Lisa Harris's Blog, page 34

Life in the fast lane (plus a big giveaway!)

Life has continued to be a whirlwind these past few weeks as we finish our time here in the States. We were booked to return tonight, but found out this morning that our flight was canceled. The airlines ended up booking us on a flight tomorrow which actually gives us more time to finish our to-do list and maybe even get a good night sleep. (Yes, we were up till three this morning packing!)

Of course, it also means that I will have to rewash all the sheets and towels in the morning, but I guess by now, we've learned to simply go with the flow.

While a lot has been going on in our ministry lives, this has also been the month for the release of Blood Covenant. I'm so exited about this book and the fact that the reviews coming in are very positive. Thanks also to all of you who have written me to share your thoughts and posted your reviews on line for the series.



Here is what some people are saying...

"Blood Covenant is a rare romantic suspense that has a great balance of suspense to romance." The Christian Manifesto

"This stellar novel is an absolute must-read!" Romantic Times 4 ½ star Tip Pick!

"Harris's writing is engaging, and she is worth watching." Publisher's Weekly

"Lisa Harris paints with words of vivid detail, as you, the reader, step into the diverse scenes of the book. It's better than 3D..." TitleTrakk.com

In celebration, I'm giving away four copies this week! And one of the lucky winners, will also get some tea and chocolate straight from the heart of Africa.



For a chance to win, leave a comment below, letting me know you'd like to be a part of the giveaway and be sure and leave a way for me to contact you. For an extra chance to win, sign up for my newsletter here. Everyone signed up will be automatically entered in the giveaway. Drawing will close midnight, CST on Sunday, February 26th.

And on top of that, I'll be giving away another big surprise next week that you won't want to miss, so be sure and stop by again!

Be blessed!

Lisa


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.

The Countdown Begins!

It's hard to believe it, but our furlough is quickly coming to an end. We are spending this weekend with Scott's family. Next week, my sister and her family will be visiting while we mark off the last minute to-do list and get ready to head back to Africa.

Looking back over the past few months, I'm reminded again at how blessed we are to have the support and encouragement from family and friends all over the country. And while it's been busy and even stressful at times, it's also been full of great memories and moments that I wouldn't trade for anything.

On a writing note, I received my author copies of Blood Covenant last week which is always exciting. If you haven't heard the news, you can currently download copies of the first book in the series, Blood Ransom, from Amazon and other similar places for FREE!


On top of that, Blood Covenant is now in stock online here and is on its way to the bookstores. It's like a buy-one-get-one-free deal!


So pick up a copy then let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you! And watch for more chances coming soon to win some cool gifts from the heart of Africa.

Be blessed,

Lisa

Orphan Update

I received some photos today from the Christmas party that was held for our sweet orphan children in Zimbabwe in December!

"The children had a wonderful day with a special meal and games. The children sang for their families and friends, while the caregivers prepared the food for the day and Themba was very appreciative with how well everyone came together to make this a truly shared experience. Themba plans to put the newly purchased pots and pans to good use in the future as well!"

To learn how you can sponsor a child, visit The ECHO Project.

Blood Covenant Trailer!

I'm so excited because Blood Covenant is hitting the shelves next month! For now, you can pre-order it at Amazon or other online places if you want the book shipped to you as soon as it hits the shelves. Or, if you don't want to wait until then, it is available now for download onto your kindle!

Take a sneak peek of the first chapter, click here, and let me know what you think.

Blood Covenant Book Trailer from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

Together with my wonderful publisher and publicist, we'll be hosting a lot of book giveaways and really cool prizes from the Heart of Africa to promote the book in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

On another note, if you haven't seen my twitter/FB updates, Luiz has a kidney stone and has been in a tremendous amount of pain the past three days. Scott drove him and Fernanda to the capital today, where they are currently talking to a doctor at one of the hospitals there. I will continue to leave updates (which appear on my blog home page as well) via twitter/FB if you would like updates. Scott still plans to return to Houston the middle of next week. Please continue to pray for Luiz and Fernanda as they are still planning to return to Brazil on Monday if possible, and for Scott as he is extremely worn out right now.

Be blessed!

Lisa

Ministry Prayer Request

Since many of you follow my blog as a way to keep up with our ministry, I would like to share a prayer request specifically for our teammates, Luiz and Fernanda. They feel that God is calling them back to Brazil and will be leaving Mozambique this weekend. Scott arrived in Mozambique today so he can spend a few days helping them with the logistics of their move as well as to meet with our disciples.

Please pray for Luiz and Fernanda as they transition back to Brazil, and specifically that God will work powerfully in their lives.

Pray that God will give Scott wisdom, discernment, safety, and health as he travels back to Africa. He will return back to the States next week.

Pray for God's blessings and direction for the disciples in Mozambique. That the Holy Spirit will strengthen and guide them as they continue to teach and lead while we are gone.

We appreciate your prayers as well for our family as our furlough will end soon, and we are already looking forward to returning home to Africa the end of February.

Be blessed today,

Lisa

Bonus Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to the handy "random number generator website", Tom and Patricia are the winners of my bonus giveaway for a copy of Blood Ransom. Congratulations! Please contact me here with your mailing information.


I also wanted to quickly share the final cover of my next historical release from Summerside Press, An Ocean Away. I love how it came together! I'd love to know what you think!

Be blessed today,

Lisa

Yummy Milk Tart Recipe

I've mentioned before that one of the things we are doing while we are back is hosting Night in Africa dinners. While it's been a lot of work, we've really enjoyed the encouragement and fellowship that these dinners have offered.

One of the menu items I have prepared is a Milk Tart from South Africa. I've promised several people who've been to the dinners that I would post the recipe, so here it is along with some tips and photos below. Let me know if you decide to give it a try!

If you missed my radio interview yesterday and are interested in listening to it, you can find it here at InFaithNetwork.com. I had a great time chatting with the wonderful hosts as well as fellow author Bo Caldwell.

Be blessed!

Lisa

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment on my Bonus Giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Blood Ransom by tomorrow night. You can also watch for upcoming chances to win a copy of Blood Covenant plus I'll be posting its video trailer coming soon! (It's now up on my website if you want to take a sneak peek!)


South African Milk Tart

4 C whole milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons flour
2 t vanilla
One, ready-made graham cracker pie crust

Cream the sugar, eggs, cornstarch, flour and vanilla in a bowl. Set aside.

Bring the whole milk and butter to the boil in a heavy sauce pan. Stir constantly.

Add some of the hot milk to the creamed mixture, then pour it back into the pot and heat gently until it thickens, but do not let it boil and stir constantly.

Take the pan off the burner and let it cool a few minutes before pouring the filling into a ready-made graham cracker pie crust and cool.

Refrigerate and sprinkle with cinnamon until time to serve and enjoy!

Bonus Giveaway!

After a few days of time away with Scott to celebrate our twentieth anniversary, it's back in the swing of furlough, starting with dinners planned every night for the next week. In looking ahead, it's hard to believe that in another month--and after logging many more miles--we'll be heading back home to Africa. In the meantime, our time here continues to be busy, but a blessing, and we are grateful to everyone who continues to encourage and pray for us during this time!

As for the bonus giveaway...

The winner of my last giveaway already had a copy of Blood Ransom and asked that I draw a new name so someone else would have the chance to read the book. So...if you haven't read Blood Ransom and would like to win a copy, leave a comment letting me know why you'd like to win the book. I will pick a name at the end of the week!

BTW, For those who are looking forward to book two, Blood Covenant, the book is available for pre-order on Amazon! And watch for ways where you can win a copy right here on my blog in the coming weeks.

Be blessed today!

Lisa

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.

Need a dose of Encouragement?

I don't know about you, but the past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity for our family. Between a busy furlough schedule, homeschooling, and book edits and marketing for my upcoming releases, it's often finding it hard to keep things in balance. Thankfully, in spite of the business, we've been blessed to find some down time to spend with family. And, Scott and I are getting ready to go away for a few days to celebrate a belated 20th anniversary. (Yeah)

So if you need a dose of encouragement for your New Year, I have a remedy! If you're living in the Dallas area take a couple hours Saturday to hear my close friend Lynne Gentry and Gail McWilliams give you the boost you need!

Did you know that over 46 million people suffer from a vitamin B12 deficiency—and most don't even know it? How bazaar that abnormal can seem normal. But what if things could change?

A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause weariness, fatigue, confusion, numbness, being out of balance and loss of memory. Everyday life can reflect these symptoms too. Weariness and fatigue may indicate worry. Confusion can depict loss of focus. Numbness is a way to handle unresolved conflict and pain. Being out of balance is everyone's challenge while juggling overbooked lives. Loss of memory depletes us most when we forget who we are and the purpose of our life.

Lynne Gentry is teaming with Gail McWilliams this Saturday to launch a new series designed to get you back into the race of life to win. Start your new year with a dose of encouragement. Visit here for more info.

Happy New Year!

Lisa

Merry Christmas!

Before I sign out for the holidays to spend time with family, I want to announce the winner of my Christmas giveaway. Congratulations to Margo from my newsletter list! I'll be contacting you this week.

Thanks so much to all of you who took the time to stop by my blog and share what you were looking forward to this Christmas. I really enjoyed reading through your comments and hearing what you had to share.

On another note, be sure and come back after the New Year as I will be hosting several giveaways in the coming weeks that will include copies of both Blood Covenant, book two in my Mission Hope series, as well as my upcoming historical An Ocean Away which is set in both Northern Rhodesia (Africa) and New York in the early 1920s.

For another chance to win a copy of Blood Ransom be sure and stop by Carman's Continuous Delights blogspot on Wednesday. She's currently running an end of the year celebration and is chatting with a number of authors with some great giveaways. Don't miss it!





If you're looking for some great fiction bargains, check out my website later this month. I'm almost done updating the site, and it will include a way to purchase signed copies of some of my older books at great prices.


Lastly, as a reminder of what truly matters this season, I'd like to share a couple poems written by my daughter.

Merry Christmas all!

Lisa


THE ONE

On this day
The Christ is born
The Son of God
The Son, the Lamb
Mary gave birth to Thee,
One we've waited for eternity.
Mary, Mary, had Thy Son
Of our God
The mighty one
Thank you, God.
Thank you, God.
For this wonderful sacrifice of love.



THE REASON WHY

One by one the wise men came
Down to the city of Bethlehem.
They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh
For Mary and Joseph,
For their new baby Jesus.

We don't celebrate Christmas
Simply for presents.
We celebrate Christmas
Because Jesus was born like you.
And the difference was,
He was without sin.
He was God,
Outside and in.

Mariah, December 2010