GREATER star Chris Severio shares character building tips & Giveaway

Sports, and especially football, is a favorite pastime for so many, either in watching or in participating.  With determination Brandon Burlsworth overcame obstacles through dedication and hard work to achieve his dream of playing for the Arkansas Razerbacks.  Take a moment to examine and even share the lessons that Chris Severio took away from his role as Brandon Burlsworth.

GREATER Offers Great Life Lessons

By Chris Severio

Actors wait their entire lives to play a role as meaty and meaningful as Brandon Burlsworth. I was blessed to get that opportunity in my first movie, bringing Brandon to the big screen in GREATER, in theaters everywhere Aug. 26.

Brandon was a true champion and role model for so many, and I hope this movie entertains and inspires you and your family. For all the young athletes, new athletes, struggling athletes and dreamers out there (and their parents), these three lessons from Brandon’s life hold the key to building character and finding your destiny.

•         Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t:
Brandon was not the most physically gifted athlete. He struggled with being overweight, wasn’t naturally graceful, was a pretty unlikely candidate to be a college football All-American and then drafted into the NFL. He was able to do it all because he refused to listen to those who doubted him or his abilities. He always believed in himself, knew that through hard work and dedication,
he could be anything he wanted to be. The only thing standing between you and your dreams is how passionately you’re willing to produce them.

•         Dedicate yourself to something greater:
It’s no coincidence the film of Brandon’s life is called GREATER. As a Christian, he believed he was called to be a man of integrity and honor off the field as well as on – he dedicated himself, first and foremost, to God. Your faith can strengthen you, and like Brandon you can choose to be a role
model on and off the field.

•         Help others:
Brandon Burlsworth was a giver. He didn’t just play football, or live his life, focused exclusively on his wants. He made others’ needs a top priority – family, teammates, friends and fans. As he dug in deep to reach his potential as an athlete and a man, he encouraged and supported those who were taking that same journey alongside him. Brandon didn’t just make himself better; he made others better, too, because he was intentional about finding ways to help them.

Below, I’m privileged to share a clip from the movie that shows how dedication, persistence and helping others can contribute to your character and destiny.

https://youtu.be/vyYFGBUESIk

I hope you enjoy GREATER – and are as inspired by Brandon’s story as much as I and so many others who knew him and know of him have been. He was a remarkable young man, and having the privilege of bringing his life to the big screen was a remarkable experience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to win a Razerback jersey?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please leave a comment below for a chance to win a 

Team Jersey for the Arkansas Razerbacks.

Open to US Mailing addresses only.

Comments must refer to this post and posted by 

August 31, 2016 11:59 pm CDT 

to be eligible for winning.

Traces of Guilt ~ Review

Traces of Guilt
An Evie Blackwell Cold Case #1
By Dee Henderson

Evie Blackwell is dedicated to her job and is embarking on new chapter in her career as a detective. She's testing the waters in a new task force that Ann Falcon is overseeing - one that is focused on unsolved missing-person cases across the state of Illinois.  At Ann's direction Evie targeted Carin County as her beta site.

Carin County seems that your typical rural area, but it is also the site of several cold cases. And what Evie discovers could have lasting repercussions on Carin and on the Thane family.

Gabriel Thane is Carin County's sheriff, a job he loves just as his father did.  But Carin has been keeping secrets for many years as to the whereabouts of several missing people. With a knack for looking at the facts from a different angle Gabriel is hoping Evie can find that one elusive clue that will unlock the truth giving both the families and Carin the resolution they all long for.

Fans of Dee Henderson will not be disappointed - though this appears to be the first book in a new series some of Dee's other characters from previous stories make an appearance (or get a mention). Ann of course, along with her husband Paul are the most featured after Evie, Gabriel, and the Thane clan. One can easily see who both Evie and Gabriel could be friends with Ann.

Those who read Sins of the Past with Dee Henderson's Missing will have an idea of what this new task force will be like. If not you can enjoy this Romantic Suspense collection at a later date.

Suspense, tragedy, romance this book offers all of this and more.  This is the perfect book for any long week-ends that may be coming up. And I just have to say the cover is perfect for this book.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.


About the Book:

She's turning up the heat on Carin County's 

cold cases . . .

Evie Blackwell loves her life as an Illinois State Police detective . . . mostly. She's very skilled at investigations and has steadily moved up through the ranks. She would like to find Mr. Right, but she has a hard time imagining how marriage could work, considering the demands of her job.

Gabriel Thane grew up in Carin County and is now its sheriff, a job he loves. Gabe is committed to upholding the law and cares deeply for the residents he's sworn to protect. He too would like to find a lifetime companion, a marriage like his parents have. . . .

When Evie arrives in Carin, Illinois, it's to help launch a new task force focused on unsolved crimes across the state. She will work with the sheriff's department on a couple of its most troubling missing-persons cases. As she studies old evidence to pull out a few tenuous new leads, she unearths surprising connections. One way or another, she knows Gabriel Thane and his family will be key to the answers she seeks.

Without Warning ~ Review

Without Warning
Elite Guardians #2
By Lynette Eason

When Daniel Matthews and his restaurants become targeted on a single night Katie Singleton and the Elite Guardians Protection Agency are hired by his teenage niece. Someone seems determined to shutdown A Taste of Yesterday and ruin or kill Daniel.  The question is who has a grudge against the former marine and is this a case of business competition that has gotten out of hand?

Riley Matthew's fear of losing her uncle are enough to convince Katie to take the job and the rest of the Elite Guardians are willing to back her up. The list of potential suspects is short and each new attack becomes more dangerous.  If they're not careful Daniel might not be the only victim in this deadly game.

This second book in the Elite Guardians series is as intense as the first - Always Watching.  This time the story focuses mainly on Katie Singleton and the past that she is trying move beyond.  The time has come to face her demons especially if she hopes to save Daniel and Riley from the threat that has disrupted not only their lives but their peace of mind.  And when someone close to the Guardians is struck down this case becomes personal.

Lynette Eason has yet again brought to life characters of depth, heroes who are damaged and hurting, people one can relate to.  If you like suspense you'll want to read this newest addition to the Guardians series, but be warned if you read the sneak peek of book 3 you will be left on a precipice whose path has just run out (in other words ~ WOW what a peek to keep the reader in suspense).  It is not necessary to read the first before reading this one - though there is a little background info that will make a few aspects of the story easier to follow, but there is no reason one can't read the first book at a later date.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Revell in exchange for my honest review.

If you'd like to learn more about book 1 Always Watching read my review here,

About the Book:

Intensity. Skill. Tenacity.

The bodyguards of Elite Guardians Agency have it all.

Katie Singleton, a partner with the Elite Guardians Protection Agency, stumbles upon her next assignment quite by accident. Spotting blue lights at a familiar restaurant, she stops to investigate, only to discover that owner Daniel Matthews has become the target of someone who will go to any lengths to put him out of business.

Daniel might be concerned, but he's not convinced that a bodyguard--and a female one at that--is necessary. A new attack and his niece's urgings are enough to make him reconsider. He and Katie must figure out who's behind the intimidation and threats--before a would-be killer strikes again.

At Love's Bidding ~ Review

At Love's Bidding
By Regina Jennings

Miranda Wimplegate has never crossed anyone and she's not about to start to do so now, but something about Wyatt Ballentine just brings out the worst in her and she's only just met him! But when Miranda didn't stop her grandfather from auctioning off the wrong painting she is determined to help him right the wrong and save her family from ruin.

All Wyatt has ever wanted was to be accepted by his family and own the action barn that he has worked at most of his life. But when some upper-class Bostonians buy the whole business sight unseen he is left in a quandary.  It's obvious the Wimplegates have no idea what they have gotten themselves into and the auction barn is no place to add a touch of genteel refinement.

It's obvious a new arrangement must be worked out if the Wimplegates hope to recover their investment - and where is the portrait that was rumored to be hidden away in this rural Missouri town? Time is against them in their search, but perhaps Miranda will find something of greater value in the Ozarks.

This is a delightful book that deals with the difficult issue of dementia in the elderly. But overall I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a historical fiction that will leave you with a feel-good frame of mind.  Perfect for an afternoon read.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.  

About the Book:
After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she's accidentally sold a powerful family's prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the furious family, her grandfather tracks it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house if they promise not to sell anything until he arrives. 

Upon their arrival, however, they discover their new business doesn't deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its manager, ruggedly handsome Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don't know a thing about the business he's single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more cattle than they can count--but no mysterious painting--Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and salvage a bad situation getting worse.

About the Author:
Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She is the author of A Most Inconvenient Marriage, Sixty Acres and a Bride, and Caught in the Middle, and contributed a novella to A Match Made in Texas. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with her husband and four children and can be found online at www.reginajennings.com.

A Lady in Defiance ~ Review

A Lady in Defiance
Romance in the Rockies #1
By Heather Blanton

She knew what life held for her, but in a moment everything changed including where she would call home. A tragic accident cost Naomi Miller her husband. A dream lead her to Defiance, Colorado. Now she and her sisters are determined to bring God to Defiance, there's just one problem and his name is Charles McIntyre.

Defiance is Charles McIntyre's domain - the mine, the saloons, and the women.  But he wants more - he wants to bring greatness to the town of Defiance.  But to bring in the changes he wants Defiance needs to be gentled and cleaned up.  The newly widowed Naomi Miller and her sisters are just who Charles needs.  And he's up to the challenge that Naomi represents and he's willing to challenge her beliefs too.

Evil has staked its claim and there is only one thing that break its hold.  Can Naomi, Rebecca, and Hannah bring God's love to those who most need it?

This is not a sugar coated story that ends with a happily ever after ride into the sunset, but there is the promise of hope for tomorrow and the gift of God's love and forgiveness to all who seek it out.

I was provided a copy of this book through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
Charles McIntyre owns everything and everyone in the lawless, godless mining town of Defiance. When three good, Christian sisters from his beloved South show up stranded, alone, and offering to open a "nice" hotel, he is intrigued enough to let them stay...especially since he sees feisty middle sister Naomi as a possible conquest. But Naomi, angry with God for widowing her, wants no part of Defiance or the saloon-owning, prostitute-keeping Mr. McIntyre. It would seem however, that God has gone to elaborate lengths to bring them together. The question is, "Why?" Does God really have a plan for each and every life? Written with gritty, but not gratuitous, realism uncharacteristic of historical Christian romances, A Lady in Defiance is edgy Christian fiction that gives a nod to both Pride and Prejudice and Redeeming Love. Based on true events, it is also an ensemble piece that deftly weaves together the relationships of the three sisters and the rowdy residents of Defiance.

About the Author:
I love Christian Western Romance because this is the genre that lets me write about strong, pioneer women and men who struggle to find God and then live out their faith in real ways. Romance is always a strong element in my stories because it is such a beautiful gift from God, and a perfect reflection of how he loves us: sacrificially and lavishly. My stories aren't preachy or cheesy, but I hope they are inspirational, heart-warming, realistic, illuminating, and glorifying to God. Like good old fashioned Westerns, there is always justice, a moral message, American values, lots of high adventure, unexpected plot twists, and more than a touch of suspense. I am a huge researcher, as well, and you will find hints of historical romances inspired by true stories in my novels!

I grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina on a steady diet of Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and John Wayne Westerns. My most fond childhood memory is of sitting next to my daddy, munching on popcorn, and watching Lucas McCain unload that Winchester! I love exploring out West, especially ghost towns and museums. I've walked parts of the Oregon Trail, ridden horses through the Rockies, climbed to the top of Independence Rock, and even held an outlaw's note in my hand.

"I believe Christian fiction should be messy and gritty, because the human condition is ... and God loves us anyway." -- Heather Blanton

To Soar on Eagle's Wings ~ Review

To Soar on Eagle's Wings
Snowy Range Chronicles #1
By Renee Blare

One disaster after another could sum up this book, but you'd miss everything that comes between.

Rachel's love of the lonely mountain vistas provides the soothing her soul desires.  But her family can't see it, all they see is the danger she is placing herself in by going into these remote regions.

Meanwhile the entire Fitzgerald family is hurting from a tragedy that has driven a wedge into its very structure. As they work to move beyond the pain they are living with Rachel's first love has come back to the area and she has hopes for a future.  But Steve has reservations about where he and Rachel have a future as he wrestles with the demons of his own past.

Can they work past their differences and trust in the Lord so that they are able To Soar on Eagle's Wings?

Fans of romance novellas will enjoy this offering from Renee Blare.  Romance, danger, fears of the past, and shifting family dynamics all set in the beauty and wonder of a wooded mountain region.

I was provided a copy of this book through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

Spring’s in the air. While the sun shines in Timber Springs, snow falls on the Snowy Range, and trouble’s brewing in the meadows. The areas new game warden, Steve Mitchell launches his first wildlife investigation of the season but the trouble follows him—straight to town. Rachel Fitzgerald’s on Spring Break. Or at least she’s trying. Between paperwork, and harassing phone calls, she may as well have stayed in her classroom. So much for relaxation. A "chance" meeting with her brother’s old roommate offers her weary soul a shred of hope, but she discovers love, like life, isn’t easy. He talks with the wisdom of the Lord but rejects the future. She wants to soar with the eagles but walks alone. And trusting God proves to be more of a challenge than ever before…


About the Author: 

Raised in Louisiana and Wyoming, Renee started writing poetry in junior high school and that, as they say, was that. After having her son, a desire to attend pharmacy school sent her small family to Laramie and she's been counting pills ever since. While writing's her first love, well, after the Lord and her husband, she also likes to fish and hunt as well as pick away on her classical guitar. Nestled against the Black Hills with her husband, crazy old dog and ornery cat, she serves the community of northeastern Wyoming as a pharmacist and pens her Christian stories, keeping them interesting with action and intrigue, of course. She loves to interact with readers and invites you check out her website, blog, and social media.

Website: http://www.reneeblare.com/ 

Blog: https://reneeblare.wordpress.com/ 

Group Blog: http://diamondsinfiction.blogspot.com/

The Principle and Power of Kingdom Citizenship ~ Review

The Principle and Power of Kingdom Citizenship
By Dr. Myles Munroe

Have you ever wondered about what it means to be part of the Kingdom of God?  We have lost, over the years, what Jesus meant. We have interpreted the words of Jesus through the murky lens of our western culture.  Instead we need to throw out what we know and relearn the rights and duties of our kingdom citizenship.  The Bible is our way to knowledge about the heavenly kingdom of which we have a claim.

Humanity's failure began with the first sin.  One simple command do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil destroyed humanities access to the only outpost (colony) of Heaven on Earth. Charged with the management of God's creation we failed, but through the sacrifice of God's Son we've been offered a second chance. A chance to reclaim our citizenship in Heaven, but we've distorted this chance.

This book offers you a guide to be sure you understand what it means to be a citizen. And you will see the importance of living every minute as an ambassador of the Kingdom.  This book offers some interesting insights that you will want to explore.

I was provided a copy of this book through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:
Discover How to Live as a Citizen of God’s Unshakable Kingdom!
Are you ready to experience life on a new, supernatural level? Then it’s time to take your place as a royal citizen in God’s unshakable Kingdom.

For too long, too many followers of Christ have lived beneath their Kingdom inheritance. They are saved and set-up for eternity in Heaven, but they continue to live defeated and unfulfilling lives on Earth.

In Dr. Myles Munroe’s final book before graduating to eternity, he presents the biblical blueprint for what it looks like for you to live as an empowered Kingdom citizen.

You will learn how to:
• Identify and access your royal rights as a citizen of God’s Kingdom • Exercise your authority as an ambassador of Christ in your sphere of influence • Change atmospheres around you with the climate of Heaven

The Kingdom is not just about going to Heaven one day after you die...it is about walking in the purpose and power of Heaven today while you are still living on Earth!

About the Author:
Dr. Myles Munroe is global leader, professional consultant, leadership coach, mentor, international motivational speaker, business and corporate trainer, spiritual leader, government advisor, educator, master teacher, media host and bestselling author. He is one of the outstanding leaders of our generation. He was selected as one of the Top 20 voices of influence in the world by GT Magazine survey and he has positively impacted millions of lives around the world. Dr. Munroe is also founder and senior pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International and chairman of International Third World Leaders Association empowering millions to discover their personal purpose and develop their true potential. He and his wife, Ruth, have two children.