Diving into the Deep - Special Edition

A young man turns his back on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fame and fortune to dedicate his life to Christian service, only to find himself experiencing the heights and depths of swashbuckling adventure, Victorian romance, tragic loss and hilarious hijinks that took him literally across the world and both over and under the high seas, teaching him the value of putting one's faith to the test. This Special Edition of Diving into the Deep, released 2016, includes additional photos and one amazing bonus story, The Great Chicago Fire. This edition replaces the original, now out of print.

Author and speaker Lowell Lytle is the oldest and perhaps tallest person to dive 2 1/2 miles below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean to the final resting place of the Titanic. Today he can be found dressed in the full captain's uniform he wears for his portrayal of Captain E. J. Smith at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, owned by John and Mary Kellogg Joslyn, where Lytle is in residence 2-3 times per year. Lytle's greatest work, however, has little to do with the Titanic. This is a perfect venue for 'Captain Lowell', says Leslie Turner, owner of Encourage Publishing. A gifted story-teller, a bold and unfettered evangelist, an intrepid adventurer even now in his 80's, Lowell's honest and often heart-wrenching account of his many dives into the deep, both literally and spiritually, continue to inspire thousands of people who hear him speak at the Titanic Museum every year, or who read or listen to his book, Diving into the Deep. There are literally tens of thousands of people who met Jesus Christ as their personal Savior because of Lowell's willingness to say yes to God, Turner says. This book is a powerful example of what each of us can do with a little courage and willingness to step out of our comfort zone at any age, in any circumstance; a must-read for anyone longing for adventure or curious to know what can come of leaving the safety of the shore behind and diving into the deep. Who is this giant of faith so few have even heard of? Lowell Lytle was the founder and president of Young American Showcase, a company based out of St. Petersburg, Florida that sent up to nine rock and roll groups per year throughout the United States and on limited engagements in other countries to reach youth for Jesus Christ. This ministry, which operated from 1970 to 1991, introduced tens of thousands of junior high and high school students to the Lord through groups collectively known as Free Fare and Freedom Jam. In 1976 Young American Showcase sent out a floating replica of the Santa Maria, built by Lowell and a team of shipbuilders and volunteers, that traveled around the Gulf of Mexico, up the East coast, across the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi, giving tours to younger school children and sharing Christ with them along the way, for two and a half years, until the ship met an untimely end. Prior to Young American Showcase Lowell and his brother, Terry Lytle, built and operated two Christian drive-in theaters, one in Devil's Lake, Michigan, and the other in St. Petersburg, Florida. This ministry showcased many Billy Graham films, other wholesome family films, and had a platform that was used to share the Gospel with their visitors. After Lowell left and began Young American Showcase, his brother Terry developed a mobile pop-up theater ministry that took Christian films to remote areas of other countries such as Ukraine, West Africa, and India, a ministry that continues today. After Young American Showcase Lytle assisted noted director Shorty Yeaworth with creative work on the Jordan Experience exhibit in Aqaba, Jordan before being hired to portray Captain E. J. Smith for the Titanic museum in Orlando, Florida. That connection soon led to his dive to the bottom of the North Atlantic to the salvage site of the Titanic, and now he continues to make guest appearances several weeks a year as the captain at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. God's work in and through Lowell Lytle's life is far deeper than these short paragraphs define, and so in 2014 Lytle released his book, Diving into the Deep, his next chapter in using every means possible to honor God and share the Gospel with as many people as possible.