seen more scripture tie ins. I felt like there was a lot of great things but I was expecting more scripture. I felt like this made the book a 4 instead of a 5. I love to hear how God works in peoples lives but I want to see scriptural references when someone is trying to tell me how to live/think about life. I don’t want opinion I want bible. Otherwise great easy to read writing style and a powerful story.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review or any review at all for that matter.

I was pre-approved by Barbour Publishing via Netgalley to read and review this book. And to be honest, I didn't really check what the book was about. The title triggered me and I started reading. I read this book in just a few days which is not very common for me these days. This book really made me look at what I'm doing to help built God's Kingdom on earth. And also how much I like to be in control. Tiffany's story is very inspiring. She lets go of the picture she created and let God take over. God sees the bigger picture and He has a plan. We just need to be willing to follow his nudges, even if it is not what we planned to do. He will make something beautiful if we follow him.

An introduction, sixteen chapters, notes and discussion questions. Tiffany is a childhood cancer survivor, this is her story. Not the story of her battle with cancer, although there is a little of that. No this is the story of her life after. Tiffany shares the story of her growing faith and trust in God. We get to see her let go of her dream for business success, marriage and a family as she leans into what and where God his calling her. Tiffany leads us from the start of her having a heart for orphans to the stretching and growing to include all overlooked and unreached persons. Tiffany's story is inspiring and encouraging on it's own. Her willing to go even places she didn't want to go is a testament to her complete trust in God.

Deeply moving and inspiring. The author has had many life struggles. God has a plan for her life and in living out that plan, the author is showing God's love and grace to others. Excellent book. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. Also, I received a copy from Net Galley.

Helpful and encouraging to read. Took my time going thru the principles. I will go back to this again.

I could not relate to this author's story and tried to keep pushing through.
I can't relate to a college student going into six-figures of debt to open a yogurt shop.
Or throwing a rave to raise money to open an orphanage. That's where I abandoned the book.

Tiffany Smiling has a pretty captivating and amazing story to share with readers, though it’s one that comes with a few caveats. Retelling the story of her childhood at the front of her book, Your Dream. God’s Plan., Smiling — who wrote this title with the help of Margot Starbuck — tells of a little girl’s longing for a normal childhood, until brain cancer robbed her of that. At the age of 10, Smiling began having seizures which eventually lead to the discovery of cancer in her brain. Thinking that she had recovered after treatment, Smiling had a massive seizure at the age of 16 that forced very invasive surgery upon her. During the operation, the doctor nicked a part of her brain, and she woke up from a medically induced coma with the left side of her body paralyzed. It took years for her to recover.

But, despite that, she became an entrepreneur in college by opening a yogurt store. From there, she began to use her resources to help orphans in the developing world. So it’s a pretty amazing story, right? It is. Here are the caveats: the fundraising and visits to Haiti, Africa and Latin America all come with the price of wanting to spread the world of Christ. In other words, Smiling is a bit of a missionary. After all the wrongs that missionaries have done over the centuries, I wonder if what the world really needs now is another one. Can’t kindness and help come without any spiritual strings attached? Hmmmm.

If I have a problem with Smiling’s approach, it’s a lesser one to the tone Your Dream. God’s Plan. takes. This is essentially two or three books rolled into one, and this volume suffers for it. The story of how Smiling surmounted impossible odds just to survive is thrilling. The stories of visiting followers in Third World countries who claim miraculous stories of healing and salvation is less so. Yes, Smiling is an evangelical — but, as time marches on, I’m having less and less problems with this world view so long as it’s not being used to harm others. I don’t think Smiling is causing harm. Perhaps she might be misguided in trying to spread the Word to people who have never heard of Jesus, but I think she’s doing good work.

However, as far as this book goes, I’m not sure what it’s about. Is it a medical memoir of struggling against the odds? Is it a book about a young woman discovering her true calling in life? Is it a book meant to spread the message of God and Jesus? It’s all three. And that’s the problem: a real lack of focus. It’s hard to tell what is the purpose or appeal of Your Dream. God’s Plan. There are already so many similar books out there for a Christian audience that I think that Smiling hedged her bets and tried to make her book as saleable as possible by covering every single base she could conceive of. The end results are murky, sometimes plodding and not very convincing.

You know what I thought this book sort of was as I finished reading it? I thought it was Christian porn (hey, I’ve invented a new genre!). Essentially, it exists to light up female readers (of whom the book is tailored to) who are already on fire for God to go out and do great things to feel good about themselves (in a way). What it doesn’t do is give readers a sense of what their calling might be and how to go about fulfilling it. To that end, may I recommend Justin Dillon’s A Selfish Plan to Change the World? That book, at least, had something resembling drive that allowed readers to figure out what they were good at and how to use their gifts in a way that glorified God without resorting to preachiness.

I’m sorry that I didn’t like this book more, because I have a feeling that Smiling is probably very nice and the publishers were very kind in letting me have a review copy by approaching me to give my two cents on the book, rather than me having to approach them. However, Your Dream. God’s Plan. is lacking a bit. For instance, stories of miraculous healing don’t have much sway for me. This book recounts many of them. Yet, I believe that God doesn’t really work as a wizard, because, if He did, I’m sure that many more deserving people would be healed of whatever ailment they have.

There is some unintentional humour in the book, too. Smiling recounts hosting a “clean rave” (now there’s an oxymoron) as a fundraiser for one of her projects, then recounts in horror how many teens showed up to it already stoned or drunk. I mean, of course teenagers are going to use a rave as an excuse to create their own personal hedonistic playground! I had to shake my head and wonder. If Smiling was looking for funds for one of her projects, there must have been a million better ideas that would be more “God honouring” than hosting a rave — no matter how “clean” the intentions were behind it.

Anyhow. I’m probably coming off as a curmudgeon, which I don’t want to do. Suffice to say, Your Dream. God’s Plan. is a book with many weaknesses. It does have some positives, though. The personal story of the author’s childhood is really exhilarating, and one wonders why a whole book about that wasn’t written. I’ll also concede that Smiling has good ideas and chutzpah, and maybe someone who picks up this book will find a way to do some good in the world. I’ll grant Smiling that. However, for something deeper or more profound, you can check out many other books that essentially suggest doing the same thing. To that end, one wishes that this book was more about the personal, and less about the political or religious, because Smiling does have a good story to tell — when she wants to tell it. Too often, though, the message gets buried in Your Dream. God’s Plan. behind a more personal tale that is much more compelling than the sermon this book ultimately winds up being.

I loved this book, it was humbling to read about Tiffany’s struggles to recover from her tumours. Her words resonated with me, particularly after my own personal tradegy with family illness. I’m glad I was sent this book, particularly as it really spoke to me at this time, it was incredible to read her journey. I would love to know more about her work with orphans.