WELCOME TO INTO THE DEEP BLOG TOUR PRESENTED BY LAUREN GASKILL
HOSTED by READ WITH AUDRA BLOGGER TOUR PROGRAM

About the Book:

Develop enduring faith for the turbulent waters of life.

Following Jesus doesn’t guarantee sunny skies and smooth sailing. In fact, the waters of life are often tumultuous, crashing over us. Sometimes we can feel that we’re drowning in a sea of confusion, division, frustration, complacency, or disillusionment. We need more than a shallow faith to survive these deep waters.

Into the Deep is an invitation to dive headfirst into a life of courageous faith. With endearing warmth and authenticity, Lauren Gaskill shares how she and others have learned to swim with Jesus in the deep waters of life—facing challenges such as anxiety, depression, and chronic illness—only to discover a more authentic, enduring faith that cannot be shaken by circumstances. In addition to examining the character of God and the lives of women and men of the Bible who chose to dive deeper with God, she provides practical examples and tools that help us take our faith to the next level by learning to make decisions by faith alone, control our reactions to overwhelming situations, and live a life rooted in love.

Get ready to exchange fear and frustration for the boldness, courage, and holy confidence that lead to a life of deep faith and joy!

Lauren Gaskill is an author, speaker and host of the Finding Joy podcast and Finding Joy Ladies Night Out events. After being diagnosed with an incurable connective tissue disorder, she made it her life mission to encourage others to fight for faith and find joy – no matter what life's circumstances might bring.

Gaskill is a storyteller who believes stories are powerful and loves how God uses them for His good. She writes and speaks to motivate and inspire others to experience abundant life in Christ. She is particularly passionate about encouraging women to fight for faith and go deeper in their relationship with Jesus. She also writes and speaks about what it looks like to walk with Jesus through pain and suffering.

She lives in Raleigh, NC, with her husband and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Find her online at LaurenGaskillInspires.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagra

I never learned to swim and as I read the beginning of this book , I thought oh no I may be in trouble. The author asks which group you fall in comparing faith to swimming. I may be the one who hesitantly exercises faith. Whenever we go through a difficult time, that is the perfect time to lean on our faith. Sometimes we don't and then wonder what happened. For me it was hitting the bottom of the barrel in my life before I truly understood about faith. The anger that had built up inside of me was too much and I was on the brink of walking away from God. I can't pinpoint the moment but I know that at some time, I surrendered and said "God, I have little faith but I need you." It was a turning point in my life. 

i really enjoyed this book and how it is set up. Each chapter is about a topic which the author gives great examples that help you apply it to your life.. At the end of each chapter is a Going Deeper section, followed by a prayer. I loved how the author used biblical and real life stories in the book. There are a few chapters I want to touch on. The first is learning to trust. That is a big one for me. I am guilty of wanting to be in control. That does make it hard on God, if I take the reins and leave Him out. When I began to really trust Him, I felt this big weight lifted off me. Now God is in control and I can feel confidant that He has my back. 

The other chapter that really caught my attention was about overcoming fear. I have lived with fear all my life and have PTSD. My day is filled will anxiety, depression and fear of everything. It is a hard journey but after reading this chapter, I feel more confidant and assured that my faith will see me through.I enjoyed the example of Job. He really went through so much, yet he showed no fear. His faith was so strong he overcame what the enemy tried to do. God doesn't want to see us suffer. "He may allow it and use it to purify our faith and draw us deeper into relationship with Him." 

I hope you will grab a copy of this book and let the words soak in has you go deeper into His presence. He is always there waiting with open arms. "He who is strong to save us once is strong to save us for the rest of our lives."

I received a copy of this book from Read with Audra Blogger Program. The review is my own opinion.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

Walking In The Light	11/6/2018
Anita Ojeda	11/6/2018
Feeling in Red	11/6/2018
this chattanooga mommy saves	11/6/2018
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader	11/7/2018
Grace Space Christian Coaching blog	11/7/2018
Julie Arduini: Surrender Issues and Chocolate	11/8/2018
Natalie Walters	11/8/2018
Meagan Davenport	11/9/2018
SK Bell Blog	11/9/2018
Inklings and Notions	11/10/2018
Julie Danielson	11/10/2018
PamelaBlack	11/10/2018
Rachel's Reading	11/11/2018
This Is Me	11/11/2018
Back Porchervations	11/12/2018
Courage. Hope. Love.	11/12/2018
Jen Howat	11/13/2018
Book Babble	11/14/2018
A Beautiful Inheritance	11/14/2018
Once Upon a Storyville	11/14/2018
A Peace of Mind	11/14/2018
Genesis 5020	11/14/2018
Happily Managing a Household of Boys	11/15/2018
snidbits	11/15/2018
Texas Book-aholic	11/16/2018
Faithful Acres Body Soul Spirit	11/17/2018
Edits and Reviews by Leslie	11/17/2018
The Little Friar	11/18/2018
Blogging About Everything!!!	11/18/2018
The Writer's Tool	11/19/2018
Mommy Ramblings	11/19/2018
Thoughts on Books	11/19/2018
Veronica's 'Views	11/19/2018
God is Love	11/20/2018
Deep Imprints	11/20/2018
EnchantedExcurse	11/20/2018
Rachel Dawn Writes
Melinda Means

About the Book

Book: Chosen People

Author: Robert Whitlow

Genre: Legal Drama

Release Date: November 6, 2018

Publisher: HarperCollins

Bestselling author Robert Whitlow dives deep into the legal ramifications of a tragic event half a world away and how it affects two lawyers in Atlanta from vastly different backgrounds.

When Hana Abboud walked into the conference room, she was unprepared for the images of a horrific terrorist attack near the Western Wall in Jerusalem. But after watching a courageous mother sacrifice her life to save her four-year-old daughter, Hana knew she needed to help attorney Jakob Brodsky represent the family’s pursuit of justice against those who perpetrate acts of violent jihad. As an Arab Israeli lawyer trained at Hebrew University, Hana is uniquely qualified to step into the gap.
But they need a third partner, an investigator on the ground to help them unravel the snake pit of connections between the terrorists and an organization or company that can be sued in the American courts. Hana returns home to Israel and meets with investigator Hamid Hasan who quickly becomes more than a crucial part of the litigation team.

As Jakob and Hana investigate the case in the US, he is stalked on the streets of Atlanta by affiliates of a terrorist organization. Their pursuit of truth can only be resolved where it began: the streets of Jerusalem. But who can they trust? How deep does deceit go? Can two lawyers and a shadowy investigator impact the kind of violence and terror that has become common in our broken world?

About the Author

Robert Whitlow is the bestselling author of legal novels set in the South and winner of the Christy Award for Contemporary Fiction. He received his J.D. with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law where he served on the staff of the Georgia Law Review. Website: robertwhitlow.com, Twitter: @whitlowwriter, Facebook: robertwhitlowbooks

Guest Post from Robert

INSIDE THE STORY

Chosen People—a title that reflects both the Biblical designation for the Jewish nation as well as converted Christians—opens during a terrorist attack near the Western Wall in Jerusalem. A courageous mother sacrifices her life to save her young daughter, leaving behind a grieving husband and a motherless child.

Whitlow’s many trips to Israel and his in-depth research into the culture and laws of the Holy City are evident throughout the story. Furthermore, his experience as a lawyer gives him keen insight into the mind of his main character Hanna Abboud, an Arab Christian Israeli lawyer working in Atlanta.

“This book provides a unique perspective to this region and its peoples through the eyes of an Arab Christian who believes that the faithfulness of God and truths of the Bible are unshakable realities,” says Whitlow. “This viewpoint is rarely expressed, yet it is one that needs and deserves to be heard so that it can become part of our framework for understanding this vital part of the world and the people who live there.”

This has been one of the most intriguing books I've read. It starts innocently about a law firm wanting to sue for the death of a woman. What entails is a much more in depth look at Islamic terrorism and details of a culture we very rarely get a peek into. The author is very versed in his description of Jerusalem.  I walked beside the characters as they visited the empty tomb.  I could feel the overwhelming peace as they each took a turn going into the room where the tomb was. The author has always been a gifted writer, but this book has shot him to the top of master story telling. The story is very detailed and I loved following alongside Hana as she investigated a tragedy that we only hear about on the news. The details of the crime were vivid and it enhanced the brutality of the murder. Hana is a very determined woman who impressed me with her faith. 

I usually talk about the different characters in my review , but for this book I want to concentrate on the story itself. The author is very gifted in weaving a story about terrorism that involves a lawsuit that reaches far across the waters. There is definitely danger in the story and I wasn't sure who to trust. The twists the author puts in makes the story suspenseful and one that keeps you on your toes. I have to say I felt like I was watching a movie because the authors words are so powerful and vivid. The saying " A picture is worth a thousand words" would be almost perfect to describe the book. However the story is  many more words that  took me away to a realistic view of what terrorism and betrayal looks like. 

I have often wondered what it would be like to visit Jerusalem and with the help of the author I felt like I was there placing my hand on the wall.  I could hear the prayers that wailed from the people as they placed their hands upon the wall.  Yes, I loved the book not so much for the characters, even though they were well written. I loved the book because the author doesn't sugar coat anything in re guards  to Jesus.  He is not in your face about Jesus, but in a compassionate way, reveals how much Jesus loves all people. Yes I said all.  The story is a good suspenseful book which keeps the tension going. The author has gotten my full attention with this outstanding story of deceit, loyalty, terrorism, compassion and chalked full of interesting facts about a country we all need to pray for.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Just the Write Escape, November 8

Genesis 5020, November 8

Multifarious, November 9

Real World Bible Study, November 9

The Power of Words, November 9

The Becca Files, November 10

Bibliophile Reviews, November 10

C Jane Read, November 11

Caffeinated Christian Raves – N – Reviews, November 11

Book by Book, November 11

Margaret Kazmierczak, November 12

By The Book, November 12

All-of-a-kind Mom, November 13

Painting with Words, November 13

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, November 13

Simple Harvest Reads, November 14 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Robin is Bookish, November 14

Texas Book-aholic, November 15

Moments, November 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 16

Mary Hake, November 16

Janices book reviews, November 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 17

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, November 18

Christian Bookaholic, November 18

Carpe Diem, November 19

Stephanie’s Life of Perseverance, November 19

A Baker’s Perspective, November 20

Inklings and notions, November 20

Bigreadersite, November 21

For The Love of Books, November 21

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, HarperCollins is giving away a grand prize of three finished Robert Whitlow books (to be chosen by the publisher)!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d73a/chosen-people-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Christmas Love Year Round

Author: Elaine Stock

Genre: Christian romance, sweet romance

Release Date: September 25, 2018

Cami Richardson is good at chasing away the men in her life: first Gavin Kinkaid, a former classmate she’d helped to bully, and later, her husband who left her widowed and a single mom. Now all she wants is to bring a smile back to her eight-year-old son. What she doesn’t expect is for Gavin to become her new neighbor.

Gavin wants to settle down after serving in the Air Force and mend the separation between him and his dad. What he didn’t count on is his changing feelings when he sees Cami as a kind woman instead of his former adversary.

When Cami’s son blindsides them both during the Christmas season, is their reunion at risk or will it grow stronger?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Elaine Stock is the author of the novels Her Good Girl, winner of the 2018 American Fiction Awards in the Christian Inspirational category, andAlways With You, which won the 2017 Christian Small Publishers Association Book of the Year Award in fiction. And You Came Along, a novella, released in December 2017. Her novels fuse romance, family drama and faith in a clean fiction style. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association. In addition to Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, she hangs out on her active blog, Everyone’s Story, dedicated to uplifting and encouraging all readers through the power of story and hope.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Elaine has now been living in upstate, rural New York with her husband for more years than her stint as a NYC gal. She enjoys long walks down country roads, visiting New England towns, and of course, a good book.

Guest Post from Elaine

To love someone with all of your heart is the only thing that matters in this world.

Readers often ask the origin of a story idea. When I wrote my first published novel, Always With You, I was asked if my husband was a white supremacist. No! When Her Good Girl released, the questions of whether my mother practiced Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy popped up as well. Although my mother unfortunately did suffer another mental illness, it wasn’t MSP. And now Christmas Love Year Round, Book 1 of the Kindred Lake romance series, is on sale. What does fuel my writing? What is a connecting theme between the stories I write?

Love.

Love is the most essential relationship we must share between all…between family members, friends, neighbors…between strangers, enemies, those who live differently than us, and foreign countries.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:34-35 (NIV)

Yet, isn’t honest love the hardest thing to do? Perhaps it is also the most difficult virtue to teach and the most vexing passion to express.

Imagine this scenario: You’re a widowed mom with an impressionable eight-year-old son. Your conscience is riddled with the worry that you might have pushed your husband toward his death, and that’s on top of the weight bearing down on you from your childhood days of participating with others to bully a particular family in town.

Then, the one boy who was part of that picked-upon family, now a grown man and stirringly handsome purchases the house across the street from you. You’ll likely see him every day.

And, with a gulp, you realize…that you want to see him. That actually, despite all that transpired between the two of you back in high school, you’re Attracted to him with a Capital A.

Might that magnetism between the two of you be mutual?

This is the set-up between Cami and Gavin in Christmas Love Year Round. Will these two former adversaries forgive not only each other but themselves as well and take loving one’s neighbor to the next step of falling in love and making amends into amens?

May each of you be blessed with love and joy year round!

This is a great story about forgiveness and bullying. It's funny how Cami was such a snob when she was growing up. I think she may have went along with her friends when they were mean to Gavin and his family. We all grow up with different lifestyles, but for some it is hard when you have very little. I loved how the author used two people who at one time were enemies to show how people can change as they mature and get older.

Gavin is a perfect example of how forgiveness works. After moving across the street from Cami and her son, he knew there may be some hurt feelings. What I really liked was how the author used a woman as the bully in the story. Yes, women can be mean and judgmental. It was nice to read how Gavin was able to forgive Cami for all she had done to him while they were growing up. 

The best character to me in the story was Danny. He is a precious little boy who has a heart of gold. Cami has raised him well and he takes to Gavin quickly. In the story Danny is exposed to bullying himself and I thought he handled it well. It was a shock to him to find out his mom had been a bully. We don't realize sometimes how hurtful our words can be, but this little boy showed everyone how to forgive and love. I won't tell anything else about the story so I won't spoil how God worked in several people's lives. It is a wonderful story that we can all take a lesson from.  Don't miss this wonderful story of relationships, forgiveness and God's love. 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Back Porch Reads, November 3

Inklings and notions, November 4

Christian Centered Book Reviews, November 4

Christian Author, J.E. Grace, November 5

Cultivating Us, November 6

Quiet Quilter, November 6

Reading Is My SuperPower, November 7

Singing Librarian Books, November 7

Moments, November 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 9

Robin is Bookish, November 9

Remembrancy, November 10

Vicky Sluiter, November 10

Bibliophile Reviews, November 11

A Baker’s Perspective, November 12

Texas Book-aholic, November 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 14

Carpe Diem, November 14

Janices book reviews, November 15

godly Book Reviews, November 16

Bigreadersite, November 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Elaine is giving away

Grand Prize: Winner’s choice between print (US only) or Kindle of Christmas Love Year Round, Kindle of And You Came Along (companion novel to Christmas Love Year Round), and a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

1st and 2nd Prizes: a Kindle edition of Christmas Love Year Round!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d5c6/christmas-love-year-around-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Secrets

Author: Beckie Lindsey

Genre: Young Adult

Release Date: February, 2018

Every girl has a secret she hopes the light will never find–but the demons already have.

Four girls. Four sets of secrets. Four searching for answers.

Mackenzie is the shy, awkward new girl at school, depressed and desperate for a real friend. When she stumbles upon the deepest secret of a sarcastic, angry-at-the-world track star, Krystal, they become instant enemies-especially about the flirtatious baseball player, Bryce.

Tammi, a gloomy singer/musician who couldn’t care less about what others think of her, meets Sadie, a dancer and a people-pleaser with a cotton candy disposition. They have nothing in common until their lives begin to collide in more ways than one.

As the girls’ worlds begin to converge, their secrets rather than their similarities draw them together. Meanwhile, all that’s kept hidden has left them vulnerable to a battle in an invisible realm where demonic creatures fight to keep the girls chained to their pasts while angels of light work to free them.

Can good ever come from evil? Can beauty ever arise from ashes?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Beckie Lindsey is an award-winning poet, author, blogger, and the editor of Southern California Christian Voice, a division of One Christian Voice, a national news syndicating agency. She is a major coffeeholic and enjoys a good book with a cat on her lap. She also loves to hike and hang out with family and friends. Beckie and her husband, Scott have three adult children, two adorable cats and live in California.

Guest Post from Beckie

Why I write YA and the BFA series

By Beckie Lindsey

I believe a teenager still exists inside each of us.

We hear a familiar tune from our “glory days” and are instantly tapping our toes. Mentally, we’re back in high school —poofy bangs, scrunchie, neon off-the-shoulder sweatshirt — and all. Oh, wait. That’s me back in the ‘80s!

Ah, yes. There is something wonderfully awful about those coming-of-age years.

From the first kiss to the first breakup, there are memories we cherish and some we don’t care to ever revisit. Being a teen can be exciting, confusing, painful, joyous, or even all of those things at once!

No matter how different your teenage experience was from mine, one thing is true for us all: these years have an enormous impact on who we become as adults. We can all sympathize with the plight of puberty and the longing for independence and acceptance. Yeah, there’s still a teenager in all of us!

These are the reasons I write YA.

My hope is to use the power of storytelling to move past barriers and open hearts to accept how much God loves and desires a personal relationship with us.

At every age, we all need the grace and love of Jesus.

In the Beauties from Ashes (BFA) series, I write about relatable characters with difficult issues and traumatic pasts to enlighten readers about the unseen spiritual battle referred to in Scripture. Each character has a secret that has left them vulnerable to the battle in an invisible realm where demonic creatures fight to keep them chained to their pasts and angels of light work to free them.

The characters and their issues are complex, just like real life. In fact, some of the topics are often considered too taboo to talk about openly. But what is left in the dark, festers and grows. It is only in the light that we can be free. In the BFA series, readers experience the character’s quest for truth, love, grace, and freedom while hopefully finding the same for themselves.

Like an onion that is peeled, there seems to be more layers hidden until you almost want to give up. This book is like peeling away all the darkness, the secrets and the pain that the enemy has tried to place us under. Each girl in the story deals with a different issue that many are familiar with. We may know about incest, but do we know what emotional damage it does? It causes the person to crawl into a shell screaming for someone to save them. There is no one they can trust , so they continue to live with their secret.

The author delivers a book so intense and honest. I wanted to throw the book across the room though, because it brought up memories for me that are still painful. I loved the illustration of demons who are out there trying to devour us and whisper in our ears that we are nothing, it was all our fault or go ahead and give up. The enemy wants us to think that no one cares, but the powerful message the author gives shows us that God is there. He does care and He will help you .

Four girls who come from different backgrounds, join together to fight against the enemy. I thought it was a good example of how strong we are together vs fighting by ourselves. Be warned that the book does not hold back and talks about issues that need to be addressed. Its time to stand up and fight instead of turning our backs on each other.

I like how the author delivers a powerful story about four girls each dealing with something such as anxiety, bullying, bulimia, alcoholism, divorce and incest. The book has powerful words to encourage each of us to fight and never give up. I liked how these four unlikely friends band together to reach out to God for help. The story is one that made me angry at times and cry at others. One of the best parts of the story for me was when someone shared with a youth group about her trauma of sexual abuse. It is a testimony to help others who are struggling to know that they are not alone. I have always said that I wouldn't change one thing about my life. The things I went through made me stronger. If my own testimony can reach one person, then it is all worth it for me.

"For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith."

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, November 13

Inklings and notions, November 14

Genesis 5020, November 15

Multifarious, November 16

Blogging With Carol, November 16

Carpe Diem, November 17

A Baker’s Perspective, November 18

Godly Book Reviews, November 19

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 19

Robin Is Bookish, November 20

Remembrancy, November 20

The Becca Files, November 21

Christian Centered book Reviews, November 21

Ashley’s Bookshelf, November 22

Stephanie’s Life of Perseverance, November 22

Wonders of Anomalies Book Reviews, November 23

amandainpa, November 23

Bibliophile Reviews, November 24

Janices book reviews, November 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 26

Bigreadersite, November 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Beckie is giving away a grand prize of a $30 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d56f/secrets-celebration-tour-giveaway