About the Book

Book: Start Little, Dream Big – Grow The Ministry You Were Born To Build

Author: Linette Rainville

Genre: Christian Books, Women’s Spiritual Growth, Adult Ministry, Ministry and Evangelism, Church Leadership

Release Date: August 7, 2025

“Start Little, Dream BIG” is Linette’s personal story of how God turned one bag of skinny jeans into a million-dollar outreach.

Learn how the smallest step of faith could change your life!

Linette Rainville knows this truth firsthand. A proud Buffalo native and U.S. Navy veteran, Linette began with one simple act of obedience—a bag of skinny jeans she tried to “trade in” for things her family needed. That humble beginning sparked a million-dollar outreach ministry that now serves over 40,000 families every year with food, clothing, hope and Jesus.

In Start Little, Dream Big, Linette shares her redemptive journey and practical wisdom for women ready to step into their God-given calling. It’s filled with real-life moments—some laugh-out-loud funny, some bring-tears-to-your-eyes kind of raw—but all with one goal: to provide you a guide and a blueprint to build your own meaningful ministries, projects, and movements from the ground up.

Whether you’re just dreaming or ready to launch, Linette invites you to join her and a growing sisterhood of modern-day Esthers who are answering their call with courage, faith, and Godfidence.

You don’t have to do this alone. Your big dream starts with one little step.

Click here to get your copy!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are my own and not an endorsement of all author’s opinions.

Author Interview

1. Why did you want to become an author?
Honestly, I didn’t set out to become an author — I just wanted to share hope. Writing was my way of processing the hard seasons of life and seeing God’s hand in the middle of them. Over time, I realized my journals and stories could actually help other women find healing and purpose too. So becoming an author wasn’t really about me; it was about obedience. God put a message on my heart, and I said YES.

2. What was the most challenging part of the writing process for you and why?
The hardest part was writing through the pain. Reliving moments that broke me was tough, but I also knew that’s where the healing was. Vulnerability isn’t easy, but I’ve learned that transparency creates connection — and that’s worth every tear that hit the page.

3. What did your research process look like for this book?
Most of my research came straight from lived experience — real people, real stories, and real moments of God’s provision. I also went back through old journals, ministry records, and community outreach notes to weave the timeline together. Of course, I prayed a lot too! I wanted every page to reflect God’s heart, not just my memory.

4. What was something new you learned while writing this book?
I learned that healing and writing often happen side by side. As I revisited each season — from the military injury to the “skinny jeans” story to founding the Trading Post — I saw new layers of God’s grace I hadn’t recognized before. Writing Start Little, Dream Big reminded me that even when we think something is over, God is still planting seeds for what’s next.

5. What audience did you have in mind when writing this book?
This book was written for every woman who’s ever felt unseen, stuck, or like her dream was too small to matter, or too big to achieve. I wanted to talk to the mom at the kitchen table, the leader doubting her impact, and the woman praying for purpose. It’s for the everyday dreamers — the ones who quietly show up, even when it’s hard.

6. How did you balance keeping your book informative yet engaging as a non-fiction?
For me, storytelling is the bridge. I didn’t want Start Little, Dream Big to feel like a manual; I wanted it to feel like a conversation. I used real-life examples, faith lessons, and moments of laughter (and tears) to make the journey practical and relatable. I believe truth sticks better when it’s wrapped in story.

7. Did you have to step out of your comfort zone to write this book? If so, how?
Absolutely. Writing this book meant sharing some of the most personal chapters of my life — seasons I once thought I’d never talk about. It required courage to be that open, but I knew that if my story could help even one person feel less alone, it would be worth it.

8. How did you celebrate when you completed your book?
Honestly, with tears of gratitude and a little happy dance in my kitchen! I also treated myself to a quiet moment with a cup of coffee, just thanking God. It wasn’t about the finish line — it was about faithfulness. I was proud that I didn’t give up, even when it got hard.

9. Do you have a favorite drink or snack for when you’re writing?
Coffee. Always coffee. ☕ and maybe a handful of trail mix or a piece of dark chocolate nearby. Writing for me feels like a conversation, so I treat it like sitting down with a friend over coffee — one story, one sip at a time.

10. What message do you hope readers take away from your book?
I hope readers walk away believing that small beginnings still matter. You don’t need a big platform or perfect plan — you just need to say yes to what’s already in your hand. God can take the smallest seed of obedience and grow it into something far beyond your imagination. Start Little, Dream Big is really an invitation to dream with God— right where you are.

About the Author

Linette Rainville, Jesus girl, USN Veteran and Movement Leader, is on a quest to raise up the next generation of Esthers and Movement Makers. As a podcast host, speaker, mentor and founder of Daughters United, a global equipping ministry, she empowers women to build projects and start ministries from the ground up. With 25 years of hands-on poverty outreach experience, Linette has reached thousands of Kingdom women, guiding them to pursue their callings, lead movements, and build missions.

More from Linette

Friend, can I just take you back for a moment?

I never thought I’d find myself here in this place. After serving my country in the U.S. Navy, I came home with a spinal injury that ended the career I had dreamed of. Suddenly, the uniform I loved was gone, and I was simply doing my best to care for my family on an income that barely covered the basics.

It stung. It carried a stigma I swore I’d never face. You see, as a young girl my mom and I had lived on welfare, and I had made a promise to myself that my children would never have to experience that. But then life happened. A “disabled” label got stamped on my record, and just like that, my best intentions seemed to evaporate.

A few years later, I was blessed with the gift of motherhood and the challenge of disability. My husband and I were making it on one single blue-collar income, just trying to survive.

And then—God.

One ordinary day, walking out of a thrift store, the Lord planted a seed in my heart. That tiny whisper turned into a vision. That vision grew into a mission. One obedient baby step at a time—one yes, one phone call, one event, one open door—the Lord built something so much bigger than me.

Over the years, what started as a little prayer has grown into clothing programs, a pregnancy help center, food pantries, a soup kitchen, domestic abuse support, homeless outreach… and an army of volunteers who joined me along the way.

What’s wild is this: that one “yes” in 1991 has rippled out for over 30 years—locally, regionally, and now even globally… reaching over 50,000 lives each year—meeting real, practical needs.

And here’s where you come in.

Because this story—it isn’t just about me. It’s about you too. I believe God is stirring dreams and assignments inside of my sisters today. Maybe you’ve walked through storms. Maybe you’ve carried labels that felt heavy. Maybe you’ve stood staring at the “skinny jeans” of your life—dreams or abilities that no longer seem to fit.

But here’s the truth: all is not lost.

I see you.

I see you walking out of those valleys and climbing mountains, becoming warrior-ready and equipped to make a difference. I see you searching for a guide, a compass, and a roadmap for your mission.

That’s why I wrote this book. It’s the first in my Skinny Jeans Series, and I pray that it will become a companion for you—to remind us that God’s plans are never finished, even when ours feel broken.

Because as Jeremiah 29:11 declares: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

So take heart, friend.

God can take your little and build something bigger than you ever imagined…

one small YES at a time.

With BIG LOVE,

❤️ Linette