My Thoughts and More on Across the Lake by Barbara M. Britton

 

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Across the Lake: Traveling with Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee by Barbara M. Britton, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! 

About the Book

Title: Across the Lake: Traveling with Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee 
Author: Barbara M. Britton 
Publisher: Scrivenings Press 
Release Date: January 6, 2026 
Genre: Biblical Fiction Devotional

Discover the life changing power of Jesus in six short stories from the Gospel of Mark. The miracles of Jesus will leap from the page in a Biblical Fiction story, author reflection, and relatable study. 

Travel with Jesus as he calms a storm, heals a desperate woman, raises a dead daughter to life, sends His disciples on a minimalist mission, feeds thousands on a hillside, and shows compassion to a persistent mother. 

A perfect study for your small group, personal or family devotions, or even a book club. If you know Jesus, fall in love with Him all over again. 

If you haven’t experienced Jesus’s power and love, jump in His boat and engage with the Creator and Savior of the world.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Scrivenings Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

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About the Author

Barbara M. Britton is an author of Christian Fiction who loves to bring little-known Bible stories to light. She has taught the Bible in church and schools for thirty years. Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. You can find out more about Barbara and her books on her website barbarambritton.com.

My Thoughts:

This was a unique devotional that takes six of Jesus's miracles that happen around the Sea of Galilee, and in story form we are taken deeper into the miracle. There are about five chapters for each story, then we are given the author reflections and following up with discussion questions. There are some fictional characters mixed with Biblical as the author tells her stories.

This would be a great devotional for a book group, or even on your own. I like that the questions are right there and they give you time to pause and reflect on the story, the miracle, and who Jesus is. I have not done a devotional like this one before and I am glad I got a chance to try it.

I was provided a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive an Across the Lake book box which includes a paperback copy of Across the Lake: Traveling with Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee, a Hebrews 12:2 Scripture Rock, a necklace with cross and GRACE tag, a print copy of the Shelter in the Night devotional by LoRee Peery, a Philippians 4:13 notebook, and a $20 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 26, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 2, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: The Essence of Humility by Lynn U. Watson

About the Book

Title: The Essence of Humility  
Author: Lynn U. Watson  
Genre: Devotional  
Release date: January, 2019

We live in a culture overwhelmed with disrespect, egos, entitlement, rudeness, and offense — lives focused on self, rather than God or others. 

The Bible defines love in 1 Corinthians 13. Every descriptive word included in the list whispers humility.

Patience — humility Kindness — humility 

Not rude — humility Not arrogant — humility 

Rejoices in truth — humility No envious or boastful — humility 

Not irritable — humility Keeps no record of wrong — humility

Jesus entered our world and walked among us. He placed no importance on rank or position. Jesus life reflected love because it reflected humility, and He invites us to live and love like Him. 

Journey with our hostess, Cinnamah-Brosia and her friends at The Coffee Cottage. They lead us on a journey to meet real life people — our contemporaries and those on the pages of God’s word, who encountered the same real life challenges you and I face each day. Learn the blessings of a life lived like Jesus lived —- with love and humility.

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Thoughts:

The Essence of Humility is the third devotional in the Cinnamah-Brosia series and this time it is about humility. This reintroduces the fictional character of Cinnama-Brosia and her friends and family as they go about their lives, their struggles, and making sense of it all through Bible study.

The stories deal with realistic problems, feelings, and emotions. The author wraps up these stories and the essences’ (like lavender, olive oil, coriander, orange blossom, etc.) into a devotional centered around humility. Characters from the Bible have their stories told and scripture verses are throughout.

This is a very unique devotional (there is even a paper doll to copy and cut out). It is certainly very creative and the author has shown her artistic ability with her words. This is usually not a typical read for me, but again I was hooked by the cover- I like the homemade look of it and I have learned some new and interesting things reading about the different essences’ she has chosen.

I also like that the book focused on humility especially in the day and age we all live in. Focusing on 1 Corinthians 13 and beginning with Micah 6:8, the author takes us on a journey in what humility is like and how we should live it and show it in a world that is entirely too focused on self.

I received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Lynn Watson combines many years’ experience in women’s ministry, love of essential oils, and her passion for God’s word to bring her readers freshly inspired encouragement for their walk with Jesus. Her devotional, The Essence of Courage, was recognized as a ‘must read’ by regional publishing industry leaders. Married since 1973, Lynn and Steve have filled their Bartlett, Tennessee home with handmade treasures and lots of love for family, especially their five beautiful (of course) grandchildren. Aromas of freshly baked bread often fill Lynn’s kitchen. Jasmine, her tuxedo kitty, enjoys sleeping in Lynn’s lap while she writes.

 

Guest post from Lynn

My first lesson in humility for Volume 3 of Cinnamah-Brosia’s Inspirational Collection came from an assumption. Right. Those are never a grand idea. 

When God spoke to me about writing this book, he clearly gave me the subject: Love. I immediately headed to 1 Corinthians 13 – The Love Chapter of the Bible. Of course the book’s title would be The Essence of Love. The end material of The Essence of Joy announced the new “Love” title coming in 2018. 

And God laughed. I read 1 Corinthians 13 over and over again. It whispered “humility” over and over again. I called my dear friend – the one I consult with on every one of these books – and said, “You know what? Listen to this. Love is patient – humility. Love is kind – humility. Love is not arrogant – humility. You get the idea. Every single line of this beautiful passage comes down to the barest bones: humility.” 

We both laughed a little, too. And we thanked God He clarified His instructions. 

To live and love like Jesus requires us to humbly trust God and to humbly serve others. 

In Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul presents a lengthy discourse on the humility of Christ. It begins like this: 

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ~Philippians 2:1-4 (HCSB) 

The title morphed to The Essence of Humility. I placed the focus on common everyday botanicals and plants – those familiar to us today – for this third volume in the collection. The fun came as I dug the plants from Scripture. I pray you enjoy the connections as much as I did uncovering them and connecting them to Jesus’ life, and to a whole list of characters who lived on the pages of the Bible, along with our contemporaries here in the 21st century. 

Thank you for choosing The Essence of Humility. So very many titles out there shout to be read. I am humbled for you to spend time with me here. I have prayed for every one of you. Copyright 2018, Lynn U. Watson

Blog Stops

Carpe Diem, January 24

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 25

Splashes of Joy, January 25

A Reader’s Brain, January 26

Bibliophile Reviews, January 27

A Baker’s Perspective, January 28

Creating Romance, January 29

Mary Hake, January 29

Aryn The Libraryan, January 30

Texas Book-aholic, January 30

Older & Smarter?, January 31

The Becca Files, February 1

Godly Book Reviews, February 1

Pause for Tales, February 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 2

Janices book reviews, February 3

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, February 4

Through the Lens of Scripture, February 5

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 6

Bigreadersite, February 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lynn is giving away a grand prize of a wire basket that includes a hand-stamped “Gratitude, Kindness, Humility, Love” spoon necklace, Hillhouse Naturals fresh Linen hand lotion, locally hand-crafted Lavender-Eucalyptus body and foot scrub, embroidered “Love One Another” hand towel (nice ‘n soft), cozy Chamomile herbal tea, and a paperback copy of The Essence of Humility!!

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/d93b/the-essence-of-humility-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: The Essence of Joy by Lynn U. Watson

About the Book

Book Title: The Essence of Joy

Author: Lynn U. Watson

Release Date: October 12, 2017

Genre: Women’s Devotional; Women’s Inspiration; Christmas/Advent Devotional

It’s Christmas in March!

The scents of Christmas invite our imaginations into the holiday season. What emotions flood your heart when the holiday aromas waft your way?

Did you know:

• Many favorite holiday scents like cinnamon, citrus, and cinnamon are found in the Bible?
• There is a rich heart connection attached to many of the plant essences found in Scripture?
• Myrrh is such an important essence, we can follow its trail from Genesis to Revelation with many significant stops along the way?
• Women of the Bible have personal encounters with God bringing aromas of His love and joy into their lives?
• Palm branches are an important part of Biblical celebrations beginning in Genesis and ending in the ultimate beach party around the Crystal Sea? (Christmas at the beach, anyone?)

In The Essence of Joy you’ll meet women of the Bible and contemporary women like you and me who will encourage you to discover the refreshing essence of a life lived in the presence of Jesus. Let JOY fill your heart with the aromas of His nativity.

Watch the book trailer here!

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This was a very unique devotional, actually it is centered on the Christmas season especially the scents of Christmas. I know that scents are powerful, enough that can cause people to have allergic reactions to bringing up a fond memory or even a taste. Christmas at my house always has a certain scent, in fact all the Christmas’s I remember have a certain scent, bringing to mind Christmas’s past and looking forward to Christmas present or future. This devotional takes aromas that we often associate with the holiday season and teaches us more about them in the following ways: a fictional story, where in scripture it is mentioned, a Biblical story about a woman’s experience with the deeper meaning, and fun facts about the aroma, and something for the reader to do.

This is a devotional that will be sitting on my coffee table especially during the holidays to be read again, browsed through, and to be kept as a lovely keepsake. On another note, I liked the handmade looking cover.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Lynn Watson combines many years’ experience in women’s ministry, love of essential oils, and her passion for God’s word to bring her readers freshly inspired encouragement for their walk with Jesus. Her devotional, The Essence of Courage, was recognized as a ‘must read’ by regional publishing industry leaders. Married since 1973, Lynn and Steve have filled their Bartlett, Tennessee home with handmade treasures and lots of love for family, especially their five beautiful (of course) grandchildren. Aromas of freshly baked bread often fill Lynn’s kitchen. Jasmine, her tuxedo kitty, enjoys sleeping in Lynn’s lap while she writes.

Guest Post from Lynn Watson

A walk down memory lane on a snowy day (today) transported my thoughts to a Christmas shop our children and I visited every year. Open only for the holiday season, rich aromas reached out and drew you into this wonderland. The owners filled the space with unique treasures. A few we chose years ago remain prized member of my Christmas favorites close to four decades later.

My debut encounter with essential oils came many years later. I loved their aromas (including many of those Christmas scents) and studied their aromatic influences and potential benefits. Bible verses jumped to life in new ways. God created all plants and inspired the Biblical authors to include many. The desire to share my discoveries burned in my heart, until God finally released me to publish The Essence of Courage in December 2016. Before I completed the devotional based on Solomon’s locked garden in Song of Solomon 4:12-15, God reminded me just how many aromas and tastes of the Christmas season are found in the pages of His word, too.

Cinnamon, cedarwood, mint, citrus, myrrh, frankincense, rose, and figs are found in the pages of Scripture. So, are palms. They may not appear Christmasy unless you favor a tropical holiday, but they are an integral part of celebration in the Bible. The Essence of Joy offers discoveries of connections of all this plant life to Jesus’ nativity.

Looking back a dozen years to my first not-quite-inspired imaginings of a devotional book with aromatic offerings, I’m grateful God chose different timing. He presented me an unusual format for the collection. — one of those things easier experienced than explained. Contemporary women’s very real stories (fictionalized and often combined to create anonymity), stories from very real women living on the pages of Scripture, and a focused look at the botanical and its aromas, flavors, and essences as found in the Bible, are topped off with icing on the cake: ‘Fun Facts” and ‘Your Turn’ to invite the reader to more than read – to participate.

In The Essence of Joy you’ll encounter Scriptures in ways you had not considered before. Your faith will be enriched and stretched as you relate to the ancient women of the Bible and those that may be your next door neighbor today. You’ll be encouraged to breathe in the aromas of Jesus’ nativity, sample goodies from The Coffee Cottage’s specials of the day, and tune in to musical selections welcoming you into a posture of worship. I’m praying you are filled with His joy!

NOTE: Cinnamah-Brosia, the owner of The Coffee Cottage in the fictional stories asks readers at the very beginning of the book to be sure to read the introductory material. It helps set the stage for the book’s character and personality. 

Blog Stops

Multifarious, March 3

Carpe Diem, March 4

A Baker’s Perspective, March 5

Blossoms and Blessings, March 6

Mary Hake, March 6

proud to be an autism mom, March 7

Bigreadersite, March 7

Texas Book-aholic, March 8

Seasons of Opportunities, March 9

Reading is my Super Power, March 9 (Interview)

Bibliophile Reviews, March 10

A Greater Yes, March 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 11

Janices book reviews, March 12

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 12

Pursuing Stacie, March 13

Aryn the Libraryan, March 14

Simple Harvest Reads, March 15 (Guest post from Mindy)

margaret kazmierczak, March 15 (Interview)

Pause for Tales, March 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lynn is giving away a grand prize of a “Choose Joy” hand made necklace, a “Cups of Joy” (adult coloring book) + set of 24 prismacolor colored pencils, a “Choose Joy Today” stamped silver-plated teaspoon,
flower Seeds, raspberry tea (it’s in the Cinnamah-Brosia story in the “Mint/Giving” section), a “Choose Joy” tote bag, and a signed copy of “The Essence of Joy”!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca47

Review: Devotions for the Hungry Heart by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

To Purchase

About:

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, the Belle of All Things Southern, is back with a devotional guide for the Jesus-hungry heart. Grounded in scripture and offered in the author’s signature storytelling style, this devotional invites you to God's table for a continual feast. With six prominent themes including Sharing, Needing, Celebrating, Praying, Surrendering, and Being Intentional, you'll be challenged and encouraged to develop God-honoring traits in your spiritual life.

A delightful companion book to Tomlinson’s Hungry Is a Mighty Fine Sauce, Devotions for the Hungry Heart features a bonus full-color insert featuring more than a dozen mouthwatering recipes plus photos. You're guaranteed to find nourishment for your body as well as your spirit!

My Thoughts:

Devotions for the Hungry Heart is a bit of a different devotional and I was intrigued by its content. This is a 20 week devotional that goes from a Monday to a Saturday and its emphasis is on those who seek after God. The weekly headings for the week are the same throughout the book and are about a Hungry Heart: Monday- Surrendered, Tuesday-Intentional, Wednesday-Praying, Thursday-Celebrating, Friday-Needy, and Saturday-Sharing. The devotional includes a snippet or story from the author and ending with a Bible verse.

With just one or a couple of verses added at the end, I think I would consider this more of an inspirational read to be paired with your daily Bible reading. Plus there are about a dozen recipes with pictures included in the middle of the book that the author has provided. They look quite tasty and not really complicated to make. I plan to try some soon.

Overall, I thought this book was unique and set apart from other books of its kind, though I am not really sure I would call it a devotional. The only other thing that I did not care for was the feel of the cover itself. It is a lovely book but as a personal preference I did not care for the roughness. I did like the author sharing her stories and wisdom in a manner like a dear friend would.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Review: Devoted: A Girl's 31-Day Guide To Good Living With A Great God by Marjorie Jackson

Purchase

About the Book:

What’s a girl to do in a changing world full of darkness, distractions, pressure, lies, and uncertainty? Is it really possible for a twenty-first-century young woman to live a life in direct contrast to culture’s ever-changing standards? The answer is yes! 

With a Lord like Jesus, guidance like the Holy Spirit’s, and that powerful weapon we call the Holy Bible, God’s truth is ours to live out. Come learn along with talented young author, Marjorie Jackson, in this devotional about letting our love and dedication to Jesus penetrate every area of life—our relationships, our decisions, our standards, our convictions, our priorities, our everything.

My Thoughts:

Devoted: A Girl’s 31-Day Guide to Good Living With a Great God by Majorie Jackson is such a wonderful, cute little devotional. Written for young women by a young woman, this book talks about the importance of not allowing anyone to look down on you because of your age, finding your identity in God rather than in worldly things, and many other important lessons relevant for teenage and even tween girls are all wrapped up in this devotional. At the end of each chapter there is a coloring page made up of scripture verses, and sometimes other pictures (like a tiara or some cameos). The lettering was beautiful and the pictures were so fun to color. I greatly enjoyed reading and coloring in this devotional, and learned many great lessons from it.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishers. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Nicki

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: 21 Days of Grace compiled by Kathy Ide

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Book

Purchase

Book: 21 Days of Grace

Author: Compiled by Kathy Ide
Genre: Devotional
Release Date: March 24, 2015

Love fiction? Looking for a devotional? Check out 21 DAYS OF GRACE, book one in the Fiction Lover’s Devotional series (published by BroadStreet Publishing Group). Fictional stories followed by brief life applications written by best-selling Christian novelists and debut authors, including Angela Hunt, Cindy Woodsmall, and Deborah Raney. Great for individual or group study.

My Thoughts:

21 Days of Grace is another unique devotional that I have read this year.  It is different in that it expresses truth through fiction.  There are 21 stories written all by different authors so not only do you get a thought provoking read, but you also get a sample of each authors’ writing.  Most of the authors I had not read before but there were a handful that I had and it was pleasure to read them again. 

The book is set up with the story, then we are given a life application, and last but not least we are given the author’s information.  The stories are not long at all and I read most in less than 7-10 minutes. The book is very pretty with bright, vibrant colors and adorned with a butterfly.  There is also a butterfly motif that is sprinkled throughout the book that I think makes this book even more special.  What can I say; I like butterflies as they make me think of spring.

I think this is a nice little collection of stories and a unique enough devotional that would make a nice gift especially for readers.

I received a copy of this book for free.  I was not required to give a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author

Kathy Ide is the author of Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors and the editor/compiler of the Fiction Lover’s Devotional series. She’s a full-time freelance editor and writing mentor, working with Christian authors of all genres at all levels. She teaches at writers’ conferences across the country and is the director of the SoCal Christian Writers’ Conference and the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. She’s a co-owner of the Christian Editor Network LLC and founder of the four divisions that comprise the CEN: Christian Editor Connection, The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, PENCON, and The PEN Institute. To find out more about Kathy, visit www.KathyIde.com

Guest Post from Kathy Ide

I’ve always loved Christian fiction, and I’ve seen the power of fiction to touch hearts and change lives, both firsthand and hearing about the experiences of others. But you know, in my quiet times with the Lord, reading a chapter from a novel just doesn’t seem quite appropriate. So a devotional with short fiction stories seemed like a great solution. And you can take these purse-sized devotionals wherever you go, to read when you have a few minutes of down time. It’s a great way to get “inspiration on the go.” And they make fantastic gifts for friends and loved ones.

Blog Stops

March 23: Reading Is My SuperPower

March 23: A Reader’s Brain

March 24: ASC Book Reviews

March 24: autism mom

March 24: It’s Storytime with Van Daniker

March 25: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner

March 25: Inklings and notions

March 26: Blossoms and Blessings

March 26: The Power of Words

March 27: Lighthouse Academy

March 27: Because I said so – and other adventures in parenting

March 28: Moments Dipped in Ink

March 28: A Greater Yes

March 28: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

March 29: Captive Dreams Window

March 29: Donna’s BookShelf

March 29: Southern Chelle

March 30: Pause for Tales

March 30: The Scribbler

March 31: Carpe Diem

March 31: Faithful Acres Body Soul Spirit

April 1: A Baker’s Perspective

April 1: Splashesofjoy

April 2: Christian Bookaholic

April 2: Karen Sue Hadley

April 3: Ashley’s Bookshelf

April 3: Lane Hill House

April 4: Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet

April 4: History, Mystery and Faith

April 5: God is Love

April 5: Reader’s Cozy Corner

April 5: Simple Harvest Reads

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away:

1st – 4th place winners: A set of all four devotionals in the series.
5th & 6th place winners: An autographed copy of 21 Days of Grace with a novel written by one of the contributing authors!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/b2cd