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!

Photo Tribute to Allen

I'd wanted to post this short video tribute when we heard Allen had died, but with the internet off for most of the past week and only the use of a slow cell phone modem, I wasn't able to post it. So I prayed tonight that God would please get my internet working so I could talk to Scott via Skype while he is gone and now it works! God really does care about the little things.

It's been a bittersweet day with Scott on a plane back to the states while I stayed finished up a novel due tomorrow that I'd planned to dedicate to Allen. Much of the inspiration for this story came from him and from books in his wonderful library. What brings me joy is knowing he is in a much better place. Thank you so much for all the precious words of encouragement from so many of you. What a blessing to know so many people are praying for Janelle and her family as begin a new season of life.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

Tribute to Allen

For those of you who haven’t heard yet, Allen Avery, Scott’s uncle, passed away Saturday night after struggling with a brain tumor for many months. I want to thank all of you who have prayed for him during this time, and for his wife, Janelle, and their family.

I couldn’t begin to count the number of miles Scott and Allen traveled together throughout Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, and South Africa, teaching and preaching across southern Africa. Allen was our mentor, co-worker for the past six and a half years, friend, spiritual counselor, and a father. He was, to my children, their grandfather, who shared his life with them.

But while are hearts remain heavy, we rejoice that his body, mind, and spirit are now free as he is no longer confined to his physical body. After serving in Africa for forty years, he is receiving his reward.

Thanks to you who have already sent us your heartfelt condolences. We have been having some serious issues with both the Internet and phones lines, so if you’re waiting to hear from me and haven’t, that is why I am slow in responding.

Scott will be leaving for the US in the next day or two to attend the funeral. We would appreciate your prayers for his safety, and for Dez, a close friend from South Africa, as they travel. And of course, for Janelle, and the rest of the family as we all miss this wonderful man.

I’ll close below with a poem Mariah wanted to share.

Blessings,

Lisa

GRANDPA

Grandpa, oh Grandpa!
Why? Why?
Why did you have to leave us and die?
All I can say is good-bye.
I love you, I love you, so very much.
You were my present worth so much,
More than many, many pieces of gold.
My heart’s desire is to see you again,
But you’ve met with God, today.
I love you Grandpa.

Mariah

What's for dinner?

My youngest recently told me how lucky I was to have a son who loves to cook with me. I agree. He has aspirations of becoming a chef, but also wants to be able to cook for his wife and family. What a sweetie!

Our latest hit at the family dinner table was a new curry recipe (we love experimenting with different combinations) and Naans which are a fabulous yeast flat bread. Everyone loved the meal, so we thought we'd share with you.

CHICKEN CURRY

Ingredients:

3 T oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 t grated ginger root
3-5 T curry powder (to taste)
1 t cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 t sugar
salt to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut up into small pieces
1 C plain yogurt
1 can coconut milk
3 T lemon juice

Directions:

Saute onions, garlic and ginger until lightly brown. Add curry powder, cinnamon, bay leaf, sugar and salt. Stir for two minutes. Add the chicken, tomato paste, yogurt and coconut. Stir until the chicken is well coated, then bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is no longer pink, for about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leave and stir in the lemon juice. Simmer another couple of minutes. Serve with rice and Naams.




NAAM

Ingredients:

1 package of dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 c sugar
3 T milk
1 beaten egg
2 t salt
4 1/2 C flour
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in warm water with a tablespoon of the sugar. Let stand about ten minutes until the mixture is frothy. Stir in the rest of the sugar, milk, egg, salt and flour until you have a soft dough. Knead for about six minutes on a floured surface. Place the dough in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour.



Punch down, then pinch off golf ball sized sections of the dough. Roll them into balls and place them on a plate or tray. Cover with a towl and let them rise again for about thirty minutes. Preheat a non-stick flat plan. Dip the balls, one at a time, with a light dusting of flour and roll out into a thin circle. Brush one side with a light coating of butter and place on the grill, butter side down. Butter the top side. Cook until bubbly, about 2-3 minutes then turn. Continue until finished with all the naan.

These recipes will make enough for a family of four or five with no leftovers! We'll share more favorite recipes soon!

*********************
EXTRA! EXTRA!

Read about Dave Gibbs, a man on a mission at Inspire. Be inspired. This is a truly inspiring story of people making a difference in our world today!

I'll choose a winner of the Crazy Contest Monday, so if you have a recipe to submit, you have a couple more days. And if you haven't checked out the recipes in the comments, there are a lot of great, summer recipes to make with your kids or just for fun.

Enjoy!

Lisa and Jayden

Father/Son Bonding

Everyone is home after their father/son bonding weekend to see the World Cup. As you can see from the photos, they had so much fun!

Sunday Devotional Series: Finding Peace in a Chaotic World

Before I share today's devotional, I'd like to wish all of the fathers reading this (especially my own sweet hubby!) a very Happy Father's day!

My mother and I are going to start posting devotionals on a weekly basis. Today we want to look closer at our Heavenly Father, and as you read through this, we pray that you will be blessed and encouraged as you seek Him.

KNOWING GOD

On Monday, January 9, 1956, five women huddled together at Shell Mera, Ecuador, waiting to hear news from their husbands. These five men, each with a passion for sharing Christ’s love, had spent months making contact with the Auca tribe, one of the most hostile and murderous Indian tribes in all of South America, in an attempt to share with them the gospel of Christ. And now they were missing.

Two days later, four bodies were recovered from the river, some with wood spears still sticking through their clothing. Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Roger Youderian, Nate Saint, and Ed McCully, whose body had apparently been washed away, died as Christian martyrs in the hands of the very people they longed to reach for Christ.

Knowing the numerous obstacles against them, why did these men still decide to go ahead with this mission? Why did they persevere after being strongly cautioned regarding the extreme danger in working with these people? The answer is that these men had their foundations anchored in Christ, and they were ready to die for the salvation of the Auca. They believed not only that God had called them to Ecuador, but that He went before them as their divine leader. These couples believed that no matter what happened, God was still in control.

In our own lives, in order to trust God, we have to know Him, and the Bible is our guide to finding out who God is.

*What He is like: “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” Psalm 145:13

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

*What He expects from us: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37

*How deeply He cares about us: “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:7

If we are to persevere in our Christian walk through both the good times and bad times, it is essential for us to know God and to set our foundation firmly on Him. Only then will we be able to trust Him no matter what is happening in the world around us.

DIGGING DEEPER: The Bible gives us many names for both God and Jesus. Names like the I AM, Alpha and Omega, and Almighty give us a greater insight into who He is. Write down as many names for God as you can think of and what those names tell you about God.

PRAYER: Lord, may we truly come to the point in our lives when our foundation and our identity is firmly set only on you.

“In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” I Timothy 6:19

Be blessed today,

Lisa and Ermalee

Crazy Contest!

Things have been rather hectic lately and I've had to really limit my online time to focus on writing and edits. An Ocean Apart--the new name for my Summerside historical--and macro edits for Blood Covenant, book two in my Mission Hope series with Zondervan are both due by the end of the month. And of course, there is still school and ministry and everything else that comes up.

So for a crazy month, I thought I'd host a crazy, somewhat jiggly contest.

Jiggly, you say? Oh yes.

I've mentioned how much fun I've had researching the 1920s on both sides of the Atlantic, and since one of the things I enjoy is cooking, I thought I'd add a recipe to the back of the book. But I need your help!

Salads back in the early 1900 had always been a bit...messy. The solution? Pour your fruits, canned and cooked vegetables and even meats into gelatin. This brought about things like jellied tomato and pimiento salad, sardines in aspic, fruited Jello-salads, and jellied anchovy moulds.

Yum, I know.

But be honest. How many of you still love Jello? Okay, maybe not with pimientos and sardines, but the yummy fruit and whipped cream kind. My favorite growing up was lime Jello with pineapple with and shredded cheddar cheese. (Yes, really.)

Here's what I need from you. All you have to do is leave a comment below and include your favorite gelatin recipe. (One that doesn't include meat and fish products!) Not only will one of you win, but the rest of us will have some summertime recipes to choose from! The winner will have their recipe included in the back of the book with an acknowledgement and will recieve a complimentary copy of the book once its released in February!

So let me hear from you!!
~~~~

On another note, here are a couple places to connect with me on line.

I'll be chatting on the radio with John Gaessler who is with Solace Wealth Management today (Friday the 11th) at 10:00 AM central time here about Blood Ransom and life in Africa. This link goes to John's show page and you can call in and talk 1-347-855-8163. The show will be saved on John's home page about one hour after we end the show.

One of the things that I've been challenged by recently in writing An Ocean Apart is the spiritual theme which revolves around finding our identity in Christ. I'll be writing a post on this soon, but in the meantime, I'm a guest blogger on my agent's blog today where I talk about this topic. You can read the post here.


CONTEST: 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.

If you could travel anywhere...

I've spent the past couple weeks researching 1920's New York City for my next release with Summerside Press and have found it fascinating. Between gangsters, food, fashion and music, New York City makes the perfect contrast to Africa for the second half of my story, Oceans Apart.

With around 6 million people, New York was a modern industrial city with a large immigrant population. It boasted of huge buildings, a subway, sewer lines, and water lines and had a huge port for arriving passenger liners from Europe and other parts of the world.


Yesterday, I compared historic maps with modern maps and found out exactly where my heroine stays. I was even able to find photos of street corners, house plans, and taxis.

While I've never really thought about visiting New York City as a tourist, my research has changed my mind and I've just added the Big Apple to my wish list of places to visit.


With our 20th anniversary coming up next month, Scott and I have enjoyed dreaming of places we'd like to see together. (Thankfully, dreaming is free!)

Below is my partial list of places I'd like to visit one day. Now it's your turn. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would that be? Dream big and leave a comment. I'd love to see your top five!

1. England/Scotland/Ireland
2. Arctic Cruise
3. Tour of the Greek Islands
4. Morocco
5. New York City

Coming next...Fun trivia from the 1920s and a recipe contest with a really cool prize!

Be blessed today,

Lisa

Six Days - One Village

Have you ever read the story in Luke 8 about the demon possessed man from the town of Gerasenes? The Bible says that for a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house. Instead, he had lived among the tombs, often chained hand and foot and kept under guard because he was so violent, and even this precaution wasn't always enough. Often, he would break his chains and been driven by the demon into solitary places.

Last week, Scott, Luiz, and four of our disciples left for the village of Zongoené (David Cuna's village, for those of you who know him). They knew that they would be visiting and encouraging David’s family with whom David had shared Jesus with previously, but beyond that, they didn’t know what to expect. They needed God to open doors and to lead them to the people He knew would be receptive to the word. God was faithful.

While there are many stories to tell, I want to tell you briefly about Joaquim. He had a chain around his ankle to keep him from walking too far from home. His family said they had to do this because he had an evil spirit that would come upon him and would cause him to go around insulting people and yelling at them. Obviously this is something the neighbors did not like, so they had to chain him. What surprised Scott about Joaquim was how young he was. They prayed for his deliverance and spent time with him, sharing the freedom that Jesus promised. On their last day in the village, he knelt and said he too wanted Jesus to be his Lord.

They left Zongoené with 4 preaching points to follow up on next month. They planted many seeds and many say they want to learn more. They plan to make monthly visits to teach and help these new believers. Pray for the people of Zongoené and for our efforts to show the love of Jesus to them.

"He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19

Be blessed today,

Lisa

Book Club Members?

I want to thank all of you who have let me know how reading Blood Ransom has changed the way you look at the world, and a special thanks for those of you who are spreading the word about the book by leaving reviews on Amazon and other online places as well as by word of mouth.

(I just love this photo!)

Yesterday, I spoke with someone who is going to ask her book club about using Blood Ransom as their choice, and I wanted to let you know what I told her. If your book club selects Blood Ransom, I'd love to send book marks for your members as well as a study guide for discussion, and arrange a phone call via skype to chat with your members! Contact me here for details.

Many of you are aware that my Mission Hope series deals with real issues, like the modern day slave trade, facing millions of people around the world, but I've wanted to do more than just make people aware of these situations.

As an answer to those looking for ways to get involved in being a voice to those in need both financially and through actual on the ground involvement , I'll be sharing more information in the weeks to come about something I'm extremely excited about. We're in the process of starting a non-profit organization that will help specific individuals through orphan care, trade school funding, micro-loans, safe houses for girls, with dreams of much, much more as the work grows. Look for more information coming soon.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

This in that...

I've been stuck in New York City in the 1920's this week as I've been doing research for my current novel for Summerside Press, and I have to say, it's been a blast. This was the time of gangsters, prohibition, flappers, the golden era of ocean liners, and molded Jello-salads. And what's given it a challenging twist is that my heroine grew up in Africa so much of what she sees and experiences is completely new to her.

Stop back soon, as I'm going to be posting about a fun recipe contest giving you the chance for both a mention in the book, and a copy of Oceans Apart when it is released early next year.

MINISTRY:


Scott left yesterday with a team of 6 and traveled about three hours south of here to David's home village of Zongoené to show the Jesus film and to follow up on several new Christians as a result of David's testimony at his sister's funeral last month. Scott and the others will be teaching and ministering to people during the day, and then showing the Jesus film at night through next Monday or Tuesday. Please pray for Scott, Luiz, David, José, Crémildo, and Isaias as they minister there.

ALLEN:

Janelle asked for me to post an update on Allen (Scott's uncle and our co-workers here in Africa for many years) and for your continued prayers on some specific requests. Allen left the rehabilitation hospital and is staying with Janelle at the home of dear friends. He will be having important appointments this week coming week at MD Anderson, including the MRI to evaluate the status of his brain tumor. Please pray for them as they receive this news.

In the last several months, Allen has shown a lot of determination and focus as he has learned to stand and walk again, but these still remain difficult tasks. After his appointments at MD Anderson he will return to a different rehabilitation facility with more nursing support. The family would also love your prayers as Janelle makes these choices.

BLOOD RANSOM

I've received quite a few emails from people recently who've read Blood Ransom. If you've read it, I've love to hear your thoughts! Drop me a line.


Be blessed today!

Lisa

Finding Contentment

A few days ago, I opened up my email and smiled. Not only was there two raving reviews about Blood Ransom, but an email from my agent letting me know that an editor was requesting a series from me for possible publication. Not bad for one day.

But then I opened the last email. It was from a fellow writer friend of mine who was passing on some not so good news. Apparently, we each had a book we'd written that been voted on a site as being the two worst books this blogger had read so far this year.

Ouch!

I was quickly smacked back down to reality, but it also got me thinking. How often do we put our confidence in what we do? We win an award, receive a compliment, and get that pat on the back for something we did at work and we're on the top of the world. But that happens when our boss complains about our work, our best friend is mad at something we did (or didn't do), the kids whine about dinner, and the bathroom scale registers a few pounds to high.

It's like a yo-yo that never stops bouncing. Or when it does, it leaves us feeling as if the world has crashed in around us.

Here is what I was reminded of. I'm more than what I do. Yes, there are people who love my books, but there are also clearly those who don't. I've never reached the best-sellers list in the CBA let alone the New York Times list, but that's okay, because that isn't who I am.

So who am I? Who are you?

We are children of the King of Kings, the creator of the universe. God has called us to follow Him, to serve others through His strength, to find intimacy with Him, and to discover that who I am is not based my accomplishment anymore than it is based on my regrets and failures.

Does that mean I stop trying to make that best-seller list? No way. But in the meantime, I don't ever want to forget who I really am.

Paul put it this way, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13

I love this photo of this elephant, because I see contentment in his expression. Cool water, plenty to eat, and probably a bunch of fellow elephants hanging around with him in the background...

God, I want to be more like you. Content to dream big, but also to enjoy the ups and downs of the journey while I get there. I want to be content to love family, friends, and those around me. I want to be content to serve others in Your name. Content to cry with those around me when my heart is breaking, and then to never forget that true contentment can not be found in my circumstances, but because You are the one who gives me strength to get through each day.

I know there are a number of you who right now are going through times that make finding any form of contentment seem impossible, and my heart breaks for you. For today, I'm praying that God's peace, a peace that transcends all human understanding and logic, guards your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

Katy Team Photo Journey

It's always such a joy to host the special mission teams that join us throughout the year. I want to voice a special thanks to the Katy team who was with us last month. It was truly a blessing for our family and for the people they spent time with in the villages. Here's a photo journey from some of the highlights of their time with us. We love and miss you, Katy Team!

Be blessed today,

Lisa

Summer Giveaway Winner!

We are finally home after a couple weeks of travel and boy is it good to be back!

After taking the Katy Team through Kruger Game Park for a day then on to the airport, we spent a couple days resting then it was on to doctors and dentist appointments, car repairs, clothes for the kids (Gabe has grown about 4 inches in the past six months!) and a number of other errands we have to do in South Africa. The car took longer than we'd hoped (like always) but we've now jumped back into school and our schedule.

Thanks to all of you who left a comment on my Summertime giveaway! Congrats to Julie J who won one of Della's baskets and a copy of Blood Ransom! In case you missed the link to Dela's Corner, you can find more great baskets and homemade items to benefit the work in West Africa on her facebook page here.

Enjoy the photos of our time in Kruger!

Lisa

Summertime Giveaway

We're getting ready to take the team who's been with us the past week to South Africa to catch their flight back to the States. To see all the videos and photos of our week, be sure and visit the team's facebook page.

While our family is in South Africa, we'll be spending two days as a family at Kruger for some much needed rest, as well as visiting the doctor and dentist for check ups and cleanings. So while I'll be off line for a while, I thought it might be fun to do a Beach Bag & Book giveaway as many of you head into summer.

The bag I'm giving away, was made by Dela Afakule, a wonderful Christian woman from Ghana living in Togo, West Africa. Along with her husband and their three children, they share their hearts and home to 8 other orphans and extended family in need. Dela hand-dyes fabric and sells these market bags, along with other products, to help support their family and ministry.

To learn more about Dela's ministry in Togo, please visit her facebook page.

The winner of this giveaway will receive one basket similar to the ones in this photo, and a copy of Blood Ransom.

To enter the contest, leave a comment sharing what you plan to do this summer to relax (or winter, depending on where you live :-)) along with a way to get ahold of you! I'll draw a winner on or around May 8th.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

Giveaway is limited to U.S. Addresses 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.

Katy Team

First off, congratulations to Dawn Michelle Michals who won a copy of Harry Kraus' The Six-Liter Club!

It's been a hectic but wonderful week so far with the mission team from Katy, Texas. They have been working hard and sharing dramas along with their lives in several of the villages we work in and have been wonderfully received. I have several more videos posted on our AOM FaceBook page if you want to take a look.

This is a short video of the baptisms yesterday. For those of you who were a part of the English club last summer, these young people were from the camp!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

Katy Team arrives!

I've been offline the past few days as we've been ministering at a village about 45 minutes from our house with the team from Katy, Texas. It's been such an encouragement for us to have them here!

I have posted several videos on the team's Facebook page you might enjoy, so please visit there if you are interested in seeing some of the incredible things that God is doing! I will continue to post videos and photos throughout the week on that page. I've also posted a few photos here.

Last night after spending part of the day in the village teaching, visiting families, and praying for people, about 500 people showed up to watch the Jesus film!

We returned to day and there was about 100 people ready to here more about the Good News of Jesus.

Please pray that God will continue to do amazing things and for wisdom as we follow up in the coming weeks and months with those interested in learning more. We have had numerous issues in the past few days, so just irritations like lack of electricity, car troubles, washing machine troubles. Other things have been more serious. For those of you who know our David Nkuna, (he's one of our evangelists and our main translator) his sister died today. His family left this morning to go be with his family.

On a brighter note, the kids have loved having the team here and all the goodies like starbursts, jelly beans, and macaroni and cheese. For me, it's been a blessing to see friends from last year and to make some new ones. I was also excited to see a copy of Blood Ransom for the first time!

Thanks for your continued prayers!

Lisa

Visit with doctor/author Harry Kraus (Book giveaway!)

I met Harry Kraus last year at a writer's conference after listening to him give the morning devotional. I was especially interested in what he had to say because not only is Harry a writer, but a missionary surgeon to Africa as well.

Today, he'll be sharing with us about his latest release, and if you jump on over to my blog with Lynne Gentry at Inspire. Be Inspired, you can hear more from Harry in a short, inspiring post on what motivates him to use his talents in Africa.

LISA: Welcome to my blog, Harry! Tell us a bit about yourself.

HARRY: I'm a missionary surgeon, having practiced for four years in Kenya and have a special interest in outreach to the Somali people. I am currently on furlough in Virginia. I've written a dozen novels and three non-fiction titles. I am married to a wonderful woman who has "bucked up" and followed me on many adventures including uprooting our family to Africa and back twice (and looking at going back again!). I have three sons: the oldest two graduated from high school in Kenya and are attending universities in the US and my third son lives with us and is attending high school.

LISA: Give us a blub about your latest release, The Six Liter Club.

HARRY: The Six-Liter Club tells the story of the first African-American female to become a trauma surgery attending at the Medical College of Virginia. She has to overcome gender bias and fight to be recognized for her surgical skill rather than her physical attributes. She is haunted by terror from her past: she is the orphan daughter of parents killed in Congo during the Simba Rebellion. The novel is part thriller, part romance and as always, has a Kraus signature of medical realism.

LISA: I can't wait to read it! What is some of the background behind the idea of your latest release?

HARRY: I was sitting in church one Sunday listening to my pastor tell a story of some missionaries that were killed during the Simba rebellion. Soon, I was daydreaming. What if....

LISA: Ahhh.. the constant question of a writer. :-) What kind of research did you have to do for this story?

HARRY: I read true accounts of Christian martyrs killed during the Simba rebellion. I also had to refresh my mind on the topic of the controversy of breast cancer treatment during the 1980's (when it was first discovered that you could treat breast cancer with something less than removal of the whole breast).

LISA: What motivates you to keep writing?

HARRY: I love the creative process and I totally believe in the power of story to illustrate Biblical truth.

Thanks so much for joining us today! Harry has offered to do a book giveaway, so if you'd like a chance to win a copy of The Six-Liter Club please leave a comment below and a way for me to contact you if your names is drawn. Contest will end midnight EST on April 21 and is limited to US mailing addresses.

And before you leave, please visit our Inspired. Be Inspired blog to hear more from Harry.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

Contest is limited to addresses in the USA 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.

Audio book

I'm not sure how many of you enjoy listening to audio books, but because our road trips often take twelve hours or more, we have found them a great way to pass the time with the kids on the road. For the most part, we have listened to what Focus on the Family has to offer. Through them, we've been able to listen to Bible stories and history come to life. One of our favorites from them was a nine CD series called Novacom Saga and it lasted all the way from Nelspruit, South Africa to home.

Last month, Zondervan released the audio version of Blood Ransom. This week I realized that there are samples, so I listened to it online. I have to say, it was quite exiting to hear her read my story. She did a fantastic job making the story come to life. I really was impressed.

If you'd like to listen to a sample yourself, you can visit here. I know what I'll be listening to on my next long trip!

Do you have any favorite audio books you recommend?

Lisa

Looking Ahead...

I pulled out my calender for the next few months to make sure I have my schedule updated. This time of year and going into our "winter" time is always busy, especially with ministry.

TEAMS COMING

Two teams are preparing to come from Houston. One, the end of this month, and a second in July to run our English Camp that went over so well last year. We are really looking forward to having some "old friends" return and meeting some new ones. And it's always a big encouragement for us to have these groups come and really be a part of the work here!


Some of the team that is returning from last year. David, in the middle, will be traveling with Scott this week for leadership training in Zimbabwe.

SCHOOL

The kids are working hard so they can switch to the American school year schedule instead of the January-December schedule in South Africa. This is so Gabriel can have the option of going to a Christian Missionary boarding school for high school and then later for college. This puts our mid-term tests next week. It's hard to believe that the school year is almost half over!

And yes, we've had a few visitors in our class lately.





IT TAKES A VILLAGE

One of the things I enjoy watching in the village is how the women love on their babies. They pass around them around during church to quiet them and love on them. Every young woman has a baby and it doesn't matter whose it is. This is a sweet photo of a grandmother who was watching some of her grandbabies while the younger women stood and sang. (this is why it took me awhile to figure out which baby belongs to which mother.)

Several people from the teams getting ready to come visited this village almost a year ago when we first started going out there. We are excited to show them how God has been working!



WRITING

With my July 1st deadline rapidly approaching, I'm working extra hard these next two weeks to get a big chuck of my writing done. By the end of the week, I'll be halfway done with my latest deadline, a romantic suspense set in Northern Rhodesia and New York in the early 1920's. The research is intense, but I'm enjoying some research books from Allen's library.

ALLEN

Several of you have asked lately for an update on Allen, so if you don't get the regular prayer requests for him, here is a part of the last update.

"In all, Allen continues to make progress. We are asking you to pray for the following:

1. Praise God that he is now able to sit up by himself!! This brings us great joy.
2. Ask God for wisdom for each of the physicians as they work with him in their area.
3. Pray for Allen's discipline to do the exercises that take so much work.
4. And pray for that strength to come, in his chest and in his pelvic girdle.
5. Also pray that we will look into the eyes of our God and trust him. I can get tired and discouraged (and Allen as well) as the time passes and he progresses slowly."

What about you? What do you have planned for "summer" or "winter" depending on where you live?

Be blessed today!

Lisa

Land of the Free

"Awareness is only the first step...involvement is what changes things."


I find it extremely encouraging to hear about young people who have been motivated to get out and make a difference in the world. Brandon Marx is a senior film student who decided to do just that.

Lynne and I just posted his thoughts on what motivated him to get involved in abolishing human trafficking and the modern-day sex trade. You can read his moving interview on our Inspired Blog.

Land of the Free Promotional Video from Evangeline Lee on Vimeo.