Dance with Jesus

A book that addresses the pain and grief we feel when we lose a loved one.  

Susan B. Mead reminds us that they are not lost.  We know where they are.  They are Dancing With Jesus.   

The questions at the end of each chapter are helpful and thought provoking.  This would be a treasured gift for someone who is going through grief.  Each Bible verse can bring comfort and a reminder that Jesus is "the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

 John 1 1:25-26 NIV

I am comforted thinking my loved ones are Dancing with Jesus.  How could you not smile and be comforted with this image.

I received this free to review.

About the Book

Book Title: Dance with Jesus

Author: Susan B. Mead

Genre: Non-fiction: Christian life, Bereavement, Grief

Release date: March 31, 2015

Grief hits each one of us and can come from so many different directions…

HAVE YOU LOST SOMEONE DEAR TO YOU? A brother, sister, parent, grandparent, family member, friend or a child? A relationship? A body part to cancer or an accident? Do you want to experience the joy of moving from broken to blessed? From GRIEF TO GRACE? Do you want God to take your hand and teach you to dance…with Jesus? Yes?

Then devour the words of Dance With Jesus: From Grief to Grace! Expect to laugh through the tears and experience a deepening of your faith.

Are you looking for a free mini-course to deepen your faith? Text DanceWithJesus (all one word) to 444-999, then reply with your email to receive 6 days of Biblical encouragement.

10% of the profit from Dance With Jesus: From Grief to Grace will benefit Water for LIFE to help dig water wells in remote locations around the world. People Matter!

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

A master storyteller and award-winning, bestselling author, Susan B. Mead leaves audiences motivated to live a life free of regrets even though she has done the hardest thing any parent can do – bury her youngest son, Kyle. With over 22 years in corporate America, 2 million airline miles under her belt, 1 eLit Book Award Gold Medal and 2 Christian Literary Awards on the shelf, an MBA and a Certificate of Ordination hanging on the wall, as well as a Doctor of Theology candidacy in process, Susan shares her expert teachings on business, grief, spiritual warfare and relationships.

Susan has been described as a solid, comforting voice in a messy world.Whether speaking to business professionals, women’s conferences, industry leaders or writer’s workshops, Susan’s insightful wisdom inspires audiences, empowering them to make healthy mental u-turns to help them find calm in the chaos.

Guest Post from Susan B. Mead

Why did I write, “Dance With Jesus: From Grief to Grace?” Such a funny story how that happened. I was in the midst of a Bible study by Henry Blackaby called, “Experiencing God” and one night a question asked, “What does God want you to do right now? Right now?”

I heard, sing my love song, and I laughed out loud and said, “Seriously, God, you’re going to have to send me a bucket because I can’t carry a tune, and you know that.”

Then that gentle spirit inside whispered, what’s in your hand? There was a pen in my hand because I was writing in a workbook. I swept the workbook away, got a journal out, put pen to paper, and the story simply flowed onto paper. At 5:30 a.m., I put the pen down and thought well that took more than the two lines provided (in the workbook).

The very first email I read later that day was from Proverbs 31 Ministries She Speaks, Speakers and Writers Conference. Writers conference, I thought? Seriously God, you want me to do something with this? Okay, and the story began.

That’s how I wrote the book, “Dance With Jesus: From Grief to Grace.”

And to think from that humble beginning, Dance With Jesus won TWO 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards from Christian Literary Awards. I stand in awe of our mighty God. When we turn to Him, God holds us close as He comforts and heals us, His children, simply because He loves us.

Lysa TerKeurst, Proverbs 31 Ministries President and New York Times Bestselling Author, shared, “Susan has personally experienced one of the deepest forms of grief. Yet she writes this treasure of a book from her point of grace not grief. I plan to give this book to any of my friends that find themselves crying and needing someone who deeply understands.”

May I ask you to give Dance With Jesus: From Grief to Grace as a gift to any friend who has lost a loved one or to yourself, if you too have loved and lost.

Video from Susan B. Mead

Blog Stops

Just the Write Escape, August 28

Josephine’s Thoughts, August 29

Carpe Diem, August 30

Multifarious, August 31

Simple Harvest Reads, September 1 (Spotlight)

proud to be an autism mom, September 2

Reading Is My SuperPower, September 2

Texas Book-aholic, September 3

Artistic Nobody, September 4 (Spotlight)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 5

Janices book reviews, September 6

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 7

Margaret Kazmierczak, September 8 (Interview)

A Baker’s Perspective, September 9

Bigreadersite, September 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Click the link below to enter. http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0bc39d2b2/?

The Struggle is real

The Struggle is Real.  I read this book and many sections resonated with my journey.

The theme of this book is realizing that "GOD IS GREATEST.  HE ALSO KNOWS BEST." 

During my life, I felt confused and lost.  I questioned why?  Why did my parents divorce?  Why did my Dad die so young?  Why did I have to go through a divorce?  Yes, THE STRUGGLE IS REAL.

My relationship with GOD has grown as I accepted that he knew best.  He was there for me.  He would not forsake me.  A couple of sentences in the book state that if you follow the Lord, he will work it out.  I know this is true.  I trusted that everything would be ok.  GOD knows what he is doing. 

About the Book

Title: The Struggle is Real

Author:Nicole Unice

Genre:Non-fiction, Christian life, spiritual Growth

Release date: August 21, 2018

“It just shouldn’t be this hard!”

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a day where everything that could go wrong does go wrong—you lock your keys in the car while it’s running, lose control with your kids, make a mistake at the office that results in hours more work. And just when you think not one more thing could possibly happen . . . well, fill in the blank.

The struggle is real, friends. It may not be major stuff. Lives are not on the line here. But it makes us feel awful . . . and then we feel guilty for stressing when other people have “real” problems that are so much more serious.

Yet the fact remains: We live in a world that often feels harder than we think it should be. And so it can be easy to believe the stories we tell ourselves—that we’re doing it wrong, that we’ll be stuck in this place forever, that God doesn’t love us. We struggle to practice gratitude, to make godly choices, and to live our daily lives with confidence and contentment. So what can we do?

Join popular Bible teacher and counselor Nicole Unice to discover why the struggle is real . . . and what to do about it. Nicole offers practical tools to help you navigate the daily ups and downs, and ways to rewrite your struggle into a new, God-centered life story. The Struggle Is Realis an invitation to take the hard, hurtful, and confusing moments and turn them into opportunities to grow in wisdom, strength, and joy.

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Nicole Unice is a Bible teacher, author, and passionate communicator who delights in bringing God’s Word to life in a personal and relevant way. Her training as a counselor informs her work, as she emphasizes the importance of facing our own reality and embracing the transforming power of God’s grace.

Her heart belongs to Hope Church in Richmond, Virginia, where she serves as ministry director, leading discipleship and Praxis, a full-time ministry residency program for young leaders. In addition, Nicole co-hosts Hope Cast, a podcast on spiritual formation, leadership, and relationships.

Nicole’s invitations to speak have taken her across the world, and her books come to life through her popular video curriculum series found on RightNow Media. Her first book, She’s Got Issues, released in May 2012 and speaks to a fundamental question of faith: Is being a Christian supposed to change me? Also available is a companion curriculum, She’s Got Issues DVD Group Experience, a six-session journey that includes interviews, questions, and teaching expanding on the book. Her subsequent titles—Brave Enough and The Struggle Is Real—help people distill the complicated stuff of life into a simple and clear path to Jesus.

Nicole holds degrees from the College of William and Mary and from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She loves creating a space for ministry and spiritual formation in the everyday rhythms of life with three children, two pups, one husband, and a whole community of twentysomethings who regularly raid her fridge.

Nicole is known for making friends in all corners of the world, especially via social media. Connect with her on Instagram, YouTube, or at nicoleunice.com—and hopefully face-to-face at one of her upcoming events.

Guest Post from Nicole Unice

There’s a question we throw around that I bet means a whole lot more than we would expect. How many times a week—or a day!–are you asked:

“How are you?”

I don’t know about you, but the answer I hear and give the most is something like …. ”fine”, or —“busy but good!”? It’s kind of the socially acceptable answer, right?

A friend asked me this question just this week as I walked into work. I was multitasking as usual while knee deep into a cell phone conversation about yet another problem. I didn’t answer her, because if I did—if I really stopped and answered—I might have started crying, right there on the spot. My lips formed the word “fine” when in reality, I was anything but—at least not in that moment. And life doesn’t always stop long enough to give a real answer….

But isn’t “fine” the socially accepted answer because it works….or does it?

The reality is, we are all struggling, to different degrees and complexity levels, each and every day. The Struggle IS Real, and when you add up both the little and big daily struggles, it’s easy to understand why this hashtag social media rockstar exists—over 3 million deep at #thestruggleisreal.

But if we dig a little deeper into this common complaint, we might discover a much more sinister root—and real help toward freedom and wisdom in Christ.

In my newest book, The Struggle is Real, that’s what I’ve done. I address issues like:

• Life is much harder than I thought it would be, and I feel bad saying it.
• There are some things about myself that I can’t change…it’s just how I am, and it frustrates me.
• I really don’t know if God is interested in my life, and even if He is, I don’t know how to hear from Him.

(and if you are wondering how real your struggle is, I’ve included a Good Life Inventory on p. 14!)

I wrote this book because I know how real the struggle truly is—and I want us to discover the true source of the answer to these age-old problems. My hope is to take my readers through a journey into this gap between our “just fine” lives and the truly good lives we are seeking and are hungry for. To offer hope that we can live the best life we can, this side of heaven.

Yep, the struggle is definitely real. But the struggle can also start the story. It can motivate us to rewrite our lives into a new story. The struggles can lead us to a new source of hope and freedom, and somehow, even the worst of life can become a place of strength and growth. The struggle is real. And the struggle can be good.

Blog Stops

A Baker’s Perspective, August 25

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 25

Bibliophile Reviews, August 26

Reading Is My SuperPower, August 27

Texas Book-aholic, August 28

All-of-a-kind Mom, August 29

Girls in White Dresses, August 29

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, August 29

Carpe Diem, August 30

Multifarious, August 31

Janices book reviews, September 1

Inklings and Notions, September 2

Book by Book, September 3

Mary Hake, September 3

proud to be an autism mom, September 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 4

Margaret Kazmierczak, September 5

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 6

Godly Book Reviews, September 7

Bigreadersite, September 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Nicole is giving away a grand prize of a “The Struggle is Real” T-Shirt!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d19c/the-struggle-is-real-celebration-tour-giveaway

Chasing Embers

It takes amazing men and women to become firefighters.  They run to danger instead of running from.  They put themselves at risk everyday.  

Colton was a firefighter.  He loved what he did.  It was in his blood.  But was he willing to put himself at risk with Annabelle.  

Annabelle and Colton needed a lesson in communication.  There were so many things left unsaid.  Could they work out their differences?  

I loved the story.  It was based in the State of Montana.  It made me long to see the mountains and experience all what nature provides.

I received this free to review from Celebrate Lit.

About the Book

Book Title: Chasing Embers (Heart Ranch, Book 2)

Author: Rachel Skatvold

Genre: Christian Romance / Contemporary Western

Release date: August 20, 2018

ANNABELLE HART thought owning the family ranch would be everything she ever dreamed of and more. The Montana wilderness has always flowed like blood through her veins, but she can’t understand why her heart feels so empty inside.

Three years after leaving Montana to become a wild land firefighter, COLTON BROOKS still dreams about the girl he left behind at Hart Ranch. He prays for her happiness, believing she deserves someone better than him, but doubts he will ever love again.

When their paths intersect again, will the embers of their past romance be rekindled, or will an unexpected disaster change life as they know it forever?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Rachel Skatvold is a Christian author and stay-at-home mom from the Midwest. She enjoys writing inspirational romance and encouraging blogs. Rachel completed her first series, the Riley Family Legacy Novellas in 2014 and is now working on the second book in her new Hart Ranch Series. She is also a contributing author in the Whispers in Wyoming Series. Other than writing, some of her hobbies include singing, reading and camping in the great outdoors with her husband and two young sons.

Guest Post from Rachel

Chasing Embers is a sequel I have been excited to write since the release of Escaping Reality over two years ago. To be honest, while writing book one, I thought it would just be a standalone story and not part of a series. However, Logan’s strong-willed little sister, Belle, was determined to have her own story and I’m thrilled that she is finally getting one!

One of the theme verses from Chasing Embers is Ephesians 3:20, which says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” In the story, the characters go through some trials that seem impossible to overcome. In order to keep their loved ones and the ranch safe, the Hart family must cling tightly to their faith and trust that God always keeps his promises. The events of the story also serve as a reminder that God can do mighty things through us if we allow him to.

Chasing Embers is a heartwarming tale of lost love, second chances and choosing to love even when it is difficult. Be prepared to laugh, cry and rejoice with Belle and Colton as you read their love story. To find out more about Chasing Embers by Rachel Skatvold, read the summary above.

Blog Stops

Reading Is My SuperPower, August 23

Among the Reads, August 23

Christian Author, J.E.Grace, August 24

The Christian Fiction Girl, August 25

Blossoms and Blessings, August 25

Bibliophile Reviews, August 26

Janices book reviews, August 27

Kat’s Corner Books, August 28

Daysong Reflections, August 28

Luv’N Lambert Life, August 29

Remembrancy, August 29

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 30

proud to be an autism mom, August 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 31

Texas Book-aholic, September 1

Carpe Diem, September 2

A Baker’s Perspective, September 3

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 4

Bigreadersite, September 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel 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/d1f3/chasing-emberscelebration-tour-giveaway

TOBY'S TROUBLES

I want to move.  Here I come, Appleton, WV!!!

What a delightful story.  I felt like I lived down the street from Tony and Amy.  I would love to grab a coffee or have dinner with them (get to know them better).

The story is a mystery where you feel warm and cozy as you were turning the pages.  The characters all cared for each other and were so likeable.  

Toby does have some troubles but with Amy's help the mystery can be solved.  He might even find that there's more to life than Undiscovered Treasures.  

Pick up this book.  You won't be sorry.

I received this free to review from Celebrate Lit.

About the Book

Book Title: Toby’s Troubles

Author: Carole Brown

Genre: Romantic Mystery, Cozy Mystery

Release date: July 1, 2018

Everyone loves Toby Gibson. A co-owner of Undiscovered Treasures, a unique shop of antiques, collectables and junk, Toby is friendly, generous to a fault, the director of the local plays in Appleton and supports his church’s youth functions. But the minute his sister, Caroline and her new husband, take off for their honeymoon, a “ghost” begins to haunt the shop—or maybe it’s just an intruder. If so, Toby has no idea for what he is looking. To add to his troubles, he suspects Amy, not only is bidding for the property he’s wanted forever, but is in love with him. And he’s not interested.

Amy Sanderson who owns the only flower shop in Appleton—Bloomin’ Life—is drawn into capturing Toby’s “ghost” when her own business is damaged by a destructive intruder. Having loved Toby from childhood, she’s more than willing to join forces with him. But she has no interest in being his best friend or like a sister to him. And if she has to resort to schemes of outbidding him at his frequent auction attendences to get his attention, then so be it. She can be just as stubborn as the man who’s determined to ignore her love.

In between the break-ins, destruction of property, thefts and personal competitions against each other, Amy and Toby work together to find the thief who seems so determined to find a valuable item, he’ll stop at nothing.

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?

Guest Post from Carole Brown

Antique Shops, A Thief, the Community Theater, and Love

Toby’s Troubles, Book Four from the Appleton, West Virginia Romantic Mysteries series

I knew when I wrote this book who Toby was. But capturing Toby’s personality and presenting it in the right way, was a challenge for me. Readers can see his teasing, fun-loving character when he labels the person who’s breaking into his shop as a ghost. But Toby is also serious, smart and successful. The side of him who has had plenty of girl friends, but who’s never gotten serious with any of them, is prominent too. But I didn’t want him to seem frivolous and uncaring, because he isn’t that. With a focus on his interests, love has never—as of yet—been a primary concern, so when Amy Sanderson strolls into his life, she turns out to be his confidant in the time of his troubles. The question is: can she not only have a place in his life as a best friend, but also capture his heart?

Let’s talk about:

Antique Shops

Who doesn’t love a place filled with valuable items, interesting history, and hard-to-find items? Undiscovered Treasures—a shop of antiques, collectibles and junk—could be described as the town gathering place. Everyone loves browsing there. Deciding on such a place for the business of brother and sister, Toby and Caroline Gibson, was a fun choice. From grandfather clocks to unique shaped vases, it’s a shop where treasure hunters could just find what they’re looking for.

A Thief:

There are way too many new people visiting Appleton, West Virginia, so how is someone like Toby suppose to guess what the thief is after? The thief definitely knows what he’s looking for, just not where. He’s tall, thin and a fast runner, especially when escaping across a rooftop. But then, maybe it’s not a new person in town. Maybe the thief is Toby’s part time help, who has a mystery all of his own. It makes things interesting, and a bit terrifying for everyone.

The Community Theater:

One of Toby’s loves is directing and overseeing the community theater. Caroline Gibson writes some of the plays, the actors are usually taken from the West Virginia area, and all proceeds go to charities. But when their main actors, of the current play, elope and leave the play desolate, someone has to step in to fill the gaps. Toby struggles with decisions he doesn’t want to make.

Love

Toby is smart, funny, and a resourseful man. He’s also busy with his community theater activities and his business. Known as the one man in town who’s not interested, at the current time, in getting married, his reputation of loving and leaving is in danger of being wrecked by one small woman. Can she sabotage his well-laid plans and help him realize it’s now or never? Could it be the time when real love is captured by two people, even when one of them seems doomed to ignore what God’s put in their hearts?

I love creating characters. Developing them into real people with real desires, moods, troubles

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, August 21

Godly Book Reviews, August 21

The Avid Reader, August 22

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 22

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, August 23

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 23

Kaylee’s Kind Of Writes, August 24

Two Points of Interest, August 24

Connect in Fiction, August 25

Blogging With Carol, August 25

Bibliophile Reviews, August 26

Splashes of Joy, August 27

proud to be an autism mom, August 27

A Baker’s Perspective, August 28

Maureen’s Musing, August 29

Mary Hake, August 29

Janices book reviews, August 30

Pause for Tales, August 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 31

Lighthouse Academy, September 1

Texas Book-aholic, September 2

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 2

Carpe Diem, September 3

Bigreadersite, September 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carole is giving away a grand prize that includes winner’s choice of one of the two attached mugs, winner’s choice of a print or kindle copy of Toby’s Troubles and a tote bag!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d1c2/toby-s-troubles-celebration-tour-giveaway