God is powerful, loving, and faithful

We're getting ready to pick up a wonderful couple from the airport that is arriving from one of our partner churches for a mini-marriage retreat (Yes, they're watching the kids!) and to visit our different house churches. Tomorrow we'll be a part of a combined worship service with all our churches! In addition to this, we have about ten days left until we leave for the States, which means we're on a count down to finish school and check everything off my long "to do" list.

If you're as tired as I am today, read this reminder from the devotional my mom wrote for today and be blessed with the reminder of God's faithfulness!

Matthew 6: 25a, 33-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear…. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Fear of the unknown.

Concern for the fate of the children.

Hunger.

Exhaustion.

Do any of these sound familiar? If not, ask most any single parent about them. Does God care? These problems are common in today’s world wherever one lives. Does He care? Let’s look at the first chapters of the book of Exodus.

God’s people were unsure of what would happen to them next. They were exhausted from the work of slavery. Hungry? Oh, yes. Concern for their children? The Pharaoh had ordered their newborn boys killed. Skip a few chapters and see the rescue of their God. It was God who brought them out of Egypt and a life of slavery. It was God who drove back the waters of the Red Sea. It was God who fed them in the wilderness even after their unfaithfulness. It was God who protected them from their enemies. They could look back and see the faithfulness of a loving God.

Does He care?

Yes, He absolutely does. And it isn’t just the people way back then. He cares now too. How can I be so sure? Because I was afraid of the unknown. I was concerned for the fate of my children. I was exhausted. And I worried about if we would go hungry. I was a single parent struggling to keep life together. And the powerful, faithful, loving God of heaven and earth ALWAYS provided. Looking back I can see how everything we needed was given to us from His Hand at just the time we needed it. I never needed to have worried, because He was in charge.

Prayer: “Our loving Father, our all powerful God, We bow humbly before You to thank You for Your Faithfulness in caring for us. Help us to not doubt or worry about our lives here on earth, but keep our eyes on You and heaven.”

Ermalee

Sunday Devotional: God of all of Creation

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1

“Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. ,… Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 40:26 &28

“…what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, …” Romans 1:19-20

Do you want to know God more? It might be a simple reminder, but look up, at the starry sky or the blazing sun. Look down at the shining ocean, the fields of green and yellow, or into the beautiful eyes of a child. Look at the natural world all around us and you will see the workmanship of the One who created you.

Even if one has never read the Bible or heard the word, he can still discover God through the world He created.

“Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” Acts 14:17

If you are feeling overwhelmed today, or as if God is far from you, take a moment to stop and look around you at the incredible world God created. Through it, He has powerfully and totally revealed Himself.

Prayer: “Precious heavenly Father, creator of the universe, thank you for revealing Yourself through glorious world you fashioned.”

Be blessed today,

Lisa and Ermalee

What's up, Doc?

As some of you know, Scott spent last week in both Zambia and Zimbabwe. One of the things he did was visit our orphan program in Bulawayo. But while the trip went very well, he came home very sick. At first we thought he was having a relapse of Tick Bite Fever as the symptoms were much the same.

By Tuesday he was getting worse, so we consulted with our doctor in South Africa. He agreed that it could be a relapse of Tick Bite Fever, but since Scott had an overnight trip already scheduled to go into South Africa on Thursday, we decided I would drive him across the border and we would have him tested where there is a good doctor and lab. Jayden had also needed to see the doctor, so we left Gabe and Mariah with friends (they were happy they didn't have to make the trip) and headed off for the border.

Unlike our last trip to the border with the Sugarcreek team where it took us 18 1/2 hours, this trip went by quickly with no breakdowns! The Chinese are doing a great job in fixing the main road to the capital which is also helping make the trip shorter, so we made it to the doctor by three in the afternoon.

Scott, it turns out, doesn't have Tick Bite Fever, but instead has a serious case of bronchitis that was borderline pneumonia. With a powerful shot and some strong meds, Scott is already feeling better. Jayden is being treated for a parasite, (It's not as serious as it sounds) and is also doing much better.

Part of the reason for the original trip, was to help one of our disciples start up a shoe business. After spending the night in SA (and a quick hour in Kruger since we were right there) we met Isaiah in the capital, bought a carload of shoes, and headed home.

On another note, Isaiah is a part of our new micro-loan program we'll be sharing more about soon. As we focus on the spiritual and discipleship, we also believe it is very important to help people meet their physical needs as well. In the coming weeks, we'll be unveiling a project that we are really excited about as we strive to impact and transform the community we are working with.

These are a few photos from our trip, both the crowded streets of Maputo and the calm beauty of Kruger.

Blessings,

Lisa

English Camp 2010 video

Happy Sunday!

Is it just me, or does time seem to be going faster and faster? It's been a good, but busy week around our house. Scott has been traveling in both Zimbabwe and Zambia to meet with some of the leaders and to visit our orphan program. In the meantime, we've been finishing up school, and now have just over two weeks left to complete our school year. The kids have worked hard to finish before our furlough starts and I'm so proud of them.

One of the things I've been working on is putting together a number of short videos to share while we're back this fall. Here's one from this year's English Camp.

English Camp 2010 from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Jo who won a copy of Beth Goddard's Exposing Amber! Thanks to all of you who stopped by and left a comment.

A couple brief ministry updates:

Last Friday when the disciples met at the hospital to go and pray for the children, we had our biggest number yet - 15 of us! And even more exciting, was the fact that the majority (8 plus one visitor) were new disciples from this years English Camp. Pray that God will continue to grow and empower these new believers with His Holy Spirit. That the seeds of faith that have sprouted in their lives will continue to grow and will produce MUCH fruit. I'll be posting a video from the camp next week.

Scott left this afternoon for Lusaka, Zambia to meet with a couple of the leaders in Zambia then on to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe to meet with the staff that runs the AOM Orphan program in that country. He will also be visiting with as many kids and caregivers as he can. Please pray for his safe travel!

Be blessed today!

Lisa

Update on Zongoéne- Video

David's Village from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

Chat with author Elizabeth Goddard with Book Giveaway!

Congratulations to Warnken Wanderings who won a copy of Debbie's Seeds of Summer! And because you can never get enough great books, I'd like to introduce you to another close friend of mine and her latest release, Exposing Amber.

Elizabeth Goddard is a 7th generation Texan who lives in East Texas with her husband and four children. She and her family recently spent five years in Oregon, which serves as the setting for several of her novels, but in 2010 they returned to Texas to live near family again. Elizabeth is the author of seven novels and novellas, including Praying for Rayne and The Camera Never Lies, releasing December 2010.

First, the blurb for Exposing Amber.


This historian loves the past…unless it’s his own. Brandon Selman is struggling to reestablish his position and reputation as a competent museum director. Hampered by scandal from his last post, he is determined to stay on the straight and narrow. He especially will not allow himself to be taken in by any innocent-looking college student interns.

Amber McKinsey is excited to learn she’s been accepted as a summer intern for the Harrington museum. Working under Dr. Selman is just the opportunity she needs to determine the direction her future studies should take. But the reality is not the dream, and her own secrets threaten to undo her.

Then, a valuable artifact disappears and Amber is the likely suspect. How can Amber leave the shadows of the past behind when they follow her so closely? And could Brandon have misjudged a woman so badly again? Will either of them learn to trust or forgive before it’s too late?

LISA: I'm so glad to have you on my blog, Beth! Tell us some of the background behind the idea for Exposing Amber.

BETH: One of the great things about being a writer is that all those things we’d love to do or have an interest in, we can explore and throw ourselves into that world—at least fictionally speaking. I love science, especially creation science and the kids love dinosaurs. I came across a museum that is connected with a fossil dig—something I’ve always wanted to do. The setting seemed perfect for a story.

LISA: Since this is book two in your latest Heartsong series, can you give us a brief peek into the rest of the series?

BETH: Book one, Disarming Andi, is set on a decommissioned missile launch control facility, and book three, Praying for Rayne is set at a fountain design company. Think of the fountains you’ve seen at Epcot. It’s amazing the science and engineering that goes into creating these amazing creations!

LISA: I find in my own writing that I often grow alongside my characters. Is there a character who you relate to from the book and who made an impact on your life?

BETH: For some reason, I find myself relating more to the hero in the story, rather than the heroine. In all my stories the characters have to learn to trust God’s plan for their life—that’s something that is a continual struggle.

LISA: Tell us a bit about the research you had to do for this story?

BETH: I already mentioned that I love science but I don’t claim to be an expert. I was able to talk with a paleontologist who conducts fossil digs. Walter Stein at Paleoadventures was generous with information, giving me wonderful details. Sometimes a contact won’t be the type of person who can give you what you need as a writer. But Walter is a writer, too, so I’m sure that helped. Also, I went behind the scenes of a museum. The staff showed me around and answered all my questions, even giving me new ideas for my story. In fact, one such idea I added mid-way through the writing. But it was too good to pass up.

LISA: What is the number one thing you’ve learned from your writing journey?

BETH: I blogged about this over at Seriously Write a couple of weeks ago—to take time to live your life, focus on your family and others. Don’t be consumed by the writing—it’s very easy to do.

LISA: You have a cozy mystery getting ready to release with Barbour as well. Can you tell us a bit about that story too?


BETH: Oh thank you for asking! The Camera Never Lies is about a photographer who learns that her ability to read emotions through the lens of her camera can also be used to discover a killer. It’s a bit quirky and I immensely enjoyed writing this story because I was able to insert my own strange sense of humor. The risk is that not everyone will get the humor. But I’m a risk taker—what can I say?

LISA: Because I know there are many aspiring writers out there, can you share any tidbits of wisdom on getting published?

BETH: One of the most important things is attending a conference and networking, getting to know people. It will all the difference in the world.

LISA: Anything else you’d like to share?

BETH: Yes. I want to thank the Lord for His great favor.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Beth! You can learn more about Beth's books here. AND Beth has agreed to give away a copy of Exposing Amber to a Stateside address. Please leave a comment on this post with a way for me to contact you!

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

ONE

ONE "Spoken Word" from LYF on Vimeo.

Sugar Creek on Mission "Powerful poem written and recited by Sugar Creek LYF Student and disciple of Christ - Michelle Mann... Michelle creatively inspires us with the passion of Christ to Love and Lead and make disciples and join with God on this extravagant adventure!"

Praises and prayers from Zongoéne

If you follow our ministry, you might know that Scott and several of his disciples have started working about three hours south of where we live in David Kuna's home village, Zongoéne. Every month, they spend several days teaching in the village and left on Wednesday morning to spend the rest of the week there.

Here's the latest message from Scott:

"God is really moving here. I think all told, we have at least 5 different studies tomorrow!

We arrived yesterday (Wednesday) about 2 PM, and after a quick lunch, walked through the village visiting all the people we have contacts with. A girl José and David met in June is very sick - well actually it really looks like she is at deaths door, literally. Her name is Gina, and we prayer for her. Today (Thursday) when we went to go and teach her, she could sit up, and said that she couldn't talk before we arrived yesterday, we we came and she could talk, then the same today, when we drove up, she could talk again. We shared Jesus with her and she then prayed with David and José, confessing many sins including going to the witch doctor. When she was through, she said she wanted to remove all the magic charms from her and follow ONLY Jesus! Two other ladies are very close to making decisions for Jesus.

You may remember Joaquin, the young man who was chained by his family so he wouldn't go around insulting and scaring the people in the village. We saw him today, out freely walking and interacting with people at a small shop. He came and got in the car to go to the Bible study near his home with us. At the study, we heard the testimony of one of his neighbors about how happy they are to see how God has healed Joaquin.

Pray for us as we have 2 1/2 more days of teaching here. We expect there to be a lot of people ready for baptism on Sunday as they have been asking and we continue to teach.

Pray also for the young disciples here with me. I am just blown away at the way the Holy Spirit is using them. We are truly on the verge of a great movement of God here!"

***********

On another note, as you pray for what God is doing in Zongoéne, please pray as well for wisdom in our car situation. One of our teams cars broke down (You can read about that here) as we were traveling with the group from Houston last month. The car has been sitting in the capital ever since being looked at by a recommended mechanic. This was one of our best cars, but we just received the estimate to fix it and it will cost more than the car is worth. We have a South African friend here who owns a mechanic shop who Scott just talked to and who will tow it here for us and thinks he should be able to fix it for much less, but we won't know until he looks at it.

Not only are cars are horribly expensive here, but the roads are very hard on them. Scott has left for the capital to oversee the transfer of the car from the mechanic to here--they would start charging about $80 for ever day we had to keep it in storage. Please pray for wisdom as we work out this situation. The blessing is that not only is Scott closer to the capital which means a quicker trip, but the disciples are doing fantastic and will carry on fine until Scott returns to Zongoéne tomorrow.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

What's your favorite mode of transport?

Going to a wedding in style.


My kids love this bus. (Right, Uncle WaWa?)



Boats help turn waterways into fishing and transport zones


This one's been around the block a bit too long.


You never know who...or what... you might run into...


Or when you might have to pick up a hitch hiker.


Forget fast food. Sellers will come to the windows of your taxi and sell you everything from fruit to cashews to cold drinks.



If you've got a pair of strong arms, this way is certainly economical.

Are we there yet?

Sunday Devotional: Times of Doubt

Times of doubt can crash against our foundations like a rip tide. In the first chapter of Joshua, we see Joshua taking over the role of leader of the Israelites. I’m sure that there were times when Joshua wondered what he was getting into. He’d seen the disobedience of the Israelites and their lack of faith despite the miraculous signs and wonders God had preformed before them. More than likely, Joshua had moments when his faith faltered, and yet he knew that he didn’t have to rely on his own strength and power.

“No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.” Joshua 1:5-6

With these words, God asks courage from Joshua and promises him success. God always equips his people when He calls them to do impossible tasks. He promises that He will never leave or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)

And that promise is for you.

Read the following verse and be encouraged with Isaiah that you don’t have to walk this journey alone. “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2

Prayer for today: Lord, please help us to be strong and courageous when times of testing come.

Blessings,

Lisa and Ermalee

Chat with author Deborah Vogts and a book giveaway!

I'm so excited to welcome my close friend and fellow author, Deborah Vogts, to my blog today to talk about her latest book, Seeds of Summer. Debbie and I met years ago through the writer's group American Christian Fiction Writers where we were critique partners, and now we're both excited to be writing for Zondervan. Keep reading for a chance to win a copy of her latest book, Seeds of Summer!

Debbie and her husband have three daughters and make their home in Southeast Kansas where they raise and train American Quarter Horses. As a student at Emporia State University studying English and journalism, Debbie developed a love for the Flint Hills that has never faded. In writing this series, she hopes to share her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.

Seeds of Summer is book #2 in her Seasons of the Tallgrass series and is a heart-warming contemporary romance set in the Flint Hills of Kansas where a former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope.


LISA: How long have you known you wanted to be an author?

DEBBIE: Ever since I was in high school. I began writing my Great American Novel as a junior—Splendor of the Sun. That earned me an A++ in Senior English. I studied English and journalism in college, but it wasn’t until 2002 that I began taking serious steps to be published.

LISA: Tell us about your journey to getting your books published.

DEBBIE: There came a time in my life when I felt God prodding me to do more with my writing or risk having the talent taken from me. At that point, I joined a local writer’s group and ACFW, (an online writing organization). I also joined a critique group, started reading writing how-to’s and attended writing conferences.

I met my first agent at the ACFW Nashville Conference in 2005. We hit it off at our meeting, and she gave me some tips on making my book series “bigger.” I did that and submitted my idea to her and she took me on. We shopped my Seasons of the Tallgrass series for a year and had a few bites (one of them Zondervan) but no sale. In the end, she released me, which was a real heart breaker. However, we don’t always see the big picture like God does, and six months later I signed with agent, Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary, and we had an offer from Zondervan three months after that in May 2008.

LISA: How long have you been a published author?

DEBBIE: My debut book, Snow Melts in Spring, released in July 2009. It is the first book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series, which are contemporary inspirational romance books published by Zondervan.


LISA: Why do you write the kind of books you do?

DEBBIE: My tag line (and the name of my blog) is Country at Heart. I’ve always enjoyed reading contemporary or historical books with a western, country or small town setting. It’s the life I know and it’s what I enjoy reading. I guess writing about that life is what comes natural to me. I believe my core readers are those who love country life, were raised in the country or who dream of the simple life it offers.

LISA: How did the story idea for this series come to you?

DEBBIE: Years ago, I took a Flint Hills Folklife course at Emporia State University. Along with classroom study, we took field trips into the heart of the Flint Hills and visited with old-time ranchers, schoolmarms and post-mistresses. It was such a delightful experience, especially our drives into the pastures. We would get on these back roads and drive over pasture guards into the open range. We would travel for miles without seeing another car or even an electric line—just pure, native prairie. That summer, I fell in love with the Flint Hills and it has stayed with me all this time.

LISA: Is there a running theme through the series?

DEBBIE: There seems to be one of forgiveness in each book—as well as following the path God gives us rather than our own. Each book also deals with family conflicts. I’d like readers to remember how important family relations are and that we can get through our difficulties if we remember to love and forgive each other. I also hope to give my readers a taste of the Flint Hills and of how God’s beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.

LISA: How much of your own experience influences your characters?

DEBBIE: I would have to say that Natalie is most like my oldest daughter, Samantha. Very strong, determined and dependable. So when I wrote this story, I would often think to myself, how would Sam have handled this. ☺ A lot of the scenes in the story came from my own experience on the farm. Like Chelsey (Natalie’s sister), as a girl I did much of the cooking for the family, and took care of the house while my parents and brothers farmed. The haying scene in the book came directly from my own experience of raking hayfields and watching the crew stack the bales in the haymow. And Natalie’s horse Jackson was inspired by one of our own horses—a gallant protector. I believe some horses are extremely faithful creatures and can sense their owner’s emotions and will act accordingly.

LISA: What was your favorite scene/chapter from the book?

DEBBIE: There were many. I always enjoy writing the outdoor scenes in my books, so in Seeds of Summer, I especially enjoyed the fishing and horse-riding scenes. I love trying to find a fresh new way to describe the Flint Hills to my readers, and I hope I’ve done that for them!

LISA: Where can readers find you on the Internet?

DEBBIE: I’m on Facebook, Twitter or readers may visit my Web site: http://www.deborahvogts.com or my Country at Heart blog:

Thanks so much for stopping by, Debbie! For a chance to win a copy of Debbie's new book, please leave a comment with a way for me to contact you. I'll draw a winner on August 7th. This contest is limited to the United States.

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

A Night in Africa

Our family will be returning to the States this fall for our scheduled furlough and will be based in Houston. During this time we will be doing some traveling, visiting supporters, friends, and family, as well as hosting "Night in Africa" dinners where we will share about what God is doing in Mozambique over an African meal.

If you and/or your church are interested in learning more about our ministry and how you can serve as prayer warriors and/or financial contributors, then we would like to meet personally with you during our time in the States. To see about checking for open dates, please contact Scott.

Blessings,

Lisa

English Camp

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

As I sat in on the debriefing this weekend and listened to snapshots from the team from SugarCreek of the week, I was struck by one thing in particular. Several of last years campers were invited to return to this years camp as ambassadors. These young men and women became followers of Christ during the camp last year and have been active in our English Club, Bible studies, and service projects since then.

During the free times at camp, you could always one or two of the old campers sitting in small groups and teaching and sharing Christ with the new campers. It was an amazing display of discipleship in action and we are so excited to watch as God has already began to transform lives.

I'll be posting some video clips later this week from the camp.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and encouraging emails!

Lisa

Are we there yet?

It's been an adventurous weekend, and that's putting it mildly. After a fantastic English camp (I stayed home with my youngest, while our two oldest attended the camp) Scott needed another car and driver to help get the team back to South Africa and the airport, so we packed up the whole family and left for South Africa for the weekend so they could catch their flight. I was looking forward to a day at Kruger, plus some extra time for our family to spend with the team before they left.

But as we've come to learn, things rarely go exactly as planned.

We set off in a three car convoy with sixteen people early Saturday morning. About forty kilometers down the road, Car #1 had a flat. We pull off the road, and with an audience changed the tire, ensured that everyone's tires were aired up, and hit the road again.

A few minutes later, Car #2 heard a hissing sound like leaking air and pulled over. Sure enough, one of the tires was leaking air through the valve stem that had somehow got stuck open when they added air to the tire. After fixing the problem, we headed out again.

Finding out about the leak turned out to actually be a miracle, because while we wondered how they could have heard the air leaking from the tire, we soon found out that the noise they'd heard hadn't actually been the tire. It was Car #3 losing its exhaust pipe. (Excuse the lack of mechanical details for this story.)

As noise got louder, we stopped in the middle of nowhere at a small town with a mechanic on the side of the road. Here they found out that a bolt had fallen off, so after a couple hours, they managed to temporarily fix the problem (thankfully car #3 was to go in for service on Monday anyway) and we headed off again.

Except this time as we started off, Car #3 lost all acceleration.


We all headed back to the mechanic, did a lot of praying, and made a decision to continue on. By this time we were about halfway between home and the border and knew that we had to get the car to our mechanic in South Africa, so there was no use turing back. Unable to fix the problem, Car #3 was able to manage about 60 kilometers an hour as we plugged down the narrow road toward the capital.

By now we were hours behind schedule and hopes of getting across the border before dark were quickly disapearing as we tried to determine plan B.

Another hour or so later and the airconditioner and radio went out as the car limped down the road with its loud clacking noise. It finally died, which meant the next step was to tow it. We got out the tow straps, hooked it up to Car #2 and with no other option continued toward the capital.


By the time we got close to the capital it was dark and we knew we'd never make it across the border driving as slow as we were. Plan C (or was it D or E?) was finally decided upon and with the help of some friends in the capital, we stopped at the airport and rented a car as Car #3 was now completely dead.

At this point, our typically 7 hour drive had turned into about 14 hours and we still weren't across the border that we'd been told closed at 10. It was already nine and with another hour of driving left, we skipped buying any dinner and booked it toward the border.

The whole time I watched the clock. I asked Scott what the plan was if the border closed before we got there, but his answer of sleeping at the border in the cars was not apart of my plan.

Praise God, due to FIFA, the border doesn't close at night this month, so even though we made it there just past ten, we were able to cross. And, there was one small grocery store still open, giving us a chance to buy a few sandwiches before we drove the last thirty minutes to where we were supposed to spend the night--after 18 1/2 hours of driving!

Tonight, we're exhausted, but safe at a missionary guest house while our team is flying back to the States. And while there have definitely been some very difficult things happen over the past week, God is transforming lives and moving among His people!

And that's what it's all about!

I'll be posting more photos and videos of the camp later this week and share some snapshots of what God is doing. Please keep us in your prayers as we drive home tomorrow and for the Sugarcreek Team as they fly back to Houston!

Be blessed today!

Lisa

Chat with author Deborah Vogts and a book giveaway!

I'm so excited to welcome my close friend and fellow author, Deborah Vogts, to my blog today to talk about her latest book, Seeds of Summer. Debbie and I met years ago through the writer's group American Christian Fiction Writers where we were critique partners, and now we're both excited to be writing for Zondervan. Keep reading for a chance to win a copy of her latest book, Seeds of Summer!

Debbie and her husband have three daughters and make their home in Southeast Kansas where they raise and train American Quarter Horses. As a student at Emporia State University studying English and journalism, Debbie developed a love for the Flint Hills that has never faded. In writing this series, she hopes to share her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.

Seeds of Summer is book #2 in her Seasons of the Tallgrass series and is a heart-warming contemporary romance set in the Flint Hills of Kansas where a former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope.


LISA: How long have you known you wanted to be an author?

DEBBIE: Ever since I was in high school. I began writing my Great American Novel as a junior—Splendor of the Sun. That earned me an A++ in Senior English. I studied English and journalism in college, but it wasn’t until 2002 that I began taking serious steps to be published.

LISA: Tell us about your journey to getting your books published.

DEBBIE: There came a time in my life when I felt God prodding me to do more with my writing or risk having the talent taken from me. At that point, I joined a local writer’s group and ACFW, (an online writing organization). I also joined a critique group, started reading writing how-to’s and attended writing conferences.

I met my first agent at the ACFW Nashville Conference in 2005. We hit it off at our meeting, and she gave me some tips on making my book series “bigger.” I did that and submitted my idea to her and she took me on. We shopped my Seasons of the Tallgrass series for a year and had a few bites (one of them Zondervan) but no sale. In the end, she released me, which was a real heart breaker. However, we don’t always see the big picture like God does, and six months later I signed with agent, Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary, and we had an offer from Zondervan three months after that in May 2008.

LISA: How long have you been a published author?

DEBBIE: My debut book, Snow Melts in Spring, released in July 2009. It is the first book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series, which are contemporary inspirational romance books published by Zondervan.


LISA: Why do you write the kind of books you do?

DEBBIE: My tag line (and the name of my blog) is Country at Heart. I’ve always enjoyed reading contemporary or historical books with a western, country or small town setting. It’s the life I know and it’s what I enjoy reading. I guess writing about that life is what comes natural to me. I believe my core readers are those who love country life, were raised in the country or who dream of the simple life it offers.

LISA: How did the story idea for this series come to you?

DEBBIE: Years ago, I took a Flint Hills Folklife course at Emporia State University. Along with classroom study, we took field trips into the heart of the Flint Hills and visited with old-time ranchers, schoolmarms and post-mistresses. It was such a delightful experience, especially our drives into the pastures. We would get on these back roads and drive over pasture guards into the open range. We would travel for miles without seeing another car or even an electric line—just pure, native prairie. That summer, I fell in love with the Flint Hills and it has stayed with me all this time.

LISA: Is there a running theme through the series?

DEBBIE: There seems to be one of forgiveness in each book—as well as following the path God gives us rather than our own. Each book also deals with family conflicts. I’d like readers to remember how important family relations are and that we can get through our difficulties if we remember to love and forgive each other. I also hope to give my readers a taste of the Flint Hills and of how God’s beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.

LISA: How much of your own experience influences your characters?

DEBBIE: I would have to say that Natalie is most like my oldest daughter, Samantha. Very strong, determined and dependable. So when I wrote this story, I would often think to myself, how would Sam have handled this. ☺ A lot of the scenes in the story came from my own experience on the farm. Like Chelsey (Natalie’s sister), as a girl I did much of the cooking for the family, and took care of the house while my parents and brothers farmed. The haying scene in the book came directly from my own experience of raking hayfields and watching the crew stack the bales in the haymow. And Natalie’s horse Jackson was inspired by one of our own horses—a gallant protector. I believe some horses are extremely faithful creatures and can sense their owner’s emotions and will act accordingly.

LISA: What was your favorite scene/chapter from the book?

DEBBIE: There were many. I always enjoy writing the outdoor scenes in my books, so in Seeds of Summer, I especially enjoyed the fishing and horse-riding scenes. I love trying to find a fresh new way to describe the Flint Hills to my readers, and I hope I’ve done that for them!

LISA: Where can readers find you on the Internet?

DEBBIE: I’m on Facebook, Twitter or readers may visit my Web site: http://www.deborahvogts.com or my Country at Heart blog:

Thanks so much for stopping by, Debbie! For a chance to win a copy of Debbie's new book, please leave a comment with a way for me to contact you. I'll draw a winner on August 7th. This contest is limited to the United States.

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

English Camp 2010

Mozambique Trip :: Summer 2009 from Sugar Creek on Vimeo.

"The English Culture Camp is one of the most spiritually significant projects in the ministry the Lord has blessed me with. Our team was filled with the Spirit and lived incarnationally with the Mozambican students (about 22) for 5 days. We slept with them, ate with them, and did life together.

"We used chronological oral bible stories from creation to resurrection to develop their understanding of the creator God's plan for their lives. We did a community blessing project together, cleaning the city of Maxixe. We saw animists, atheists, and muslims, transform from little or no knowledge of the creator God and Jesus Christ to become genuine worshipers. In fact one young man wrote a praise song the last night we were together.

"They are ALL singing new songs. God's sovereign purpose and power was all over this camp...we exceeded every expectation. The team was so alive and responsive in the spirit and they will remember this forever. This project is wrapped in the long-term strategy of the Tonga in Mozambique and God has raised passionate new laborers for His harvest." Don Waybright- Team Leader

A year later, we can look back at how many lives were truly changed because of that camp. Throughout the past year we've continued to work with many of the campers. We've hosted dinner and a movie in our home, met twice a week for language activities and Bible studies, worked on service projects of rebuilding homes and praying at the hospital on Fridays, and through it all God has been moving. Many of the campers who attended have accepted Christ and are continuing to grow in their faith.

The new team who will be hosting this year's camp arrives on Friday and we can't wait to see how God is going to work through them. Please pray for the campers and the staff that God's Spirit will fill the camp and that hearts will be opened so many will come to know Him!

Lisa

Observations of a seasoned traveler

I've been blessed with some unique experiences while traveling whether it's flying over Victoria Falls in a small plane, taking a motorized boat though the Amazon, or a canoe down the Zambezi. Even with all these experiences, there is always something that happens from time to time--like being charged by a herd of elephants for example--that stands out as out-of-the-ordinary.

The past couple weeks have been pretty exhausting, especially for Scott. When he returned to the States for Allen's funeral, he ended up having to drive to South Africa because there weren't any flights out of here when he needed them. (The airport here is only open about four days out of the week.) This meant that he'd also have to make the long trip home alone. When he came down with a bad cold and sinus problems I suggested I fly to SA in order to help him drive the long trip home.

I arrived at the airport on Friday, never having flown out of Mozambique before, and found it to be one of those out-of-the-ordinary experiences. For starters, there was no security checks and no computers at the check in. The employees used carbon copies to enter information and wrote out the tickets by hand. No seat assignment, no X-rays of bags that were carted off by hand to the plane.

Despite of feeling as if I'd stepped back a couple decades, I have to say that I was impressed with how smoothly things went. The plane, which was very clean, departed on time. The biggest issue ended up being that they apparently changed the departure on my e-ticket but not the arrival time on my ticket which put me in an hour later than I had planned.

On Saturday, after a quick trip to the doctor for Scott who was diagnosed with a bad sinus infection, some grocery shopping for the group coming in later this week and breakfast with friends, we enjoyed a quiet, normal trip home--Normal that is if you count the long stretches of bumpy dirt roads with so much dirt we could hardly see, boarder crossings, and avoiding herds of cattle crossing the road.

AND THE WINNER IS...

On another note, I apologize for not posting the winner of my Crazy Jell-O contest. I loved reading through all the recipes and plan on trying many of them. My internet has been acting up making it very hard to get on line. I turned in my manuscript last week and with it the recipes for two submitted that my children voted on as the winners. Thanks to Abi, for her Cherry Coke Salad and to Jackie for the simple idea of Jell-O with miniature marshmallows on top. (Three votes for this one from my kids) You will both receive a copy of An Ocean Away once the book is released in February!

Be blessed today!

Encountering God

Once again, I'm struggling with my internet. For some reason, I can't access the internet or email, but Skype works. Strange as it is, at least that has allowed me to communicate with Scott. He did get me a back up system that works with the cell phones that I can use on a limited basis. It allowed me to send off my manuscripts to my editors this week which I know they appreciated and I was relieved to have them off!

I want to say thank you again to all the wonderful emails of encouragement. Scott is in Texas with the family and will be with them through the burial and funeral this week. While the kids and I miss being there, God has given us a peace and we are doing well.

Here's the devotional my mom and I would like to share today.

Verse: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Ephesians 1:17

In I Kings 19, we read that Elijah believed he was the only man left who was following God. As a prophet of the Lord, he spent his time warning the Israelites to stop following false gods and to return to the one true God. He was a zealous man, heartbroken that the Israelites had broken down God’s altars, rejected His covenants, and even killed His prophets. And to top it off, his own life was in danger as the queen was planning to kill him.

Certain that he was soon to meet his death, Elijah went and spent the night in a cave. God though, told him to go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, because He was going to pass by.

Three things happened next. A great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart, shattering the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. Next, an earthquake shook the ground, causing the earth below Elijah’s feet to tremble. I’m sure that by this time, Elijah himself was trembling. But once again, the Lord was not in the shifting of the earth beneath his feet. Next came a raging fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

After the fire, though, came a gentle whisper. And in that quiet, gentle whisper was where Elijah found God.

How often, in the constant roar of life, do we stop and look for God, pausing to seek His face? Most of the time, life seems to be rushing past us like a fierce whirlwind or earthquake. Commitments keep us jumping, disaster spins round us, and the urgent takes over the important. But it’s often in the stillness of a morning sunrise, the quite touch of a friend, or in the pages of His Word where we encounter God face to face.

Just like with Elijah, the Lord knows what he needed, and he was strengthened by God’s presence. Jezebel still wanted to kill him, and his trial had not "gone away," but God gave him the strength to continue. What compassion God showed to Elijah. God was tender with him, and in Elijah’s distress He provided for His immediate needs by sending an angel who told him to eat and drink the food the Lord had provided because the journey was too much for him.

As in Elijah’s life, think about what compassion God shows to us each day. Just as the angle of the Lord comforted Elijah, He has given us so much; His love, His mercy, His forgiveness, His Spirit, adoption as His children, and much more.

In closing, read James 5:11b and John 14:16 and thank God for the blessings he has given you today.

Be blessed!