Sunday, March 16, 2025

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Jake Roger's Planet by Phillip Wilder

Book: Jake Rogers’ Planet

Author: Philip Wilder

Genre: Christian YA Science Fiction

Release date: February, 2025

Jake is about to embark on a perilous adventure through an alien wilderness filled with hidden wonders and hazards.

While backpacking with his father, Jake Rogers discovers a mysterious portal and accidentally plunges headfirst into an alien world. Stranded on this bizarre planet, he must evade predators, adapt to the strange elements, and navigate the ever-changing landscape to return home. However, as Jake stumbles upon technologically advanced alien ruins, a chilling question arises: Are the aliens still alive?

Even on this terrifying journey, God reminds Jake of the profound verse: “Do not fear, for I am with you.”

Click here to get your copy!

Christian Young Adult is a genre that I have gotten into in the last year. Jake Roger's Planet by Phillip Wilder is the most recent book in this genre that I have read.

I will admit that the book started off a little slow, but by the second chapter I began enjoying the book. The 2 main characters in this book are Jake and his Dad, whom Jake has had a strained relationship with. Jake and his Dad go on a hike and the hike turns into something more when Jake falls into a portal, in another world/planet. Jake feels disappointed that his Dad wants Jake to do one thing in life, but that is not what Jake wants for his life. Jake experiences many different things in the portal and has him making some decisions immediately. I felt the portal was more about Jake finding his place and direction in life. I really LOVE that Jake puts in faith and trust in God throughout the book and not in the direction of "Man". Jake really stood strong throughout his time in the Portal. I really believe the book is one that brings the point that no matter what we are going through, God is always with us. He will help us through the "tough decisions" if we put our trust in him. I really think this is an important message for the age group, Young teens, that this book targets. I HIGHLY recommend this book to Young Boys especially. FANTASTIC BOOK!

Philip Wilder has been writing since the age of seven. He’s authored two nonfiction books, is a ACFW Genesis Contest finalist, and is currently a Realm Makers Aurora Contest double finalist. He’s spent two years as an undercover missionary in the Middle East, gone sky-diving, and traveled to 35 countries. Philip works with the Great Commission Alliance to train and equip believers around the world. He’s passionate about using fiction to inspire believers to live adventurous lives of faith.

More from Philip

Fear is a dangerous enemy.

At the age of 22, I felt God calling me to become a missionary in the Middle East—not for a week or a month, but a year (that eventually became two). Having never traveled outside the US or moved away from my home city of Denver, I was overwhelmed by fear. I’d be moving to a foreign land where I didn’t know a single person and doing work that wasn’t widely accepted there. I spent many sleepless nights wrestling with God’s gentle prompting.

Fear is inevitable in a Christian’s walk, but its power diminishes as we learn to lean into God and trust Him with the unknown. No matter where a believer is on their faith journey, God always guides us to step outside our comfort zones.

The inspiration for this novel came in 2016 while I was living in the Middle East. While watching The Martian, I realized that even if I were stranded on Mars, millions of miles from humanity, God would still call me to trust Him and not fear. That realization was life-changing: no matter what we face, God assures us nothing is worth fearing if we walk in joyful obedience.

Moving to the Middle East was terrifying and far from easy, but God was always present when I needed Him. In following God to take this step, I realized another beautiful truth: God knows what we need, love, and desire more than we do.

My firm belief is that God has wired each of us to love and enjoy different things because He wants to lead us down a unique path, where He desires to see the deepest parts of our hearts come alive. Walking this path is hard and full of fear. It requires letting go of dreams and trusting God will fulfill the right desires at the right time.

This is the journey Jake faces in Jake Rogers’ Planet. The fears he wrestles with are the same ones I had to navigate to declutter my mind and follow God.

I hope this book will help believers overcome their own fears and follow God. My prayer is that everyone reading this novel will be inspired by Jake’s story to take wild steps of faith to follow God on the wondrous adventure he has in store for them.

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 7
Simple Harvest Reads, March 8 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, March 9
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 10 (Author Interview)
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 11
Blossoms and Blessings, March 12 (Author Interview)
The Lofty Pages, March 13
Artistic Nobody, March 14 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 15
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 16 (Spotlight)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 16
Stories By Gina, March 17 (Author Interview)
cecereadsandsings, March 17
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 18
Guild Master, March 19 (Author Interview)
Little Homeschool on the Prairie , March 20

To celebrate his tour, Philip is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card, plus a signed hardcover copy of the book, a bookmark, and a vinyl sticker!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54168