Fabulous Feature: Lisa Phillips-Writing Like a Worship Leader

Today we welcome author:

Lisa Phillips

Two commenters will win a copy of
Lisa's book:

 Easy Prey

Scroll down to see how.

International Readers Are Invited to Enter!

Mary here. I'm so happy to welcome Lisa to Let's Talk this weekend. What I appreciate the most about her post was reading how God used two callings in her life to work together. I asked Lisa to tell us how God led her on her writing journey. Here is what she said: 

How to Write...Like a Worship Leader

A few years back, right after the birth of my first child (who is now eight) I was struggling with my identity. Probably something a lot of new moms can identify with. All of a sudden, you aren’t just you—and your whole life is taken up with this tiny, helpless being.

Except that was the time when I really felt God was telling me I was a writer.

Fast forward five years.

Summer 2012 I participated in a Speed Date Pitch for Love Inspired Suspense. Out of that 100 word pitch (which you can read about here) I was offered my first book contract. Since then I’ve written six LIS books, four published and the last two coming next year, and also independently published four full length novels and four short stories…

About which time I became a worship leader.

I don’t know if God just doesn’t want me to get comfortable, or what. But it seems like every time I settle into something, He begins to do something new in my life. Which I’m fine with. I really don’t like being stagnant, or anything that even resembles a rut!

So far, leading worship and writing have overlapped in so many ways. It seems like the things I’m learning in worship, things like dying to myself and keeping that spirit of worship through my whole day and not just Sunday mornings, translate into my writing. My characters are having to learn how to love like Jesus does, how to overcome the difficulties they see in other people that cause conflicts. Sure, there aren’t many spies or bad guys in worship leading, but the principles are the same.

I have to trust God in everything, and I have to trust Him to work through me to do what He wants so that He will be glorified. One of my favorite songs right now is called Broken Vessels. It’s a version of the hymn Amazing Grace that Hillsong rearranged. The first part goes like this:

All these pieces, broken and scattered

In mercy gathered, mended and whole

Empty handed, but not forsaken

I’ve been set free, I’ve been set free.

It’s like the spiritual premise of every book I’ve ever written: I was broken, and Jesus put me back together.

You can listen to the song here, but don’t forget to comment below! I’d love to know what God is teaching you right now.

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Lisa Phillips is an ex-pat Brit who crossed the pond to attend Bible College. She and her husband have two kids and an all-black Airedale who goes by the name Vator (short for “The Dark Lord Elevator” which is what happens when a 4yr old boy names your dog).
Lisa got her start writing while waiting for her employment authorization card to come through, and studied the craft with the Christian Writers Guild. She can most often be found with a cup of proper tea and her nose in a book.

Lisa loves to connect with readers. You can find her at her:
  

Website | Twitter
Facebook
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Easy Prey

While Investigating a murder at Rikki Allen's house, detective Blain Kent realizes the victim looks a lot like Rikki. Could the secretive widow have been the target? When the killer comes after Rikki at a safe location, Blain finally gets the truth out of her: she's the daughter of Franco Alvanetti--the notorious crime kingpin. A by-the-book former marine, Blain has made it his life mission to put the Alvanetti family out of business. Yet he has to trust Rikki to protect her from a killer who wants her dead by Christmas.

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Enter the contest to win a copy of Lisa's book:

Easy Prey
International Readers are welcome to enter!
here is how:

leave a comment (and email address)

AND sign up to receive my newsletter -in the right column
(subscribers to my newsletter will receive a special Christmas gift)

AND/OR sign up to receive posts by email if you aren't already

Thank you, Lisa, for joining us this weekend!

We enjoy chatting with you, Reader, and look forward to reading your comments and questions. Or at least your hi, hello, or hey.

Thanks for stopping by!

Don't forget to comment!