Early Morning Risings

Oh, the joys of jet lag. I made the mistake last night to stay up late, thinking I'd be tired enough then to sleep all night. Didn't work. So after laying in bed and trying to go back to sleep, I'm up trying to see if I can get some things done.

We had a wonderful few days in Swaziland mainly resting which we all needed. Spent one day in the game park, though we saw very little wild life. The one highlight was watching ten rhino take a mud bath very up close. That was pretty incredible.

Then on Friday, Gabe and I left for the States and are now with my in-laws. It was great to worship here in Scott's hometown and visit with friends we hadn't seen for a long time. I'll spend the next two days taking care of a number of things, including getting ready for American Christian Fiction Writer's Conference in Denver. This is an important chance for me to connect with editors, learn from the experts, and spend time with some of my close writer friends who will be there. I'll post more about that later!

I would appreciate prayers for our family as we are apart. Scott is in Zimbabwe for a couple days, working on some things with our orphan program while my youngest are with a close friend in South Africa. As a mommy, it's not easy for me to be so far away from them! For now, though, I'm looking forward to my time with Gabe, as we have a number of important things to accomplish while we are here.

I'd also like to ask for your continued prayers for Allen and his family. From a medical standpoint, the news they received this week was about the worst it could be. The situation is extremely serious, the tumors very aggressive. We are all looking to God for our strength as they face this physical battle, knowing He is in control.

I was reminded yesterday of an incredible scripture from II Corinthians 4:16-18. "Therefore, do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Be encouraged today!

Lisa