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
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
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!
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!
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