Salkeld shares life lessons about success and giving back.

This book begins with the story of a Zambian orphan who had been brought to the Kabwata Orphanage in Lusaka. “We were told that without Kabwata,” writes the author, an entrepreneur and Christian missionary, “the baby boy would have had little chance of surviving infancy.” The orphanage, it is later revealed, had been funded in part by Salkeld, who had made multiple trips to the sub-Saharan African nation alongside his wife as part of their Christian mission trips. Kabwata Orphanage was one of many philanthropic and Christian ministries throughout Africa and the United States supported by the author and his wife Delane. In this book, Salkeld shares the story of his life as a philanthropist and missionary as well as his successful business career, which provided him the opportunity to serve diverse communities across the globe. After losing their jobs in the early 2000s due to downsizing, Salkeld and Delane founded their own apartment management company, ParaWest Management, which eventually grew to have offices in two states with assets valued at more than $1.5 billion dollars. The couple’s thriving business endeavors certainly receive ample coverage in the book (including their navigation of the Great Recession, in which they lost nearly 60% of their business), but most of the text is dedicated to detailing the ways in which ParaWest funds the Salkeld’s mission work. While connected to many African charities, the couple also sponsors several community organizations in their home state of Arizona, including a youth summer program and a massive community Easter egg hunt featuring more than 15,000 candy-filled plastic eggs.

Originally intended to be a self-help tome before it morphed into a memoir, the book contains numerous elements intended to inspire readers to pursue their own dreams. The book’s title, for instance, refers to Salkeld’s belief that “no matter where you’re at in life, you can fulfill your dreams by listening to God’s whispers, working hard, and seeking and following His will.” Given the couple’s active life in Christian ministry, it is no surprise that religion plays a central role in the book’s narrative. While distinctly Christian, the book is ecumenical in spirit, reflecting the author’s open admiration of televangelist Robert Schuller. (A devotional written by Schuller’s grandson is featured in the book’s postscript). Salkeld eschews doctrinal specificities and in-depth theological discussions for a more distilled version of the faith that emphasizes loving one’s neighbor. This lighthearted approach is echoed by the book’s tongue-in-cheek “footnotes from God” (labeled “God Notes”), in which the author shares stories of “God’s Sense of Humor,” among other anecdotes. Written in an optimistic—at times even bubbly—prose style, Salkeld’s memoir is an uplifting read despite its engagement with such sobering subjects as global poverty, disease, and famine. Readers looking for intellectual heft—from nuanced theological commentary to historical context for Africa’s geopolitical crises—may be disappointed, but those looking for an accessible, inspiring, and distinctly Christian-themed memoir will find much here to appreciate. The book also includes ample visual elements, including maps and an abundance of high-resolution, full-color photographs that feature the smiling faces of dozens of children affected by Salkeld and Delane’s ministries.

An inspiring story of listening to God’s call and giving back when blessed.