New blog page added

I was expecting SITB ("see inside the book") to be available on booksellers' websites eventually, but "eventually" has come and gone. I do want seekers to get a better idea of what the book is about before they buy it to be sure it's what they want and to be encouraged that it is in fact what they want. That is why I have added a tab at the top of this home page. You can click on "See Inside the Book" and find the Table of Contents and the Introduction in full. I have yet to put any excerpts from chapters because the chapters have so many subtitles as separate discussions throughout. I may go back and add chapter descriptions though. I'll let the Lord lead with that. As it is, SITB is now available through this blog and I pray it is helpful to you!

Many wishes for a spiritually productive and mentally healthy new year in 2011!!!!
~Lisa

Advertising

Currently I am working on getting Healing Letters sold online at CBD (Christian Book Distributors). I did not write the book to make lots of money, but neither did Advantage publish the book to lose money. My prayer is that 1) CBD will sell it, and 2) it will be a winning situation for everyone. If I can get my book sold at CBD, it would open up opportunities for me to approach certain websites that sell books via direct link to CBD.

I had made it my goal to spread the word about the book to all 50 states of the Union, whether by sending out free copies or just by letters and fliers. I have been making up a mailing list and have about 15 states covered so far. I'd like to send freebies to everyone but it's hard to replenish inventory with no funds. I am looking to send copies to biblical counselors and counseling centers/clinics. If you think you can help in this effort, please contact me by snail-mail or email through the information provided on the "About the Author" or "Buy Now" tab at the top of this homepage.

Also, if you would be willing to distribute fliers or bookmarks with the book information, please contact me via the above methods and I will send some out to you. Distribution can be done in one of several ways:
> set them out at your place of business
> send them out in mailers
> tack it up on a public bulletin board
> use it as a conversation starter.
> put it in a visible location at your church library

I am in full swing with homeschool education, and I don't have a babysitter to free me up for publicizing this book, but there is still plenty I CAN do to let folks know about this tool for living the Christian life. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly," (John 10:10). That's my wish for all of my brothers and sisters in Christ above any other goal. I have prayed for my readers since the inception of this project and I continue to do so even when it seems like I'm doing nothing else with the book. Prayer is my most effective tool in helping. It is not a last resort!

There's a miracle in your lunch box

Sunday, the sermon at church was about the miracle of the fishes and the loaves. A boy heard that Jesus was in town and wanted to see what it was all about. He packed a lunch (since they didn't have Quik Trip or McDonald's) and set out for the day. He didn't know the possibilities of what lie ahead, yet Jesus knew what the kid had packed. The kid didn't pack a caravan to feed the many thousands. He was responsible for feeding himself so that's what he packed for.

I have my responsibilities cut out for me. It is more than enough. Giving God my lunch sack/basket containing a little book called Healing Letters is all He needs to perform healings, transformations and miracles. I'll always remember my conversation with Him one night on my way home after a counseling session. I mentioned it in the book. He said, "I need you to write the letter to C&M. You are ready now." I look back and see it as Jesus asking the boy for his lunch. It was a vote of confidence from my Maker. He had prepared me and I had yet to find out how. And so the saga has continued for nearly 3 years now.

Will you put your bag of daily preparations at His feet and see what He can do with it? He's not out to hurt you. It's okay.

Just there

It has been a while since I wrote my last post so it's only fair that I write something again. Honestly, there are no great stories to report about the book. When I wrote it, I did not expect it to be a NYTimes best seller. I simply wanted to make a resource available for the next person who Googled "healing letters" and otherwise wouldn't find anything. Beyond that, it was beyond me. Whatever happens with it at this point is in God's hands.

See, that's where I get hung up. I was looking through my files tonight and found something I'd filed with "Healing Letters". It's an entry from Beth Moore on Living Proof Ministries Blog entitled The Baffling Call to Communicate. Perhaps she states my dilemna best when she writes, "What are the differences between the times we are called upon by God to labor intelsely toward a victory with every last ounce of energy we have (Colossians 1:29) and times when we just stand there and watch God do the thing like we weren't even there? Or maybe we see nothing at all and go home in near despair, only for somebody to drop a note to us and say, 'God spoke the word to me that day that I've waited all my life to hear.' Sometimes they quote what they heard and you know good and well it wasn't you who said it. God talked around you instead of through you."

Like so many people, I've fought the ongoing fight of negative self-talk. And anyone who is familiar with it in the least, can only imagine what it must amount to when a fellow soldier in this battle publishes a book with her life laid bare. Coupled with the struggle to know when to go for the gusto and when to lay low, I assure you it has not been an easy ride since the published book landed in my hands. For my readers' sakes, I'd like to say it has been nothing but sweet victory, but that just isn't the case. I saw this message on a church message board recently: "Failure isn't in falling down, it's in staying down." In that regard, I am not a failure! I am victorious in Christ who helps me get back up, who gives me every reason to persist when I refuse to take the easy road and give up! Praise Him who continues to heal wounds I don't even know I have!!

The first year after I wrote Healing Letters, I wrestled with God. I did not have the financial resources to pay for the publication so it was on hold for a year until the next tax refund. A year to wrestle God. Hmm.... It was interesting, I'll say. During that time, I became content with the idea that it would not be published. I justified that it must have been for me and not for anyone else, and yes, it would have been worth it if that were the case. I remember it well what came next. It was near the end of the church service and the congregation was praying. I was talking to God about some things and as I was listening for His reply, he availed himself of the airspace to say something completely out-of-the-blue and unrelated to my conversation. He calmly spoke, "Publishing the book will be the next step in your healing." It felt like an invitation more than anything. An invitation to come and dine some more, to go back for seconds on dessert! It was also very humbling. In order to receive a blessing, I would also have to submit to whatever else that entailed. I decided at that moment that there was no turning back and I was fully committed. Not to say I didn't keep wrestling, but God stayed on His throne and kept winning.

Now that the book is out there, I have a deep respect for my readers prerogative to remain confidential. It's all about getting back to God and my prayer is that you will and that you will share Him with others when you do. But I go back to Beth Moore's blogging and ask myself how much of it is up to me? Should I try to do book signings? Should I travel? How hard should I try for consignments? Well, I'm thinking out loud here, but basically I've concluded that I'll go when He says "Go!" and I'll stay when He says "Stay." Simple enough. From the beginning, when I wrote the book, I was pregnant with child #3. I wrote at night and on weekends. My family was my priority and I have felt strongly about that all along. That alone answers some of my ponderings. No matter what wise or foolish decisions I make now, Got will get it where it needs to be. He made that very clear to me from the beginning. He wrote it for somebody, of that I am sure. It feels to me like I'm just plain ol' me and I'm just standing there and watching God do the thing like I'm not even here. It's hard to BELIEVE when you don't SEE (or when the only feedback is full of bashes). But "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." I have Faith.

Thanks for listening. And thanks for stopping by..........
~Lisa

PS -- And thanks for putting up with SSSOOOOOOOOOO many technical errors in the book. As I've read through it a few times, I've seen more and more of them!

For unto us a book is born!

Healing Letters: A companion guide to writing unsent letters in the healing process arrived at my door today. I was so excited that I took the keys from The Man in Brown, used a key to open a box, and gave him one on the spot! He was excited for me and I just told him to pass it on. The book is now available for sale directly from me in addition to the availability at all major booksellers and distributors.

I will now use this weblog to advertise specials and events. The book retails for $14.00 cover price. Never pay more. Try to pay less.

May God bless this work in your life today!

~Lisa Stough

For Sale:

I have had some difficulties with the publisher in placing my book order or confirming that it has been released. Nevertheless, I got through today and confirmed that the retailers that list it do, in fact, have it in stock. If you order online or in store, one quick way to check if you have received a proof copy that was supposed to have been recalled is to check the table of contents. Chapter 7 begins on page 121, not 120. If it says "120," then you got a proof copy and can call the publisher to have them replace your copy with the right one (click the "Buy Now" tab at the top of this page for a link to the publisher). In the proof copy, you would find even more mistakes than there are without those final changes, some quite glaring ones, so it is worth it to have the right copy. They cannot charge you to send back your proof so don't send it. Proof copies are free and I don't make royalties off of them.

If you do not live near me to purchase your copy direct, you may NOW purchase online, in stores, and wherever books are sold.

I must say, with all the delays and such, this release has been quite anticlimactic, but since God is in control and will get it into the hands of the people He wrote it for, I'm not too worried about the initial delivery and all its kinks and let-downs. It's a learning experience.

Thank you all, for your prayers and support. I am counting on word-of-mouth to be a large portion of advertisement for Healing Letters. I know this book is far from perfect. Many times I wanted to go back and add material or make major changes. But that inner urging (Holy Spirit) kept telling me to leave it alone. It is as He wants it. Maybe that was just to keep me humble, but I tend to think it was more than that, which only time will tell. I pray you find this work worth supporting after you read it.

In Christian love,
Lisa

Resolutuion

Okay, the mistake is being corrected. Yes, some proof copies were sent out due to a miscommunication between the publisher and the printing company. The books have been recalled. The corrections to the proof itself have been made and I gave final approval over the phone today. This means that within 1-2 days the book will be printed and ready to ship this week. I am praying in faith that I will receive my first box of books by the end of the week. When I receive my copies, I will post a picture and let you know it's a green light to order. If you'd like to order from the publisher (the second most preferrable method) then you can place your order now but it will not send until the approved copy is released.

God has answered every prayer and so much more throughout this project. He has brought me to a new level of expectation from Him. Too often people expect that God will only bring really great feelings and experiences to shape a person. That just is not the case! When I say I expect great things from Him, I am not implying that I expect great feelings in me. I hope that is clear in my book. God is at work through thick and thin. Just as marriage is not all peachy, but you stick with the person and divorce is not an option and iron sharpens iron. So it is in relationship with God. I have a line in my book that says, "God calls it pruning but to the living it feels more like amputation," (p. 24). Yes, sometimes it hurts, but I have finally learned, after 18 years of walking with God, to completely trust and know that it does turn out okay and God is ALWAYS in control. I wish I could say that without sounding cliche.

Thank you, everyone, for your prayers! Don't stop!

~Lisa

Buyer be warned!!

Recently I was made aware that my book is already being sold. I have not given approval with changes to some glaring errors so anything you buy will be sold to you on unethical or illegal grounds. It may be just a proof and therefore you are getting ripped off or you will be getting a pirated copy which is illegal. Either way, I am not earning royalties, which in itself is highly dishonest and unethical. The book is being sold at major book distributors as well as on the publisher's website. I simply want my audience to have the facts to make an informed decision. I will keep you posted as to when it will be available for HONEST sale.

Thank you.
~Lisa

PS -- As of 10/4, the publisher was notified of this and assured me he is looking into this mix-up. He also assured me it was never released with his approval or mine.

What's That?!

Why, yes, it is the proof copy of my book which I received in the mail today!!! That term -- "proof copy" struck me today as having two meanings. It is actual, tangible proof AND it is a copy to proofread before printing mass quantities. So there you have it, folks! Once they make one correction, I will have my boxes of books in the mail! Praising my Lord today!

In His time,

~Lisa

It's in the mail!

Got this message today:

Your book came today and we are sending it out to you tomorrow. Looks great!

Mike

See you soon, Book!!!!

From the desk of Mike J.

9/14/10 9:29 AM

Still in set up. I will watch it every day and let you know.
Mike

One to three days!

Called Advantage yesterday. Mike said the problem at the printers was fixed. Karyn called today and said my copy is in que at the printers and will be off the press in 1-3 days. That's the proof copy which will then be overnight delivered. Once approved, I can place my order.

I admit it was discouraging to build up all that momentum of excitement for the release once the cover was done, only to have it lose steam when it jammed. I will proceed much more cautiously this time, but feel free to get totally pumped up about its release!! Keep praying, too!

Blogger just put a new tab on the dashboard so I can view the stats of my viewing audience. It indicated some surprising outreach information. This blog site has been viewed in the US, Canada, and ISRAEL!! The views have come from 7 different browsers, all of which tells me that before the book is even released, there is a wide variety among viewers. This is my hope and prayer, that God will use Healing Letters to touch lives in ways no one could possibly imagine. When one life is changed, it can change for 10 others by influence.

Praising God,
Lisa

Update -- Another speed bump

For two weeks+ now, the publisher has been trying to send the book file to the printers and the printers can't open the file. So Healing Letters has been hanging in limbo after 4 tries, as I was informed of today. Please pray for this project to come to fruition! Ephesians 6 says it all.
~Lisa

Cover design

I'll let you in on a little secret, since you were faithful enough to visit me at this website. ;-) Click on the link above that says "The Main Thing". There you will find a photo of an Angelique Tulip. That photo is on the cover of Healing Letters. I won't be more specific than that except to say that this means so much to me that one of my very own photos will be on the cover of my book. It has a special story all its own that I may share at another time on this weblog.

In the meantime, hang in there. The back cover copy got delayed last week but it will be in my inbox for approval tomorrow morning. Click on "Buy Now" for your purchasing options. If you would like to pre-order your copy, you may do so by contacting me for details on sending a check.

Next week??!!!

Today I got to do my book corrections by phone and I'll get a final galley copy by Friday. In the mean time, it's going to the cover designer and I'll approve it by about Monday or Tuesday. After the galley and cover are approved, it will go to press and, Lord willing, my book will be officially published NEXT WEEK! (I have to catch my breath when I say that.) I have many feelings running through me as the end of this stage draws so very near and the next one begins.

"Woah!" is the word that comes to mind. Then my hands raise almost without thought and I am continually praising my Lord who has brought this to pass. I was revisiting the Father's Love Letter website again today and it hit me all over again of how far I've come and just how real and tender God is. What a mighty God we serve!

Praising Him for the victories today!

How's this for a speed bump?

Yesterday, I was away from home when a midwest summer storm welled up and ate my computer with its claws of lightning! I am working from my laptop now and will have to rebuild too many files to think about right now. Overwhelming though it is, I am thankful my book was saved to a flash drive. Now if I can just find anything with my publisher's email addresses printed on it, I might be another step back into the game.

There is a very real fight in the spirit realm (see Ephesians chapter 6). I have yet to pour my heart out on the page entitled "The Main Thing" but it is there where I intend to emphasize the importance of a relationship with God before attempting to tackle your own healing letter. It is the most significant element in gaining healing from writing such a letter. God is the source of my strength when trials such as the loss of a computer come up in my life. Just as He can transform a life, He can transform a situation. I was just reading in Isaiah today where God says He will vindicate the righteous against their enemy. He didn't say He would restore to them all their material possessions and return things back to the way they had been before. He simply said he will fight on your behalf and you will live a victorious life when you are in the Lord's army and He is on your side. "He will Restore to you the years the locust has eaten." He didn't say He restores the "stuff the locust has eaten." It's the "years" God is concerned about, the reputations, the missed opportunities, the big picture beyond the "stuff".

Keep believing and praying,
Lisa

Wait!

This whole "Wait on the Lord" thing can be such a mystery in the faith, don't you think? I mean, if we're waiting, does that always mean we're waiting on the Lord since everything happens in His time? Well, lest we get into deep theological diversion and away from my purpose of this post..... I am now waiting till next Tuesday at noon when I will call in my corrections. We are also apparently having trouble getting a couple things sent through the email. The very end, just before publication, is a perfect opportunity for the spiritual warfare to intensify, so I covet prayers for a smooth and God-glorifying ride over the speed-bumps and for potential speed-bumps to be removed. Thank you!

In Holy riptide,
Lisa

The galley has arrived!

I received my second galley copy yesterday and will make final changes this week. When that process is finished -- hopefully by next week -- they will send it to the cover designer, which shouldn't take long. Then it's off to the printing press!

It came to my attention last night that tomorrow is the 2-year anniversary of the day I began putting on paper my ideas that evolved into this book. It began with a stack of notecards in a little black recipe box. Then I sorted the cards and noticed different themes that eventually fell under one subject heading of "Healing Letters". The book took off from there and in a matter of 5 months I had a full manuscript to work with and revise. Next to parenthood and biblical counseling, writing this book has stretched me beyond comprehension and grown me in one surprising, amazing way after another.

Yesterday, I met with the leader of our church's DC4K program and we had a very productive brainstorming session about how to integrate Healing Letters into a station. We caught the vision so now we can pray about it and share it with the other "safe keepers" in our group. I think we'll try it out for a semester and change it around until we come up with something solid for a booklet. Then we'll share it with other churches through the DC4K program. It's exciting to see the possibilities of the children's version coming into light.

Exploring Options

While I'm waiting, I'm exploring my options locally to help Healing Letters reach more people. I was driving around the other day getting my little boy to sleep and saw a sign for a ministry that had piqued my interest once before by a very obscure mention of it. It's called Mercy Ministries and is found at www.mercyministries.com. I have not yet contacted them, but I would be very interested in attending their informational luncheon this month, and perhaps setting up a workshop to introduce the concept to the young ladies who are residents there. It seems like a very worthwhile ministry that God is blessing.

There are of course other pots on the stove, but this is the latest. I have so many ideas spinning in my head, I should charge admission on account of it being as harried as an amusement park (and often quite entertaining too).

In the mean time, I am waiting to hear back from Advantage to know if my galley is in the mail yet. Hopefully I will receive the galley even before the reply. :)

From the desk of Karyn J.

Lisa,
Your book will be in our catalog for the fall and all the stores will receive one of those. Your galley copy should be going in the mail this week. I will check on that. Going to the convention is a good thing but not an essential thing. We will get your book out and in all the stores on their computers. We are getting down to the end. Hang in there.

Karyn

And then...

Now that convention week is over, I will be contacting the publisher and pushing for direction and a new time frame. I hope to post again by the end of the week. Today was my husband's holiday vacation day so I did not do book work today.

One idea that is in the brainstorm funnel is making the concept of Healing Letters into a station for our DC4K program. That stands for Divorce Care for Kids (registered trademark). Please be praying for the Lord's direction on this pursuit as it is yet in its infancy.

WELCOME!

Healing Letters: a companion guide to writing unsent letters in the healing process was hoped to release next week, but it doesn't look like we'll have it out by then. Nevertheless, the release is in the very near future and that is about as specific as I can get. I am excited and nervous and pumped!