This Christmas Season. . .

In this season of expectations and hope, I’ve see God show up and move, but I’ve also seen miracles that can only come by going through the fire. Miracles that come from God pulling me out of my comfort zone. Teaching me. Challenging me to be more like Him.

Maybe having a perfect Christmas doesn’t mean meeting all of my expectations.

Maybe it doesn’t mean that everything in my life is fixed and okay.

Maybe it simply means that I, once again, am watching in wonder as God shows up in a hard situation, just like he did 2000 years ago in a manger.

Maybe it means that, yes, there are holes in my heart from loss and pain, but God is slowly filling and rebuilding them. Sometimes in small ways I can hardly see. Sometimes, yes, miraculously.

When an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream in Matthew 1, he told him that Mary would conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means “God with us and he will save his people from their sins.”

God with us.

In the middle of all our flaws and hurts and imperfections, God still loves us and wants to be with us. It’s the greatest miracle of all. The gift of salvation. The knowledge that in spite of our sins, God still loved us enough that He sent His only son into the world to become the final sacrifice for those sins.

And that is enough.

His presence.
His love.
His promises and comfort.

God IS with us.

May our response this Christmas and every season be to love those around us, to stand firm in our identity in Christ, and to live in obedience to His call on our life.

Because the real miracle—a miracle beyond any expectations we might have—is the birth of a savior who came to broken world, and gave us the gift of salvation.

And that will be enough this Christmas.

Being Thankful

 

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is here. A time when we purposely stop and spend time remembering what we are thankful for. And yet, this time of year is also a time of a long list of expectations. Thanksgiving dinner and preparations, decorating for the Christmas holidays, shopping for gifts. . .It’s all good, but it can become overwhelming.

 
Do you remember the story of Mary and Martha? Martha was the woman in the Bible who ran around, taking care of all the household preparations when Jesus and his disciples came to stay. Mary, on the other hand, left the preparations to her sister to sit at Jesus’ feet.
 
Most of the time, I’m more like Martha. I get caught up in the details like she did, and forget to take time to stop be still. To learn and glean from those around me. To find peace and strength in God’s word. To be thankful.
 
When I think about wanting to be a strong woman of God, I long to find the combination of both women. Martha opened up her home to Jesus and his disciples, and had the heart of a servant. But Mary was the one who, despite all that had to be done, remembered what was most important.  
 
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
 
In our rush, rush world, I find these words a breath of fresh air. God knows the responsibilities we have, but He also wants us to sit down, be quiet, and like Mary, draw from His strength.
 
I’m praying today that in the busyness of life, you find time to connect with God and remember what you are truly thankful for and that you can find in Him your source of strength.

The Enemy Between Us is here!

Just when she thought it was over.

Just when she thought her children were safe.

Just when she thought she found love again.

Lies filled with half-truths—especially when you want to believe them—are the easiest to believe. After her husband’s murder, Riley Bishop is working to put the pieces of her life back together, but there is one lie she never imagined being true. It’s going to take everything in her to survive what happens next. Book three in a fast-paced psychological thriller series that starts with The Lies We Believe.

"A high stakes thriller meets a master mystery wrapped in psychological warfare." - Reflectingonthepages

"Buckle up for a great read and be prepared to want more." – Reflectingonthepages

“Harris provides readers with a cat-and-mouse suspense-filled novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat.” ~L. Hudson

“Another Lisa Harris thriller you won't be able to put down.” ~C. Round

The Secrets We Keep is here!!!

The wait is finally over! 

I am so excited about this second book in the series that continues Riley and Tucker's story. I can't wait to hear what you think. There is lots of good news about this series! Not only is it available y  in paperback, as an ebook, and in KU, Tantor Media has picked up the entire series and will produce the audio books. They did a fabulous job with my FALLOUT SERIES and I know they will do a great job again. I'll let you know as soon as they are available. 

I'm also working hard to finish books three and four, so the wait won't be near as long this time. Watch here for updates, but my goal is to release The Enemy Between Us, book three, in September. 

"A superb psychological thriller. Harris provides readers with a cat-and-mouse suspense-filled novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat." - Lghudson on The Lies We Believe

Riley Bishop thought the nightmare was over.

The lines between reality and imagination aren’t always sharply defined—like the rotating surfaces of a kaleidoscope with its ever-changing optical illusions. In fact, before talking to my therapist this morning, I’d convinced myself that I was losing my grip on reality. How else can I explain what happened?    

Get your copy here!

Happy Reading!

Lisa

Aftermath is here!

I'm so excited to announce that Aftermath is finally here! This is the wrap up to my Fallout series, and I think you will find Aftermath the perfect ending to the series with action and romance! 

As both an author AND someone who lived off grid for years, this series began by my wondering how law enforcement would fight crime without all the technology that is available today. No forensic tools. No DNA testing. No crime labs.

What would you do if modern technology was no longer available?

No power grid. No internet. No next day delivery.

Welcome to Shadow Ridge, where Longmire meets Jericho.

 

“Author Lisa Harris hits it out of the park with these well imagined ‘what if’ stories!” 

AFTERMATH: Book Six

What happens when the lights come back on?

Some had called the attacks on the country by the Realm a second civil war, and Chase Beckett agreed. What he’d seen first-hand had turned into the largest and most destructive conflict on US soil since that era. Not only had the organized group behind the damage taken down the grid and infrastructure, they’d also continued to raise havoc across the country. 

But just because the good guys had finally won and the power was finally coming back on, didn’t mean that the chaos that had erupted across the country had vanished. No. That was going to take time. And for the McQuaid family, it was going to take everything they had to survive the lights coming back on.

Grab the entire Fallout series on sale today HERE. 

Available in Kindle unlimited, ebooks, paperbacks and audio for books 1-4.

Enjoy!!

 

Why, God?

The news is filled with horrors I can’t even begin to comprehend, and there’s a verse in Matthew 2 that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

“A voice was heard in Ramah,

weeping and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children;

she refused to be comforted, 

because they are no more.”

The repeat of history is chilling, and what is happening is again followed by the questions that always come. 

Why God?

Sometimes, like today, there are simply no words. Sometimes we even begin to wonder if He really is still in control. In Hebrews 10:23, though, God tell us to hold unswervingly to our hope in Him. Why? Because God is always faithful. 

He walks through the ‘valley of death with us.'

Through the muck we think we’ll never escape. 

He knows that we are facing, and even that sometimes we struggle to maintain our hope. The challenge is to trust in God’s promises to give us the strength we need for each day, and to guard our faith even when things go wrong and we can't feel God's presence.

Let’s pray today for those who are hurting. 

In Israel, the Gaza strip, Palestine, as well as those around us. 

The world needs hope. 

Oh come, Oh come Emmanuel.

Light of the World, Lauren Daigle

The world waits for a miracle
The heart longs for a little bit of hope
Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel
A child prays for peace on Earth
And she's calling out from a sea of hurt
Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel

And can you hear the angels singing

Glory to the light of the world
Glory, the light of the world is here

Come down, come down, Emmanuel
He is the song for the suffering
He is Messiah, the Prince of Peace has come
He has come, Emmanuel

Glory to the light of the world
For all who wait
For all who hunger
For all who've prayed
For all who wonder
Behold your King
Behold Messiah
Emmanuel, Emmanuel

Glo-glory to the light of the world
Glory to the light of the world
Glory to the light of the world
Behold your King
Behold Messiah
Emmanuel, Emmanuel

The world waits for the miracle
The heart longs for a little bit of hope
Oh come, oh come Emmanuel.

 

 

Thank you readers!

This summer's scavenger hunt might be over, but it looks like everyone had a wonderful time! I struggled to keep up with the comments, but what a great problem!

Congrats to Sara P. who will receive copies of my Fallout Series, those who won the grand giveaway, and a huge thank you to all of you who signed up for my newsletter list!

Looking forward to connecting with all of you soon!

If you're looking for a great summer read, be sure and grab a copy of The Lies We Believe!

Happy reading!